ELEMENTS OF MIRÓ

The vivacious, eclectic and emotive work of artist Joan Miró inspired this apartment design by PI Architects

- Luo Jingmei

Catalan artist Joan Miró (1893-1983) is known for his use of vivid colour and whimsical imagery in his work. Some associate his art with abstraction and surrealism, but Miró denied any affiliation with specific schools of thought, claiming that he simply aimed to let the subconscious take hold.

This playfulness, as well as the unbridled juxtaposition of colour and form, inspired PI Architects for the interior design of this Singapore apartment. “We looked at the owner’s art collection and were interested in how Miró’s explorations could be translated into the home’s design,” says Ivan Soh, who co-founded the firm with Paul Yeo and christened the home Apartment Miró.

SHIFTING SPACE

This 40-year-old apartment features a capacious 3,800 sq ft floor plan typical of condominium apartments from the 1980s. But the original layout and decor— compartmentalised and gaudy with angular ceiling light coves and dated tiles—were not suitable for its new owner. Soh removed a bathroom located by the entrance for better access to the study room. Down the corridor from here, the former family room is now a pavilion-like wine room, surrounded by steel and glass walls.

“The four areas adjacent to the living room— wine room, kitchen, home theatre and dining room—are kept open and connected both visually and physically to one another. This forms the part of the home for guests,” says Soh. These areas are differentiated by slight changes of elevation, another characteristic of ‘80s-built apartments.

The living area was reduced in size and given deep, in-built seating inspired by the signature conversational pit of retro interiors.

The dining area and the former master bedroom-turned-home theatre flank this central zone, backed by a new pistachio green cabinetry wall leading to the bedrooms.