SIMILAR WORKS

Another project by Kumpulan Akitek during the 1970s was the Highpoint Apartment. The base geometry was also an octagon, but of different sizes. For this residential project, the three octagons of different sizes come together to create an apartment that has an all-round view. The shape of the balcony volumes on the exterior further highlighted the base geometry of building and makes the distinction between each level more pronounced.

Another similar building in the 1970s is the Singapore Science Centre, designed by Raymond Woo. It was the first competition won by Raymond Woo Associates Architects (RWAA) and it represented Singapore’s advancement in science and technology. Completed in 1975, the five-storey building has a central atrium with three entrances for different types of users (VIPs, staffs and public). The atrium serves as a congregation point for people as one has to pass through it in order to exit the building. The atrium also utilizes natural lighting as part of the environmental effort during that time. While maintaining the geometry of triangles, the other parts of the building radiates out from the atrium to cater for the various programmatic spaces such as exhibit galleries, stores and workshops. Spaces for staff and public are also segregated as lower floors were planned for exhibition spaces and services while educational facilities and administrative offices were located on the upper floors.

Another example of Brutalist architecture in Singapore at that time is the OCBC Centre designed by Pritzker prize winner I.M.Pei and completed in 1976. This building was a larger scale brutalist skyscraper and was the first building involving international architects in Singapore. This 52 storey high building was the highest building at that time which took a shocking less than 2 years to complete due to innovative construction technology. Similar to other brutalist buildings which used reinforced concrete, the semicircular concrete cores were prefabricated which vastly sped up the construction process. As compared to the 2 buildings above, the OCBC Centre is much more vertical in its design and circulation as a skyscraper. With its rectilinear form and windows which protrude out of the main form, it is designed to be a symbol of strength and permanence. Over the years, it is even nicknamed the “Calculator” due to its geometry.