Think of groceries, and what may come to mind is local homegrown supermarket brand Sheng Siong. And for all the right reasons; apart from being a popular choice amongst many Singaporeans for their grocery runs, Sheng Siong is known for its community philanthropy and being rather generous with staff remuneration. And to think the brand first started out as just a small provision shop!
Having been in operation for close to 40 years now, Sheng Siong has grown to a giant business that constantly rakes in modest profits. This has allowed co-founder and managing director Lim Hock Leng to acquire a very handsome fortune, which he used to purchase a $50M Good Class Bungalow (GCB) here in Singapore.
“The Hidden House”
Located along Ridout Road near Dempsey, Lim’s home – named “Hidden House” by its architects – is a stunning site that sprawls over 33,700sqft. Jointly designed by Ta.le Architects and Type0 Architecture, the home is actually a combination of two homes: a pre-existing old bungalow, and a newly-constructed, modern one.
Lim’s $50M GCB along Ridout Road.
Image credit: Ta.le Architects
According to reports, the site was home to a small pre-war bungalow that sat on a huge piece of land, built as an accommodation for a British military officer and his family in the 1920s. It was only after purchasing the entire site that Lim asked for the older bungalow to be conserved and restored, with a newer one to be built as an attachment.
Aerial site map of the home.
Image credit: Type0 Architecture
While the house looks relatively unassuming from the front, we’ll say that this is the case of “don’t judge a book by its cover”. On one side, the spirit and charm of the restored older bungalow is well showcased, but nothing overly spectacular. However, once you move over to the home’s rear facade, its modern architecture is displayed in all its glory, which is a stunning sight to behold.
The other side of Hidden House reveals a large open area which showcases the home’s true size.
Image credit: Type0 Architecture
While the house boasts many cool and interesting features, here are some of our personal favourites:
Hidden symbolism in its design
Image credit: ta.le Architects
The design of the home is centred around 3 courtyards within the complex. The courtyard concept was actually inspired by Lim who, during his business trips to China, was enamoured by the Chinese 四合院 (si he yuan) style of houses which feature a quadrangle format house with a courtyard in the middle.
According to Type0 Architecture, the quadrangle design also brings about symmetry and hierarchy which is synonymous with the traditional Chinese principles of family order and structure. Practically, the open courtyard spaces allow for the home to be segregated into different living spaces for different needs, while also facilitating natural ventilation and lighting.
As you walk through the house, you’ll also notice that the overall home design incorporates the use of various types of wood and stone, which pays tribute to Lim’s love for nature.
The handles of the front door represent Lim’s family name in Mandarin (林).
Image credit: Ta.le Architects
What’s also interesting is that some of the home’s features don’t just look nice, but also embody hidden meanings in them that pay homage to Lim’s cultural heritage. For instance, the handles of the front door might not look out of the ordinary, but they are actually meant to represent his family name in Mandarin, which is 林.
30M swimming pool within the home itself
The staircase is a statement in itself with golden beams wrapping the circumference of it.
Image credit: Ta.le Architects
One of the courtyards is actually a 30m swimming pool on the ground floor which runs from the centre of the house out to the backyard and overlooks the home’s rear garden. The home’s central staircase is so grand, it looks more like an art installation than a decorative feature in a house.
Lavish 15-seater dining area clad in marble
Another thing we know about the $50M GCB is that it’s home to Lim’s multigenerational family, which includes his 4 children and parents. You’ll notice that the living spaces in the house easily accommodate a large number of people.
The lavish dining area comfortably seats 15 people.
Image credit: Type0 Architecture
Another awe-inspiring room has to be the dining area, which is decked out in two different types of marble and also has the same golden-beam feature in the form of a chandelier that we saw earlier above the swimming pool.
When it comes to home finishings, marble is perhaps one of the most luxurious and opulent materials one can opt for, and when you have your entire floor and wall clad in large format marble slabs, the end product is pretty breathtaking.
The dining room can comfortably seat 15 people around a circular table, which is commonplace in Chinese culture and signifies oneness and completion.
Futuristic home theatre
The house also has a futuristic-looking home theatre.
Image credit: Type0 Architecture
One thing you don’t see too often in homes is a private cinema. This GCB also houses a futuristic home theatre that can comfortably accommodate everyone in the family. Safe to say, it’s one of the coolest home movie theatres we’ve seen to date.
Sheng Siong co-founder’s GCB on Ridout Road
You know that you’ve truly made it in life when you can afford to purchase and redesign a GCB here in Singapore. Given their extremely high price point, GCBs are only reserved for the very affluent in society, and we can expect nothing less from the co-founder of Sheng Siong.
@uchify.sg This S$50M GCB is owned by Lim Hock Leng, the co-founder of Sheng Siong. His home has both a pre-war conserved bungalow and a new modern bungalow on one plot of land!#realhomes #sgproperty #sgnews #sghome #sghomes #goodclassbungalow #gcb #housetour ♬ edamame – bbno$
Seeing as the GCB has so many features like a formal dining room, swimming pool and even a home theatre, one can’t help but wonder if it’s even worth stepping out of the house. Now that we’ve seen the splendour and magnificence of the place, perhaps that’ll give us inspiration to start small provision shops of our own!
Check out some of the other amazing GCBs here in Singapore:
- Hai Di Lao Family’s 2 GCBs On Gallop Road
- GCBs owned by famous CEOs & bosses in Singapore
- Mind-blowing Singapore homes
Cover image adapted from: Type0 Architecture, Ta.le Architects
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