Unit 8
A slab-over of a disused squash court and series of pool-centric openings revitalise an aging condominium.
Unit 8 condominium was built in the 80’s and carries the spirit of modernism with the juxtaposition of forms. The building by one of Singapore’s pioneer architects, Mr. William Lim, needed repair in recent years with both its service and programmatic facilities.
The problems normally associated with a 20 year-old building included; a weathered tiled façade, damaged glass block façade, inadequate porch cover, a disused squash court, dingy public restrooms and a tired poolside area. With these in mind and the challenge of the existing structure, it was the intention to keep the spirit of the architecture and adopt a series of improvements that were assimilated into the existing space and structure.
The main improvement for the apartments was to open up the surrounding programs to the poolside and to introduce light and natural ventilation across from the basement car park to the pool area. The squash court was slabbed over and a clubhouse was introduced with both indoor and semi-outdoor spaces. The male/female bathrooms were consolidated into a unisex shower/bathroom facility that was naturally ventilated and faced the pool. There was a conscious effort to use materials that were similar in size and proportion to the existing ones.
A greater sense of entry was achieved through a new porch structure at the drop-off and a resurface of the old tarmac. New glass blocks with incorporated ventilation holes replaced the existing while maintaining the overall modular mosaic aesthetics. The rest of the interventions were more about assimilation, respecting the old, improving existing facilities and introducing new circulation service patterns. More importantly, the new refurbishments received the original architect’s stamp of approval upon completion.
| Client | Unit 8 MCST 1125 |
| Program | Architectural Refurbishment (Residential – Private Housing) |
| Area | 1200 m² |
| Status | Completed |
| Consultants | Barton Associates |
| Web Structures | |
| P.Tan & Partners | |
| Photography Credits | Studio SKLIM, Jeremy San |
| Time Period | 2005 |
