The Chic Home: Moon-inspired courtyard in Jalan Lanjut terraced house

SINGAPORE – When it came to this terraced house in Jalan Lanjut, getting daylight into the narrow plot between the shared walls of the adjoining properties was the biggest challenge for registered architect Lim Ai Tiong from Lim Ai Tiong (Lato) Architects/Design.

One solution was to introduce a courtyard and skylight. While most courtyards are square, Mr Lim gave his design a circular shape, inspired by a Chinese idiom that loosely translates to how a circular “full moon” courtyard symbolises a family reunion.

The resulting triple-volume, circular courtyard with a skylight is the central space within the 4,700 sq ft home – which sits on 2,000 sq ft of land area – and serves as the dining room for the residents, a three-generation family of six.

The courtyard also splits the rectangular floor plan into front and rear wings, with various spaces and rooms branching directly off this central circular void. The irregular spaces between the straight shared walls and curved courtyard walls are utilised as storerooms and parts of the bathrooms.

Apart from allowing natural light into the centre of the home, the circular space lets warm air rise to the top while channelling in fresh air from the lower levels, promoting natural ventilation.

A circular staircase wraps around the courtyard and forms a sculptural element that draws the eye upwards. Mr Lim chose galvanised mild steel for the stringer beam to keep the profile slim and light.

Galvanised mild steel plates were then welded to the stringer beam to form the stair treads. These metal treads are concealed by cladding the top and bottom with solid timber planks. Curved, laminated tempered-glass balustrades add to the staircase’s elegance.

The owners, a couple in their 40s who did not disclose their identities, have future-proof plans in place for the property. The grandparents occupy a bedroom on the second storey, but should the need arise, they can move into a first-storey room with an attached bathroom. The couple’s two young sons share a bedroom on the second storey next to their grandparents, but when they grow older, one brother can move upstairs to the extra bedroom in the attic.

On the facade, aluminium strips on the attic level have been powder-coated to resemble timber, which achieves the desired look without the maintenance. These strips also form a screen against the sun.

The design process – which included site investigation works, authority submissions and tender – took about 12 months. The construction cost about $1.5 million and took another 17 months and the clients moved into their new home in December 2022.