4. FORM: MOVING PARTS
Sliding doors and folding panels can change the character of your home and make your spaces more multifunctional. “These elements allow the flexible segregation of spaces in a less intrusive manner. Sliding panels take up less space, and can be concealed within millwork to be holistically integrated into the design,” says Joseph Wong, principal director of JOW Architects. Sliding panels can also induce better cross ventilation between rooms, adds Lim Shing Hui, founder of L Architects.
Lim Cheng Kooi of AR43 Architects offers some suggestions for their proper application. “Sliding panels are often designed as an integral part of the overall spatial elements, so we must consider aesthetically where to position them and how to tuck them away neatly. A good sliding or pivoting mechanism should also be specified for easy handling, safety and maintainability for the user.”
For more design inspiration, look to an apartment designed by UPSTRS_. Sliding panels in fluted glass amplify light and the sense of space between the bedroom and bathroom, while a moving bookshelf cleverly conceals a staircase.
“Sliding panels can be concealed within millwork to be holistically integrated into the design”
5. FORM: CREATIVE DIVISION
In 2015, changes to the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s guidelines did away with predetermined storey heights; each floor could be of varying heights, so long as the overall height complies within the permissible building envelope.
“Floors can be staggered to be interconnected and high-volume spaces can be created; this potentially allows for the creation of more inventive spaces if the motivation is not about maximising floor area,” says Alan Tay, who is one of the founding partners of Formwerkz Architects. Thean of Park + Associates agrees: “You can get a much more engaging relationship between spaces both visually and physically.”
At the same time,
Victor Lee, co-founder of Plystudio Architects, cautions against unnecessarily adding intermediate floors without considering the overall proportion and usability. “We believe that house design should embody a balanced approach to spatial and architectural design rather than maximisation to a point where it does not add value to liveability and a sense of homeliness. The design process should be one of optimisation instead.”