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PERHAPS PERANAKAN,  | International Design Awards Winners
PERHAPS PERANAKAN,  | International Design Awards Winners
PERHAPS PERANAKAN,  | International Design Awards Winners
PERHAPS PERANAKAN,  | International Design Awards Winners
PERHAPS PERANAKAN,  | International Design Awards Winners
PERHAPS PERANAKAN,  | International Design Awards Winners

PERHAPS PERANAKAN

Lead DesignersSAM ANG
Prize(s)Honorable Mention
Project LinkView
Entry Description

Set in the historical enclave of Joo Chiat in Singapore, the apartment is belongs to the new extension of a Peranakan-heritage shophouse. The Shophouse is a piece of Singapore's past. The undertones to the design approach is to stay true to Singapore's glorious colonial past; juxtaposed against this cosmopolitan-state of today, contemporary and minimalistic. To a larger extent, a melting pot where east meets west, old meets new, the trendy meets the traditionalist.
The space is monochromatic when viewed from one angle, almost minimalistic; yet strikingly colourful when viewed from the opposite angle. The design - Clean yet decorative; Sleek yet intricate; Fresh yet old; Sharp yet soft; Straight yet curve; Modern yet Traditional; Quiet yet Loud.
Some new-old techniques were deployed in achieving the looks of the space. The Peranankan-influenced motifs were created with menial stenciling of acrylic paint to the concrete floor in the living, dining and the kitchen area. Customised cement tiles by are used on one-plane of the living room’s wall, creating a strong juxtaposition against the linear kitchen counter on the opposite wall.
The cement tiles, in different color combinations, were used on all sides of the bathrooms, creating a strong demarcation of space, and a lively piece of artwork by itself. The kitchen counter top is a cast-in-situ concrete worktop. The space plan allowed the owner to create a "public space" and "private space" within this 1,000 sqft apartment. The design intent provided the owner with full privacy to her master bedroom, while allowing guests to use the "public space" openly and freely.
PERANAKAN CULTURE Joo Chiat in Singapore is best known for its colourful rows of traditional Peranakan Shophouses dating back to the 1920s and 1930s; while Peranakans are decendents of Straits Chinese who settled in the Malay Archipaelago in the 17th century.