Cover Inside the semi-detached home, the upper-level hallway leading to the bedrooms continues the overall warm palette, augmented by glimpses of lush indoor foliage
Inside the semi-detached home, the upper-level hallway leading to the bedrooms continues the overall warm palette, augmented by glimpses of lush indoor foliage
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In this cleverly articulated semi-detached home by Super Assembly in Singapore, light, air and landscape speak volumes and animate the spaces in between
Building for the future is as much a challenge as it is a thrill—it demands foresight, flexibility, and no small amount of architectural ingenuity. That was certainly the case with this 7,000 sq ft home by Super Assembly, commissioned by a bachelor whose brief called for a six-bedroom, multigenerational residence: a tall order for a compact rectangular plot in a neighbourhood populated by two-storey dwellings.
Dubbed the In-Between House, the new build took around two years to complete. It stands on land once occupied by a semi-detached home that had been in the client’s family for generations. Designed with the long view in mind, it offers a spatial framework within which the owner’s future and extended family might eventually reunite in their silver years.
The result is a cleverly layered residence that unfolds through a series of volumes, articulated with architectural incisions that allows for light and air, pockets of greenery that blur the boundaries between the inside and outside, and diagonal views that encourage interaction between levels.
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Above The street-facing façade of the semi-detached home presents as a clean-lined two-storey volume clad in warm terracotta
The street-facing façade of the semi-detached home presents as a clean-lined two-storey volume clad in warm terracotta
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Above A full grown tree takes a pride of place in the semi-detached home’s double-volume living space
Above An exterior view reveals the semi-detached home’s four distinct volumes—inside, the interstitial spaces between them are as integral to the design as the rooms themselves
A full grown tree takes a pride of place in the semi-detached home’s double-volume living space
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The project was led by architectural firm Super Assembly, marking a full-circle collaboration between principal architect Iskandar Idris and his former university tutor, architect Tan Teck Kiam, whose guidance during his formative years helped shape Iskandar’s approach to architecture.
“One of the first things I asked [the client] was: ‘Do you enjoy greenery?’” Iskandar recalls. “He said yes—he liked having a garden, but also preferred being in air-conditioned spaces. That led us to explore how we could bring the outside in, how to blur those lines right from the start—especially within a tight site.”
Above The living area features pockets of greenery and light that create a feel of being in the garden
The living area features pockets of greenery and light that create a feel of being in the garden
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Above From the atrium, a bedroom’s picture window opens to views of the tree canopy and the layered volumes beyond, with ample daylight courtesy of the skylight
Above A square picture window offers a warm-toned layered view across the semi-detached home’s atrium
From the atrium, a bedroom’s picture window opens to views of the tree canopy and the layered volumes beyond, with ample daylight courtesy of the skylight
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The answer lay in fragmenting the semi-detached home’s massing into four volumes, separated by interstitial voids. These in-between spaces do double duty—bringing natural light and ventilation deep into the plan, while resolving privacy concerns in the semi-detached typology.
No windows face the neighbouring wall; instead, sightlines are directed across courtyards and diagonally between the volumes, creating a layered spatial rhythm. “From the street, the house still reads as a two-storey dwelling,” says Iskandar. “But at the rear, we inserted mezzanines to create the extra bedrooms we needed without affecting the main volumes.”
Above The indoor garden were planted with shrubs and trees chosen for their shapes and hardiness
The indoor garden were planted with shrubs and trees chosen for their shapes and hardiness
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Above Various architectiral openings, natural colours and materials were selected to harmonise with the planted environment
Above A picture window offers a framed view that blurs the distinction between the interior and exterior
Various architectiral openings, natural colours and materials were selected to harmonise with the planted environment
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A sculptural umbrella tree anchors the central atrium, its slender trunk rising through three floors of the home beneath a skylight that draws daylight deep into the plan. Planter boxes are suspended above, serving the attic master suite and reinforcing the semi-detached home’s vertical-garden logic. “If you look at the layering,” shares Iskandar, “you’ll see: planter, skylight, planter, skylight—it’s designed to filter both light and greenery throughout.”
Elsewhere, trees emerge through the carport and interior floor, while soft landscaping evolves as one moves through the house—from curated gardens to more intimate planted pockets by the stairwell and upper terraces.
Above The view from the intimate dining room, which is clad in warm timber tones
The view from the intimate dining room, which is clad in warm timber tones
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Above The kitchen island’s finish lends a graphic touch that still harmonises with the home’s natural material palette
Above The staircase and surrounding carpentry function as a single timber-clad object, its crisp geometry softened by indoor greenery
The kitchen island’s finish lends a graphic touch that still harmonises with the home’s natural material palette
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The architectural language echoes this biophilic layering—warm terracotta-coloured cladding continues from facade to interior, and vertical timber veneers and woven wallcoverings that mimic tree trunks on interior walls. The overall effect is not a house with a garden, but a house as the garden itself.
The selection of plants was equally intentional. The umbrella tree was chosen not only for its elegant proportions, but also for its resilience indoors, with its slim trunk and canopy that allow light to pass through. Rooftop planters, built to a depth of around 500mm, are irrigated by an automated system—an essential inclusion given the homeowner’s preference for upkeep that is low maintenance.
Above The interstitial space between volumes of the semi-detached house offers a peek of the rooftop grenery and bathes the indoor plant in sublight
The interstitial space between volumes of the semi-detached house offers a peek of the rooftop grenery and bathes the indoor plant in sublight
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Above he transition from two to four storeys creates a spatial sequence that unfolds like a quiet journey of discovery
Above A large skylight and circular floor opening accommodate a tall tree, transforming this staircase landing into a delightful tableau
he transition from two to four storeys creates a spatial sequence that unfolds like a quiet journey of discovery
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While the brief was intensive, the lived experience of the semi-detached home is anything but constrained. The client, an audiophile, currently occupies only a fraction of the home—his private suite is paired with a dedicated AV room and a vinyl and CD library, all of which can later be converted into guest bedrooms. “It was always about future-proofing,” notes Iskandar.
Above This cushioned bay window in the vinyl library makes for a cool and quiet spot on which to perch
This cushioned bay window in the vinyl library makes for a cool and quiet spot on which to perch
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Above The AV library’s custom cabinetry is accented with yellow paint and topped with marble
Above Close-up of the AV librray’s custom cabinetry
The AV library’s custom cabinetry is accented with yellow paint and topped with marble
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The semi-detached home balances solitude and sociability with a spatial language of compression and expansion. “We tend to appreciate the scale of a space when there is a play of contrasts,” says Iskandar. “Say, I give all of the spaces five metres in height—you might think it’s not high enough, because the experience is flat throughout.” The bedrooms are cosy, with ceiling heights as low as 2.45m in parts, while the atrium soars over seven metres high.
Super Assembly avoided downlights in favour of indirect lighting, with these fixtures acquired from Sol Luminaire. The decision to go with this form of illumination allows the architecture to breathe uninterrupted.
Above This mezzanine corridor was transformed into a study nook with views of the living area and the greenery beyond;
This mezzanine corridor was transformed into a study nook with views of the living area and the greenery beyond;
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Above The upper-level hallway leading to the bedrooms continues the overall warm palette, augmented by glimpses of lush indoor foliage
Above A view across the upper-level corridor reveals the umbrella tree rising through the atrium, its canopy drawing light and greenery into the heart of the semi-detached home
The upper-level hallway leading to the bedrooms continues the overall warm palette, augmented by glimpses of lush indoor foliage
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Loose pieces of furniture, mostly sourced from King Living, serve to support rather than compete with the architecture. Visual diagonals across the different levels—such as from the bedrooms’ picture windows to the communal spaces below—create opportunities for connection.
Circulation routes were carefully considered to support both seclusion and social life. “When you’re in a common space, you can look down at what your family members are doing,” says Iskandar. “There’s always that layering of what you can see beyond that space.” A bay window in the vinyl library, for example, offers a moment of stillness while the mezzanine study overlooks the living room.
Above This bedroom features a large picture window that overlooks the double-volume living area
This bedroom features a large picture window that overlooks the double-volume living area
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Above Timber finishes with subtle textures build a layered material palette that harmonises with the semi-detached home’s nature-centric ethos
Above A pocket terrace edged with lush planting offers a quiet outdoor retreat, where the terracotta cladding extends the warmth of the interior into the garden
Timber finishes with subtle textures build a layered material palette that harmonises with the semi-detached home’s nature-centric ethos
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Ultimately, what could have been a dense and overbuilt programme has been adroitly resolved as an elegant choreography of volumes, voids and vegetation where privacy, porosity and possibility coexist.
In this house, the in-between spaces are as much a feature as the conventional rooms with their solid walls. “We wanted to intensify the property, yes—but in a way that still felt generous. The voids gave us that,” says Iskandar. The interstitials speak volumes.
Above In the bathroom, warm-toned terrazzo sink and shelving’s flecked surface adding depth and texture
Above This bathroom’s green marble vanity adds a striking pop of colour, its veining set against warm timber walls and views of lush planting outside
In the bathroom, warm-toned terrazzo sink and shelving’s flecked surface adding depth and texture
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Green marble adds a fresh accent to the bathroom, with a generously sized mirrored cabinet doubling the perception of space here
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Credits
Photography: Finbarr Fallon
Jakarta-born, Bandung-raised and Singapore-based, Asih Jenie trained in Visual Communication Design at Bandung Institute of Technology and Architecture at Parahyangan Catholic University. She brings both rigour and heart to design journalism, infused with a distinct Southeast Asian voice.
As a child, she doodled on the edges of her schoolbooks and never outgrew her fascination with all things well-made and well-told. Her 15-year career spans editorial roles and bylines in Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Australia, across spatial design titles such as Dwell Asia, Cubes, Design Anthology, Habitus Living, and Home & Decor.
After a brief stint in public relations, she returned to publishing in 2023 to lead Tatler Homes Singapore, where she continues to tell stories about how we shape the spaces that shape us.
