A tree on a courtyard is glimpsed through the glamorous glass brick façade of this bungalow on Merryn Road, nestled in an exclusive landed neighbourhood of Trevose. The silent scenery of passing cars and people beyond the glass walls evokes serenity to life in this house. “These glass houses were constructed with an urban sanctuary away from the bustle of the city in mind”, shares Clement Koh, Principal Architect at Mark 12 Architects.
Towering at 7 metres tall with 8000 glass bricks specially sourced from Italy, the glass façade forms a visual statement in the neighbourhood and is a first-of-its-kind design in the local landed scene. Designed to provide privacy and tranquillity, the glass bricks are skilfully staggered to shield the interior from prying eyes and to introduce natural ventilation as light filters through the glass.
The glass bricks snazzing up the façade of the houses at Merryn Road were sourced specially from Italy
Inspired by the glass bricks that adorn the façade of the Hermès Amsterdam Crystal Houses in Amsterdam, developer ABN Holding (ABN) was emboldened to make a difference with this pair of three-storey freehold bungalows in District 11 off Dunearn road. Champs-Élysées by ABN each boasts a glass brick façade - made of the exact same blocks greeting the upscale shoppers of Hermès in the Dutch capital. Slated for completion in Q3 2021, one bungalow with a gross floor area (GFA) of 809 sqm will house a basement, while its neighbouring house with a GFA of 723 sqm has a swimming pool.
The dining and living rooms at Merryn Road boast marble flooring
Flawed beauties by ABN Holding
With another ABN project, OKA, that overlooks an estate park filled with lush greenery, Mark 12 Architects used unpolished raw concrete as its façade to relate to the neighbourhood. Inspired by the surrounding nature and calmness that it evokes, the architect has intended for this pair of elevated semi-detached at 1 Thomson Walk to capture the essence of wabi-sabi, a Japanese philosophy that encapsulates embracing flaws and rawness. Wabi-sabi conveys the idea of aesthetic appreciation of ageing, flaws, and the beauty of the effects of time and imperfections.
For OKA, the project at 1 Thomson Walk, ABN wanted to evoke a sense of rustic simplicity
“All things share a certain roughness, simplicity and uniqueness that makes them beautiful, despite their imperfections and rawness. Because natural objects may not always be polished, you get to see its texture and rawness. So we thought of this concept and design in the form of sculptures to relate to nature.” describes Koh.
In the master bedroom, apertures of various sizes line one wall, offering inhabitants a peek to the outside world. The master bedroom also opens out to a balcony overlooking the park, inviting views of the Thomson Walk estate into the space.
One of the bedrooms at OKA, which are decked out in engineered oak flooring
Built as a pair of two-storey houses with an attic each, the properties at 1 Thomson Walk are expected to be completed by Q3 2021. The built-in area for both homes vary slightly, at 485 sqm and 474 sqm respectively.
ABN Holding & Mark 12 Architects
ABN is no stranger to building bold homes. Its last project was a detached house along Upper East Coast Road, where the developer used glass curtain walls instead of a typical concrete façade. The property – dressed in a monochrome, contemporary façade of glass and concrete – sold within 50 days from its first viewing.
In their upcoming projects, ABN has collaborated with Mark 12 Architects on these 4 landed homes completing in 2021. Clement Koh from Mark 12 Architects is an experienced and fervent architect who is obsessed with creating utmost value out of each land. While he mulled over a functional layout to create good flow of space within the house, he was equally focused on the aesthetics of the house, as well as how it relates to its surrounding. “Clement has a keen eye for design, pays attention to details and is determined to deliver an exceptional piece, thus working with him has been a pleasure.”, says Austin Tan, COO of ABN Holding.
Clement Koh of Mark 12 Architects (L) and Austin Tan of ABN Holding (R) collaborated for the projects at Merryn Road and 1 Thomson Walk
With ABN’s mantra of “Innovation excellence”, the developer is committed to delivering the best quality and differential designs in its upcoming projects. “The landed segment of the Singapore private residential market is mainly driven by home stayers’ desire to own a landed property, which is often linked to prestige and exclusivity. Instead of a conservative mould, our aim is to create something that is distinct and unique using practical means. We constantly strive to perfect the creation for potential homeowners, who may stay in the home for decades”, says Austin Tan, COO of ABN Holding.