Ming Architects

Venus House

Venus House
© Studio Periphery

VENUS HOUSE

Ming Architects

ARCHITECTS
Ming Architects

DESIGN TEAM
Tan Cher Ming, Erica Chan

CONSULTANTS
Cst Consultants

MANUFACTURERS
Autodesk, Jung, Duravit, Grohe, Kawajun, Edl Laminates, Gm2000, Sol Luminaire

MAIN CONTRACTOR
21 Engineering Construction

ARCHITECT IN CHARGE
Tan Cher Ming, Erica Chan

ENGINEERING
Gng Consultants Pte Ltd

PHOTOGRAPHS
Studio Periphery

AREA
4500 Ft²

YEAR
2019

LOCATION
Singapore

CATEGORY
Houses, Houses Interiors

The brief for this intermediate terrace house in Singapore requires discreet separation of spaces for the clients, a large inter-generational family. Due to the family size, more floor area was required than the usual building envelope could support.

Venus House
© Studio Periphery
Venus House
© Studio Periphery

As the site is small, the challenge was to create sufficient space and yet achieve privacy between the separate spaces and zones for the individual family members.

In a highly dense built-up country like Singapore, creation of space within tight limits is a necessity for successful architecture.

Venus House
© Studio Periphery
Venus House
© Studio Periphery

The key to achieving this was creating a sunken ground floor to allow the insertion of another extra storey.

Another challenge was the constraint of insufficient light, as the house is an intermediate terrace with shared party walls on both sides.

Venus House
© Studio Periphery
Venus House
© Studio Periphery

To counter the usual dark internal spaces of such houses, a large internal airwell was carved out in the middle of the house, covered with a glass skylight above.

All living and bedroom spaces thus have good natural lighting in the day. Hot air is allowed to escape via ventilation slots at the skylight, providing a chimney stack effect and drawing in cooler air from the window openings on the ground floor.

Venus House
© Studio Periphery
Venus House
© Studio Periphery

This requirement for natural light extended even to the design of the perforated staircase treads, and careful placement of the various skylights which created delightful shadow patterns on the walls according to the time of day.

On the second storey, a small swimming pool sits in front of the dry kitchen and entertainment room, with a steel feature staircase leading up to the third storey.

Venus House
© Studio Periphery
Venus House
© Studio Periphery

A spacious loft is provided for the master bedroom, with a 6m double height ceiling space finished in a modern industrial style.

To allow views and light down to pool below, a hole is cast in the floor slab and netting suspended over the pool, providing a playful sensory experience for the young children in the family. 

Such visual connections strengthen the relationships between various spaces in the house and allow the occupants to experience the house in different ways.

Venus House
© Studio Periphery
Venus House
© Studio Periphery

A self-contained duplex unit at the rear is provided with its own spiral staircase for access between the two levels, with living spaces below and private on top.On the facade, materials such as cut to size granite bricks and black spray-painted steel mesh doors provide a charming interplay and warmth to the exterior.


Venus House
© Studio Periphery
Venus House
Courtesy of Ming Architects
Venus House
© Studio Periphery
Venus House
© Studio Periphery


Venus House
© Studio Periphery
Venus House
© Studio Periphery
Venus House
© Studio Periphery
Venus House
Courtesy of Ming Architects
Venus House
© Studio Periphery
Venus House
Courtesy of Ming Architects


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Ming Architects
T +65 6513 2625
Ming Architects
399A Jln Besar 209008, Singapore