Singapore’s Tiny Dome of Delight: The Stiletto House
Picture a home in your mind and you’ll probably eye boxy walls, a square roof, and a tidy, cucumber‑slice layout. That’s the norm in Singapore, where every square meter is a prized commodity and “no cutting corners” means squeezing every inch of space into a perfect little package.
Why the Spot on Jalan Seaview is a Real Eye‑Opener
If you happen to stroll beside those tidy semi‑detached rows on Jalan Seaview in the East Coast, you’ll catch the brain‑twist of the corner property. It’s not just another slat‑on‑the‑plan graphic; it’s a tongue‑in‑cheek invitation to check your own design limits.
Meet Stiletto House
Enter Stiletto House – the building that\’s literally shaped like a shoe that’s ready for the runway. Think fluid curves, spirals that could answer your deepest “why‑are‑we‑in‑the‑shape‑of‑a‑shoe?” questions, and a geometry that laughs at the rulebook.
The Architects Behind The Shape‑Shifters
Local firm EHKA Studio put their brains to work and proved that a little square of land can become a whole lot of creative fun. They didn’t just design a house; they created a statement piece that stands out like a splash of neon in a night‑time skyline.
Why It Matters
Singapore is all about constraints: you can’t build unless you “fit it into a Lego box.” Stiletto House shows how you can flip that limit into an opportunity, turning ordinary space into an artistic showcase for those who dare to dream bigger.
- Curvilinear architecture that feels alive.
- Helps residents remember that even the tiniest plot can light up with personality.
- First building in the city that reportedly got a “Fashion Day” at its inauguration.
Stiletto House sprawls out over five storeys – a grand but otherwise unsurprising fact, until you realize that it’s located in a two-storey residential zone.
Working within constraints set by Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), the EHKA team devised a basement for entertainment and an attic above the main bedroom suite.
Most ingenuously of all, they dreamed up a mezzanine floor crafted entirely of glass. Perched above the ground level, this floating space makes a perfect showbox for the owner’s antiques collection , yet manages to preserve the lofty feel of the kitchen area below.
Indeed, it’s an abode that quite literally pushes boundaries. The owner’s brief was to maximise his house’s internal floor area, and the EHKA team delivered with rooms and balconies all pushed to the very edges of URA’s required setbacks from the common boundaries.
The final floor area clocks in at an expansive 9,300 sqft – remarkable for a 4,500-sqft plot of land.
From every angle, the house seduces the eye with sensual curves. Offering welcome shade at the entranceway is a pair of curved overhangs which taper gracefully into their supporting columns, forming stiletto-like silhouettes.
“We didn’t specifically seek to introduce a ‘stiletto’ – it just developed as we sought a design solution that worked structurally and formally,” explains EHKA Studio director Hsu Hsia Pin. “The name ‘Stiletto House’ came about only after we designed it.” A sinuous, wave-like set of steps echoes these curves from below, while lush planters enhance our sense of entering a sleek tropical resort.
The interior is just as cutting-edge as the facade, if only metaphorically – the same curves run freely throughout the house.
Egg-shaped lamps stand beside whimsically arched chairs, side tables resembling sassy clusters of stiletto heels are dotted through the house – all pieces from the owner’s collection of ultra-modern furniture.
Over the dining table, a cloud-shaped ceiling lamp floats ethereally. Spiralling dramatically across the double-volume hall is a pure white staircase with curved glass railings, visible even from outside through the full-length glass façade.
Glass is clearly a hallmark of this bright, airy space, though a counter-intuitive one – in sunny Singapore, the house would warm up fast. Rather than beating the heat with air-conditioning, the EHKA team went the sustainable route with an arsenal of passive cooling strategies.
The use of low-emissive glass filters out UV rays, while sliding glass doors offer cross-ventilation from the north and east. Running around the entire perimeter is a pool and water overflow wall to cool the surrounding air. Plus, what better excuse than the heat to take a dip ?
This article was first published in City Nomads.
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