CLASSIC CHARM

LOCAL FIRM THE SCIENTIST EMPLOYS COLOURS AND PATTERNS IN CLEVER WAYS TO CREATE AN ELEGANT HOME FOR A WELL-TRAVELLED FAMILY

- LUO JINGMEI

With iconic public buildings such as Marina Bay Sands and Jewel Changi Airport, celebrated Israeli architect Moshe Safdie has clearly made his mark on Singapore’s skyline. He has also lent his creative touch to housing projects, one of them being The Edge—a 20-storey luxury condominium on Cairnhill Road.

His humanistic views on spatial design and contextual relevance are well-known. Here, they manifest in the plan of three individual towers linked in the centre to maximise privacy for the units and accord each apartment a 180-degree view of the city. Floor-to-ceiling glazing edged by exterior metal sunshades ensure residents enjoy the surrounding greenery in cool comfort. Most defining of the architecture are the protruding, circular living rooms that break the monotony of the glass walls while making the view the key focus from the interior.

BOLD STROKES

It is against this setting that Alvin Ling, principal designer at The Scientist, was commissioned to work. The task was to complement the elegant architecture with an interior scheme that features a surprising yet coherent use of colour and classical elements.

The corridor—with monochrome marble flooring in a checkerboard pattern—sets the tone for the rest of the apartment. This graphic element is mirrored in a symmetrically proportioned steel-frame-and-translucent-glass panel over an aperture that bathes the space in natural light while providing privacy from neighbours.