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House Of Views
KAPA in the news
CNA Luxury
25 Jun 2023 06:09AM
Why Singaporean architect Kee Jing Zhi enjoys designing childcare centres as much as he does luxury houses
The skin over Liminal House protects semi-outdoor areas that buffer the internal spaces.
(Photo: Darren Soh).
(Photo: Darren Soh).
“Most of my houses have an outer veil to protect the house from direct light and rain. Through the veil, I explore different materials, textures and porosity to let light and shadow flood the threshold spaces.”
On how to design a sustainable house, he offers some advice: First, start with a good design (that is hence more long-lasting) and correct orientation. Be particular about where the sun and wind directions are for a site and try to purge warm air from inside a home. Having pockets of landscaping and courtyards help the house to breathe, while the threshold concept can be employed to create a buffer between the inside and outside.”
On how to design a sustainable house, he offers some advice: First, start with a good design (that is hence more long-lasting) and correct orientation. Be particular about where the sun and wind directions are for a site and try to purge warm air from inside a home. Having pockets of landscaping and courtyards help the house to breathe, while the threshold concept can be employed to create a buffer between the inside and outside.”
He also advises choosing the right materials. “Natural stones and aluminium work very well in our climate. We love timber, unfortunately it decolourises a lot under direct sunlight so we tend to place them under shade or facing away from the harsh morning and afternoon sunlight.” Kee is always open to exploring new materials with each project.
A courtyard in House of Views that abstract natural landforms (Photo: Studio Periphery).
Kee believes that finding the right partnerships is key to creating relevant solutions. The firm recently started another collaboration with new partners to KAPA – a design, project and real estate company providing turnkey solutions. “Focusing on landed houses, luxury condominiums as well as commercial and hospitality sectors, it matches the right designer profile to a client’s brief. We are able to source and acquire a site, provide the design-and-build consultancy, manage the entire process and divest the end product should the client want to exit before the completion of the property,” he elaborated.
Each house design is itself a collaborative act. Hence, it is important to listen to the owners. “Engaging the right architect is very important. For us, we create unique experiences for owners by infusing their lifestyles and tastes with storytelling [through the architecture]. The book Architecture of Happiness by Alain Botton resonates with me a lot in this aspect. We want to create meaningful and happy spaces for the homeowners; a house is not just four walls and functional spaces. Living in a meaningful space can be enriching.”
Each house design is itself a collaborative act. Hence, it is important to listen to the owners. “Engaging the right architect is very important. For us, we create unique experiences for owners by infusing their lifestyles and tastes with storytelling [through the architecture]. The book Architecture of Happiness by Alain Botton resonates with me a lot in this aspect. We want to create meaningful and happy spaces for the homeowners; a house is not just four walls and functional spaces. Living in a meaningful space can be enriching.”
