House that Breathes

House that Breathes was conceived in response to both climatic and phenomenal sustainability. Designed for a couple envisioning a tropical, climate-responsive sanctuary, the home reflects and nurtures their diverse hobbies, passions, and collections. Climatic Sustainability: The house consists of stacked volumes, staggered to liberate spaces for tropical interventions. Facing the constant heat and humidity in tropical Singapore, the protrusions and recessed creates overhangs for shade. The form allows for “monsoon windows” on floors that open to the outside, allowing for ventilation even during heavy rain and offering views to the greenery below. Large, full height windows come with a portal frame with external screens that prevent rainwater from penetrating the interiors, while filtering the harsh sunlight. At the double height living room, a latticework of concrete breeze blocks forms a permeable veil that allows the space to breathe while offering privacy from the neighbors. The breeze blocks blur the internal and external spaces, allowing the space to cross ventilate and cool passively, reducing reliance on mechanical system. Phenomenal Sustainability: Circular cutouts offer fleeting glimpses between spaces; a “door within a door” adds a layer of narrative to the boudoir, while a hidden passage behind a bookshelf leads to the utility zone. A vertical laundry chute connects all three levels—pragmatic yet casually executed. In the living room, breeze blocks cast shifting patterns of light through their geometric perforations, animating the interiors throughout the day. These moments of surprise are not only environmentally attuned but also sustain interest and inspire rediscovery of the house.