Location: Singapore, Singapore.

Architect: Park + Associates.

Stark House is a unique Singaporean property located in an area with a mix of housing estates, industrial and commercial areas, and Changi Prison Complex. The architects questioned what context means and how to respond to a site’s context, which often involves multiple stakeholders with diverging goals. The planning of the house utilised the site’s natural topography and mature trees at the rear of the site, with habitable spaces facing the greenery for a private sanctuary. The basement nook and outdoor swimming pool became the focal point of family activities and outdoor entertainment. The first storey maximised porosity through the site, revealing the view towards the greenery and enhancing the entrance experience. The second storey had a long wall defining the separation between the corridor and the living and sleeping spaces, with views towards the greenery. The architects aimed to make a critical response to context, rather than fitting in with the status quo. The clients wanted a unique home that did not blend in with its neighbours, and the architects expressed honesty and non-ornamentation in the design, with deliberate and exposed structural elements. The architecture of Stark House has received positive responses from neighbours, bringing about a sense of rejuvenation for the estate. The architects believe that a critical response to context can result in an architecture that is refreshing and welcoming to the place in which it exists, rather than producing a sense of exclusivity and same-ness.

Photo credit: Derek Swalwell, Edward Hendricks.