舊屋改裝實例

		Tue, Oct 05, 2010 The Business Times
Maxing out space
By Geoffrey Eu There are a few notable aspects about the home that Kelvin and Esther Lee built, at the end of a quiet residential street in the East Coast. Not the least of these is the fact that although the modestly-sized plot - about 3,200 square feet - is occupied almost entirely by the house, they were still able to fully engage with nature and bring the outside in. That's how it came to be known as the Maximum Garden House. Lee, a doctor, had lived with his family on the same plot in a 1970s-era house since he was a teenager in secondary school. Apart from some minor renovations about 20 years ago, the house remained untouched and - in the end - impractical, especially after he got married and had children of his own. The Maximum Garden House Click on thumbnail to view 'We decided to rebuild from scratch but we had no specific direction on the style of architecture,' says Kelvin. 'We had a budget, some specific requirements about layout and the number of rooms and asked the architects to see what they could do - they came up with several ideas and we picked one.' The process took just under two years to complete and the house was finished about a year ago. The result is a contemporary three-storey home that is open, bright and airy, with plenty of big-volume spaces - and a garden with a difference. The ground floor comprises the living and dining area, an open-plan kitchen and a bedroom for Lee's parents, for when they decide to stay over. On the second floor, there are two bedrooms for Lee's sons, aged eight and five, plus a TV area and study alcove, while half a floor up is the master bedroom. Right on top is a utility room, which leads to a unique, sloped deck that covers the entire roof - with views of the neighbourhood on offer. Another unusual detail can be seen from the road in front of the home. One section of the front facade is lined with slats, which can be opened to reveal rows of small potted plants placed in angled planter boxes to keep the rain out if necessary. This vertical 'garden' can therefore be enjoyed from both inside and outside, and is just one of the 'green belt' details that characterise the house. 'When you build to the maximum, there's too little space for a conventional garden,' says Alan Tay, a director at architecture and design firm Formwerkz. 'So we looked at residual spaces like ledges, roof, walls and facade to plant things - these are less usable spaces.' He adds, 'For example, we turned the roof of the building - a space that would otherwise be lost - into an outdoor space.' Internally, the family had asked for more open spaces and a layout that allowed Esther to communicate with her children even if they were on different floors. As such, there is a large central void that enables a person on the ground floor to easily view the upper floors, which are staggered in a way that allows maximum visibility. 'We now spend more time in the living area than previously,' says Lee. 'In the past, we were either in the bedroom or more formal sitting room.' Now, the kitchen and dining area is where he likes to be. 'You get to see everything from here - when Esther is cooking, she is still able to see the kids or talk to them,' he says. Adds Esther, 'In some houses it's hard to know where everyone is - here I know exactly where they are. It works for us.' It's certainly practical - and partly voyeuristic too, not least because of features like an all-glass bathroom wall that is visible from the staircase. Says Tay, 'We created a space to make use of the maximum allowable envelope - we wanted to create more interactive spaces, and staggering them was our first response to the brief. 'Houses tend to promote being in your own world, so we tried to arrange the internal spaces for people to be aware of each other's presence, to catch glimpses of each other.' In addition to the various internal and external viewpoints in the house, there is plenty of natural light and colour throughout. Some interiors feature bright mosaic walls and there is also liberal use of timber and rough plaster on the walls. The central staircase helps to filter light from the top, and there is also a sense of geometry to the design, in the shape of windows and panels and painted walls. Meanwhile, the master bedroom features large glass windows that frame views over trees and surrounding rooftops. The third floor utility-cum-guest room is only used on occasion, but the outdoor deck it leads to is an interesting design feature. On the flat lower portion there is a sunken barbecue pit while the adjoining sloped roof, which somehow resembles a mini ski run, encourages people to climb up, sit down and enjoy the view, especially at night - it's an activity that both liberates and invigorates. 'A flat roof terrace is common, but to be able to sit on an incline is unique and kind of fun - it's the roof as furniture, or like sitting on a step,' says Tay. 'We're making use of every square inch of space.' He adds, 'We call it the Maximum Garden because there's nothing monochromatic about the place - it's vivid, lively and rich. We felt this palette would age better, versus something minimalist and clean.' The Maximum Garden House makes good use of limited space, and is an example of how a house can be built to meet a family's very specific needs. 'Even though we are land-locked, there's plenty of sunlight and natural ventilation,' says Lee. 'The old house was more like a traditional box - we're pleased with how it turned out in the end.' This article was first published in The Business Times.