http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/...-note-20130116

'Compact' home hits the right note

Family finds a new closeness in a unit with a smart design

Published on Jan 16, 2013


Dr Goh and his wife Janet in their son's bedroom, which can be converted into a study when the bed is folded up. They stayed in the "compact" unit built by developer Koh Brothers for six months, and felt that the design made intelligent use of space. -- ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG

By Cheryl Ong

A FAMILY that won the right to see how they would fare living in a new "compact" flat found that peace and harmony thrived in close quarters.

Dr Goh Kiah Mok, wife Janet Wing Tseu and their son Ryan moved into the furnished two-bedroom unit in the Fiorenza project after winning a contest run by developer Koh Brothers.

The family stayed free in the unit - its has 872 sq ft of indoor living area and about 500 sq ft of roof terrace - from June to December.

The aim was to gather feedback on how people live in modern compact spaces.

"When we first came here, we found that the communication was much better... in our current place, there are a few rooms and we tend to hide in our own corner," said Dr Goh, a 51-year-old research engineer at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research.

While the family eventually adjusted, the unit had seemed too small when they first moved in from their five-bedroom flat in Boon Keng.

But the "intelligent design" of the furniture soon changed their minds, Dr Goh told The Straits Times yesterday.

The flat features configurable furniture such as a dining table that converts into a coffee table, a foldable bed that doubles as a desk, motorised sun shades and multi-room surround sound.

Dr Goh, who plays the erhu, worked with Ryan, 18, to rearrange 10 music pieces over two nights and they found the flat hit just the right note.

The multi-room surround sound system made the unit seem like a concert hall, he said.

Though the family does not have to buy the unit, Dr Goh noted that he would consider it if the price was right. The unit has a price tag of $1.4 million.

Koh Brothers chief executive Francis Koh noted in a statement that using technology and smart design to maximise limited space is the way to go for urban living.

The firm will also incorporate feedback from Dr Goh's family into its future developments, Koh Brothers added.

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