Cover An exterior view of the White House by Sharne Sulaiman. Photo: Ong Chan Hao
An exterior view of the White House by Sharne Sulaiman. Photo: Ong Chan Hao
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Singapore designer Sharne Sulaiman crafted this home for his family from scratch with bespoke design touches that are timeless and consider the environment
Many will say that the home is where the heart is, and rightfully so, as the ritual of designing one’s place of relaxation can offer a tangible representation of one’s personality. For designer Sharne Sulaiman, the construction of this Singapore bungalow is a milestone close to his heart, especially as it involved building the property from scratch with his time-honoured craftsmanship techniques for him and his family, who enjoy feeling connected to nature.
Located in the Sembawang Springs neighbourhood, the 7,800 sq ft house is dubbed the White House. It caters to the lifestyle and needs of a family of four, and captures the essence of the tropical modern design style. Trained under the mentorship of Woha Architects, Sulaiman became a self-declared ‘eco-convert’ during this formative stint and wanted to do his best to incorporate the biophilic strategies he gathered from his experience there for this pursuit. In addition to this, his educational background at prestigious institutions from the likes of NUS, UCL Bartlett, the Architectural Association, and McGill have also fostered his passion for architectonic design that has been channelled into numerous projects during his professional career at local architectural firms such as DP Architects, RSP Architects Planners & Engineers, and SAA Architects.
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Above Nature and contemporary furnishings create harmony in the dining area and outdoor patio that features the B&B Italia Sity daybed, a 1986 design by Italian architect Antonio Citterio
Nature and contemporary furnishings create harmony in the dining area and outdoor patio that features the B&B Italia Sity daybed, a 1986 design by Italian architect Antonio Citterio
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After looking for the perfect site to build a home to call their own, Sulaiman and his family came across a listing after about two years and found “a flat and rectangular plot of land with an old house ready for demolition.” The rest was history as Sulaiman began designing a three-storey family residence in eighteen months with natural materials, energy-saving features, and the necessary personal amenities for the homeowners.
“The house embodies a very placed architecture, both culturally and ecologically. It responds to the local climate by reinterpreting vernacular architecture through a modernist lens,” reflects Sulaiman. “My family wanted to create a bespoke piece of architecture that would best serve our needs while catering to future expansion. We knew no existing house had a design with such aspirations and hence sought to forge a path ourselves.”
Above Locally-sourced timber creates warmth and depth throughout the home’s interiors
Above The exterior view of the White House by Sharne Sulaiman
Locally-sourced timber creates warmth and depth throughout the home’s interiors
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Driven by the ambition to create an inviting living space that “remember[s] its origins,” the ground floor is enchanting with lush foliage which extends towards the main entrance and eastern wing that he aptly calls the ‘skygarden’. Besides creating a green environment, the dense cluster of local plants grown around helps foster “a cool microclimate that reduces temperatures in and around the house” and eliminates the need to install air-conditioners. The cool air is said to be “naturally ventilated through specially designed monsoon windows and ventilation gaps that keep the rain out.”
“I specified native plants since they are adapted to [the environment] and thrive in local rain and sunshine,” shares Sulaiman. “[This garden] bolsters local ecology through pollination and food supply and attracts lots of wildlife. I often wake up to chirps of bulbuls or starlings, with butterflies fluttering by my window.” There is also an automatic watering system which is turned on only during the driest months of the year to conserve water.
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Floor-to-ceiling glass doors pivot open and create spatial fluidity inside the home
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Along with the touch of flora, the home evokes the feel of a contemporary gallery with “spaces that function as a minimal backdrop to feature unique postmodern furniture pieces.” This takes inspiration from their former residence that made furniture the focal point and displayed each piece like a work of art. A testament of circular design, “the pieces of furniture brought from our previous home are over 30 years old, but given a new lease of life through reupholstery and refurbishment,” recalls Sulaiman fondly.
With the majority located inside the Central Atrium, both the bespoke furniture designs by Sulaiman and the family’s long-lasting yet sentimental furniture collection—which counts the likes of B&B Italia and Molteni&C—can be seen throughout the home. “Designed as the heart of the house, it has truly turned out to be a communal space. All our guests [say] it is the ‘Instagram moment’ as they are in awe of the height and composition of the space,” quips Sulaiman.
Above Another view of the dining area and outdoor daybed
Above The kitchen features a diverse range of materials like natural stone, metal, and wood
Another view of the dining area and outdoor daybed
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Materiality was also heavily considered throughout the project. Understanding the need to respect Mother Earth and borrowing inspiration from the home’s verdant surroundings, a choice of regionally-sourced natural materials like concrete, stainless steel, and timber were obtained for the architecture and interior design of the home. Each of these materials references a muted palette inspired by Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier’s Les Couleurs colour system.
For instance, the kitchenette incorporates furnishings like the Cosentino Orinoco natural granite finish for its island countertop and backsplash that creates a luxe statement against metal-finished home appliances from Ariston, Fisher & Paykel, and Grohe, and the wooden accents such as the Cubo Collective cabinetry and Norr11 Barfly Bar Chairs.
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Regionally sourced Balau timber pieces are used amply in this house
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The environment is also top of mind in efforts to conserve energy and develop solutions that can offset carbon emissions and utility costs. “Even though the house boasts 38 solar panels, solar water heaters, and an electric vehicle charger, the house’s sustainability truly comes from a rigorous design to reduce water and energy usage,” comments Sulaiman.
Other eco-conscious features unique to this home include the reflection pool that recycles rainwater collected from the roof and the heavy incorporation of Balau timber, a tropical, termite-resistant material used to “modulate light into soft vertical strips that warm interior spaces.”
A master bedroom suite in the White House designed by Sharne Sulaiman
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An allegory to the quiet beauty of intimate settings, the bungalow’s two master bedroom suites hone in on an open concept with a minimal and ecologically driven design. The primary master suite on the third story is “designed as a pavilion which sits atop a two-story block.” The reason for this is simple: to give homeowners convenient access to the study on the floor below, akin to the post-war open-plan architecture of German-American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
“Walls slide past each other to hide private spaces while revealing public ones,” elaborates Sulaiman. “Each bedroom features absolute floor-to-ceiling doors and windows to form a type of ‘infinity ceiling’ that blends the external environment of the sky into the room’s interiors. The house had to be accessible for anyone who is going to grow old in the house, hence the barrier-free pathways and accessibility-compliant bathrooms.”
Above The skygarden helps to provide naturally ventilated cool air to the home
Above A cosy nook features a Normann Copenhagen Norm 12 Pendant light, and Samsung Serif TV
The skygarden helps to provide naturally ventilated cool air to the home
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Credits
Photography: Ong Chan Hao
