7 Teck Whye Ave
5 Room resale HDB
Set in a Mondrian neighborhood, the original layout has been reimagined to one which highlights and celebrates daily rituals. The two toilets have been combined and expanded, creating opportunities for the couple to bond and get ready together.
Apart from the large gathering space, the couple’s personal retreat is equally sizeable and features a breakout space for when they get tired from working.
A stroll around the neighborhood reveals pleasant surprises for we were wow-ed by the multiple artsy pieces. The largest artworks were the HDB Blocks which had facades consisting of bold lines and bright colors, instantaneously brightening our moods. We found out that the building facade was inspired by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian.
As we entered the void decks we noticed murals of Van Gogh’s paintings of flowers. The various still life paintings located near lift lobbies formed a sort of museum-like experience since the adjacent block had a different painting.
A little bit of Mondrian all around us.
Studio Explorations - fiddling with various materials and combinations to find the best compositions for the client.
Material exploration
SITE
The house was used for a private art exhibition and you can find remnants of it through the pictures. Glimpses of the exhibition can also be found here.
Ever wondered why the walls could be aligned straight? We watched this handy device work its magic!
Cordoning off the extended toilet. Since the thickness of the wall is larger, cement is used to fill the space between the old and new wall.
Blocks (grey) are neatly aligned and arranged to create a partition. Lightweight concrete (white) is laid on the floor when floors are misaligned to level the different floor heights.
We rarely see this type of window grills in place now in newer flats. This residence is considerably older and its walls are uneven.
Sewage pipes that look like branches emerging from a tree trunk. We can’t wait to see how it’ll look!
A short conversation with the plasterer revealed to us that his job is “… not to make the walls and ceilings 100% straight. It’s to smoothen the ceiling and walls, just like how foundation works.” In addition, he “…can’t apply a thick layer… it may work temporarily but will crack eventually. Just think of how the foundation works.”. This is akin to how the indents on our face can not be removed by any makeup, we still apply foundation to make the complexion appear better but it still conforms to the curves of our skin.
Window grills have been removed and the view is absolutely stunning!
Collapsible window frames for the balcony have been installed. The unobstructed panoramic view of the neighborhood, a combination of concrete and landscape graces our eyes as light shines in.
