Oku House

Oku is a spatial concept pertains to the idea of “inwardness”. The concept of oku is introduced to create a feeling of depth and dimensionality in a space. As one moves through a space, the viewer’s attention is often drawn inward, heightening the sense of exploration and the need to search deeper. The project started off by understanding the interest of the clients, their lifestyle and philosophy which is greatly rooted in the Japanese culture. As avid art collectors, their ceramics and potteries collections strongly embodies the concept of wabi-sabi. The idea of wabi-sabi naturally becomes the central theme in selecting the finishes for the house, expressed through the materiality of the smoked bricks, concrete and balau timber. These materials were deliberately selected to encourage patina to grow overtime, adding to the overall character of the house. Delighted by the unusually deep and narrow site, it is endearing to learn about the client’s fascination of living in a shophouse. Given the circumstances, the idea to create a re-imagined shophouse where openings and circulation are weaved into the space to unfold the idea of “oku”. Oku became a sub conscious mental construct to design their house. Elements of a shophouse typology is abstracted to its most basic form and recomposed into this house. The frontage of the house adapts the symmetry of the shophouse, where two leopard trees are nestled boldly on each corner, peering through the front narrow façade shielding the house from weather and providing privacy. Seemingly the client’s passion for landscape is also rooted in the design of the house where planters are strategically planned along the circulation. Journeying into the house, one begins by meandering through the water lily garden and arriving at the entrance foyer, designed as a transitional space that serves as a threshold between the inside and outside. Upon entering the living room, an open courtyard is slowly revealed. The open courtyard eventually becomes the heart of the house, welcoming the sunlight and rain into the core of the abode. The trees, shrubs and stepping stones are carefully planned in the courtyard to filter harsh rainfall. It also serves as an air well allowing the house to achieve a thermal comfort during the day especially in the tropical climate of Singapore.