Scene In Balestier

A made-in-Singapore furniture brand with a focus on heritage and history was invited to design pieces for this co-living project in the suburbs.

- Low Shi Ping

Visitors to Singapore residing in Shang House can truly say they have lived like a local.

For starters, the co-living space is located in the suburban neighbourhood of Balestier on Pegu Road.

Specifically, it is inside a conservation shophouse on the quiet residential street, offering five suites across four storeys, complemented by generous living and dining rooms, and a kitchen.

Taking the cue from the locale, the team from made-in-Singapore furniture label Scene Shang fitted it out with homeware that referenced Balestier’s rattan manufacturing past.

At the same time, it also stays true to its signature Shanghai Art Deco style, albeit with a contemporary take, to keep it relevant for urbanites of today.

WEAVING A NARRATIVE

The narrow frontage of the shophouse belies the generous space concealed behind the façade.

Keeping out prying eyes is the three-sectioned, porous Teng Wicker Screen placed behind the Ming Console Table in solid elmwood just inside the front door.

Immediately, the connection to Balestier’s heritage is established at the entrance.

Once inside, the attention is distracted by an atrium soaring four-and-a-half storeys up and filled with daylight.

The canvas is predominantly white, apart from the grey-veined flooring on the ground floor, and timbre strips making up the staircase banisters and steps.

“When I first saw the shophouse, I was excited by the modern space offering a good balance of openness and airiness,” says Scene Shang’s co-founder Jessica Wong, who is a trained architect and previously headed interior design firm Oats.