Skip to main content

Project Growing Up - Inside Mr Y's House

It's a jungle out there

If architects build houses for others for a fee, what do they build for themselves? 

I found the answer when Mr Y kindly invited us over to his house one evening to discuss the plans, making the rare exception that he only sees clients on Mon to Sat, 10 am to 4 pm. 

It was innocuously tucked next to a well-patronised coffee-shop selling roti prata and teh tarik, giving no hint of its identity as a dwelling place. The neighbourhood itself, is colourful, bustling with street life, with karaoke joints and hotels operating at 300% occupancy just down the road for the perky.

Entering the doorway, we were gently led by the host into a labyrinthian maze of winding stairways, split levels of living space, opening up into an urban oasis of a roof terrace, resplendent with lush foliage of tropical plants that seem to claim their right of residency with their imposing presence. Cocooned high up there, looking over the stark contrast of bare roof-tops surrounding this space, coupled with a light breeze and soft lighting, the atmosphere was subtly intoxicating. The place was alive, abuzz with the almost audible whispers of the plants as their leaves sway in a rhythmic flow. 

It is awkward to interrupt a serious discussion to answer a call of nature, but when one has to go, one HAS to go...I was shown an open-air sort-of scantily screened by creepers "enclosure" to do the deed. It's not easy to pee when you are wondering whether your family jewels are in someone else's roof-top view. Anyway, later I discovered there were other less exotic powder rooms in close proximity. Very funny, Mr Y!

The furniture was recycled, original creations all, made from found things ranging from driftwood, trunks, discarded metal, and almost anything else that creativity can put to form.

There was a piece of hanging artwork making a bold statement. The frame extended beyond the boundaries of the wall and the picture appeared to be a work in progress. The space inside is still evolving, transforming itself as if being worked on by the potter's hand, revealing its layers, bit by bit, piece by piece.

On another level is an art gallery depicting the sensitive and softer side of Mr Y when he is not otherwise into hard lines, steel and concrete. There is an impressionable painting of an equatorial rainforest taking centerstage, art depicting life.

There are no pictures in this post as Mr Y has unsportingly refused to have his house photographed. A picture will paint a thousand words, but for now, we have to let the imagination rule.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

New Perspectives

  So What If The Day Started Badly This morning, as I was reversing my car out of the porch for a dental appointment, I drove right into a van who just happened to park in front of the house across the road, right at the very instant. The knee jerk instinct was to feel sorry and angry with myself at the same time. I said a little prayer for comfort and that the rest of the day would turn out better, with small mercies along the way. I also texted G, telling him what happened and that I was a little shaken by the incident, trivial as it was. The text came back " No worries". It was all the comfort I needed - no judgment, no reproof, just a quiet understanding and acceptance. The Rest Of the Day Got the tooth fixed, had my comfort food for lunch, left car with dented bumper with mechanic, took a bus to Ang Mo Kio library to while away the time. Along the way, discovered my favorite Yong Tau Foo franchise had moved to the food centre here, much nearer home, and also picked up a ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Special Residents of Istanbul and Ephesus

 My recent road trip of Turkey traversed several cities. But it was mostly in Istanbul ( and a few more in Ephesus ) that cats who roamed the streets with the familiarity of a resident, independent and free, yet well-provided with food, shelter, water and loving affection.  On our very first day, we bought a bag of cat food and fed them whenever we encountered them. Some were hungry and responded to us, but others kept their distance, or came over to sniff at the kibbles and walked away. It warmed our hearts to see these adorable creatures as part of the landscape and culture of a most memorable trip in a land so richly endowed with the legacy of the past facing a challenging future ahead. Here's a gallery of cuteness overload. This link best sums up the history and back story of these adorable felines.  https://consciouscat.net/relationship-between-istanbul-and-its-cats/
Post a Comment
Read more

PROJECT GROWING UP ( Or the Little House that would )

In the Beginning In 1997, G and I went house-hunting. We decided on a not-so-big single-storey house in Serangoon Gardens and made it our home, together with D, aged one. So the small family of then three moved in, together with our domestic helper, an absolutely indispensable part of the life and times of the Sims. In 2000, A joined the brood and we became a household of five. As the years rolled on, this little house stood the test of time, armed with a resolve to remain true to itself while all around, the neighbours were mutating into towering structures, forever altering the once charming landscape of this cosy precinct. But as D and A morphed from age to age, they made encroaching demands on sanity and space. Chaos aside, the study was first to go, for each one to have their own private den and mess containment. Soon the deluge of homework and assessment sheets spilled into the living room and there was no more division of boundaries. The living room became the ...
Post a Comment
Read more