Shelford Suites redefines boutique urban living in Bukit Timah, Singapore, through a composition of shifting planes and clean linear volumes. Situated on a compact, rectilinear site surrounded by private residences, the architecture leverages movement and layering in its facades to create a dynamic sense of depth.
The building’s layout and articulation transform a tight urban plot into an elevated residential experience—offering both panoramic city views and serene garden vistas. This dual orientation is achieved through its thoughtful L-shaped configuration, which maximizes light, privacy, and visual access to the landscape, all while contributing a distinct sculptural quality to the streetscape.
The architectural expression of Shelford Suites lies in its refined material palette and rhythmic interplay of solids and voids. Cantilevered balconies, floating horizontal slabs, and recessed glazing create visual tension and lightness, while maintaining a strong architectural presence. The shifting volumes are not merely aesthetic—they offer sun-shading, privacy modulation, and spatial hierarchy across each unit.
Location
Singapore
Completion
2011
GFA
10,953 sqm
Client
City Developments Ltd
Services
Architecture
Awards
- World Architecture
Festival 2012 – Finalist in Housing Category - BCA Construction Productivity Award 2012 – Platinum Award
- Asia Pacific Property Awards 2010 – Highly Commended Best Architecture (Multiple Units) (Singapore)
- BCA Green Mark 2008 – Gold Plus Award
Layered Luxury: Elevating Everyday Living
This evening view of Shelford Suites captures the architectural precision and spatial generosity that define the development’s luxury ethos. A strong horizontal language—emphasized by shifting balcony planes, glass balustrades, and recessed lighting—gives the façade a rhythmic, sculptural character.
At ground level, a tiered landscape design integrates lush greenery with multi-level water features, creating both visual drama and tranquil retreat zones. The elevated lap pool, flanked by wellness decks and sun loungers, becomes a floating focal point, while warm illumination accentuates the textures and material interplay of stone, timber, and glazing.
Altogether, the design demonstrates a holistic synthesis of form, function, and ambiance—seamlessly bridging architecture and landscape.
Precision in Form and Function
The architectural design of Shelford Suites manifests in an elegant interplay of horizontal slabs and vertical elements, resulting in a refined rhythm of planes and volumes. Seen from the lush podium level, each unit is framed by generous cantilevered balconies, creating dynamic shading while maximizing transparency and ventilation. The clean, rectilinear geometry is softened by green-tinted glass and timber-toned finishes, which echo the verdant surroundings. Complementing the visual order is the tiered landscape strategy that steps down to the pool and spa deck, carefully choreographed for spatial hierarchy and privacy. This seamless integration between residential architecture and tropical landscaping exemplifies a sensitive and structured response to site, scale, and climate.
Shelford Suites exemplifies how architectural refinement and sensitive spatial planning can elevate residential living into an immersive lifestyle experience. Through its interplay of shifting planes, layered volumes, and well-integrated landscaping, the project achieves a delicate balance between privacy, openness, and community. It stands not only as a modern architectural statement but also as a thoughtful response to site, scale, and tropical living—offering residents a serene yet vibrant urban sanctuary.
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