Timur Designs LLP

22 Jalan Kembangan

22 JALAN KEMBANGAN

Timurdesigns LLP

22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan
22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan

PHOTOGRAHS
Tim Nolan

AREA
 460.0 m2

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Chan Wai Kin

PROJECT YEAR
2017

22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan
22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan
22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan

Text description provided by architect.

The site for this house posed several challenges to overcome. Firstly, it is located right at the junction of two busy 4-lane roads.

And in addition to that, the overhead MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) viaduct for the East-West cross-island train is located just beyond one of these roads.

There is constant noise coming from cars and the passing train. The front of the site, where the main gate is located, faces almost West.

22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan
22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan
22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan

To keep out heat and glare from the low angle western sun, the 2 most visible facades cannot have too many see-through openings.

Thus, in trying to shield the interior spaces from the traffic noise and the Western sun, the semi-detached house is “flipped” inwards by carving out large voids between the house and the party wall adjoining its neighbor.

22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan
22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan
22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan

Natural light is directed down these voids, some of which stretch over the entire 4 stories of the house.

All the bedrooms on the upper floors are buffered from the road noise by a common corridor and their windows open into the air-well voids for natural daylight (indirect) and ventilation. 

This explains why the front and side elevations are expressed with small fenestrations (except for the first story which opens out onto the patio and garden).

22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan
22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan

The use of natural burnt-brown facing bricks as the façade material further enhances the “closed” look, in direct contrast to the windows opening onto the air-well voids which are often full-height from floor to ceiling.

This inner side of the house is fully protected from direct sun and traffic noise.

There are also many spatial permutations set within the voids – ranging from the 4-story high open air-well that ventilates the Powder room to the interlocking high volume entrance “Foyer”.

22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan
22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan
22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan

The interlocking voids often permit lots of visual connections between different parts of the house, giving an illusion of more spaciousness than there really is.


22 Jalan Kembangan
22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan
22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan
22 Jalan Kembangan
22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan
22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan
22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan
22 Jalan Kembangan
22 Jalan Kembangan
© Tim Nolan


22 Jalan Kembangan
Elevation 1
22 Jalan Kembangan
Section A


22 Jalan Kembangan
Attic and Roof Plan
22 Jalan Kembangan
Second and Third Floor Plans
22 Jalan Kembangan
Ground Floor Plan

Timur Designs LLP
T +65 6733 9597
Timur Designs LLP
20 Sin Ming Ln, 573968, Singapore