Few materials were used in the house, but they were applied in varied ways. A concrete screen at the study room separates the service walkway from the study area, its texture complementing the exposed concrete structure. All the bathrooms feature simple glazed butcher’s tiles that echo the rhythm of the bricks.
“Through this project, we learned that some design ideas could be simple but quite powerful. This is one of them. You don’t need to complicate things; you can lean on a certain concept already in the house and find clues from it to determine what materials to use next,” reflected Lim, who prioritised natural materials. “When natural light hits natural materials, it feels honest and unprocessed. That is the feeling we wanted to create for this home.”
As the client wished, the electrical and mechanical components were exposed, yet neatly expressed – like silver sculptures suspended from the ceiling. This complemented the overall sensibility of laying bare the house’s bones. Lim chose an exposed spiral-duct air-conditioning system, a feature more typical of commercial projects.
“I think the pairing between the client and us is good as he pushed our boundaries. When the client says he wants the pipes exposed, you have to think about how you are going to deal with it. In this sense, it’s a good exercise for us. We can find other forms of aesthetics apart from what our other clients normally ask us to do,” said Lim, who has developed a new appreciation for revealing the mechanical parts of a house. “When exposed with intention, they become part of the design – honest, functional and even beautiful.”
