Jetgala - FALL-WINTER 2022

95 N E R I & H U Referencing the Past The new home references the siblings’ previous one which was designed in the style of a British colonial bungalow. It featuresVictorian-style details with eaves taken from traditional Malay homes embellishing the facade. The pitched roof surmounts the private areas, including the bedrooms that are situated on the upper floor, although the home appears to be a single-storey, hip- roofed bungalow from the outside. The pitched roof is the perfect element to reinterpret the traditional courtyard house.The central courtyard is located beneath the symbolic structure.The eye- catching eaves extend their purpose to the inner and outer facades, creating sheltered, ventilated spaces around the courtyard and the property’s expansive perimeter. Closer to the entrance, the roof integrates a gable- shaped void that allows natural sunlight to stream through the leaves of a tree planted on the paved terrace below.The puncture on the facade breaks the monotony of the roof’s eaves, adding an interesting feature to the home. Guests who enter the home walk through a passage that extends through the central courtyard.This leads one to a small, manicured garden dedicated to the sibling’s late mother.This simple green patch serves as a memorial for the deceased, hence its name,The House of Remembrance. Free Movement Glass walls line the living room, the study room, and the open-plan kitchen that adjoins the dining area to enhance the sense of connection between these communal spaces and the central courtyard.The large glass panes provide views through to the home’s planted edges. One can slide the doors to allow cross ventilation to the rooms, naturally creating a breeze in these spaces. Furthermore, it gives the dwellers direct access to the leafy gardens. Situated on the upper level are the bedrooms which are housed under the roof’s steep gables.There are also large openings carved into the roof to provide a balcony for the bedrooms to overlook the home’s verdant perimeters. Neri&Hu cleverly devised double- height voids to create a striking visual connection between the two floors.This allows communal spaces, including the kitchen and living area, to be viewed from corridors on the upper floor.There’s a circular aesthetic surrounding the courtyard formed by passages that connect the different spaces on the ground floor. The curved nature of these unique corridors offers a continuous procession, allowing one to appreciate the sacred, central memorial. So, this is a home where remembrance is at the heart while a convivial spirit prevails through the free- flowing spaces with purposeful ease.