To the street, the residence presents as a fortress of hand-crafted masonry. Clad in 26,000 handmade bricks from Spain, the façade celebrates craftsmanship and tactility. The irregular lengths and hand-finished edges create a textured skin, shifting in response to light and shadow. Each brick was carefully selected, with three different tones blended together to achieve an intricate, woven-like surface that enriches the streetscape with depth and detail. A slim, vertical opening, seemingly chiselled from the masonry, offers a glimpse into tiered hanging gardens and the towering residence beyond.

The landscape design, by Florian Wild, softens the building’s robust form and contributes texture across every level. Cascading greenery envelops terraces and courtyards, while the wellness centre is anchored by magnificent ferns thriving in a subterranean light well. This layered planting creates a dialogue between interior and exterior, ensuring natural life is always present.

Wellness lies at the project’s heart. A subterranean sanctuary, clad entirely in split-faced limestone, houses a meditation room, infrared sauna and fernery bathed in filtered daylight. This inversion of conventional hierarchy defines the home’s ethos — wellness and restoration are placed at its core, not as afterthoughts.

Art and furniture were curated as integral layers of the architecture. In collaboration with art consultant Swee Lim, the clients assembled a collection spanning painting, sculpture, textiles and digital media. Furniture was envisioned as an extension of the architecture, curated and crafted to complement the home’s material palette. Each piece — from international design icons to bespoke commissions — was selected for its tactile presence, creating a continuity of tone, texture and proportion across all levels.

Every detail reflects Jolson’s artisanal approach: bronze-lined joinery, hand-cut stone, and interiors enriched through the dialogue of art, furniture and architecture. Vertical planting by Florian Wild ensures the building continues to evolve as a living organism over time.