A Tiny Apartment in Singapore Maximizes Space With a Recent Loft

Metre Architects, a design firm known for its modern spatial solutions, has pushed the boundaries of conventional design again with their latest project entitled Vessel. Situated in Singapore, this latest condo apartment underwent renovations so as to add a loft structure and to tailor the design to the approach to life needs of the young skilled couple who owns it. The pair requested a loft to be added to the compact 41-square-meter space (approx. 441 square feet) with a 4.7-meter-high ceiling (approx. 15-1/2 feet tall) while retaining the prevailing floor finishes, kitchen, and toilet for each financial and sustainability reasons.

Upon entering the condo, visitors are greeted by a linear kitchen running along the left side of the hallway. The loft, which has a lower soffit height than the corridor, is visible from the entryway making a sense of anticipation and spatial depth from the beginning. The combination of LED strip lights, along the ribbed joinery on the underside of the loft, enhances the general ambience of the small lounge underneath it and beyond.

The loft resides above the lounge, which is reached by a clever wood box staircase comprising alternating half steps. The steep angle of the design requires a much smaller footprint than a typical staircase. Space under the steps was not wasted; Metre Architects added a wall of storage accessed with push-to-open mechanisms that allow the panels to rest flush against the wall without the necessity for pulls or knobs.

The loft houses the couple’s home office along one wall with views of the backyard out of their double-height wall of windows on the opposite side. Amongst the luxurious greenery within the back, the apartment has a garden patio to enjoy time outdoors.

A pair of floor recliners within the lounge are utilized in lieu of a bigger, traditional sofa to avoid wasting on space. The unique wall that divided the lounge from the bedroom has been replaced with sliding fluted-glass doors, allowing for a seamless integration (or separation) of the 2 spaces as needed. The textured glass allows natural light to go through while offering the couple privacy once they desire it.

The Vessel loft, paying homage to the development of a ship, serves because the metaphorical ship that supports the owners through their current phase of life while offering the potential for future occupants to embark on their very own journeys inside its partitions.