Singapore’s Space Hub Asia Unifies a Historic Villa and a Shophouse With a Modern Glass Block

Singapore’s innovative Space Asia Hub is an architectural mash-up that consists of two <a href="http://inhabitat.com/libeskinds-glass-wedge-addition-bisects-dresden-museum-of-military-history/" target="_blank">historic buildings connected by a modern addition</a>. Designed by <a href="http://inhabitat.com/school-of-the-arts-is-a-vibrant-green-addition-to-singapores-city-center/" target="_blank">WOHA Architects</a>, the 40,000 square foot complex incorporates a charming white villa, a modern glass block building, and a larger open plan shophouse. Space Hub Asia will be a huge showroom for leaders in furniture design that will <a href="http://inhabitat.com/unstudios-scotts-tower-is-a-soaring-skyscraper-complete-with-sky-gardens-and-a-green-roof/" target="_blank">accelerate Singapore’s forward march</a> towards becoming a design capital.

Situated in <a href="http://inhabitat.com/lucasfilms-singapore-headquarters-is-a-high-performance-sandcrawler-straight-out-of-tatooine/" target="_blank">Singapore’s Arts District</a>, Space Asia Hub cost a cool $50 million, and it promises to offer an unforgettable retail experience.

The center seeks to engage visitors with both architecture and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/samuel-wilkinsons-compact-mantis-desk-tidies-up-any-work-space/" target="_blank">furniture design</a> on an experiential level, celebrating design in a space reminiscent of a cutting edge art gallery. The center claims to offer an experience for all of senses - including audio, specially designed scent and culinary experiences, and of course a rich series of interiors.

The Villa, a historic <a href="http://inhabitat.com/3-rooms-3-trees-and-a-meadow-adorn-the-roof-of-house-s-in-germany/" target="_blank">white bungalow</a>, has been transformed with a large kitchen that will host dinners for top design clients. Plush sofas and other furnishings decorate the comfortable interior, while carefully curated music plays on the in-house sound system.

The Heritage House is a historic conservation shophouse. WOHA revamped the interior with an <a href="http://inhabitat.com/montreals-780-brewster-is-a-mixed-use-leed-silver-complex-renovated-from-an-industrial-factory/" target="_blank">industrial tone</a> that compliment the loft-like floors. Natural skylights flood the interiors with light that filters in through wooden rafters. The Heritage House displays elegant sofas and bedding sets, as well as an outdoor couryard that features a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/habitat-horticulture-green-living-partitions-divide-sf-public-space/" target="_blank">three-storey living garden wall</a> for both employees and customers to enjoy.

Connecting the two historic buildings is the modern 'Glass Block', which displays colorful furniture collections that can be seen from the outside. At night, the Glass Block glows and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/berlin-showroom-features-sherlock-holmes-style-bookcase-that-opens-to-a-secret-room/" target="_blank">shows its wares </a>to passersby.

The Space Asia Hub unifies a block on Bencoolen Street, but also provides a unique showcase that highlights local designers, while earmarking <a href="http://inhabitat.com/stunning-singapore-home-wards-of-the-sweltering-heat-with-cool-water-ponds/" target="_blank">Singapore</a> as a design destination.