Concepts

POROUS HOUSE

Inspired by the quiet poetry of in-between spaces, Porous House reimagines the traditional herb and tea house as a site of slow ritual, sensory connection and material storytelling. Set within the layered context of Lavender’s shophouses, the project draws from the tactility of fired concrete, where heat forms cavities much like the firing of tea leaves unlocks their fragrance and depth. These porous surfaces invite warmth, light, steam and scent to flow through. Herbal blends dry within crevices, infusing the space with subtle aromas, while filtered sunlight and soft shadows animate the textured walls. More than just a building, Porous House is an atmosphere, one where elders and young visitors gather not through formal programming, but through shared pauses, quiet gestures and fleeting rituals. It is a space that suggests rather than dictates, allowing the past and present to breathe together, through a cup of tea, a whiff of memory and the tangible presence of the in-between.