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Sentosa House by Nicholas Burns Associates, Singapore
Sentosa House by Nicholas Burns Associates, Singapore
Ever since people began building on it in 2003, Singapore's Sentosa Island has finally begun to justify its self-proclaimed title of 'Asia's favourite playground'. Indeed the number of ambitious residential projects on the island could certainly support a claim for Sentosa to be the architects' favourite playground. Case in point: Sentosa House by Nicholas Burns Associates, a resort within a resort and a playground writ large
Photography: Archinesia.com
Briefing the architect with a need for open, interactive spaces and flexibility, the private client requested a structure that could easily adapt to a variety of occasions and one that would remain timeless within the fast developing locale
At first glance, the long balconies, abundant floor-to-ceiling glazing and slim, vertical cladding suggest a linear focus but it is the main core that dictates the space inside
The spatial arrangement around the core allows for a large sitting room, kitchen and terrace on the first floor
Nicholas Burns and his team designed spaces that transcend 'function recognition', however, so the kitchen hides any hints of appliances and interior furnishings are warm and inviting, like a wine-tasting bar at a lush vineyard
The spacious dining area
The outdoor dining area is built into the architecture
The pool appears to dissolve into the jungle behind
The main circulation stairwell with peek-a-boo risers sits at the heart of the layout, carrying visitors to the three levels, each visible from the last
The floors are divided into front and rear wings, creating intimate spaces to escape the open plan
All timber is reclaimed teak. The concrete is mainly untreated with the exception of a few surfaces that have been left with a slight sheen
Wooden louvres filter the light and create graphic shadows inside the house
The light-filled hallway
Outdoor spaces are connected at each level by staircases and the steep slope of the land
They benefit from a visual exchange with the indoors, enabled by openings in the façade and ceiling-height windows
Photovoltaic panels add an extra environmentally friendly element, at the same time highlighting the design's strong tropical character
