- Project: Jalan Merlimau
- Architect: Aamer Architects
- Location: Singapore
- Year: 2010
- Area: 465 m2
- Photography: Amir Sultan
Jalan Merlimau by Aamer Architects is a striking modern residence in Singapore that transforms a tight triangular plot into a private oasis of space, greenery, and form. Completed in 2010, the design responds intelligently to site limitations while embracing the tropical climate and maximizing available views.
Overcoming Constraints with Intelligent Design
Located on a narrow triangular site with a limited street presence, the house demanded a bold architectural solution. Aamer Architects responded with an L-shaped configuration that fully engages the site’s geometry, optimizing spatial flow, privacy, and natural light.
The main living spaces are organized around a lush internal garden and landscape pond. This central green zone serves as the home’s anchor, connecting the interiors visually and spatially to nature. The pond extends to a semi-private courtyard, dividing public and private zones and enhancing the openness of the double-volume living area.
“The triangular site was a challenge—but it inspired a more layered and intimate relationship between spaces, nature, and light.”
— Aamer Taher, Founder of Aamer Architects
Architecture Rooted in Tropical Context
Throughout the design, Aamer Architects embraced the tropical context of Singapore. Lush greenery is used not only at ground level but also along rooftop edges and balconies, helping soften the building mass and frame key vistas. These green interventions also function as visual screens, enhancing privacy and cooling the microclimate.
One of the most defining features is the dramatic sloping roof, which cascades from the attic to the car porch. This angled form gives the house a commanding presence from the otherwise narrow street-facing entrance and serves as a unifying architectural element.
A Rooftop Lap Pool with a View
In a clever spatial move, the lap pool is positioned on the rooftop, freeing up valuable ground-floor space for garden and living functions. The rooftop placement not only captures the best surrounding views but also contributes to passive cooling and insulation for the interiors below.
This design move—an elevated water feature surrounded by landscape—adds to the home’s resort-like quality in an otherwise dense urban context.
