African Colonial Chic Concepcion Interiora Residenciala by Priscilla Khiu

African Colonial Chic Concepcion Interiora Residenciala by Priscilla Khiu is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 A' Design Award de Bronze in Interior Competition Category.

BronzeInterior· 2020

African Colonial Chic Concepcion Interiora Residenciala

by Priscilla Khiu

Client: Haus Atelier

A' Design Award de Bronze Winner in Interior Category

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The Design

About African Colonial Chic Concepcion Interiora Residenciala

Africana Coloniala Chic es una concepcion interiora residenciala per una maison coloniala de dos estatges a Siglap, Singapor. La vièlha maison s'èra afonsada amb lo temps, e cap de dos murs èran pas dreches. De pòrtas francesas de doble batent d'auçada plena foguèron repetidas dedins e defòra per crear de linhas orizontalas e verticalas consistentas e per reduire l'efièch visual de las irregularitats. La maçonariá de brica ancianas foguèt conservada dins los espacis de sejorn e de manjar, mentre que de rajolas ornamentadas marcan la cosina, l'intrada e lo cabinet de tualeta. Lo rotin e lo boès blanquit ligan l'arquitectura coloniala amb l'estil sud-african modèrne.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Bronze

African Colonial Chic Concepcion Interiora Residenciala a ganhat la distincion A' Design Award de Bronze, una reconeissença plan prestigiosa acordada a de designs excellents que se destrian per la creativitat, l'engenh e la finessa. Los ganhaires del Bronze son d'artefactes largament abils e sorprenentament creatius que provan la vasta experiéncia, l'imaginacion e l'engenhositat de lors designers. S'espèra que African Colonial Chic Concepcion Interiora Residenciala siá un objècte fòrça considerat, admirat e estimat, notablament professional e innovant. Aqueste design ganhaire de la distincion A' Design Award de Bronze integra las melhoras practicas de l'art, de la sciéncia, del design e de la tecnologia e es excellent per son atencion al detalh. African Colonial Chic Concepcion Interiora Residenciala satisfa esplendidament los besonhs, toca los desirs, encanta los sentiments e interèssa la curiositat.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Good design should always reflect the personalities and aesthetics of its inhabitants as well as the history and culture of the physical space. Special care was taken to weave the intangible of styles, culture, and hobbies into the design while creating a symbiotic dialogue between two. Weaving modern hints of South African culture and wildlife into an architecturally colonial abode, created an alchemy of style and character that reflected modern sensibility and adheres to its owners' taste, preference, and aspirations.
Dimensions & Packaging: The house takes an irregular floor plate of about 3860sqft and has 2 storeys totaling it to 3200sqft of built-up area. This 2 storey home sits at the top of a hill and right beside, 3m below it is open grassland. Over time, the house has sunk to the sides to the back. The difference between the two ends of the house was 200mm. No two walls were aligned and straight. After rebuilding the retaining wall and determining that the house was now fit for use, the biggest technical issue was correcting the visual irregularities.
Tags: Black and White House, Colonial Architecture, South African Chic, Haus Atelier, Interior Design
Production Technology: Full Height French doors were repeated and used to play up the height and overall character of space on both interior and exterior. The old brickwork was retained in the main living and dining area to give the white walls some much needed textured. Geometric or patterned tiles were used in the kitchen, foyer and powder bathroom to subtly demarcate a new space and/or function and to inject a new "rhythm" and burst of fun to an otherwise neutral floor palette.MaterialsMaterials like rattan ( and its variation) were carefully woven into vanity counters, shoe cabinets, bar stools, and other furniture to create a consistent "weaving" rhetoric of culture and space. Texture is everything in this project. And this texture is created through the use of materials ( rattan, whitewashed wood stain carpentry ) and through physical lines - louver doors and windows.
Design Challenge: This was an old house that was buried in time for 30 years. The entire house was slopping ! There were no two walls that were straight and from the front to end, ceiling and floor had a difference of 200mm! To mitigate this, we used the big French doors to take one's eyes off the flaws of the building. Each door, even at differing heights was adjusted to ensure that at eye level, all the horizontal and vertical datum is consistent and straight. These little design cracks had to be taught through for every piece of carpentry and detail!
Research: How does one reimagine an old, sinking, colonial house flanked by a quiet open grassland and convert that into a desirable home reflecting styles and sensibility while showing sensitivity to its current locale and history? This how- opened a design dialogue for this space.

A marriage of cultures was born by paring the colonial-styled French doors (the architectural language of the house ) against an interior theme of modern South African paintings and furniture. The idea of weaving the two cultures is also physically manifested in the use of rattan that reflects not only the cultural essence of Africa but also hints of South East Asian history under the colonial rule where the rich ( plantation owners) who would live in large colonial homes like the one inherited.

The owners in question are a mix race couple where one has a home in South Africa and the other grew up under the influence of colonial rule in South East Asia Singapore.
Inspiration: The inspiration behind this Colonial- African home was organically derived from its owners' love of wildlife photography and the original architectural elements of an old colonial house. The choice to embrace double-leaf French doors and repeat them as a thematic feature was intentional to correct the flaws of a slopping old house. We use the proportions - the horizontal and vertical datum of a door to visually adjust the irregularities. The repetition and use of such full height doors create the illusion of height and generate a strong architectural language both inside and out.
Project Duration: The project started construction in October 2018 and finished 5 months later. The design process started 6 months prior to construction. This charming terrace is located in Siglap, Singapore.
Operation Flow: To build good homes - a great understanding of its owners' styles, aspiration and requirements need to be had. To re-gut an old colonial space and renovate it to reflect the users' styles and sensibilities involved a great deal of communication and trust.
Patents: Copyrights of Work belongs to Haus Atelier Pte Ltd.
Team Members: PRISCILLA KHIU
Image Credits: MARCUS LIM