MeyerHouse by WOHA: Louvres as design motif

Louvres are a time-honoured element of architecture in the tropics, performing several functions related to light and optics. They filter out sun glare while allowing in natural daylight to reduce a space’s cooling load, and could allow cross-ventilation through the breathable gaps. Depending on their angle, louvres can also shield the interior against outside eyes.

MeyerHouse—a five-storey condominium in Singapore that is situated adjacent to low-rise housing and connects to an adjacent 1-hectare forested park—applies louvres as its design motif across elements. On the exterior façade, bespoke louvres made out of glass fibre reinforced concrete (GFRC) as an abstracted expression, alongside panelling details that span its height.

These GFRC louvres serve to secure privacy for units from the street level while allowing air to filter into the spaces and balconies. In this C-shaped apartment configuration, foldable timber screens that recall classic wooden jalousies also serve as sunshading for units facing the pool and the neighbouring park.

Air, light and water are important elements in the design. The collonaded arrival walkway is adorned with a reflective pool that helps achieve a cool micro-climate. Above it, a terraced garden cascades down to the subterranean lobby, opening up the space to receive natural daylight, ventilation and greenery. This additional sun-lit level allows communal amenities to be doubled.

PROJECT DATA

Project Name  
MeyerHouse

Location           
128 Meyer Road, Singapore

Status 
Completed

Completion Date
March 2022

Gross Floor Area           
15,684.74 square metres

Client/Owner  
Secure Venture Development (No.1) Pte Ltd

Architecture Firm         
WOHA Architects Pte Ltd

Landscape
Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl

Interior Design
Yabu Pushelberg

Images/Photos
Patrick Bingham-Hall; Darren Soh

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