Singapore, Republic of Singapore

Designed by Studio Milou Singapore, the Nassim House is inspired by a deep interest in the principles of classical architecture, infused with the studio’s contemporary design aesthetic, which seeks an elegant balance of innovation and timelessness.

The project seeks to accentuate verticality in another way by associating it with forests and classically-inspired structures bent on the monumental and graceful attributes of simple, tall lines in unison.

The Nassim House design has been awarded a 2021 International Architecture Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

The design’s columns, each unique and slightly curved, conjure an impression of a forest wall.

Exacting studies and intuitive design work were carried out to decide the surface ‘grain’ markings of the concrete columns and their varying forms so as to represent the diversity and intimacy of a tree, a forest.

At the same time, the overlying composition appears to be simple.

The complex processes are hidden from sight to eventuate in clean, legible structures placed in an orderly manner in relation to the site and to one another.

The only significant curves in the design are those that follow the shape of the land on the Westside boundary, serving as a counterbalance to the verticality and swooning from the rear of the residences and along the garden to connect with the pavilion, as a mountain path follows its topography.

Nassim House is marked by a strong sense of gravity and materiality.

The stone used in the facade and in the hardscape of the garden is brown antique granite with different finishes (leather finish for the facade, flamed for external spaces, slate finish in the hardscape and basement walls).

This granite, a dark brown anorthosite abyssal rock quarried in Angola, is presented in different finishes and in large crystallization that creates distinct patterns and sparkling reflections when broken into a slate finish, which is inspired by the reflections of a dense forest landscape.

Bronze is integrated into the vertical structures and stonework, suggesting the rich minerals that feed the forest, capturing light while reflecting the darker hues of green, red and brown that merge in landscaping.

A monumental pavilion borders the street, resembling a public structure more than a private residence. Its slender columns are placed closely one beside another, conjuring a stylized forest wall.

At once emanating the privacy of the structure, it nonetheless offers a view inside and encourages a dialogue with passersby, with the streetscape.

By night, this aspect is heightened when the pavilion’s chandelier composed of over 1,700 crystal pieces, installed like a wave of honey-colored light, glows softly.

Behind the pavilion, a private and abundant garden lies before two-family residences, each connected yet independent.

Built into the land’s hillside, each has uninterrupted views over and across the road to tall trees and dense foliage.

The design of the driveway ensures that from the moment vehicles enter, they descend, no longer visible within seconds, from ground level.

This both protects the unity of the architectural design from transient and invasive objects while maximizing space for the gardens within the residence.

With walls of greenery, the driveway and basement are in themselves beautifully drawn spaces.

The driveway leads to the large basement accommodating 11 cars.

Within the basement, curved walls of dark grey granite create alcoves for vehicles, access to a commercial-scale kitchen, and adequate space for guests to move comfortably towards the lifts and access the property above.

Project: Nassim House
Architects: Studio Milou Singapore (Pte) Ltd.
Client: OUE Reef Development (Pte) Ltd.
Contractor: Daiya Engineering & Construction (Pte) Ltd.
Photographers: Marc, Studio Periphery; Rey, Hype Digital; Trung Thanh Nguyen, and studioMilou