A candy pink villa nestled in Singapore’s jungle serves as a direct homage to the Swiss architectural pioneer Le Corbusier. The structure, envisioned by Andra Matin, is described as a clear nod to the Villa Savoye, which sits just outside Paris. Designed between 1928 and 1931, that original residence featured the famed white concrete aesthetic that defines modernist architecture. While the wild jungle setting lacks the pastoral calm of the French countryside, this residence manages to offer a sense of peace within its pink concrete shell.
A modern vision
The home represents Nice Projects’ largest interiors project to date. Sacha Leong, who founded the London-and-Sydney firm with Simone McEwan, explains that the clients are friends with a deep passion for design. The husband-and-wife duo work in hospitality and art, respectively, which likely influenced their clear aesthetic goals. Leong notes that the team selected a blend of vintage and contemporary furniture to keep the home in line with its spirit.
Custom-made pieces by leading designers dot the residence. Works by Faye Toogood and Max Lamb share the space with pieces by design icons Afra and Tobia Scarpa. Isamu Noguchi lamps hang overhead, and lights by Casa Veronica were designed in Texas with a Mexican twist. While some items were already owned by the owners, the team researched furniture globally for the project. The common thread linking everything is a subdued color palette and natural, subtle materials.
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One might note the cork used in the home elevator alongside the Max Lamb chair. The bedrooms feature alps wood panels for wainscoting. Spiral staircases and walls are covered in clay plaster, and travertine floors run throughout the home. These materials create a tactile environment that feels grounded despite its modern forms.
Living among the trees
People who visit the property outside near the pool might spot monkeys or other exotic animals passing through the garden. The main entertaining area includes a spacious living room, a convivial open kitchen, and a large dining room. A custom marble bar stands at the ready for guests. The space opens to a panoramic view of the jungle through double-glazed walls.
“The fact that it’s immersed in greenery makes it feel very intimate, even though it is a large house,” Leong says. This feeling continues in the den area, which is sunken on a lower level to blend with the greenery. A sinuous, monumental spiral staircase leads to the upper floor, where bedrooms and a rooftop terrace are located.
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While Le Corbusier’s original Villa Savoye was engineered to separate the interior from the surrounding setting, this jungle villa takes the opposite approach. Instead of distancing the occupants from nature, the architecture adopts the wild. The home does not feel like a fortress against the forest; rather, it feels like a shelter that invites the flora inside. This reversal of the modernist doctrine is evident in how the interior spaces transition so seamlessly into the outdoors.
The basement features an indoor garden and a gym area. A study sits nearby, and the garage functions as a showroom for the owner’s collection of classic cars. The layout was designed to accommodate the clients’ extensive car and art collections. Sliding glass doors allow the inside to flow into the outside. “It’s like being at the movies,” Leong adds, describing the experience of lifting a panel to reveal the garden view.
