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Photo: Marcus Lim
We write a lot about apartments with views but this one surely takes the cake. Located on the 24th storey of a condominium off Orchard Road, this has a panorama of the Goodwood Hills, heritage houses peeking out from amid the trees, and the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
It will not come as a surprise then that K2LD Architects, which was responsible for the apartment’s makeover, took its primary design cues from the expansive view.
The design borrows from the gold-orange glow of the sky at dusk for its colour scheme. To accentuate the vista, a slim-framed automatic sliding panel, made in Switzerland, is used to replace the windows between the living room and balcony.
Large glass sliding panels give the living room an unobstructed view of the city from the balcony. (Photo: Marcus Lim)
With the boxes ticked on ensuring a sense of harmony with the surrounding natural environment, Leong Lai Ping, who is a senior associate at K2LD Architects and this project’s lead, turned inwards to guide the design narrative.
“The project’s primary focus is on creating a bespoke interior design for a second home that will be used for entertaining and hosting guests,” she explains.
A neutral palette and cove lighting creates a cosy ambiance in the main living areas. (Photo: Marcus Lim)
“The design approach leans towards a contemporary aesthetic that merges modern and minimalist elements. A neutral colour palette is applied to accentuate the architectural features of the space, while raw textures, minimalist lines, and statement pieces add individuality and personality.”
Re-sized and reappropriated
Originally a three-bedroom configuration, the unit was modified to only have two bedrooms to allow each of them and their attached bathrooms to expand.
Photo: Marcus Lim
One is the master suite and the other, a multi-purpose space that currently serves as an entertainment zone but can be easily closed off with a sliding panel.
The open kitchen was converted into an enclosed area to create a more defined and separate place for professional catering. Immediately beside it is the dining room, with a customised wine display and storage.
Photo: Marcus Lim
A third significant move was the obscuring of the view of the sky garage attached to the apartment.
“Even while we recognised that the initial feature of the apartment was to have the car lift exposed as part of the living room, we thought that looking at the cars was extremely inappropriate and crass,” explains Leong.
Photo: Marcus Lim
“The client and us agreed that it was preferable to conceal that view and replace it with a stone feature wall that frames the living room and provides a much better perspective of the interior from the balcony.”
As a result, what used to be a clear glass wall is now a striking, book-matched Brazilian Quartzite Blue Stone from Italian natural stone producer Antolini. A patinated bronze trim frames it, further accentuating its hue and beauty.
Photo: Marcus Lim
Leong also took pains to change the corridors and entryways. For instance, the lift core and entrance foyer, located between the living and dining rooms, are wrapped in metal cladding.
This is interrupted by a recessed glass display and curved niche that contain a slim and tall glass orb sculpture by Japanese artist Ritsue Mishima.
The sculpture by Japanese artist, Ritsue Mishima, catches the light in the dining room. (Photo: Marcus Lim)
Concealed bronze panels camouflage the doors to the kitchen and master bedroom to provide privacy and a clear demarcation between the service and private zones.
“By reconfiguring the original apartment layout, it allows for a flexible space that can cater to various needs and future possibilities. This versatility adds value and longevity to the design, ensuring that it remains functional and relevant over time,” Leong points out.
Raw accents
Space-planning matters aside, a slew of interior design touches with an emphasis on natural finishes have resulted in an environment that is masculine and rough, yet refined.
The floor-standing lamp from Barovier & Toso in the living room. (Photo: Marcus Lim)
The ceiling of the communal spaces has a stucco finish, its low sheen contrasting against the specially curated furniture pieces. One example is the dining table, with its tabletop made from Ceppo Di Gre, a type of dolomite stone found in Italy’s Mount Clemo.
Juxtaposed against the raw material are the light fixtures, which were carefully selected to celebrate craftsmanship, the qualities of glass, and contemporary forms.
Particularly eye-catching is the floor-standing lamp in the living room from Barovier & Toso, an Italian Venetian glass specialist. It is part of a collection where the main feature is the rostrato, a technique that “pulls” the glass with a pincher, allowing light to be reflected in a special way.
Photo: Marcus Lim
In the master suite, Leong switched to a light, neutral colour scheme with undertones of polished brass. “This creates the illusion of a bigger space,” he explains. A tailored headboard in forest green leather and brass trim serves as an accent for the room.
More space is freed up by removing the walls of the bathroom and replacing them with a laminated mesh glass enclosure that illuminates when the lights are turned on.
Photo: Marcus Lim
Leong shares that K2LD’s practice is centred on design solutions emerging from intensive dialogues with the clients, coupled with in-depth studies of the site. Underscoring their work is a focus on capturing space and light to give their projects an architectural quality.
This project is no different. She adds, “The focus on entertaining and hosting, along with the appreciation for the apartment’s unique attributes, such as the views, drives the decision-making process and shapes the design strategy.”
