Set on an elongated 9 by 38.5-metre plot, Hanging Gardens is a semi-detached house that confronts the complexities of dense city living. With a condominium directly in front, a church along one side, and 24-hour eateries at the rear, the site is pressed on all edges by activity. Rather than engage outwardly, the design turns inward, cultivating a world of calm centred on a lush front courtyard.

This courtyard is conceived as a cascading garden, where layers of greenery provide distance from the surrounding urban density. Enveloped in a finely detailed filigree screen, the space is protected from the looming condominium opposite while allowing filtered daylight to pour in. The result is a dappled, semi-shaded environment in which tall Ficus Alii flourish, evoking the tranquil character of a forest under-canopy.

The courtyard extends beyond the visual, forming the very heart of family life. It is where daily rituals unfold — a shared space for interaction, reflection, and repose. By positioning nature at its core, the house transforms a difficult site into a restorative sanctuary.

Hanging Gardens demonstrates how architecture can reconcile the pressures of the city with the human need for retreat, offering a serene, inward-looking haven of light, landscape, and life.

Name: Hanging Gardens
Type: 3 storey semi-detached house with attic, mezzanine and swimming pool
Location: Valley Road, Singapore
Site Area: 354.6 m2
Gross Floor Area: 628.3 m2
Status: Completed 2024
Architect: HYLA Architects
Principal Architect: Han Loke Kwang, Nicholas Gomes
Assistant Architects: Wesley Fong
Main Contractor: : iBuilders Pte Ltd
Structural Engineer: GCE Consulting Engineers
Landscape: Nyee Phoe Flower Garden Pte Ltd
Interior: KCF&R Pte Ltd
Photographer: Derek Swalwell