New Good Class Bungalow Luxury Interiors 4A Swettenham Road 59 Mil

The elegant Good Class Bungalow (GCB) at 4A Swettenham Road, which was originally built in 1998, underwent a massive transformation into an 18,000 sq ft, five-bedroom mansion and was completed early last year.

This freehold property occupies a 15,398 sq ft plot in the prestigious neighbourhood of Peirce Road, Ridout Road and Swettenham Road – a prime location in District 10, situated off Holland Road.

The project was undertaken by Singaporean businessman, Yang Tse Pin, who is the owner of Eco Energy – a company involved in various projects ranging from workers’ dormitories and student accommodations to luxury homes.

Yang purchased the property for $22.5 million or $1,461 psf in November 2021. This marked the most recent recorded GCB transaction in the estate.

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Besides being located in a prime location, Yang was attracted to the property due to its private driveway leading to the house, which is set back from the main road. “It gives a sense of exclusivity, and once you’re inside, it’s very quiet and peaceful,” he says.

Traditionally, GCB ownership was dominated by older, established individuals. However, younger entrepreneurs and next-generation heirs are increasingly acquiring these prestigious homes, reflecting shifting generational wealth dynamics (All photos by Samuel Isaac Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)

Multi-generational GCB living

Yang redeveloped the house to create a space better suited for modern, multi-generational GCB living. “The original house had too many different levels and steps,” he recalls. “It wasn’t elderly-friendly.”

Aside from enhancing accessibility with a home lift to all floors, the redevelopment presented an opportunity to optimise land use, and construct a new home with a contemporary design and layout, while incorporating smart home features, he adds.

Yang engaged ArMo Design Studio – a boutique firm founded by Colombian husband-and-wife architect duo, Diego Molina and Maria Arango – to bring his vision to life. The couple, who launched their practice in 2021, spent two decades at the prestigious Singapore-based architecture firm Ong & Ong, where they designed over a hundred luxury homes.

The GCB at 4A Swettenham Road boasts a freehold site of 15,398 sq ft

‘Building anticipation and transition’

The GCB at 4A Swettenham Road was one of ArMo’s first projects. The couple says, “The design started with the idea of creating a journey.” Rather than viewing the long driveway as a constraint, they saw it as “an opportunity to build anticipation and transition.”

Read also: Good Class Bungalow at Jervois Road for sale at $55 mil or $3,649 psf

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Upon entering the property, the driveway gradually reveals glimpses of the house. “We framed the approach with soft landscaping, curated lighting, and shifting perspectives so that by the time you arrive at the entrance, it feels intentional and serene – a moment of arrival,” adds Molina. “It becomes part of the experience, like an unfolding prologue to the home.”

The property’s covered car porch is large enough for five cars

The driveway leads to a covered car porch that comfortably fits five cars. From there, the entrance foyer opens into a 1,300 sq ft great room, comprising an 800 sq ft formal living area and a 500 sq ft dining space. Both are lined with full-height, 3.3m glass sliding doors that open to landscaped gardens.

“Using full-height glazing was intentional – to blur the line between indoors and outdoors, to bring in the gardens, the sky, the breeze,” says Molina.

The dining area opens up to a spacious wet and dry kitchen. “Each space is designed to feel grounded and connected,” says Arango. “The dry kitchen is open and bright but wrapped in wood and soft stone.”

Glass doors in the basement level lead to the swimming pool

Space and comfort

The first level of the home spans 4,000 sq ft, while the basement measures 4,600 sq ft. It includes a wine cellar that can accommodate up to 3,000 bottles, a lounge, an en-suite bedroom, and a separate room that can be converted into a home office or study.

Although the basement is partially sunken, glass sliding doors open to the swimming pool and garden, inviting natural light and greenery into the interior, notes Arango. “Comfort, for us, comes from how spaces feel – not just how big they are,” she adds.

In addition to the basement bedroom, the upper floors comprise of four more bedrooms, including the master and junior master suites.

The wine cellar in the basement is large enough to store 3,000 bottles

The master suite on the second floor occupies 1,400 sq ft and comprises a bedroom, walk-in wardrobe, and a bathroom. The master bedroom spans 800 sq ft and has ample space for a sitting area, while the wardrobe features dual islands. The bathroom has separate his-and-hers sinks and vanity areas, a double shower, an enclosed water closet, and a standalone bathtub.

All bedrooms feature floor-to-ceiling glass windows that offer picturesque views of the surrounding neighbourhood. The second and attic levels house family rooms, furnished with glass walls that open to sweeping views. The latter level includes a large balcony, making it an ideal location for hosting guests.

View from the sitting area of the master bedroom

Luxury in the detailing

Large slabs of marble flooring span the entire first level. All bathrooms and powder rooms are clad in full marble, and even the exterior walls of the GCB are finished with treated marble.

Natural stone (including marble), timber and brushed metal were selected for their tactile quality, and their ability to age gracefully over time. “It was essential that the house feels refined but liveable,” says Molina.

Maria Arango adds: “The luxury is in the detailing – the way marble veins flow seamlessly across surfaces, how the doors disappear into the wall panels, and the softness of indirect lighting.”

Landscape design was integrated into the architectural process from the beginning. “It wasn’t an afterthought – it’s part of the architecture,” states Molina.

The dry kitchen is surrounded by a wall of wood and soft stone

‘Creating a sanctuary’

The duo at ArMo envisioned designing the house for a resident who appreciates design, values privacy and calm, enjoys entertaining, but also wants a sanctuary.

“Creating a sanctuary was very much at the heart of the design,” says Arango. “We wanted the house to feel like an escape – quiet, peaceful, surrounded by nature, even in the city.”

They also envisioned a well-travelled homeowner – someone familiar with different ways of living and seeking a home that feels timeless, grounded in nature, and thoughtfully put together. “That idea guided many of our decisions – from spatial flow, material choices to how the house connects with the landscape,” says Molina.

Maria Arango and Diego Molina, co-founders of ArMo Design Studio, designed the home as “an escape – quiet, peaceful, surrounded by nature, even in the city” (Photo: ArMo Design Studio)

Next-gen GCB owners

Yang, the developer, also recognises a shift in the GCB landscape. He says, “Traditionally, GCB ownership was dominated by older, established individuals. However, younger entrepreneurs and next-generation heirs are increasingly acquiring these prestigious homes, reflecting shifting generational wealth dynamics.”

He also notes an emerging emphasis on sustainability, with buyers favouring energy-efficient systems and smart home technology. “The shift underscores a broader demand for modern, sustainable luxury properties,” Yang adds.

Notably, GCB clusters are emerging, particularly in Districts 10 and 11, due to their proximity to top schools, retail hubs, and lifestyle amenities. The Peirce Road–Swettenham Road–Ridout Road triangle, in particular, is among the most sought-after, given that it’s an established GCB enclave with vast land plots, says Yang.

In addition to its prime location, he notes that Swettenham Road is close to the restaurants at Dempsey Hill, the Singapore Botanic Gardens, and the Orchard Road shopping belt.

Yang has appointed KH Tan, founder, and managing director of Newsman Realty, as the exclusive marketing agent for 4A Swettenham Road.

Tan previously brokered the sale of another GCB developed by Yang: a newly completed home at Chee Hoon Avenue. That property, situated on a 15,479 sq ft freehold site, with 26,000 sq ft of built-up space, sold for $55 million or $3,553 psf last year.

Tan says, “Most buyers prefer a brand-new GCB, where they can better appreciate the design and space.”

By contrast, buyers who purchase older properties and engage architects to redesign their new dream homes sometimes face unpredictable outcomes. “The rooms may be too small, the staircase too narrow, the carpark too tight – or water seeps in during a heavy downpour,” says Tan, who has been marketing luxury bungalows for more than 25 years.

For such buyers – particularly those with no experience in property development or construction – “it’s better to purchase from an experienced developer,” he adds.

Amid a shortage of new GCBs available in the market, Tan believes it’s only a matter of time before 4A Swettenham Road fetches a buyer.

Retrieved from The Edge on 16 February, 2022