Six Ramsgate / Wallflower Architecture + Design

Jun 2009

Uploaded by Nico Saieh — Filed under: Houses ,Selected , Singapore, Wallflower Architecture + Design

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Architects: Wallflower Architecture + Design
Location: 6 Ramsgate Road, Singapore
Architect in Charge: Robin Tan
Design Team: Robin Tan, Cecil Chee & Sean Zheng
Site Area: 1200 sqm
Built-In Area: 855 sqm
Completed: 2009
Photographer: Albert Lim

The client’s desire for the home to have a perception of substantial private space has resulted in the development of a spatial program that internalizes spaces such as pools and gardens normally regarded as external to the envelope of the house. By zoning spaces such as the bedrooms and servants’ quarters on alternative levels, i.e. 2nd storey and basement levels, the ground plane is freed from walls that would have been required if public and private programs were interlaced on the same plane.

The site is approximately 25m wide by 48m deep, and because of the intermingling of internal gardens and column-free vistas, there is a continuous and unbroken visual depth of 40m that ties together the entrance foyer, swimming pool, formal living area, internal garden court and formal dining areas. These are perceived to be within the built enclosure of the house, yet a very obvious public to private hierarchy assists in the intangible zoning and spatial orientation within the house. This is simply achieved by classical use of symmetry, with important areas axial to the center line of the house, and with increasingly private space implied by the distance from the main entrance.

The environmental transparencies at ground level and between courtyards are important in passively cooling the house. All the courtyards have differing material finishes and therefore differing heat gain and latency (water, grass, water, granite). As long as there are temperature differences between courtyards, the living, dining, and pool house become conduits for breezes that move in between the courtyards, very much like how land and sea breezes are generated. The use of thick masonry walls on either side of the house keep temperature gradients small within the house and also act as enormous ‘ducting’ in guiding air currents between courtyards. At the second storey, solid hardwood louvers that can be adjusted by hand allow the desired amount of breeze and sunlight to filter through. And at the 1st storey, substantial trellising minimize sun entry into habitable areas.

The planning strategy releases substantial volumes of perceptual as well as tangible space that is normally not experienced if traditional architectural space planning norms are not reinterpreted in our local context. Environmentally, the contiguous and interconnected space encourage the slightest breezes, whether they are prevailing and therefore air-movement is horizontal, or convectionally circulated, which the courtyards help generate. For the owner, it is the experiential serenity that unencumbered space, a gentle breeze, dappled sunlight and the hush of water rippling on a pond that is priceless in our dense and busy urbanscape.

: site plan

: basement floor plan

: ground floor plan

: second floor plan

: front elevation

: side elevation

: section

: concept diagram

: landscaping plan

Cite:
Saieh , Nico . "Six Ramsgate / Wallflower Architecture + Design" 24 Jun 2009. ArchDaily. Accessed 08 Feb 2012. <http://www.archdaily.com/26431>

Comments (24)
Tweets (5)
Links to this entry (1)

pou says:

No much architectural interest, somewhat reminiscent of barcelona pavilion. The styling, though, is fabulous. Juxtaposition of ornate chandelier and nature and quasi-japanese wooden slats backdrop is spectacular.

# June 24, 2009 at 23:39

Not much architectural interest, somewhat reminiscent of barcelona pavilion. The styling, though, is fabulous. Juxtaposition of ornate chandelier and nature and quasi-japanese wooden slats backdrop is spectacular.

-1

Robin says:

This looks a lot like Shigeru Ban’s 2/5 house to me.

# June 24, 2009 at 23:57

Fino says:

Nice poetic and rhythmic spaces.

# June 25, 2009 at 00:45

INawe says:

I just came in to find out what was making the interesting cast shadows only to find that it was the light and shadow on the stairs… this house is so boring. The only thing that impresses me is the furniture and the immaculately cut grass. :P

# June 25, 2009 at 00:50

xixi says:

i like it.

# June 25, 2009 at 01:50

joninberlin says:

The symmetry and straight forwardness of the plan is refershing (no crazy angles and facades that make no sense).

This is a wonderful example of how the proper use of proportion, rhythm, light and material can create beautiful spaces.

I would much rather read about built sensible projects like this one and less about fancy outrageous design proposals from hipster ‘architects’…

# June 25, 2009 at 04:13

Márcio Moreira says:

Six Ramsgate / Wallflower Architecture + Design – http://whit.me/mMUOri

# June 25, 2009 at 04:22

Emma Durant says:

Oh, to have that bathroom! RT @magppmoreira: Six Ramsgate / Wallflower Architecture + Design – http://whit.me/mMUOri

# June 25, 2009 at 04:58

kc says:

very nice project – makes me want to be there right now!:)

# June 25, 2009 at 09:14

Jubair Siddeeuqe says:

Very Good. Interplay of courtyards, and masses. NO nonsense stuff. Excellent Architecture

# June 25, 2009 at 10:31

HarDav says:

Perfect house,…for Palm Spring!
This is Singapore.
What about; Monsoon rain, recessed wine cellar, flat roof, canopies, mosquitoes?
I like the styling and the natural cross ventilation between the “courtyards.”

# June 25, 2009 at 10:32

Joshua says:

@HarDav

Palm Springs CA or Palm Springs FL?

Because I am pretty sure Palm Springs in Florida has all of those issues you mentioned.

# June 25, 2009 at 11:22

Oldesque urbanbike ! says:

http://bit.ly/1OLnVH Ici, deux patios et, surtout, un rez-de-chaussé totalement dégagé avec de grandes portées (…pensez volumes, pas déco)…

# June 25, 2009 at 12:22

speedwing says:

A maid’s room without any natural light and half the size of the master dressing room. This is good architecture in the 21st century?

# June 25, 2009 at 16:09

david bers says:

joninberlin, i could not have said it better.

furthermore:
What is wrong with boring? Bad design in the name of “interesting architecture” is deadly to our art. Deadly.

# June 27, 2009 at 08:59

wartian says:

*’All the courtyards have differing material finishes and therefore differing heat gain and latency (water, grass, water, granite).’ *

-a bit too much for this statement, even chinese, japanese, european, america, balinese, siamese courtyards are using the same solution.

*’As long as there are temperature differences between courtyards, the living, dining, and pool house become conduits for breezes that move in between the courtyards,
very much like how land and sea breezes are generated’*

-climate in tropic countries are hot and wet!cloudy day with overcast sky has no problem. during hot day, water vaporizes and make the air wet, this is uncomfortable for hot climate country. 水能载舟，亦能覆舟(as the saying goes, can overturn it).water can make people feel comfortable but at the same time can make people feel uncomfortable.

*’…simply achieved by classical use of symmetry, with important areas axial to the center line of the house…’ VS ‘…it is the experiential serenity that unencumbered space, a gentle breeze, dappled sunlight and the hush of water rippling on a pond that is priceless in our dense and busy urbanscape…’*

-i like the gentle breeze,dappled sunight and hush of water rippling on the pond/pool (hopefully), but classical use of symmetry sound too serious for palace or monumental building…and all glazed at the ground floor looked like office!

# June 29, 2009 at 11:31

archaalto says:

architecture is about creating place, and less about objects. this project succeeds very well in that respect.

the light filtering/capturing is beautiful to go along with the warm materials.

# June 29, 2009 at 14:22

sullka says:

@speedwing: You’re dead on, that’s the only comment I have aswell. Other than that I really like the house.

The service quarters in this house, as well as in others Iv’e seen, are treated almost as prisons cells, not even that, prison cells have openings. It’s not a lack of space, it seems more like the service/maids/drivers, etc aren’t human beings and are not included in the design process.

That room doesn’t have a window or opening, and if it does, it’s on the laundry closet. Heck!, even the laundry closet has natural light and air!

# June 29, 2009 at 14:23

In defense of the architects with regards to the somewhat jail-cell’esque’ conditions of the maid’s quarters, I’m assuming that it was probably the client’s demand to allocate as little as possible of the budget on the maid’s quarters.

# June 30, 2009 at 04:11

Carlo Enrico says:

Architects: Wallflower Architecture + Design Location: 6 Ramsgate Road, Singapore http://tinyurl.com/mamv8h

# July 1, 2009 at 13:38

arch says:

the maid is a vampire…she does not like light……or she stays in the main house itself….nice building nice peaceful spaces…

# September 23, 2009 at 02:14

AndraZaharia says:

One of the loveliest houses I've ever seen: http://bit.ly/bPULW6

# January 29, 2010 at 05:08

Deep Heat says:

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# October 21, 2011 at 11:38

11:16 PM Oct 2nd

Marta Krivosikova

Six Ramsgate / Wallflower #Architecture + Design http://t.co/yEvHEg9 via @archdaily

1:15 AM Aug 24th

Florence Bauer

tan bonitos esos recintos verdes en medio de las construcciones :3 http://t.co/9chYtXr

10:50 AM Feb 1st

Jasem Nadoum

Six Ramsgate / Wallflower Architecture + Design | ArchDaily http://t.co/H9MtiOUh

#In love with this house

1:39 PM Feb 1st