This semi-detached, 380-sq-m house in eastern Singapore is christened Hideaway House for good reason – it is a refuge for the couple and their two young children. White screens envelop the second and attic levels, softened by the greenery of exotic trees with silver-flecked leaves.
The elegant screens help shield the interiors from heat and glare, and from the multi-lane road in front of the house. “The house looks really mysterious from the outside because of the screens, and is heavily protected from the roads for privacy,” said Tan Cher Ming, founder of Ming Architects, whom the homeowner engaged to design the dwelling.
Founded in 2015, the firm is known for its clear modern expressions, marrying modernist principles with elegant climatic responses. Tan studied architecture in Melbourne and is one of this year’s 20 Under 45 selectees. The programme, launched in 2004, celebrates young and emerging registered architects in Singapore – and this year marks its fourth edition.
“The external screens are a simple combination of two powder-coated aluminium profiles to create a clean, minimalist look,” explained Tan, who shaped them so the building reads as a monolithic form, eschewing the typical domestic house trope of clearly defined doors, windows and a roof.
A flight of steps leads up from the main gate to the elevated first storey, with large planters setting a calm, garden-like approach. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
The elevated first-storey garden is edged by a concrete border detailed as built-in seating. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
There is an added degree of privacy as the entire house is raised above the street-level garage, due to a requirement by the Public Utilities Board (PUB). “This is a low-lying area; it always floods [during heavy rains],” Tan explained. Fortunately, the family do not have to worry about this being a major problem as the house is one of two that sits on the highest point on the street.
To access the first storey, one walks from the main gate up a flight of steps, bordered by large planters of assorted succulents and cacti. The entrance is set to the side, leaving the front view entirely to a garden at the edge of the elevated first storey.
Floor-to-ceiling glazing with a black steel grid pulls the garden view into the open-plan living and dining spaces. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
An artwork by Singaporean artist Tay Bak Chiang echoes the green shades of the garden. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
The long counter facing the garden is a sculptural block of Pietra Grey marble, threaded with thin, sinuous white veins.(Photo: Studio Periphery)
Floor-to-ceiling windows pull the garden view into the open-plan living and dining areas. Tan articulated the glazing with a grid of black steel frames that gives scale to the large transparent surface – an idea drawn from a mood board image the homeowner shared at their initial meeting. The owner, drawn to Australian residential architecture, wanted his own home to reflect similar sensibilities.
The large glass doors slide fully aside, letting the living area segue into the garden. It is not big, but still roomy enough for the children to play outdoors. The concrete border is also detailed as a seat – a practical touch that avoids the need for clunky outdoor furniture.
“Sometimes, we bring out a temporary table to sit at the garden for meals when it’s not raining,” said the homeowner, adding that the garden is well used by the family. Beyond it, tall trees line the street like a green curtain, providing a ‘borrowed view’ that buffers the road so one sometimes forgets the busy thoroughfare is only a few metres away.
Daylight pours in from a skylight above the stair core, keeping the enclosed staircase bright and airy. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
The treads and risers for the indoor staircase are in American white oak, while the handrails are made from vertical white bars, echoing the external screens. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
In the dining area, a painting by Singaporean artist Tay Bak Chiang holds court. The forms in the artwork, which mimic geological structures, mirror the house’s keen engagement with nature. While the exterior is entirely white – including the garage door – the interiors feel warm and homely, with American white oak used generously for carpentry, the walls and ceilings in the main areas.
The architect’s interior detailing is concise and clear, helping the home feel restful. For example, in the dry kitchen, an entire wall of cabinetry tucks away appliances and clutter. Equally neat is the long counter facing the garden – a sculptural block of Pietra Grey marble, the colour of night, threaded with thin, sinuous white veins.
A display cabinet at the second storey continues the palette of the interior architecture. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
Tucked into one corner of the house, the staircase continues these material expressions. The treads and risers are in American white oak, while the handrails are made from vertical white bars, echoing the external screens. Below the staircase on the first storey, a black gravel bed has become a sensory pit for the homeowner’s son. When I visited, it had turned into an ad-hoc construction site, with toy vehicles frozen mid-scoop.
A study finished in timber and natural stone reflects the house’s restrained detailing – clean lines, concealed storage and a focus on liveable proportion. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
Daylight washes in from a skylight above the staircase so the space feels airy. The homeowner said he wanted plenty of open space and high ceilings so the house would not feel pokey. In particular, he wanted to avoid the generic developer-type formula – homes that prioritise a checklist of features over well-proportioned, liveable spaces.
As a result, the bedrooms are generous enough to accommodate more than just a bed. There are also delightful connections to the outdoors – including a small garden with a Leptospermum brachyandrum tree, also known as the Weeping tea-tree or Silver-leaf tea-tree, outside the daughter’s bedroom window. In the attic, the couple’s bedroom has its own small Zen outdoor nook, where an olive tree grows from a bed of white-and-grey pebbles. “We can even see fireworks at the National Stadium,” said the homeowner, noting the vantage this part of the house offers.
Designed to avoid feeling pokey, the bedrooms are spacious and pared back, with soft finishes and filtered views outward. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
The master bedroom features abundant wardrobe space, keeping clutter at bay and maintaining a calm atmosphere. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
These small gardens and green views help the home feel connected to nature, even though screens envelop it. Other spaces are equally considered, such as the master bedroom with a sloped ceiling that follows the roof pitch. Here, a custom-made washbasin in bold black Pietra Grey marble anchors the space against walls and floors of beige travertine. Small skylights puncture the ceilings of the shower and WC stalls, letting in light – and a sense of time passing.
(Photo: Studio Periphery)
The children's bathrooms mix natural materials, simple forms and a spot of colour. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
Other materials, such as limestone flooring and brushed timber panels, complement the house’s use of light-coloured wood. Tan said he wanted to introduce sustainable, natural materials that do not contain toxic substances. As a result, he used Bauwerk limewash paint for the bedroom walls, and clad countertops and walls in natural stone.
In the master suite, a bold Pietra Grey marble washbasin anchors the bathroom against walls and floors of beige travertine. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
The house is a significant upgrade from the homeowner’s former two-bedroom apartment. He had long envisioned moving to a larger place, and began the hunt when his second child came along. When he first saw this plot – then occupied by a 1950s house – the price was not right, so the search continued. A few months later, just before the pandemic hit, the price became favourable and the plot became his.
Even then, the homeowner took his time to think through the kind of family home he wanted to build. The result was worth it: he now has a place for his children to grow up that protects the privacy of family life, yet is not lacking in sunshine, breezes and nature.
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The elegant screens help shield the interiors from heat and glare, and from the multi-lane road in front of the house. “The house looks really mysterious from the outside because of the screens, and is heavily protected from the roads for privacy,” said Tan Cher Ming, founder of Ming Architects, whom the homeowner engaged to design the dwelling.
Founded in 2015, the firm is known for its clear modern expressions, marrying modernist principles with elegant climatic responses. Tan studied architecture in Melbourne and is one of this year’s 20 Under 45 selectees. The programme, launched in 2004, celebrates young and emerging registered architects in Singapore – and this year marks its fourth edition.
“The external screens are a simple combination of two powder-coated aluminium profiles to create a clean, minimalist look,” explained Tan, who shaped them so the building reads as a monolithic form, eschewing the typical domestic house trope of clearly defined doors, windows and a roof.
A flight of steps leads up from the main gate to the elevated first storey, with large planters setting a calm, garden-like approach. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
The elevated first-storey garden is edged by a concrete border detailed as built-in seating. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
There is an added degree of privacy as the entire house is raised above the street-level garage, due to a requirement by the Public Utilities Board (PUB). “This is a low-lying area; it always floods [during heavy rains],” Tan explained. Fortunately, the family do not have to worry about this being a major problem as the house is one of two that sits on the highest point on the street.
To access the first storey, one walks from the main gate up a flight of steps, bordered by large planters of assorted succulents and cacti. The entrance is set to the side, leaving the front view entirely to a garden at the edge of the elevated first storey.
Floor-to-ceiling glazing with a black steel grid pulls the garden view into the open-plan living and dining spaces. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
An artwork by Singaporean artist Tay Bak Chiang echoes the green shades of the garden. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
The long counter facing the garden is a sculptural block of Pietra Grey marble, threaded with thin, sinuous white veins.(Photo: Studio Periphery)
Floor-to-ceiling windows pull the garden view into the open-plan living and dining areas. Tan articulated the glazing with a grid of black steel frames that gives scale to the large transparent surface – an idea drawn from a mood board image the homeowner shared at their initial meeting. The owner, drawn to Australian residential architecture, wanted his own home to reflect similar sensibilities.
The large glass doors slide fully aside, letting the living area segue into the garden. It is not big, but still roomy enough for the children to play outdoors. The concrete border is also detailed as a seat – a practical touch that avoids the need for clunky outdoor furniture.
“Sometimes, we bring out a temporary table to sit at the garden for meals when it’s not raining,” said the homeowner, adding that the garden is well used by the family. Beyond it, tall trees line the street like a green curtain, providing a ‘borrowed view’ that buffers the road so one sometimes forgets the busy thoroughfare is only a few metres away.
Daylight pours in from a skylight above the stair core, keeping the enclosed staircase bright and airy. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
The treads and risers for the indoor staircase are in American white oak, while the handrails are made from vertical white bars, echoing the external screens. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
In the dining area, a painting by Singaporean artist Tay Bak Chiang holds court. The forms in the artwork, which mimic geological structures, mirror the house’s keen engagement with nature. While the exterior is entirely white – including the garage door – the interiors feel warm and homely, with American white oak used generously for carpentry, the walls and ceilings in the main areas.
The architect’s interior detailing is concise and clear, helping the home feel restful. For example, in the dry kitchen, an entire wall of cabinetry tucks away appliances and clutter. Equally neat is the long counter facing the garden – a sculptural block of Pietra Grey marble, the colour of night, threaded with thin, sinuous white veins.
A display cabinet at the second storey continues the palette of the interior architecture. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
Tucked into one corner of the house, the staircase continues these material expressions. The treads and risers are in American white oak, while the handrails are made from vertical white bars, echoing the external screens. Below the staircase on the first storey, a black gravel bed has become a sensory pit for the homeowner’s son. When I visited, it had turned into an ad-hoc construction site, with toy vehicles frozen mid-scoop.
A study finished in timber and natural stone reflects the house’s restrained detailing – clean lines, concealed storage and a focus on liveable proportion. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
Daylight washes in from a skylight above the staircase so the space feels airy. The homeowner said he wanted plenty of open space and high ceilings so the house would not feel pokey. In particular, he wanted to avoid the generic developer-type formula – homes that prioritise a checklist of features over well-proportioned, liveable spaces.
As a result, the bedrooms are generous enough to accommodate more than just a bed. There are also delightful connections to the outdoors – including a small garden with a Leptospermum brachyandrum tree, also known as the Weeping tea-tree or Silver-leaf tea-tree, outside the daughter’s bedroom window. In the attic, the couple’s bedroom has its own small Zen outdoor nook, where an olive tree grows from a bed of white-and-grey pebbles. “We can even see fireworks at the National Stadium,” said the homeowner, noting the vantage this part of the house offers.
Designed to avoid feeling pokey, the bedrooms are spacious and pared back, with soft finishes and filtered views outward. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
The master bedroom features abundant wardrobe space, keeping clutter at bay and maintaining a calm atmosphere. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
These small gardens and green views help the home feel connected to nature, even though screens envelop it. Other spaces are equally considered, such as the master bedroom with a sloped ceiling that follows the roof pitch. Here, a custom-made washbasin in bold black Pietra Grey marble anchors the space against walls and floors of beige travertine. Small skylights puncture the ceilings of the shower and WC stalls, letting in light – and a sense of time passing.
(Photo: Studio Periphery)
The children's bathrooms mix natural materials, simple forms and a spot of colour. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
Other materials, such as limestone flooring and brushed timber panels, complement the house’s use of light-coloured wood. Tan said he wanted to introduce sustainable, natural materials that do not contain toxic substances. As a result, he used Bauwerk limewash paint for the bedroom walls, and clad countertops and walls in natural stone.
In the master suite, a bold Pietra Grey marble washbasin anchors the bathroom against walls and floors of beige travertine. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
The house is a significant upgrade from the homeowner’s former two-bedroom apartment. He had long envisioned moving to a larger place, and began the hunt when his second child came along. When he first saw this plot – then occupied by a 1950s house – the price was not right, so the search continued. A few months later, just before the pandemic hit, the price became favourable and the plot became his.
Even then, the homeowner took his time to think through the kind of family home he wanted to build. The result was worth it: he now has a place for his children to grow up that protects the privacy of family life, yet is not lacking in sunshine, breezes and nature.
Continue reading...