To achieve this, the designers segregated the kitchen, the guest area, the living area, and the dining area with floors and stairs, with the primary objective of turning the courtyard into an interactive space instead of merely a spot for plants and trees.

"We devised a plan to integrate the courtyard into the staircase that travels from the dining area to the kitchen and guest hosting area, adding tall trees to strengthen the relationship between spaces and close up the existing staircase. Applying a lot of design philosophy from Carlo Scarpa, we created cantilever staircase steps with variations in length and form between bold and sleek," explains Tee.

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The client requested a modern design with touches of a retreat. Still, there were many challenges during construction, such as the inability to remove columns that the designers had earlier decided to dismantle.

"We talked to the client, explaining that these columns could be another element that tells the house's story, and so we preserved them," emphasises Tee.

To ensure these permanent structures blended with the new design, the designers introduced cast-in-situ concrete to the courtyard staircase, homogeneous tiles that resembled cement for the floors, dark-coloured laminates for the cabinets, Japanese crafted wall tiles, and exposed brick walls to add a little vivacity to the monochromatic colour palate.

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"We knew that the courtyard had to have trees, plants and plenty of natural light, making it perfect for the users to prepare breakfast, host guests in the dining area, work in the living area, shower in the bathroom, and more," says Tee.

"We convinced the client to make the courtyard the centrepiece of the design, and they loved it so much that they began hosting parties in the space."

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After completing the house, the designers visited it several times and realised they had missed out on several details that could interact with the clients' four pets. For example, one of the significant challenges was concealing exposed beams and columns from every perspective.

"We stayed on-site while casting the cast-in-situ staircase to ensure that every step was proportional. In addition, the master walk-in wardrobe and bathroom were designed side by side, with only a screen of mirror and plants separating them from the courtyard," muses Tee.

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Furniture was sourced from various places, such as King Living for the sofas, Nicchris for the chairs, Recrofurniture for the armchairs, and Hooga for the rugs. A few items from the client's old collection were also incorporated for familiarity.

With the final touches in place, Tee happily reports that the clients adore the space and have hosted many more parties in the house. Their four pets feel extremely at home as well.

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