Cheerful and Generous: Moving House in Singapore by Spark Architects.

Blink and we may have found ourselves flipping through a dreamy interior catalogue of the 60s with Spark Architects’ Moving House. A three-bedroom 132-square-metre renovation set within Singapore’s Brutalist Sherwood Towers, Moving House exudes the colourful preferences and personality of the client.

This project rejects tightly planned spaces and partition overload often found in high-density apartments while being thoughtful with colour and overall planning. The original footprint was a typical collection of enclosed rooms connected by a corridor. The lack of partitions for natural lighting removed any sense of warmth and natural lighting, altogether furthering the illusion of a claustrophobic apartment. Naturally, a reconfiguration of space was in order. Sparks Architects embraced Le Corbusier’s ‘L’Esprit nouveau’ (new spirit) of aesthetic refinement’ by removing the corridor walls, revealing a cascade of openings demarcated by untouched walls—or as the architects have whimsically explored it as an ‘enfilade’ within the apartment.

Where it was once a collective of rooms, the space is now divided into thirds to suit the client’s movements. The existing placement of the kitchen and living area were retained yet integrated to become a large living dining kitchen (LDK) space. The newly formed entertainment area is subtly separated by a large sliding gallery wall installed to open and close the corridor entrance to the two remaining rooms.

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Since the modification, the first two bedrooms that once faced each other have merged into a bedroom, study and a small powder room transformed from one of the existing bathrooms. An opening between the former bedroom and the adjacent space for rest is now a walk-in closet. It’s not the only space that has seen the drastic transformation. The bathroom too is enlarged with a double shower in place of the now reduced bathroom.

The client’s love for colour is reflected in the selection of geometric motifs and strong primary colours that veer on the vintage nostalgia. Each area is designated with a character colour. The LDK is dominated by white and beige and black lines, giving a Super Studio vibe, especially with the glass block window and the square white tiles black grouting in the kitchen.

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The bedroom is splashed with a sunny yellow laminate joinery embedded on one end of the wall. The walk-in wardrobe and bathroom in contrast are decked in turquoise and emerald green respectively. While these colours are dominant in their realm, hints of them emerge in their adjoining spaces, as the bedroom carries the mint green that talks to the bathroom, likewise the entryway is with timber slats painted in green. The kitchen counter has yellow and orange infills that acknowledge the private spaces. The hum of the rainforest colours reflects Singapore’s humid and lush scenescapes.

Bright and punchy, Moving House exudes the idea of custom through and through. A generous canvas, brightly coloured walls and playful furnishing, this apartment’s rhythm is constantly changing to match the personality of a home akin to a gallery.

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[Images courtesy of Spark Architects. Photography by Khoo Guo Jie.]