Mention housing in Singapore and its iconic HDB buildings will be what first pops to mind. But charming as our heartlands may be, we do have our fair share of Architectural Digest-level homes scattered across the island, many of which are worth millions that most of us can only dream of owning.
Take a drive to these neighbourhoods and you’ll be weaving through streets of pretty terraces and huge GCBs, some of which are owned by famous CEOs from around the world. So, have your driver’s licence moment at these 8 hidden streets in SG, where you can take a peek into the other side of the city with its beautiful suburbs.
Disclaimer: These houses are private property, so please do not trespass if you’re ever nearby – just admire them from afar if you pass by.
1. Ridout, Swettenham & Pierce Roads
Sometimes in life, we have to take the long and winding road. That said, you’ll be in for an enjoyable and leisurely ride through Ridout, Swettenham and Pierce Roads in Dempsey, which are lined with colonial-style bungalows and modern architectural showhouses.
Plus, they are situated along lush forest greenery, giving you extra reasons to have a drive there.
Image credit: Ta.le Architects
When we say a house is hidden, we probably mean that it’s small and lowkey. The “Hidden House” found along Ridout Road, however, takes on a slightly different definition.
Owned by Sheng Siong CEO Lim Hock Leng, this $50M home looks like an unassuming GCB – but wait till you enter and you’ll discover that not only is it made of 2 houses, but it also boasts a 30-metre indoor swimming pool and a 14-seater home theatre amongst many other lavish amenities.
Apart from that standout home, you’ll feel like you’ve been teleported to the USA once you see this mansion along Ridout Road, which looks like an olden English manor.
Image credit: Google Maps
2. Astrid Hill
Channel Astrid from Crazy Rich Asians and you’d see yourself wearing classy jewellery and haute couture. But to go easier on your paycheck, have a drive along her namesake, Astrid Hill, which is one of the nicest streets amongst Bukit Timah’s GCB clusters.
Image adapted from: Guz Architects
We won’t blame you if you mistake 10 Astrid Hill for a spa retreat, with the lush abode perched atop the hill with zen spaces and greenery – no surprise since the owners are gardening enthusiasts themselves.
Image credit: Google Maps
And unlike the visitors in the Jurassic Park movie who tried very hard to plot their escape, you’ll be stopping your cars to look at 11 Astrid Hill, a GCB with a front gate that looks like it’s from the set of the dinosaur-centric film.
More excitingly, the house appeared on the news last year, as it had a yellow helicopter parked on its balcony – talk about #richpeople and their private jets.
3. Cornwall Gardens & Belmont Road
Just like the famous holiday destination in the UK, Cornwall Gardens will give you vibes that’ll transport you out of SG.
Image credit: ArchDaily
This “Botanic Garden” house is a triple-storey multi-generational bungalow, with a waterfall, a terraced roof garden and an abundance of greenery.
Image credit: Archify
Belmont Road is also worth taking a drive down, where you can see houses like no. 61, a corporate residence for a multinational company which plays around with brutalist styles and wall-sized windows, bringing plenty of natural light into the home.
4. Dalvey Road & Dalvey Estate
Perhaps it’s got to do with their close proximity to Singapore Botanic Gardens, but Dalvey Road and Dalvey Estate are architect magnets which attract many to build big projects there.
There’s even a group of architects called the “Dalvey Seven”, where famous firms such as Wallflower Architects came together to design 7 houses in Dalvey Estate.
Image credit: Wallflower Architecture + Design
One of the projects is “See Through House” located on 3 Dalvey Estate. Keeping in mind to preserve the iconic Tembusu tree, the house was built as a U-shaped villa in order to surround the tree and protect it.
The hardwood timber screens lining the second storey give the home a tropical feel, and they take inspiration from louvre windows commonly seen in old colonial bungalows.
Image credit: ArchDaily
Of course, there’s no shortage of resort-like homes in the estate – take this house in Dalvey Road. Inspired by Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright, this Guz Architects project is meant to be a courtyard home with water and greenery seamlessly integrated with the house.
5. Cluny Hill, Cluny Road & Cluny Park
Drive over to the Bukit Timah side of Botanic Gardens and you’ll discover another exclusive cluster of majestic GCBs.
Image credit: Google Maps
And this time, you may be one step closer to fulfilling your Crazy Rich Asians dreams when you drive through Cluny Park, where you can find the original mansion used by the Goh family in the film.
Image adapted from: ArchDaily
Dyson is the go-to brand for standing fans and, true enough, its popularity as a home appliance has enabled its CEO Sir James Dyson to earn more than a pretty profit to own a house like 50 Cluny Road. After all, very few people can say that they live in a house with an indoor infinity pool circling a spiral staircase and a cascading waterfall outside.
Image credit: K2LD Architects and Interiors
Tucked along the curve of the road is 14 Cluny Hill, otherwise known as the “Windcatcher House” by its creators, K2LD Architects and Interiors. It uses stone and wooden elements to give a rustic and elevated feel to the house, pretty much like a peaceful monastery far away from the city – hence its name.
6. Wilkinson Road
Eastie or not, many claim that east side = best side, citing its kampung vibes as a reason, or closeness to the beach in East Coast Park. Plus, you can find many nice landed home streets there, with Wilkinson Road being one of the more notable ones.
Image credit: Google Maps
The brainchild of Kite Studio Architecture, 26 & 28 Wilkinson Road is a twin-house project lived by 2 brothers, who work in the construction industry, and their families.
Inspired by their brotherly bond and their differing personalities, this home takes on a “jigsaw” concept; where the houses complement each other by having a shared pool pavilion, courtyard and basement carpark, while master bedrooms are located at opposite ends of the house for privacy.
Image credit: @bestmeganever
You gotta be one heck of a high roller to have a mansion like under your name – yes, Lakshmi Nivas, CEO of steelmaking company ArcelorMittal, has his name engraved onto his home at 81 Wilkinson Road. While pictures of the interior have yet to be published, the exterior already speaks volumes of the rich royalty this businessman is.
7. Branksome Road
Parallel to the street is Branksome Road, which boasts several nicely-designed bungalows.
Image credit: Sanjay Kewlani
Helmed by Aamer Architects, project 60 Branksome Road is a tropical-inspired bungalow built up to fit the narrow plot size given, and it’s elevated to adapt to the district being highly-prone to flooding.
Using raw concrete, bamboo and tropical hardwood, the house has a monolithic, block-like facade which creates enough sunshade and security for dwellers inside, while using pretty landscaping to liven up the place.
Image credit: Jessica Lai
Old, charming architecture can also be found in the form of this colonial-style mansion along 100 Branksome Road that throws us back to our pre-independence days.
8. Siglap Hill & Siglap Avenue
We all know the highest point in Singapore is Bukit Timah Hill, but how about in a residential suburb? Well, that’ll be Siglap Hill. Together with the adjacent Siglap Avenue, this is yet another district in the east with many nice houses to check out.
Image credit: Patrick Bingham Hall
Named “Ninety7 House”, 97 Siglap Road is another project by Aamer Architects. Apart from looking like a sleek UFO from outer space, its white curvy-linear facade serves to wrap the 3 storeys together for a singular, futuristic look.
You’ll spot a large balcony at the western edge, where you can imagine how its owners are treated to city skyline views while enjoying the cool evening breeze.
Image credit: Archello
Fancy a getaway to Bali? Residents of 6 Siglap Avenue can count themselves lucky, as their abode has breezy verandas, a swimming pool and woody textures throughout their home that’ll instantly make onlookers switch to beach bummin’ mode.
Drive down these impressive streets with glorious houses in SG
While we do have a handful of scenic bus routes which can give us some pretty sights around the country, it’s a tad unfortunate that they usually don’t pass through our landed neighbourhoods.
So, whenever you’re behind the steering wheel, be sure to take a drive down these streets nestled within our landed suburbs – who knows, you may even get to call one of the classy GCBs there yours one day.
For more glorious houses in SG:
- Don Don Donki founder’s Sentosa Cove villa
- HAO Mart CEO’s spacecraft GCB
- HDL family’s GCBs on Gallop Road
- GCBs owned by famous CEOs in SG
Cover image adapted from: ArchDaily, Sanjay Kewlani, Ta.le Architects
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