Family life in this bungalow in Singapore revolves around a lush garden in the centre

In many ancient cultures around the world, the courtyard is the epicentre of family life. The atriums in Roman houses came with a pool to collect rainwater; the courtyard in China’s siheyuan was a gathering space for members of extended households; and in Singapore, the vernacular shophouse has its own version that punctuates its long, narrow plan.
These naturally ventilated voids within a building are a common device used by architect Han Loke Kwang in his house designs. They take on various permutations, shaped by his multifarious plots and schemes. In this tropical climate, courtyards are practical, bringing sunlight and ventilation deep into a home.
For Han, they also allow him to create internal views for the dwellers whose houses often face other homes, especially when they’re situated in dense neighbourhoods where buildings nestle chock-a-block. Having visited many of his projects, I am particularly enamoured with this recently completed bungalow where a family of four resides.
Outside, the low-key architecture is composed of four fused off-form concrete boxes, each defining a particular internal zone; these are faced by timber screens and a white concrete breezeblock wall that shield from both the glare of passers-by and the tropical sun. But once inside, a bucolic garden in the core transports one from the mundane suburban street into an oasis where tree canopy, grassy carpets and dappled sunlight from an overhead pergola brings instant solace and a feeling of rest.
“This courtyard is quite different from the other courtyards I’ve done that are inside the structure but feel separate from the internal spaces. This time, I’m really putting the courtyard inside the house, and blurring boundaries by having the internal doors open up to the courtyard and putting the staircase right next to it. One is not sure if he is inside or outside. It’s actually an external space, ventilated from the top by two windows so that heat doesn’t gather even though there is a big expanse of glass at the top,” explained Han.
On the first storey, the concrete breezeblock wall allows wind to move through the house and up the triple-volume void. “We love the natural breeze that flows through, especially in our study room on the second storey. We hardly ever need to use the air conditioner; we’ve come to realise we probably installed more than we need,” the homeowner said.
This abundance of natural wind gives the house “a resort-like vibe”, she described. “Many visitors have commented that it doesn’t feel like we are in Singapore when we are inside.” For Han, the house marks a personal achievement in the firm’s 30-year-old oeuvre.
“It’s the closest I have done in bringing nature into a house. The fact that there is no glass between the courtyard, the staircase, living room and corridors makes the boundary ‘disappear’,” he commented. The staircase balustrade is made from metal strips capped by a timber railing. Rather than glass, this brings one closer to the trees.
The house sits on elevated ground so Han dug the driveway into the slope, creating a semi-basement where storage spaces are tucked into. This means you can approach the courtyard in different ways. One is to walk up a side staircase from the driveway to the first storey garden, through the front door and past the living room before seeing the courtyard. If you’re coming up from the internal staircase in the garage, you see the courtyard first before the other common areas.
On the first storey of the roughly 5,957-sq-ft house, dual entryways into the dining room, kitchen and utility areas mean there are no dead ends. Each common space is also linked to perimeter terraces and landscaping; this makes it a perfect abode for the family’s two young boys to grow up in.
“My houses are naturally very kid-friendly because I create a lot of spaces for them to run around,” said Han. Plentiful outdoor and semi-outdoor areas in this house suit the family’s lifestyle. “It’s where we have most of our family meals, enjoying the garden while we eat. The swimming pool is also a favourite spot during the weekends, and we often gather there as a family to relax and cool off. Aside from that, the kids make the most of the outdoor spaces, running around and having fun,” the homeowner shared.
Having stayed in a condominium apartment before this, the change has been more than gratifying. “Our previous home was in a charming old condominium built in the 1980s. We loved living there because of the generous spaces and unblocked views,” she said. These are available here too but are amplified and even more generous. While there was nothing majorly lacking in their former home, she appreciates that the family now has more dedicated spaces to suit their lifestyle.
The plot’s high vantage offers a panoramic vista of the city in the distance when one moves toward the house’s edges. On the first storey, it backdrops the pool, which has a quirky, playful form due to the plot’s shape that bulges on one side. In the attic, a balcony next to the family room provides even more spectacular views.
At the courtyard, a band of clerestory windows offer a peek at blue skies and rooftops when one is at the top of the staircase. It is a discreet gesture but adds to the overall feeling of openness and connection with the outside.
The homeowner and her husband had picked Han to design their home after seeing his work online. They were immediately drawn to his distinctive design style, the homeowner shared. “Han’s projects are easily recognisable for their strong use of natural materials, particularly concrete and wood, which creates a timeless yet modern feel.”
Even before they purchased the land, the architect came to visit the plot. “This demonstrated his commitment and helped us envision the possibilities. We also appreciate the importance he places on integrating landscaping into the overall design, ensuring that the built environment blends harmoniously with the natural surroundings,” the homeowner commented.
She admitted that they were initially hesitant about having an indoor garden as they don’t have green fingers. “We’ve never had much luck with plants; they never seem to survive under our care,” she mused. “Surprisingly, it turned out to be a fantastic decision. Being surrounded by greenery has such a calming effect and thankfully, the plants are still thriving.”
The courtyard garden has sparked in her amateur horticultural ambitions, as she now entertains thoughts on doing more with the backyard green space and eventually even starting a vegetable garden. The use of off-form concrete in the internal spaces also accentuates the feeling of being outdoors. As the couple leaned toward a Bauhaus aesthetic where Beton brut was dominant, this use of off-form concrete was perfect. Timber and terrazzo make ideal accomplices in creating a simple palette.
In the courtyard, the ample concrete vertical surfaces become grey canvases for the sun to perform its shadow play during the day. Such theatrics define the internal mood, giving clue to the time of day and the tropics’ swinging moods through thunderstorms, hot afternoons or the shadowed beckoning of night at dusk.
The house’s seamless metaphysical qualities belie the amount of thought that went into the design. Han shared that he had spent a lot of time mulling over the spacing of the pergola’s components to ensure the right amount of light enters the courtyard. “There was going to be an internal garden so if I don’t bring in enough sunlight, the plants will not do well; if I bring in too much sunlight, it will be hot and glaring,” he explained.
Han experimented with the spacing until he arrived at a workable solution. At the terrace, he made the spacing denser by inserting another piece of timber between the vertical pieces so that there is more shade at this part of the house, making outdoor living comfortable.
In another example of the intricacies of building a home that not only functions well but also offers delight to everyday routines, Han carefully chose the plants. “I wanted to have plants at different levels so that you can touch the leaves with your hands when one is upstairs at the top of the staircase,” he shared.
The couple’s artwork adds colour to the walls. At the dining room are pieces by Singaporean artist Tay Bak Chiang while Malaysian artist Kayleigh Goh’s abstract, long architectural artwork fronting the courtyard emphasises the linearity of the corridor.
In the living room, two photographs of natural landscapes by London-based French artist Vincent Fournier hold court. Their vivid colouration and deep perspectives give depth to the space, while their subjects form a silent dialogue with the adjacent garden. “His work explores the imaginaries of the future. I like everything he does,” said the homeowner.
The enigma, simplicity and beauty found in these artworks are mirrored in Han’s architecture. Both enrich the prosaic everyday, inject a sense of life to still forms and become a stage for the creation of familial memories.