This is the story of a house built on friendship - one of the more reliable foundation stones available. Hwang Yee Cheau and Maria Warner Wong met in 1995 because their sons were attending the same kindergarten. The kids became fast friends, and a friendship also blossomed between their mothers. In 2005, Dr Hwang, an orthodontist, and Ms Warner Wong, the design director at local firm WOW Architects, decided to put that friendship to the test by working together on a house, after Dr Hwang and her husband Teoh Teck Kee bought a bungalow plot off Tanglin Road.

Unlike many modern-day homes that appear way out of proportion in comparison to the land area, the owners expressed a strong desire to keep the built-up portions to a minimum and to focus instead on having a natural garden.

During the construction stage, the architect even fenced off the designated garden area, which occupies roughly half an undulating plot in a prime residential area. The trees on one side of the fence were left untouched so that by the time construction was completed in 2008, the two-storey home was complemented by a fast-maturing garden.

'We thought it was a unique piece, with complex topography and nice perspectives,' says Ms Warner  Wong of the rectangular plot, which is 74 metres long and 22 metres wide and rises from the road to an elevation of 11 metres. 'The original concept was to have a small house in a garden,' says Dr Hwang. 'We wanted to maintain a lot more garden in relation to the building, and one of the terms of the contract was to keep the existing trees alive.'

The first client request was to have a study-cum-guest room overlooking the garden, and that was achieved by designing an airy two-story pavilion at the bottom of the garden, set apart from the main house with an unobstructed view to the back of the plot. The study is used primarily by Dr Hwang's husband and also their 17-year-old son Ren Jie, who is captain of the national debating team and who, not surprisingly, finds the space very useful for simulated debate sessions.

Visitors are obliged to walk up some steps, past the study and some large trees and along the side of the main house facing a lap pool before reaching the front door. 'To maximise the experience of the garden, we put the house on one side of the land,' says Ms Warner Wong.

 'You get a lot of privacy. I'm very intrigued by the atmosphere created by large forest trees - in 10-to-15 years' time the canopies will create a very shady garden.' Adds Dr Hwang, 'My husband likes sun, warmth and fresh air while I like the shade and where it's nice and cool - Maria had to marry the two requirements and make it work.'

 It helps to know your clients well, and Ms Warner Wong was able to cater to their individual needs. 'We mapped their schedules and then we wove them together - we drew a plan according to their schedules,' she says. 'You can't get to the front door without passing through the garden – it prepares you for a tranquil environment.'

The house is wrapped in China granite while the upper level of the house features a wooden facade made from the fence that bordered the property when it was first put up for sale. It is one of the elements that won the house a Green Design award from an industry journal. A green aluminium roof completes the theme and fits in well with the landscape.

The multi-level second storey comprises a large master suite and two other bedrooms which can all be cleverly transformed by using sliding doors so that different spaces can be created, depending on their intended use - like watching TV, studying or sleeping. A tree-level balcony leads out over the dining room below and allows Dr Hwang and her family to literally reach out and touch nature. One section of the roof cantilevers out over the deck so that the views can be enjoyed, even when it rains.

The living room is located at the back of the plot and can be open on three sides to take advantage of the views. The space can be directly accessed by a service corridor leading from the car park along the rear of the building. Ms Warner Wong originally planned for the living room to be the last section of the built-up space, but she was persuaded by her friend to include a third building - a yoga pavilion perched on a slope that marks the rear of the property. Still, the total built-up area only amounts to about 6,500 square feet.

The three distinct sections of the home -yoga pavilion, main living area and study pavilion - each have their own identity and views. Neither of the smaller buildings is an imposition on the main house or makes it any larger - they just blend into the background.

A certain airy lightness pervades the home, bringing a definite sense of quiet space. Of course, the house is equipped with all the modern comforts, but in this case, proximity to the elements and plenty of natural light is the best natural therapy.

Nature is the undisputed star of this show and right from the start, the positive dynamic between the two friends dictated the tone of the project. 'I particularly like the home at night, when there's a breeze and the silhouette of the branches and leaves is projected onto the walls of the house,' says Dr Hwang. 'Trees are a continuation of life; they are always changing, never stagnant.' The same could be said about the nature of friendship.

Source: The Business Times © Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Reprinted with permission.