Garden in the sky

High-rise living may once have been far removed from the natural environment, but that is no longer the case. Increasingly, modern apartment buildings are built in areas with significant natural amenities, and feature picturesque landscaping.

As the name suggests, the Riveredge apartment building in Singapore, developed by CapitaLand, is sited beside a river in a former industrial area that has been re-zoned for residential use.

Architect Mok Wei Wei of W Architects says river- and canal-side developments in the city are on the increase, thanks to the zoning changes by the local authority, which recognises the environmental value of maximising land alongside waterways.

But it is not just the natural landscape that is a focus of attention. Developers are also encouraged to provide landscaped common areas, which can include sky gardens and pool areas, such as those featured in the Riveredge development.

Mok says these incentives meant the design team was able to make a much more exciting architectural statement.

"The site generated the initial design," he says. "We wanted to maximise the river frontage, which was at the narrow end of the plot. Consequently, we stretched the envelope, wrapping the building around the site to make it as wide and long as possible. This was a way to make the most of the views across a vacant lot next door. And although this may one day be built on, there will still be view corridors."

Mok says the design team was able to provide large cutouts in the structure, which help lighten the visual mass of the building, making it appear more porous. The cutouts also allow glimpses of the views beyond, and provide space for a sky garden on the 14th floor a floor number that can be unpopular with Asian clients.

"The sky garden and vertical cutout are additional to the gross floor area permitted for the site, so these haven't been at the expense of more apartments, " says the architect.

Mok says the sky garden, which is a two-storey space extending the full length of the longer wing, also serves to visually separate the large apartments and penthouses on the upper floors from the smaller two- and three-bedroom units on the lower floors. In addition to these units, there are poolside apartments that step out from the main volumes, introducing a residential scale to the building.

The interior of the penthouse featured on these pages was designed by Ow Yong of Edgeline Planners.

"The owners are well travelled and have a strong sense of design," Ow Yong says. "They wanted a sleek, international look that would complement the building architecture. It was also important that the design would not date quickly."

Ow Yong proposed a modern minimalist interior with a streamlined, uncluttered living space that would not detract from the spectacular views. A contemporary white sofa and Barcelona chairs define the seating area and blend harmoniously with the light-coloured tile floors and white lacquered cabinetry. The cabinetry incorporates a Ferrari-red backpainted glass niche, which adds a dramatic accent.

"The owners wanted more storage than in a standard apartment. Built-in cabinets in the living areas and bedrooms continue the sleek, flush look. There are recessed pulls, rather than handles."

The minimalist look continues in the bedrooms. Again, punches of colour enliven the neutral backdrops. One bedroom includes dark-blue colour-backed glass walls, while another bedroom features natural earth tones.

Different lighting solutions for each space reinforce the architectural look.

Story by: Trendsideas