Design In Print 4.1 High-Rise Living

HIGH-RISE LIVING ISSUE

THE HEIGHT OF CITY LIVING

euHABITAT

AN INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENT WITH FOUR TYPOLOGIES

DPA’S RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS INDUSTRY

THE ‘BENCH’ PROJECT

www.dpa.com.sg

TWIN PEAKS

IN DETAIL THE EVOLUTION OF

MICA (P) 012/10/2012

IN DEPTH

VOLUME 4 NUMBER 1 2013 SINGAPORE

Volume 4 Number 1, 2013, Singapore

CONTENTS Letter from the Guest Editor Dear Readers,

The latest happenings in DP

Designing residential projects in Singapore has become more challenging in recent years as the density is higher and apartment units are getting smaller, leaving less room for creativity and design exploration. Nevertheless, these constraints may also turn into opportunities to examine other aspects like efficient, creative and flexible use of space, or the use of communal and landscaped area.

In order to stay competitive in the local residential arena, we have to continue to hone our design skills for high-rise residences. Besides achieving high efficiency and saleable area for developers, we also need to explore new design concepts and ideas. Projects such as Golden Mile Complex which offers outdoor living with the provision of open roof terrace, River Place which brought the idea of shophouse living into a condominium, Sky@eleven which manipulated the unit layout to capitalise on the site’s attributes and achieve the dual view concept, and Jardin which promotes the garden living concept by introducing duplex units with landscaped sky terraces, are some examples where DP Architects pushed design boundaries.

In a highly reactive environment like Singapore where government rulings are reviewed on a frequent basis – such as the recent control of roof terrace and private enclosed space – designers need to keep up with the changes quickly. Improving our knowledge and application of authority and construction codes at the design stage is also crucial to achieve an integrated and well-resolved design solution.

DPA’s Design Heritage lecture Child at Street 11

Short takes on new & notable projects

01 SBF Center 02 Khaya Residential College and College of Alice & Peter Tan 03 COSL Singapore Support Base 04 Waterfront Waves 05 23 Olive Road 06 Alexandra Central 07 Mövenpick Hotel Heritage 1940 08 Nanjing Software Park 09 Paterson Collection 10 The Fullerton Pavilion

Featured projects

Twin Peaks euHabitat

Design Solutions

The opportunities ahead are tremendous: the Singapore government has recently announced that 700,000 new homes will be required, should the population increase to an estimated 6.9 million by 2030. This will not only allow us to capitalise on our market share in local residential projects, but most importantly, to explore and create interesting designs in both public and private housing in the coming years.

The Evolution of DPA’s Residential Projects

IN FOCUS

Architecture Issues

The Changing Singapore Residential Model Sustainable Design

Lighting the Way with LED Wang Tse Lip Associate Director, DP Architects Pte Ltd

Awards & events

SIT@RP Groundbreaking Ceremony SIA Practice Convention 2013 The ‘Bench’ Project

Chan Hui Min Nartano Lim

Interview with Leo Mauricio, Aloysius Lian & Cheng Sin Mei Graphics

Writing

Editorial

DP personalities

Awaken the Dragon Festival 2013

Celebration of past projects Leong Wei Lin Toh Bee Ping

DESIGN IN PRINT TEAM

Tong Tong

Loh Yew Cheng Lek Noonchoo Fu Tingting

Additional contributors: Jackie Poh, Kyle Fulton, Lee Boon Woei, Stephanie Yong, Widari Bahrin

Ridgewood Condominium, 1981

Cover image: Twin Peaks

| The latest happenings in DP

DPA’s Design Heritage

| Short takes on new & notable projects

01

SBF Center Singapore

commercial

Lecture by Koh Seow Chuan

DP Architects’ founder and honorary chairman, Mr Koh Seow Chuan, delivered an in-house lecture titled ‘DPA’s Design Heritage’ on 23 November 2012.

Mr Koh considers integrity and talent to be the firm’s cornerstones; he discussed in detail how two of DPA’s early projects, People’s Park Complex and Golden Mile Complex, have manifested that the architect’s role is the manipulation of space for community needs.

He reiterated DPA’s founding philosophy that good architecture is to create spaces that uplift the human spirit. Living up to its heritage as one of the pioneering and best architectural firms in Singapore, DPA continues to make contributions to the design environment, with the aim to improve the quality of people’s life.

Spreading festive cheer at

Child at Street 11

SBF Center is a 31-storey commercial development located in the heart of the Central Business District along Robinson Road. Inspired by the small, urban park that once sat on the site, SBF Center aims to bring back the enclave of green by creating pockets of verdant spaces interspersed throughout the building. A series of terraced gardens breaks down the imposing building mass to a more intimate scale. This collection of tiered gardens forms an urban park which can be enjoyed by the community.

Building corners are rounded to mimic the organic environment.

Lines of nature are mapped onto surfaces of various thickness and density. This expression continues to the roof forming a unique roofscape. A sky terrace deck with pool and gym facilities promotes wellness of its users.

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Khaya Residential College and College of Alice & Peter Tan

Continuing a friendship that began in 2007, DP Architects brought festive joy and presents to the children at Child at Street 11, a centre that provides education and day care for children from low-income and dysfunctional families.

The Christmas wish list of the centre’s 65 children was checked off by DPians within 15 minutes of its posting.

Others bought art supplies and gave cash for grocery vouchers to support the centre’s daily needs. The gifts were presented to the children at the centre on 20 December 2012.

Located in NUS University Town, the design for the 38,000sqm Khaya Residential College and College of Alice & Peter Tan is inspired by the traditional Southeast Asian house. Deep roof overhangs shade the exterior walls and window openings to control interior heat gain. The north-south facing buildings have individual podiums set away from each other, maximising façade area for cross ventilation. Architectural elements including ventilation blocks, louvred monsoon windows, framed glazing with vertical accents, and a unifying railing and canopy across the podium are kit-of-parts employed to create a strong and coherent visual identity for the colleges.

institutional

Singapore

DP 01

Short takes on new & notable projects

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COSL Singapore Support Base Singapore

The Benoi Road office and industrial facility of COSL, a Chinese offshore oil-drilling service provider, takes on a U-shaped layout which allows greater flexibility and efficiency within the parallelogram-shaped site. The resulting large storage space in the middle, which is adjacent to the harbour, allows effective transportation of goods and materials via the waterway.

The factories and warehouse are aligned to the northern and southern part of the site.

Two L-shaped office blocks separate the office function from the courtyard-facing leisure space and screen the storage area from the main road. The office blocks have a panoramic view of the entire site’s operations with the harbour as a backdrop.

residential

Singapore

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Alexandra Central Singapore

The 50,000sqm Waterfront Waves is a private water-facing residential development at Bedok Reservoir Road that consists of eight 15-storey towers.

The project takes advantage of the site’s vast water body in the north and lush greenery in the south.

Located at the prominent northeast corner of Jalan Bukit Merah and Alexandra Road, and occupying the former SAFRA Bukit Merah site, this 19-storey development comprises a 13-storey hotel tower atop a 6-storey retail and car park podium.

The four-star, 450-room hospitality development features lavish landscaped facilities on the seventh storey podium roof and spectacular views towards the green southern ridges in the southwest and the city in the northeast. The commercial component offers hotel guests a mix of food and beverage establishments and speciality retail shops, giving the community more shopping and dining choices.

residential

The balconies of the façade facing Bedok Reservoir are designed to resemble undulating water waves. The towers are strategically planned to maximise the views of the reservoir while minimising the solar effects of the western sun.

The carefully studied building orientation places more than 94 percent of the external walls away from the west.

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23 Olive Road Singapore

23 Olive Road is a tropical bungalow located at Caldecott Hill. Addressing the steep slope of the site, the house is conceived as a series of terraced pavilions. Blade walls are employed to define the changes in functional spaces and the varying heights of the pavilions.

The L-shaped plan wraps around the garden and allows a vantage view of the swimming pool and green from all rooms. The alternating sliding timber screen enhances the façade of the house, creating a complex play of light and shadow while providing privacy.

mixed development

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Waterfront Waves

hotel

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Nanjing Software Park China

Located in Nanjing Pukou, this 35ha development will house centres of technology research and development, investment funding and multimedia. The project employs low carbon eco-technology and modern urban design strategies, and is guided by four key principles: dynamic mixed-use, seamless connectivity, unique identity and ecological design.

Two landmark towers form the gateway to the park, and a green belt acts as a seamless pedestrian connector throughout the development.

Physical connectivity is provided by an extensive network of roads and public transport nodes. Open networking spaces improve the porosity of the technology park. Environmental sustainability is a primary driver of the architectural design, and the project employs many strategies such as the generous use of green walls to reduce heat absorption.

Courtesy of Mรถvenpick Heritage Hotel Sentosa

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Mรถvenpick Hotel Heritage 1940 Singapore

master plan

A conservation project, the hotel comprises two three-storey colonial military barracks that were built in 1940. Inspired by the historical heritage of Singapore, the design brings together elements of tradition and modernity.

residential

The link between the two buildings is revitalised into a triple-volume space framed by lattice patterns which are inspired by the rice grain. Thoughtful interior details create a cosy, nostalgic experience: the floor joists of old shophouses are introduced as ceiling rafters in the guest rooms, dim sum carriers serve as baskets for toiletries, carpets with intricate batik-inspired patterns that speak of the Peranakan culture, conservation doors that reinterpret colonial architecture and the pitched roof on level three that evokes memories of childhood homes.

Singapore

The Fullerton Pavilion, the first and only floating lifestyle destination in Singapore, is a hybrid between a building and a marine vessel.

Measuring 6m tall with a spacious 23.5m diameter, it has breathtaking views of Marina Bay. The design of the faรงade envelope starts as solid opaque panels at the main entrance and gradually evolves into clear glass at the dining area to take advantage of the 360-degree views.

The outer layer of the faรงade is made of laminated glass, providing good acoustics. At the exterior of the faรงade frames, LED light strips are integrated between the glass panels; the lighting can be customised to suit different event and festive requirements.

Singapore

Located within minutes of Orchard Road, Paterson Collection comprises two 19-storey towers that look towards the prestigious shopping belt. The 85-unit development is made up of two-bedroom and three-bedroom units, and single level and duplex penthouses; all encased in full-height glass for magnificent views from all corners of every apartment. Aluminium screens, set away from the glass walls and arranged in a playful pattern, ensure privacy. Two levels of amenities including pools, playground, gym, function room and pavilions are located within a landscaped deck. A sky terrace allows outdoor dining and houses a jacuzzi. The buildings respond well to the site, surrounding views and orientation. The sleek and contemporary form exudes style and elegance befitting a high-end residence.

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Paterson Collection

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The Fullerton Pavilion

Courtesy of The Fullerton Heritage

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Featured projects

YEAR: 2013

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AREA: 40,500 SQ M

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SINGAPORE

TWIN PEAKS THE HEIGHT OF CITY LIVING

By Kyle Fulton

Above: The Sky Loggia located at the 36th floor.

Project Team: (front row from left) Jacqueline Pong, Gani Wijoyo, Ti Lian Seng, Lee Siat Kiat, Tan Teng Siew, Nurul Sumeri,

To truly understand the future of housing in Singapore, it is important to first consider the past. In the 1950s, there was a severe shortage of housing in Singapore; some 75 percent of the population lived in crowded tenements and unplanned settlements. Suburban new towns were created to re-house the people. By the early 1960s, this process was well underway, with spacious new apartment blocks being built throughout the island.

(back row from left) Yanuar Kristanto, Laurence Yap,

Standing proudly on the slopes of Leonie Hill, Twin Peaks towers above the city, commanding views along Orchard Road and the Central Business District. It is a futuristic vision of a Singapore to come, where high-rise buildings embody the tenets of high-density, high-efficiency and high-end luxury lifestyle.

Dominador Licup, Mark Villacampa, Jeremy Ho, (not in photo) Roslinah Ahmad.

In theory, these new housing complexes were to be self-sufficient communities that provide for all the needs of the inhabitants. However, these areas were not able to provide sufficient employment and many residents began to commute into the Central Business District for work.

Public transport made this journey short enough that many residents of the suburban towns preferred to shop and dine in the city. Overtime, these towns came to serve as commuter settlements with most daily activities taking place outside the home.

This trend has continued. Today, we are served by a transportation system and a city which can fulfill almost all of our daily requirements. As such, some Singaporean residents feel they do not require a large home, but would prefer one that is better DP 05

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Featured projects

connected to the city. In a sense, they are willing to trade private space for the ease of interacting in public space and the convenience of proximity. Out of this unique sociopolitical climate has grown the need for a new housing typology – one which blends the comfort and privileges of a private condominium, and the central location, services and style of a hotel. With this in mind, Twin Peaks was created.

Although situated on an expansive site, the architects of Twin Peaks decided to restrict the development’s footprint and extend the towers vertically,

Above: The view from the landscaped sky gym at the 13th storey.

leaving more space for lifestyle facilities. This resulted in the design of two symmetrical 35-storey towers that hold 231 units each. Not only is this a highly efficient design, but one of beauty that is balanced and composed within its urban context.

The arrangement of the towers promises residents panoramic views of the Orchard shopping district, extending from the living room into the heart of Singapore. Twin Peak’s position in the city centre means it is an ideal location for business and recreation with the main commercial areas only a stone’s throw away. Residents will spend less time travelling and more time for the things they enjoy.

To this end, Twin Peaks has many lifestyle facilities for residents to take pleasure in, including numerous pools, sky gyms, gardens and beautiful dining facilities. The importance of these amenities is expressed on the exterior where the vertical volume of the buildings is punctuated with the landscaped sky gym, creating a signature void. There is also a dedicated concierge service on hand to support the residents’ busy lifestyles. Residents may even enjoy the privilege of housekeeping and hospitality services extended by the Mandarin Orchard Singapore.

In Twin Peaks, every effort has been taken to make sure the residents

Left: Site Plan

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Twin Peaks is the first of a new generation of residences which truly caters to a contemporary city lifestyle are afforded the luxurious lifestyle they desire, one which begins as soon as they receive their new apartment.

For this purpose, each unit comes fully furnished with high quality furniture and classic designer pieces.

Twin Peaks is a product of Singapore’s unique sociopolitical climate and is the

first of a new generation of residences which truly caters to a contemporary city lifestyle. In designing this new typology, the architects of Twin Peaks have understood that today’s urban dweller needs a home that is fully integrated with the city yet at the same time separate, and have provided a luxurious escape in which to unwind and enjoy the view.

Above right: Dining suites by the 35m pool.

Right and far right: Units are fully furnished with high quality and classic designer furniture.

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Featured projects

Townhouse The first floor is mostly glazed, leading the eyes toward the water and landscape. The borrowed scenery extends the nature into the living spaces.

Condominium The roof plane of the condominium is treated as a malleable surface to link different condominium units.

euHabitat

AN INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENT WITH FOUR TYPOLOGIES

By Tong Tong

Project Team: (front row from left)

Sited at Jalan Eunos in the Bedok area, euHabitat is a condominium development that boasts an integrated environment. Inspired by the surrounding landscape, this development is ecologically sensitive. It also aims to achieve a character that is diverse and personal. The concept brings together a collection of four different lifestyles, catering to a variety of living arrangements of contemporary families.

Four housing typologies are differentiated as: Townhouse, Condominium, Suite and SOHO.

Inspired by different aspects of nature, euHabitat addresses the increasing desire to live in harmony with nature

Angela Ng, San Shang Jui, Jeremy Tan, Kam Yau Fat, Ifshiel Tamayao, (back row from left) Arief Budi Ariyanto, Joey Chua, Fred Lee, Majorette Roxas Dumo, Asep Darmana, Mou Zu Hui, Austen Chan.

The townhouses are grouped around an expansive pool of water, where the terraces to each townhouse line the edge of the water. The large pool at the doorstep not only creates a pleasant comfort climate, but also reflects the expanse of the sky above it. Here, architecture truly embraces nature. The scenery changes from moment to moment as the sun and clouds pass through the sky. At the entry level of the condominium, the covered gathering spaces between adjacent buildings are naturally ventilated and densely planted, accessible to the residents

YEAR: 2014

Suite The concept for the suites is ‘to see and be seen’. The spacious single bedroom suites are arranged to have direct contact with the pool and landscape.

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AREA: 57,800 SQM

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SINGAPORE

SOHO A metal feature wall wraps the elevation and continues over the roof, and combines with the glass façade to create a contemporary expression favoured for office architecture.

Left: This single residential community of four different housing concepts is set within a green enclave.

Below left: The entrance plaza near the condominium.

The car park is buried underground to free the landscape of vehicular traffic. The entire development is human-scaled and pedestrian-friendly.

at all times. The walls and windows of the suites are adapted specifically for privacy and sun orientation. The horizontal aluminium louvres shade the glass and visually unify the elevations of these single-bedroom units. The interior is animated by natural light filtering through the folding louvre panels. The façade gently undulates as the panels open and fold, creating a rippled surface of contrasting light and shadow. As a result, it allows the ability to modulate the sun and air, and achieves both privacy and openness. As the demand for ‘flexibility’ has come to the fore, the SOHO apartments provide a large space where dining, cooking, meeting and recreation come together. The open plan is changeable without losing its coherence. Capitalising on the high ceiling, the residents are given the opportunities to individualise their own upper mezzanine space.

Inspired by different aspects of nature, euHabitat becomes a dynamic residential community that addresses the increasing desire to live in harmony with nature. The mix of living units of different sizes and types are distributed throughout the site, offering a variety of conditions to meet each tenant’s needs. A variety of interior and exterior spaces are generated with varying degrees of access and privacy. Thus each component opens up its interior to the nature, embracing the water, weather, sunlight and breezes, effectively integrating architecture with the elements.

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Design solutions

DP Architects has been involved in residential design since its early years as Design Partnership. The firm’s first condominium project, also one of the first condominiums in Singapore, Ridgewood Condominium, a 20-storey, 464-unit development was completed in 1981. It offered a Hawaiian theme to the architecture and a garden landscape for the residents.

In those days, living in a condominium was associated with exclusivity and privacy, a prestigious address, an assortment of on-site facilities and amenities, as well as a more high-end style of living compared with the cookiecutter type of public housing that was predominant in a young nation like Singapore. Today, condominium design has become increasingly challenging as developers shift towards marketing a complete lifestyle package rather than simply an apartment unit.

Another challenge also originates from the growing improvements within the public housing sector, as older estates receive upgrading via the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme, ensuring that residents are provided with quality living through the addition of amenities around the estate. In recent years, in line with the nation’s strategy to transform HDB estates into a world-class living environment, the government has also launched plans to remake Singapore’s heartland. New towns like Punggol and Sengkang are slated to become ‘eco-towns’ complete with waterfront public housing and amenities, a typology that was previously reserved only for luxury condominiums. There is also the rise of other high-rise public housing developments such as The Pinnacle at Duxton offering sky gardens and premium location, as well as SkyVille and SkyTerrace at the Dawson Estate area which offer flexible flat layouts that encourage multi-generational living, all of which were selling points previously identified with private condominiums.

Designers have to rise to the challenge of addressing the narrowing gap between public housing and condominium developments, and seek ways to enhance designs so as to increase the attractiveness and marketability of our clients’ developments. Using a selection of condominium projects, Design in Print examines the evolution of DP Architects’ design strategies and responses over the years.

DEVELOPMENT MIX As the public housing market evolves over the years to provide consumers with diversified offerings, and the average buyer becoming savvier in evaluating the merits of a potential home, designers today need to think out of the box to offer the best of functionality, design features and aesthetics.

On the macro level, looking at condominium developments as a whole, it is important to capitalise on site advantages, as sensitive site response can often contribute to the uniqueness of a development.

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THE EVOLUTION OF DPA’S RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

By Leong Wei Lin

The Bayshore, completed in 1997, is designed as an up-market condominium within a lush tropical setting, which has good views towards the sea. With a high level of visibility along East Coast Parkway, the objective was to create an identifiable architectural statement.

With increasing competition, designers must step up to the challenge to develop new design strategies for condominiums 0

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site plan showing the formal arrangement of towers.

Left: The sculptured massing creates a distinctive architecture form.

The development has a relatively formal layout with a strong symmetrical axis in the overall site plan. The development is dominated by two pairs of 30-storey blocks, each pair linked by a 12-storey block. Articulation of the façade is created by the interplay of building elements, which results in a sculptured massing capped by a cantilevered trellis. Typical unit layouts are arranged symmetrically around the service core. This example of non-differentiated unit layouts is something less seen in today’s condominium developments. The success of The Bayshore lies in the generous garden setting which provides ample outdoor space for the occupants.

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River Place, completed just two years after The Bayshore, is situated at a very strategic location at the fringe of the downtown district, where the site is bound by Havelock Road, Clemenceau Avenue and the Singapore River, as well as being adjacent to the historical district of Robertson Quay. The planning strategy adopted responds to the variety of urban conditions present

Above: River Place’s site plan showing the varying building grain within the development.

Above right: View of the overall development showing the variety of architectural forms.

in the unique site location, offering three architectural forms within a single development, which was not commonly seen during that time. It consisted of a high-density slab block that contained the majority of the required apartment floor area lining the city edges, a low-density block at a more intimate scale for the communal open spaces and the riverfront, and a taller point block as a focus. This

design approach gave rise to more than a hundred different types of apartment layouts, dispelling any form of anonymity normally associated with large housing developments and catered to a varied group of potential buyers.

This approach also offered each resident a unique sense of place and identity.

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Design solutions

In 2012, DPA completed Floridian, a development situated along Bukit Timah Road that redefines residential living via a hospitality-oriented approach. The experience celebrates the daily act of returning home, taking reference from the coastal lifestyle of Miami, Florida.

Comprising eleven 10-storey towers with a total of 336 units, the towers fall under different themes and, through subtle differences in architectural language, manage to have varying characters while still belonging to a collective whole.

The Keys are positioned like a promontory right in between the lap pool and main swimming pool, and characterise the entrance with the corner timber treatment at the communal green platforms on alternate levels. Adjacent to the lap pool, the Downtown towers play up an urban quality of clean solid lines and accent colours as a reflection of the young urbanite’s lifestyle.

Aligned next to The Keys is The Verandah which is distinctive because of the communal rooftop terraces and gardens that embellish the façade and roofscape with lush green foliage. The Hideaway and Pavilion Towers house most of the prime four and fourplus bedroom units and are defined by the generous, screened balconies.

Distinctive characters of the towers cater to a wide demographic Overall, the various towers with their varied attributes and distinctive designs echo the theme of Floridian living – a touch of good living with many lifestyle alternatives amid a lush waterfront environment.

Courtesy of Far East Orchard

Right: The extensive water bodies along the spine of the development is a key feature of Floridian.

The corner timber treatment at the communal platforms on alternate levels characterises the entrance.

Courtesy of Far East Orchard

Left: Floridian’s site plan showing the arrangement of the residential blocks around the water bodies.

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Left: eCO’s site plan showing the residential typology mix with respect to the landscape.

Legend: SOHO Suites Condo Townhouse

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Located along Bedok South Avenue 3 and conceived as a ‘community in a garden’, eCO, to be completed in 2015, offers 748 living units with five residential typologies within a single condominium development. This level of choice addresses the present trend and future direction of housing where multitude of needs have to be addressed, and diversity of options becomes an expectation within a single development. The prestige of the Townhouses, comfort of the Condos and Lofts, exclusivity of the Suites and flexibility of the SOHO-style units come together in the

eCO, strengthening community relationships while meeting the lifestyle choices of each individual. eCO also offers 100 percent pool view for all units, with tower blocks enjoying a desirable north-south orientation. While the townhouses take advantage of the site terrain, and are located on the highest point of the site to enjoy sweeping views of the mature heritage trees along the east boundary, the resultant east-west orientation of the units is mitigated by providing ample louvre screening.

While site constraints and floor area efficiency requirements do not usually allow for extensive landscape and amenities, eCO atypically manages to provide different pool types, such as a 50m lap pool, children’s pool, a recreational pool and aqua therapy pools. Taking into consideration busy lifestyles, fitness opportunities are also provided not simply by providing exercise stations, but by crafting the verdant landscape to incorporate an ecological nature trail, bio ponds, and other themed gardens.

Right: Perspective view of the units facing the heritage trees.

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Design solutions

Left: Earlier

COMMUNAL SPACES, AMENITIES & LANDSCAPE

condominiums like The Bayshore organised extensive landscaping and pools at the ground level.

In the past, typically the larger developments would have the luxury of extensive landscaping, and landscaping was largely limited to the ground level.

Today, many developments provide landscaping not just at the grounds, but also at sky terraces and gardens. Vertical greening has also become popular in recent years. The advent of sky terraces, gardens and vertical green while being said to address the wants of consumers, can also be attributed in part to URA’s and BCA’s urban and Green Mark guidelines. The responsibility of designers is not to simply maximise the permissible bonus gross floor area afforded by such schemes, but to utilise every square metre thoughtfully and with creativity.

Designers need to generate creative interpretations of the residential landscape to produce high-quality differentiated offerings One example that demonstrates creativity in

The experience of the scenic gardenscape

the use of greening and landscaping options is Jardin, completed in 2012. The design of Jardin incorporates two main ideas – a ‘vertical’ garden setting and the French notion of living.

These concepts are pivotal architectural formgenerators, and encapsulate new pleasures of high-rise living and modern lifestyles.

begins upon entry to the development, where residents and visitors are greeted by a green terrain that berms and elevates the building.

The combination of French and garden themes epitomises the spirit of this exciting residential property, that of providing quality and tasteful living amid clever landscaping that challenges the conventional notions of residential landscaping.

In Jardin, where architecture and landscape merge into a living environment, the pleasure of living in a high-rise garden environment is materialised. At each alternate level, extensive gardens extend from the loft units, serving as deep communal ‘balconies’. Besides functionally providing shade and buffer from city noise, these gardens connect the units’ living spaces, allowing for use as social spaces.

Right: Jardin’s roof top amenities offer opportunities for socialising.

Below: View of Jardin’s extensively landscaped communal balconies.

Courtesy of Far East Organization

Courtesy of Far East Organization

Left: The Minton’s connecting bridges between the blocks overlook the landscaping, such as the ‘Cascading Waterfall’ and the ‘Amazonian Lily Pond’.

On the other side of the size and scale spectrum, currently under construction and to be completed in 2014, is The Minton, a suburban condominium development that reflects the increasingly sophisticated demands of the modern homeowner and markets a lifestyle package for the whole family.

The Minton comprises ten 15-storey, eight 17storey apartment blocks and two basement car parks with a total of 1,145 units including 24 units of penthouses. The designers have taken full advantage of the site topography in the use of open spaces and landscaping whereby one can enjoy distinctively different

experiences, facilitated by bridges and sky terraces connecting the blocks to support the activities throughout the development that cater to all ages and lifestyles.

Unlike older developments, The Minton follows the increasing trend of providing not just the basic amenities, but a much wider range that is set attractively within a cleverly designed landscape. It boasts of one of the largest clubhouses in Singapore. Beyond the amenities commonly found in most condominiums, The Minton also has dedicated rooms for yoga, billiards, table soccer, karaoke, piano and table-tennis to name a few. Further commercial

facilities such as childcare and retail are housed in the clubhouse’s annex building.

Other recreational and sports facilities are strategically placed around the entire development like an indoor badminton court, playgrounds, an 82-seat library, a 50m lap pool, a 20m heated pool, hydromassage pavilions, onsen spas, fitness stations and a jogging track.

The extensive provision of communal facilities goes above and beyond the typical facilities found in most public housing estates, coupled with exclusivity and privacy; and is made possible by the critical mass of households in this large estate.

Right: The sky terraces connecting the blocks accommodate amenities such as the onsen spas and hydromassage pavilions, a gym and changing facilities in specially designed environments.

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Design solutions

UNIT CONFIGURATION Condominium developments usually have the advantage of location, and, oftentimes, the site affords beautiful vistas that designers capitalise on by maximising viewing angles for as many units as possible.

whereby provision of prime views have to be balanced with the treatment of the less desirable east-west facing façades. Creative, atypical unit layouts is one way of achieving this with success.

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Besides utilising tower orientation to capitalise on prime views, designers also have to take into account other site factors such as sun orientation,

Balcony

Above: Pavilion 11’s typical unit layout which shows the living room space at the furthest points of the floor plate.

Left: The staggered towers allow for optimal view angles.

Completed in 2009, Pavilion 11 consists of two elegant towers that stand proudly on a gentle sloping site in a staggered arrangement for optimum solar orientation and full capitalisation on the magnificent views towards Orchard Road, the Central Business District, and the nearby nature reserve.

Living rooms are deftly ‘nudged’ slightly out of alignment, resulting in 270-degree, unobstructed, extraneous views from the living area balconies. Creative use and positioning of dedicated, private lifts allow access to units via the living rooms; and the flowing seamless space creates an expansive view beyond the balcony.

Among the tallest condominiums in Singapore, Sky@eleven was completed in 2010 and comprises four blocks of 43-storey apartment towers within a verdant landscape in Thomson Road.

The blocks are planned in linear form to capitalise on the city view to the south and MacRitchie Reservoir to the north. Privacy and exclusivity are reflected in the planning of the typical vertical circulation core, where just two or three apartments share a common lift lobby. Each apartment is dual-facing, ensuring good lighting and crossventilation throughout. By strategically stretching the unit layout, and situating the entrance to open to the family space, long narrow corridors leading to bedrooms are avoided while enabling all bedrooms and living spaces to have unobstructed views.

Such a layout is refreshing and conducive to home life as it brings family members past common living spaces before entering the individual’s space.

Left: Sky@eleven’s typical L-shaped unit layout showing unit access at family area.

Right: Architectural form enclosing amenities and sky terraces creates a point of visual interest.

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Above: The Trillium’s site plan showing the spacing and orientation of the towers.

Left: The ground storey approach to one of the towers.

The Trillium is a premium high-rise condominium situated within an urban setting in River Valley and was completed in 2011.

Comprising three 29-storey towers and one basement car park, the development is sited on a long and narrow plot along Kim Seng Road, surrounded by other high-rise buildings.

This created a potential issue of overlooking units. Each tower was then designed with a clover plan with only three promontory units per storey for maximum 270-degree views and privacy.

Unit layouts have to maximise functionality while optimising site opportunities

Left: The Trillium’s tower orientation maintains the privacy of each unit, and overcomes the constraints of a slender plot.

The clover plan gives The Trillium its signature trefoil form – with it, each tower is articulated as three slender stacks, thus avoiding the massive-block effect. The towers are then spaced apart at the maximum distance possible with lush landscaping in between to minimise the overpowering effect of the towers over the Kim Seng Road streetscape.

The private lift lobby, balconies and living room can be amalgamated into one continuous deck by means of sliding doors, allowing residents generous spaces for contemporary outdoor ‘sky-living’.

DP Architects’ portfolio of condominium projects dating from the 1990s to the present demonstrates that designers’ abilities, adaptability and creativity is critical when dealing with the challenges over the years, be it site constraints, urban and building guidelines, or changing societal trends. With numerous residential developments currently under construction and in the pipeline, innovation takes priority so as to continually refresh design solutions.

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Architecture Issues

The Changing Singapore Residential Model

By Widari Bahrin

Singapore’s high-density residential tower blocks have evolved since the housing crisis of the 1960s. Today’s architects must respond to Singapore’s complex housing regulations, but also create exciting and engaging places to live within this tight urban setting. The Singapore model for space-efficient, tropical residential architecture is perpetually being reconciled with the needs of the population. With a commitment to design integrity, DP Architects responds to planning guidelines while providing clients and developers with a product that addresses the needs of the end user and community. Here, the architects tread the fine line between tightly controlled space restrictions and functionality.

DPA’s residential projects engage with the exigencies which shape the way we live. The eCO project in Bedok embraces a multi-disciplinary approach to design, fully engaging with external consultants in order to make every square metre count.

Landscape and public spaces were a special focus, driving the design of the

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Right: With an emphasis on community and garden living, the design of eCO focuses on shared, green, open vistas.

overall development. Envisioned as an eco-friendly development with an emphasis on community and gardenliving, the design of eCO pre-emptively focuses on the need for shared, green, open vistas. Recently revised URA guidelines related to Private Enclosed Spaces and private Roof Terraces will most likely result in a reduction of outdoor private spaces. Architecturally we may see a greater priority placed on the quality of shared communal spaces in response to this reduction.

Meaningful green space in eCO has driven the design of its shared spaces.

Tenant allotments are provided to encourage a sense of ownership over the space. Tending a piece of the garden becomes a community activity. Near the top of the site is a

By Lee Boon Woei

In early 2012, DP Architects embarked on an exercise to replace in phases all office light bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs. Our office in Marina Square is made up of three main studios, and Studio 1 is the first to make the switch. Led by our Environmentally Sustainable Design Department, the aim is not just to save energy, but, more importantly, to encourage DPians to go green at work.

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The strategic location and design of these highly accessible green spaces in eCO contribute to its highly successful commercial sales at the end of 2012. Innovative design solutions which take a multi-faceted approach in reaction to user demands and authority guidelines remain critical in order to keep up with Singapore’s rapid pace of change.

Sustainable Design

Lighting the way with L.E.D.

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tree conservation area into which the architects inserted a raised timber deck creating an easily accessible, usable space. This otherwise unusable space, due to a steep slope and restrictions on Tree Protection Zones, becomes a unique part of the garden journey through the site.

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The switch began late last year. Starting with our Studio 1 office, all fluorescent and halogen lights were replaced with light-emitting diodes (LED).

To ease the transition, three ‘Nos’ were set at the start: No replacement of existing light fittings, No reduction in the lighting level and No major disruption to the office processes.

Unlike fluorescent tubes which emit light in all directions, LEDs radiate in a limited beam angle; and as LEDs are sensitive to heat, it was important to find the right bulbs that could dissipate heat effectively in the existing fittings. It took eight months of testing supplier samples to evaluate the suitability of the office fittings and to

finally choose the ones that closely matched in lighting intensity.

Besides using less energy than fluorescent tubes, LED bulbs turn on instantly with no flicker and emit virtually no Ultraviolet rays or Infra Radiation.

LED also has a better colour rendering index than fluorescent light, which means it reproduces the colours of objects more faithfully, an important consideration for designers.

As lighting quality has not been compromised, I’m sure some of our colleagues are in the dark about the switch. The $2,000 monthly savings in electricity bills for Studio 1 alone, however, makes a glaring difference. This switch also brought a 51 percent improvement in the lighting power budget stated in the SS 530 guideline for energy efficiency in buildings – a full-marks guarantee in the artificial lighting category of the Green Mark Office Interior assessment.

The columnist heads the Environmentally Sustainable Design Department at DP Architects.

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Awards & events

DP Architects at

SIT@RP Groundbreaking Ceremony

The Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) held a groundbreaking ceremony on 29 January 2013 for its new building located at Republic Polytechnic.

The design for the new SIT building is undertaken by Maki and Associates, Japan, in collaboration with DP Architects as the project architect. The 13,300sqm, nine-storey building is expected to be ready by 2014.

SIT, Singapore’s fifth university, offers undergraduate degree programmes for polytechnic graduates and will have a building at each of the five polytechnics.

DP Architects has also been commissioned to design and implement another two of the five SIT buildings.

SIA Practice Convention 2013

Leadership in Architectural Practice

The ‘bench’ project

The To-Gather Bench DP Architects is one of 25 local designers and artists invited to take part in the ‘bench’ project using wooden plank seats from the former National Stadium as a creative way to commemorate the national icon.

DPA’s design, named ‘The To-Gather Bench’ is a team effort from Amirullah Zulkifli Hartono, Bayu Prayudhi, Hans Park, Jazelle Ang, Koh Aileen, Seah Chee Huang and Wong Rouwan. The design brings together wooden planks and recycled concrete aggregates that made up the seats at the old Kallang stadium, and steel gabion modules to create a two-tiered bench that can be reconfigured for different uses. The bench can be used for sitting, standing, leaning, as stands for plants and as see-saw for playing, giving the community new possibilities of gathering and bonding.

Courtesy of Singapore Institute of Architects

DP Architects director Mr Chin Thoe Chong was one of the speakers at the Singapore Institute of Architects Practice Convention 2013. The theme for this year’s programme is ‘Leadership in Architectural Practice’ and Mr Chin was invited to present on the business model of a large international practice.

The 25 commissioned designs and five winning public entries were unveiled at an award ceremony held at The URA Centre on 28 February 2013 and then exhibited at design event SingaPlural from 8 to 15 March 2013. A public exhibition in April will follow. ‘Bench’ is organised by cross-disciplinary design firm FARM, and presented by the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Singapore Furniture Industries Council.

Below: The To-Gather Bench can be configured for different uses and possibilities of bonding.

Mr Chin began his presentation with the importance of sharing the Singapore Experience, and discussed the complexities and uncertainties of operating on foreign soil. He also stressed the necessity of having different strategies for different markets, and the importance of good local partners, resource management and flexibility to an effective overseas operation. He continued with case studies of DPA’s undertakings in countries as diverse as Dubai, Indonesia, India and Myanmar, and shared the firm’s strategies in adapting and sustaining its business model in these territories.

The convention was held on 1 March 2013 at Furama Riverfront Hotel.

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DP personalities

An interview with

,

“I was inspired by the oldfashioned charm of loft apartments in New York, having spent three years studying and working there.”

- Aloysius

& Tell us about your home.

A: Sin Mei and I moved into a resale five-room HDB flat in Chai Chee about two years ago. I was inspired by the old-fashioned charm of loft apartments in New York, having spent three years studying and working there. Hence, we knew this was our home when we saw the original cornices of this old flat, which we kept, as well as its high ceiling and full-height windowed balcony. The overall look is clean and simple. I wanted white to be the main colour because it gives a bright and expansive feel.

SM: We specifically shopped for HDB point blocks because of the spacious unit layout and the privacy of having only four units per floor.

Yet, the units are connected by a communal lift lobby that is quite the gathering space for our neighbourly chats. It’s an ingenious layout for living, but sadly not replicated by HDB anymore.

Aloysius and Sin Mei playing with baby Kate at their favourite corner

Design in Print talks to associate director Leo Mauricio, and married couple associate Aloysius Lian and architectural executive Cheng Sin Mei about where they live and what makes their house a home.

Interview by Toh Bee Ping

L: I have two homes. One is a house in Mugliston Park in Yio Chu Kang. I’ve lived there for two years now. It’s a large house with a garden, a frontyard and a backyard, and comes with a mango tree and a coconut tree. The house is nestled in a quiet community of mostly landed properties. The other is my house in Manila. It is my pride because I built most of it with my own hands. Like my house in Singapore, it is surrounded by greenery. My wife Vikki and I are both blessed with green thumbs, and I spend many good hours tending to the plants.

Which is your favourite corner?

A: That would be the balcony that we converted into an extension of the master bedroom. The brick wall is my wife’s touch; we love the texture and the old-school charm. There is a comfortable couch that I read, play with my iPad and listen to music on. Sometimes I just sit there and watch my beautiful wife and baby sleep.

SM: This is where we used to sit and feed the baby at 4am in the morning! Now we read to her and play with her here. It’s the place where the memories of our baby’s first years are forged.

L: In my Singapore home, the place where I wind down after work is the living room sofa in front of the TV. Other times you’ll find me at the dining room table, hunched over the drawings of my house in Manila, a work in progress since 1997. It’s a three-storey house with a patio at the back surrounded by my homegrown ‘jungle’. The patio, after the bedroom,

is where I spend most of my time. The greenery and sound of water cascading from the pond has a soothing effect; coupled with a mug of freshly brewed coffee... heaven lah. I did almost everything: the carpentry, plumbing and electrical works. The house is 90 percent complete; what is left is the covered roof deck I call Leo’s Eagle Nest (laughs).

One of the proudest features of our home is what I call ‘the drama of the staircase’. It is easily noticed as you enter the house when you enter. Half of the stairs serves as a display for knickknacks that Vikki and I have collected over the years in our travels. The staircase wall is a gallery for our collection of artworks by Filipino artists, my son and me.

It was not only designed but built by me, down to the metalwork of the railing which l cut, welded, painted and assembled.

Awaken The Dragon Festival 2013

What do you love about your housing choice?

A: We live on the eleventh floor and we have a very nice view, especially of the sunrise, the treetops and the roofscape of Opera Estate. Good natural light is very important. It is also very windy. There is a small green space right next to our flat where Sin Mei will take the baby for a stroll every evening after dinner. The neighbourhood uncles and aunties love to play with our baby.

SM: Although it has the bustle of an engaged neighbourhood and the low rumbling of MRT trains, it’s not noisy. The lift lobby is a communal space for the four units. Our floor is a multi-racial one; a Chinese, Indian and Malay family live in the other three units. They were curious and excited when a young couple like us moved in. There is neighbourly camaraderie not common in newer estates. To us, this is an idyllic place.

L: I lived in a high-rise apartment back in 2000 or so, but there was just not enough room for gardening and my DIY carpentry projects. With the space that comes with landed homes, I can work extensively on the house and the garden, get my hands dirty and transform my home into a resort-style haven. It is also easier to wash my car!

“The patio is where I spend most of my time.

The greenery and sound of water cascading from the pond has a soothing effect; coupled with a mug of freshly brewed coffee... heaven lah.”

Courtesy of Awaken the Dragon Festival

Seventy DPians took part in a workshop on 28 November 2013 to learn about the art of pottery, the history of dragon kilns in Singapore and to sculpt their own clay work. This was one of many workshops held around Singapore as part of a community art project, of which DP Architects was a proud sponsor.

The workshops culminated in the historic firing of the Jalan Bahar Dragon Kiln in January. A total of 3,000 clay pieces produced by members of the public was fired in the kiln, the first time in over thirty years that its entire length of 43m was fired – a significant event for Singapore ceramics, arts and culture. The pieces were then exhibited at the National Museum of Singapore from 9 to 24 March 2013.

Awaken the Dragon Festival was organised by Ms Michelle Lim, a design lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic, and Post-Museum.

All Rights Reserved. No material may be reproduced without prior permission. DP Architects accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions or resultant consequences including any loss or damage arising from reliance on information in Design in Print. Any opinions in Design in Print are solely those of the named authors of the article in which they appear. Unless named as author, DP Architects, Editorial Panel and other Contributors do not endorse any such views and disclaim all liability from their publication.

- Leo

Copyright © DP Architects Pte Ltd MICA (P) 012/10/2012 Printed by SC (Sang Choy) International Pte Ltd L028/03/2012 Published by DP Architects Pte Ltd 6 Raffles Boulevard #04-100 Marina Square Singapore 039594 T: +65 6338 3988 F: +65 6337 9989 E: ask_corpcomm@dpa.com.sg W: www.dpa.com.sg Photo Contributors: Leo Mauricio, Loh Yew Cheng, Pocholo Mauricio, Rida Sobana & Yong Hock Seng All photos are credited to the mentioned photographers unless otherwise stated.

Leo relaxing at the patio of his Manila home

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The design of Ridgewood Condominium, one of the first condominiums in Singapore, places a strong emphasis on good orientation and luscious landscaping.

With 75 percent of the land area devoted to both hard and soft landscaping, the setting created is of a lush tropical garden.

The buildings are sited to respond to the gently sloping topography. Two major open spaces are created: an open hilltop area and a lower tree-covered area where the swimming pool, squash and tennis courts are located. In this lower area, the presence of trees and plants creates a sense of privacy for the users of the facilities and for the residents in nearby units.

In association with Hogan, Cobeen, Weitz and Associates of Hawaii.

Project team: Koh Seow Chuan, Gan Eng Oon, Loke Kwong Yoon, Teo Koon Hai and Peter Lee

Ridgewood Condominium

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