Iron Interior Space and Exhibition Design · 2025
Cl7A Residential Home
by Serlyn Tan
- A' Design Award 2025 Iron Winner in Interior Space and Exhibition Design
- Awarded April 15, 2025
- CLIENT: Communique Bold
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 9,955
- Verification code B0FF142B29 · Verify this award
About Cl7A Residential Home
Cl7A is a residential interior design for a walk-up shophouse apartment in Singapore. The 978 square foot home contains two bedrooms, two bathrooms and an open concept kitchen that flows into the living and dining areas. The pitched ceiling with exposed timber rafters was retained as a signature feature of the original shophouse unit. Polished concrete flooring, warm wood and granite add depth and contrast. Strong architectural lines are balanced by soft drapes and curated artwork. The aged unit was restored while modern comfort was added.
Serlyn Tan's Cl7A Residential Home demonstrates a sophisticated approach to contemporary domestic spatial design that engages thoughtfully with the evolving discourse around hybrid interior typologies blending industrial structural expression with residential warmth and cultural material traditions. The architectural intervention appears to occupy a renovated or adaptive reuse context, where the bold decision to expose and celebrate the ceiling structure transforms a potentially utilitarian element into the defining aesthetic feature of the space, creating a dramatic overhead lattice that recalls both the rational geometries of modernist construction and the organic branching patterns of natural forms, suggesting an architectural philosophy that finds beauty in structural necessity while maintaining poetic resonance. The material palette reflects careful consideration of tactile and visual relationships, pairing the cool precision of welded steel and polished concrete with the organic warmth of solid timber furniture and the cultural richness of traditional textile arts, creating a layered spatial narrative that honors both contemporary minimalist restraint and the textural abundance of vernacular craft traditions. The compositional achievement of the space lies in its successful negotiation between openness and intimacy, verticality and human scale, achieving a double-height volume that feels expansive yet remains grounded through the careful placement of furniture groupings, display elements, and textile anchors that establish distinct zones within the continuous open plan, each zone reading as a coherent spatial episode while contributing to the overall atmospheric unity. The lighting design demonstrates particular sophistication in its layering strategy, combining concealed architectural illumination that emphasizes the sheltering quality of the ceiling plane with directional task lighting that articulates focal points and creates hierarchy within the spatial composition, achieving an overall luminous environment that suggests domestic comfort while maintaining visual drama and architectural clarity. The selection and arrangement of furnishings reflects a curatorial sensibility that values both contemporary design and artisanal craft, integrating pieces that appear to span temporal and cultural origins, from the mid-century influenced organic coffee table form to the traditional patterned rugs that carry cultural memory and visual warmth, creating a domestic landscape that feels collected and personally meaningful rather than merely designed or styled. The spatial experience invites consideration of how contemporary residential architecture might honor structural honesty and material truth while remaining deeply habitable and emotionally resonant, how industrial vocabularies originally developed for commercial and manufacturing contexts can be domesticated without losing their expressive power, and how diverse cultural and aesthetic traditions can coexist within a single spatial framework without resulting in visual cacophony or stylistic confusion, suggesting instead a confident cosmopolitan sensibility that draws strength from multiplicity. One might contemplate how this space balances the competing desires for architectural drama and everyday livability, for visual interest and serene simplicity, for material richness and spatial clarity, and how these tensions resolve into a coherent residential environment that supports both solitary contemplation and social gathering, both routine domestic activities and moments of aesthetic appreciation.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- This walk-up apartment in Singapore is designed for someone who loves bringing people together. The open-concept space blends modern elegance with cozy, personal touches, creating an inviting atmosphere perfect for hosting friends and family.
Every detail - from the soft drapes to the curated artwork makes this apartment feel like more than just a space; it’s a home meant for laughter, shared meals, and late-night conversations. - Dimensions & Packaging
- This 978 sqft home offers a perfect blend of comfort and modern living. Featuring 2 spacious bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms, it boasts an open-concept kitchen that seamlessly flows into the living and dining areas, creating an inviting and airy atmosphere.
- Tags
- Communique Bold, Home, House, Residential, Interior Design, Architecture, Singapore, Walk-up Apartment, Shophouse, Asian Inspired, Asian, Modern Twist, Modern
- Production Technology
- This home beautifully balances heritage and modernity by retaining the pitched ceiling with exposed timber rafters, a signature feature of a shophouse unit. The use of raw materials, such as polished concrete flooring, adds an industrial edge, while natural elements like warm wood and elegant granite create depth and contrast. The design embraces a masculine aesthetic, with strong architectural lines and bold textures, yet introduces soft, inviting touches that make the space feel welcoming. The result is a refined yet comfortable home that honors its historical charm while embracing contemporary sophistication.
- Design Challenge
- This home renovation is a thoughtful restoration of an aged unit, bringing back its former glamour while preserving its original charm. The design carefully revives existing structures and architectural elements that have deteriorated over the years, breathing new life into the space without erasing its history. By blending restoration with modern enhancements, the home retains its character while embracing a refreshed, sophisticated look—honoring the past while making it functional and beautiful for the present.
- Project Duration
- The project started in September 2019 and finished in October 2020
- Operation Flow
- A sense of warmth and the owner's story and heritage greets you as you enter the space. Once upstairs the high, exposed-beam ceiling gives the room an expansive, almost airy feel. Every detail invites you in, making you feel instantly at home.
The kitchen, with its sleek island and inviting bar stools, feels like the heart of the home. The room is alive—not just with furniture, but with the essence of home. The bookshelf, filled with framed memories and trinkets, whispers stories of the people who live here.
It’s a place that doesn’t just function well—it feels right. A space designed not just for movement, but for moments and life. - Research
- This study explores the integration of heritage architectural elements with contemporary design principles to create a harmonious living space that respects historical integrity while embracing modern functionality. By retaining key structural and aesthetic features of the original architecture, such as exposed beams, the design preserves the cultural and historical essence of the space. Simultaneously, modern interventions, including open-concept layouts, minimalist detailing, and advanced materials, enhance spatial efficiency, sustainability, and user comfort. This approach demonstrates that heritage preservation and modernity are not mutually exclusive but can coexist to produce aesthetically and functionally cohesive living environments. The findings contribute to the growing discourse on adaptive reuse and sustainable architecture, offering a framework for integrating past and present in residential design.
- Inspiration
- This home renovation is a journey of revival, seamlessly blending heritage and elegance. The vision was to restore an aged shophouse unit to its former glamour while respecting its storied past. Careful attention was given to preserving and enhancing existing structures and architectural details that had weathered over time, ensuring that the soul of the home remained intact.
- Image Credits
- Kelvin Yan
- Patents
- Copyrights belong to Serlyn Tan of Communique Bold Pte Ltd, 2025