BLAIR HOUSE II
Blair House II embraces a conservation-first approach, preserving the home's heritage through careful restoration and thoughtful adaptation.
Blair House II exemplifies an innovative conservation approach, shaped by tightened guidelines that required the wholesale preservation of the house. This project placed greater emphasis on retaining the original materials wherever possible, while finding thoughtful ways to repurpose elements when full retention was not feasible.
Spaces were reimagined to honour the home's heritage while enhancing the flow and rhythm of daily life. Removing the wall between the main and rear halls created a more connected ground floor. At the same time, the timber screens were inspired by Peranakan typology to maintain a sense of cultural continuity. Repurposed heritage elements anchor the design in memory, creating a dialogue between the new and the old.
Reclaimed materials, natural light, and contemporary insertions breathe new life into the historic fabric of the shophouse.
Key elements of the original structure were preserved and given new life throughout the home. The original floor tiles were meticulously salvaged; those in usable conditions are catalogued and then reassembled into a fresh mosaic, retaining the character of the main hall. Glass partitions replaced opaque walls around the stairwell, allowing light to penetrate deeper and revealing the shophouse's generous spatial volume. A new metal staircase rises to the attic, adjacent to the party wall, which has been stripped back to reveal century-old brickwork. The steps of the staircase are clad in reclaimed floorboards, creating a deliberate weaving of old and new.
At the heart of the home, an open-to-sky courtyard brings natural light and ventilation deep into the shophouse, enhancing airflow and comfort while reducing reliance on mechanical systems. Line-textured concrete walls and a patterned floor of abstract lily pads ripple with movement, bringing a connection to nature in a dense urban context.
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Blair House II embodies conservation through preservation and renewal. By retaining, repurposing, and reinterpreting original materials, ACO Architects created a home that honours its history while quietly reshaping it for modern life.
