REX House — short for Renovation & Extension — is a home reimagined with a respectful eye toward the past and a progressive vision for contemporary living.
At its core, the project preserves the soul of the original structure while seamlessly integrating a modern extension. The result is not only greater functionality, but also a deeper, more connected spatial and emotional experience of home.
Design philosophy
The project began with a simple yet powerful ambition —
to retain the soul of the old house while enriching it with new spaces that encourage openness, interaction, and natural flow. The design embraces humility and cohesion, avoiding overt dominance over its surroundings. From the street, the home quietly presents itself as a modest single-story dwelling, an impression achieved by
gently lowering the front roofline, giving it visual lightness and allowing it to settle gracefully into the neighborhood.
Rather than dramatic contrasts, the architectural language is about gentle transitions — a conversation between the old and the new, the solid and the fluid.
One of the key challenges was working within a relatively compact site. Instead of rigid lines and hard boundaries, the house introduces curved walls both at the façade and within the interiors. These curves soften spatial transitions, gently blurs edges, expands perspectives, and brings an organic softness that feels both inviting and unique.
The curves also serve a practical role: visually expanding space, breaking monotony, and giving the interior a sculptural quality that invites movement and exploration.
The exterior materials and form are deliberately unpretentious — favouring cohesion with the surrounding environment rather than competition. By manipulating the roofline and maintaining a restrained material palette, the house avoids an imposing two-story presence. Instead, it whispers its presence with elegance and empathy toward its context.
Spatial Arrangement
Originally a compact home with two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a small kitchen, the building was reimagined to create brighter, more connected spaces. The extension adds private rooms and service areas while preserving a balance between openness and privacy.
Ground Floor
Public and private zones are divided by an inner courtyard.
- Public zone: Former bedrooms became an open-plan kitchen, dining, and living area. The bathroom stayed in place to minimize structural changes. The new side entrance adds privacy and forms a foyer, while a front garden bench offers an informal guest spot.
- Private zone: At the rear, the main bedroom with ensuite sits beyond the courtyard, turning it into the home’s central focus.
- Inner Courtyard: The courtyard brings in light, air, and visual links between floors. A slim stair beside it acts as the home’s vertical spine, with storage below.
Second Floor
Two children’s bedrooms, a shared bathroom, workspace, and service area open onto a semi-outdoor communal space. This connects visually to the garden below and serves as a social node between rooms and floors.
A Home That Grows with Its Owners
REX House thrives in the in-between: between old and new, public and private, form and function. Built for a young couple at the start of their family life, it is designed to adapt gracefully as routines evolve and memories accumulate.
The extension is not just additional space — it is a vision of
resilience and adaptability. By honouring its past while embracing its future, REX House becomes more than a renovation; it is a living story of continuity, change, and gentle transformation.
REX House — short for Renovation & Extension — is a home reimagined with a respectful eye toward the past and a progressive vision for contemporary living.
At its core, the project preserves the soul of the original structure while seamlessly integrating a modern extension. The result is not only greater functionality, but also a deeper, more connected spatial and emotional experience of home.
Design philosophy
The project began with a simple yet powerful ambition —
to retain the soul of the old house while enriching it with new spaces that encourage openness, interaction, and natural flow. The design embraces humility and cohesion, avoiding overt dominance over its surroundings. From the street, the home quietly presents itself as a modest single-story dwelling, an impression achieved by
gently lowering the front roofline, giving it visual lightness and allowing it to settle gracefully into the neighborhood.
Rather than dramatic contrasts, the architectural language is about gentle transitions — a conversation between the old and the new, the solid and the fluid.
One of the key challenges was working within a relatively compact site. Instead of rigid lines and hard boundaries, the house introduces curved walls both at the façade and within the interiors. These curves soften spatial transitions, gently blurs edges, expands perspectives, and brings an organic softness that feels both inviting and unique.
The curves also serve a practical role: visually expanding space, breaking monotony, and giving the interior a sculptural quality that invites movement and exploration.
The exterior materials and form are deliberately unpretentious — favouring cohesion with the surrounding environment rather than competition. By manipulating the roofline and maintaining a restrained material palette, the house avoids an imposing two-story presence. Instead, it whispers its presence with elegance and empathy toward its context.
Spatial Arrangement
Originally a compact home with two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a small kitchen, the building was reimagined to create brighter, more connected spaces. The extension adds private rooms and service areas while preserving a balance between openness and privacy.
Ground Floor
Public and private zones are divided by an inner courtyard.
- Public zone: Former bedrooms became an open-plan kitchen, dining, and living area. The bathroom stayed in place to minimize structural changes. The new side entrance adds privacy and forms a foyer, while a front garden bench offers an informal guest spot.
- Private zone: At the rear, the main bedroom with ensuite sits beyond the courtyard, turning it into the home’s central focus.
- Inner Courtyard: The courtyard brings in light, air, and visual links between floors. A slim stair beside it acts as the home’s vertical spine, with storage below.
Second Floor
Two children’s bedrooms, a shared bathroom, workspace, and service area open onto a semi-outdoor communal space. This connects visually to the garden below and serves as a social node between rooms and floors.
A Home That Grows with Its Owners
REX House thrives in the in-between: between old and new, public and private, form and function. Built for a young couple at the start of their family life, it is designed to adapt gracefully as routines evolve and memories accumulate.
The extension is not just additional space — it is a vision of
resilience and adaptability. By honouring its past while embracing its future, REX House becomes more than a renovation; it is a living story of continuity, change, and gentle transformation.
REX House — short for Renovation & Extension — is a home reimagined with a respectful eye toward the past and a progressive vision for contemporary living.
At its core, the project preserves the soul of the original structure while seamlessly integrating a modern extension. The result is not only greater functionality, but also a deeper, more connected spatial and emotional experience of home.
Design philosophy
The project began with a simple yet powerful ambition —
to retain the soul of the old house while enriching it with new spaces that encourage openness, interaction, and natural flow. The design embraces humility and cohesion, avoiding overt dominance over its surroundings. From the street, the home quietly presents itself as a modest single-story dwelling, an impression achieved by
gently lowering the front roofline, giving it visual lightness and allowing it to settle gracefully into the neighborhood.
Rather than dramatic contrasts, the architectural language is about gentle transitions — a conversation between the old and the new, the solid and the fluid.
One of the key challenges was working within a relatively compact site. Instead of rigid lines and hard boundaries, the house introduces curved walls both at the façade and within the interiors. These curves soften spatial transitions, gently blurs edges, expands perspectives, and brings an organic softness that feels both inviting and unique.
The curves also serve a practical role: visually expanding space, breaking monotony, and giving the interior a sculptural quality that invites movement and exploration.
The exterior materials and form are deliberately unpretentious — favouring cohesion with the surrounding environment rather than competition. By manipulating the roofline and maintaining a restrained material palette, the house avoids an imposing two-story presence. Instead, it whispers its presence with elegance and empathy toward its context.
Spatial Arrangement
Originally a compact home with two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a small kitchen, the building was reimagined to create brighter, more connected spaces. The extension adds private rooms and service areas while preserving a balance between openness and privacy.
Ground Floor
Public and private zones are divided by an inner courtyard.
- Public zone: Former bedrooms became an open-plan kitchen, dining, and living area. The bathroom stayed in place to minimize structural changes. The new side entrance adds privacy and forms a foyer, while a front garden bench offers an informal guest spot.
- Private zone: At the rear, the main bedroom with ensuite sits beyond the courtyard, turning it into the home’s central focus.
- Inner Courtyard: The courtyard brings in light, air, and visual links between floors. A slim stair beside it acts as the home’s vertical spine, with storage below.
Second Floor
Two children’s bedrooms, a shared bathroom, workspace, and service area open onto a semi-outdoor communal space. This connects visually to the garden below and serves as a social node between rooms and floors.
A Home That Grows with Its Owners
REX House thrives in the in-between: between old and new, public and private, form and function. Built for a young couple at the start of their family life, it is designed to adapt gracefully as routines evolve and memories accumulate.
The extension is not just additional space — it is a vision of
resilience and adaptability. By honouring its past while embracing its future, REX House becomes more than a renovation; it is a living story of continuity, change, and gentle transformation.
Indonesia
Australia
Hong Kong SAR
Malaysia
New Zealand
Philippines
Singapore
