Set within a secluded street of pre-war shophouses, the brief called for the complete reconstruction of an existing, 2-storey derelict terrace house, creating a spacious, modern home for the Client, a corporate lawyer.

Given the constraints of the site size, and the limited access to window openings, the principal idea was to remove all walled off rooms from the ground floor so as to open up its expanse. Locating an open air courtyard within the centre of this floor plate, along with a sizeable pond, opened up the single space to living, dining and cooking without encumbrance. The courtyard, as in the traditional sense of the South-East Asian open air-well, facilitates the movement of air through the upper floors, allowing for their natural ventilation.

A pair of bedrooms, bathrooms, and roof terrace were provided on the upper 2 levels. This also enabled the private-public aspect of the house be maintained.