d+a | Issue 116 • Jun/July 2020

69 4. The rooftop tea parlour enjoys a view to the dance studio and neighbourhood. / 5. The freestanding bathtub enjoys a sweeping view of the neighbourhood while tucked behind the greenery and metal screen. PERFECT BALANCE Further enhancing the quality of the material is the lighting. It comprises mostly of recessed and indirect architectural lights that are felt more than seen, adding a glow to the perimeter of the porthole on the ground floor, and tracing the lines of the barn-shaped roof in the attic bathroom. Here and there are small touches that pay tribute to Asian heritage. The porthole – a somewhat spontaneous design decision that Tan took during construction – is a nod to the moon gate; so is the pattern of the timbre screen in the dining room. These details work in tandem to soften the straightforwardness of the architectural shell. “The early working title of this house was Japanese Armani,” reveals Tan, with an amused smile, sharing that it came from the owners during brainstorming sessions involving many mood boards. Seeing the home’s final look, one can draw the parallel. But labelling its tailored elegance and poetic discipline as such feels inadequate and oversimplified. Evidently, the clients felt the same way, for they changed the name of the house when it was completed. The House of Harmony balances many things with ironclad restraint, and the design shines because of it. 3. Natural light streams inside and paints the stairwell with poetic brushstrokes. 4 5