STEPPING UPWARDS

Conceived as an elegant sequence of volumes in sync with the terrain, this Good Class Bungalow in Bukit Timah reveals its spaces gradually, like a story being told

- By Engracia Ang. Photography by Finbarr Fallon

Located within the leafy calm of the Swiss Club enclave, this striking Good Class Bungalow does not reveal itself all at once. Instead, each space leads to the next in a practiced choreography, revealing a new perspective on the terrain.

Designed by DS Architects' Koh Choon Ngee and Teo Ying Feng, The Stacked House accommodates an active, multigenerational family: the owner, who works in finance, lives here with her immediate family and her in-laws. Yet, despite its scale—five ensuite bedrooms, two guest suites, a gym with an extended terrace, a massage room, entertainment areas, a swimming pool and a tennis court—the house feels composed rather than overwhelmingly sprawling.

The project resembles an interlocking composition of volumes, and the idea for the structure was born from the peculiarities of the site: a Z-shaped parcel of land marked by shifts in terrain.

STACKING VOLUMES

From the street, the facade reads as a series of crisp rectilinear forms layered one above another. A screen wall spanning the second storey down to the basement hints at the spatial drama within, concealing a vertical void that threads the house together.

The arrival sequence begins beside the swimming pool, which is partially screened from view. Step through the main entrance, and you'll find yourself in an intimate hall that doubles as a poolside bar. One can imagine guests lingering here with a drink in hand while waiting for the others to arrive. It is both foyer and social prelude, setting the tone before the house opens itself further.