The Red House (Photo: Christopher Chitty)
In comparison with its peers, Singapore has one of the most beautiful skylines in the world. Sure, there is plenty of identikit government housing, but this gives it a pleasant cohesion missing from most cities where ‘social’ housing equals poverty of design rather than well thought through themes. No, radical and progressive building design is the norm rather than the exception, and in the private developer realm, there is a cornucopia of architectural wonders to gawk at – and call home.
Rather than head off into the obvious deep end of skyrise development, let’s start with a couple of low-rise gems that focus not just on the external architecture, but overall design. First up: Victoria Park Villas.
Victoria Villas
Not only is parking from the street straight into the sloping earth of the basement garage, but all basement areas receive plenty of natural light, so rooms can be used for so much more than is usually the case.
High-ceiling
The Master Planner for the development was Mok Wei Wei, the Managing Director at W Architects Pte Ltd, Director at Urban Redevelopment Authority and Director of Singapore Land Authority. The recipient of Designer of the Year and the President’s Design Award, Mr Wok was behind the refurbishment of the National Museum of Singapore, the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, as well as several residential developments.
Victoria Villas living room
Not content to rest on these laurels, Mr Wok has chosen three separate architects to form the homes in this project, creating three completely different types of unit, not just in layout and function, but in appearance as well. The three types of unit are the pool villas, garden villas (both semi-detached) and the detached bungalows. As the name suggests, the pool villas come with their own private swimming pool.
The target buyers for this property are those with three or more generations, but if you have the cash, these are properties worthy of any wealthy residence.
Going Traditional
Built in 1925, The Red House sits in the middle of one the most vibrant areas of Singapore – Tanjong Katong. It is a historic building (part bakery until 2003) in an extremely vibrant area of shopping malls, restaurants and cafes, with excellent public transport links all within walking distance.
Red House
This doesn’t mean living in a shop house doesn’t have its drawback. Like many older buildings, The Red House’s interiors can be a little cramped, but depending on your requirements, its fantastic architecture (not least the bright red façade) and amazing location will be popular among those looking for some extremely stylish living in a historically rich area.
Red House bedroom
With 42 units of one, two, three and four bedroom apartments, The Red House is a beautiful building with lots of promise.
Moving On Up
Moving up in the world, there are a host of fabulous-looking buildings to choose from. And Sky Habitat is definitely one of them. With 509 units along Bishan Street 15, this is an iconic building designed by Moshe Safdie, the architect behind Marina Bay Sands, among many others.
Sky Habitat
Sky Habitat is huge. But with that come the kinds of architectural wonders only a much more expensive smaller building could offer. Its Sky Bridges, on the 14th, 26th, and 38th floors, offer breathtaking views and dramatic architecture as well as a host of outdoor dining, fitness, and leisure possibilities.
Sky Habitat facilities
The Global Outlook
One of the world’s greatest architects, Zaha Hadid, passed away a few months ago, but not before stamping her mark on Singapore with one of the largest developments in recent memory. The d’Leedon development by CapitaLand at Holland Village sits between Bukit Timah and Queenstown in the centre of the island.
Once again, this is an enormous project, with 1,715 units in seven towers blending into the sky as a series of staggered fingers. But its ultra-modern design is the perfect example of architecture for 21st Century living as you would expect from one of its greatest proponents.
d’leedon
Indeed while quirky, stylish – and uniform – from a distance, the project in fact contains 340 unique layouts within its seven residential towers, 12 semi-detached villas. All set amid extraordinary integrated landscapes and recreation facilities.
This article was edited by Christopher Chitty, Senior Content Specialist at PropertyGuru
