WORK 036

Connect ; Disconnect

Whether is it working, dining, cooking or simply resting, one will always be able to visually connect with the rest of the house yet when desired, be able to disconnect to more private and personal engagements. This was a response to the brief by the owners, which is to always be able to keep a watchful eye over the two young children amidst various quotidian activities. The functions of the house are defined and anchored through a combination of platforms, partitions and fixed furnitures that is layered carefully along the existing grid of the house, transitioning from more common areas to private spaces in an orderly and logical hierarchy.

On entry, an elevated study akin to a fort, subtly conceals the user and provides privacy without the need to fully enclose the space. Nestled along the ribbon windows for daylight to filter through, the study is also integrated with storage and seating that concurrently services the adjacent foyer and living room. The living, dining and kitchen fills up the various ends of the plan neatly, leaving a dynamic open space in-between that is is filled with daylight and natural cross ventilation. The insertion of a semi-porous screen softly distinguishes the living space and the bedroom, allowing the user to seemingly fade away to disconnect for the day. As one moves towards the quieter parts of the house, an open, mutable space for playing, reading and lounging acts as a transition space, which can be closed off for guests to reside when required.