Upon entering the 22-foot x 80-foot intermediate terrace house, the only matter that needs to be improved is the natural sunlight and ventilation. There is nothing wrong with this typical terrace layout and its structure. However, it lacks emotion.
Facing west, the house is naturally hot in the evening, though the extension from the neighbour blocks the morning sun.Without making any major modifications, a brick wall is added to the façade to filter some west sun during the evening. The result of the shadow casting is memorable. The bricks still allow wind to breeze through.
A layer of slide-and-fold doors was created instead. When the windows are open, cross-ventilation occurs.The existing kitchen door was hacked off, the toilet door was relocated, and a full-height swing door was added at the back of the house. With this, the entire living and dining were opened up to ample sunlight.
With a limited budget, no fixed carpentry was planned. However, a linear, low concrete ledge was built to allow an architectural solid furniture that can work as a console, a chair, or a bed.The entire tiled floor was improved with cement render floor. The cold and grey tone reflects the sunset tone and turns orange during the evening.
Some pockets of existing slabs were removed to allow for greenery and trees to punch through.The room on the ground floor was converted into a kitchen, to allow the existing living and dining to be a flexible open-plan layout.The ground floor slab near the staircase was opened up for an indoor garden. Sunlight was captured with a transparent roof tile inserted in between existing concrete roof tiles.
The master bedroom windows were improved with large sliding glass panels, unfurling to a romantic sunset view.The tree from the entrance punches through the car porch slab and protects the exposed master bedroom from direct west sun.All room doors were replaced with bare plywood door, which has natural and interesting wood grains that need no additional finishes.
The imperfections of the materials create a memorable emotion in all the living spaces.
