HOMECOMING

For this multi-generation family, moving back into their family home that has been demolished and rebuilt is like a homecoming. LYNN TAN delves into how the architecture and design bridges the past, present and future.

- LYNN TAN

The owner, a retiree in his 70s, has had the property for many years. He leased it out to a preschool when he and his wife relocated to Australia where their daughter was studying at the time. The couple moved into an apartment when they returned to Singapore, while their daughter had her own matrimonial home. When they became grandparents, the owner and his wife felt that it was time to move back to their detached home so that three generations of the family can live under one roof. With a growing family, more space was needed, which led to the decision to demolish the old house and rebuild so that the extended family can enjoy communal living while still having their own individual spaces.

He commissioned The Design Abode for the project, a practice that his daughter, a freelance interior designer, had collaborated with previously when she was working for another firm. One of the requirements in the homeowner's brief that had implications on regulatory compliance was the relocation of the entrance driveway and car porch to the rear of the plot so that the main frontage of the corner plot can be maximised for the living room and front garden. This entailed a fair amount of engagement with the relevant authorities, which was undertaken by The Design Abode's in-house architectural arm, WKL Architects, before approval was eventually granted.