As Singapore continues to transform, so does the profile of Good Class Bungalows owners. GCB buyers in Singapore today include younger Singaporean entrepreneurs, people on the Asian Forbes List, and inheritors of wealth. They are drawn to GCBs for both prestige and long-term investment value. But perhaps, more for the things that are harder to get in a constantly growing city: privacy and quiet.

That said, what luxury looks like for the next generation is shifting. While the earlier-generation GCB owners saw the home as a physical embodiment of decades of building in business, family and reputation, the next generation of GCB owners wants to tell a different story.

 Less showcase, more sanctuary

This bungalow at Sentosa Cove comes with a pool surrounded by beautiful greenery

The first generation had built homes that asked to be seen. The next generation wants a home that restores their well-being. For millennials and Gen Zs, luxury home wellness design in Singapore has become a defining priority. The next generation continues to redefine the meaning of status through how a home feels to live in, not how it looks. These include anything from biophilic design in GCB homes to spa-quality bathrooms and personal gyms. A pool, for example, is not a status marker but a part of one’s day for health and wellness.  

Fluidity over formality

Next-generation homeowners tend to choose artworks and objects for their meaning. See more of this GCB at Cable Road 

For these new homeowners, the home is more than a catalogue of status symbols. The next generation of GCB owners in Singapore sees the home as a dynamic curation of their personal values and beliefs. Art and heritage lovers want locally or regionally commissioned art, seeing it as an authentic expression of their aspirations and heritage. Our younger clients also have a clear understanding of the origin of each piece, preferring art that speaks to them rather than purely investment-grade art.

Proximity with autonomy

As Asian values continue to be held dear, multi-generational GCB living in Singapore remains deeply treasured. That said, the new generations also hold individualistic beliefs and values. How can this tension be resolved?

A case in point: we have worked with a client who chose to build a separate wing to their parents’ GCB. Doing so allows them to have a space that reflects the values of the new generation, while each generation can live on their own terms. Moreover, they get privacy from each other, not just from the outside world. Alternatively, a multi-generational GCB family compound can look like a site subdivided to hold multiple GCBs, a model that is increasingly appealing to ultra-high-net-worth families who want to remain in close proximity without being under one roof.

Seamless intelligence over visible technology

Technology blends into the living room of this GCB at Maryland Drive 

Sleek technology has evolved in meaning. While their parents might want standout sound systems and other technology, the next generation of GCB owners has grown up in a different time. Technology is infrastructure, not a feature. Smart home technology in Singapore luxury landed properties is expected to disappear into the architecture with no visible wiring or intrusive equipment, which is why getting consultants in the design process early is a must. 

 What truly endures

In line with changing beliefs and values, younger generations are better informed about well-being and wellness than previous generations. As wealth passes from one generation to the next, the younger homeowners make decisions, be it in material, spatial, technological or ecological terms, in ways that reflect who they are rather than what has come before. 

The GCBs that are being designed now in Singapore will be breathing, living inheritances. In addition to being future-ready, we believe in designing them with thought, care and discernment from holding on to what endures even as the world changes. 

Over more than 20 years of designing homes, we’ve seen how each generation of homeowners has a distinct vision that reflects the zeitgeist, and we’re here to honour andcelebrate these shifts. Ultimately, as interior designers for Good Class Bungalows in Singapore, we always come back to what feels right for each unique client.