HOTEL ISSUE
FABRIC TO FAÇADE
INDUSTRY DP ARCHITECTS WINS THREE URA ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE AWARDS
OASIA HOTEL URBAN OASIS
HOTEL FORT CANNING
A PROJECT OF REVITALISATION AND REINVENTION
www.dpa.com.sg
GRAND PARK ORCHARD
IN DEPTH
MICA (P) 008/10/2011
IN DETAIL
VOLUME 2 NUMBER 3 2011 SINGAPORE
Volume 2 Number 3, 2011, Singapore
CONTENTS Letter from the Guest Editor Dear Readers,
The latest happenings in DP
In the last two years, we witnessed a boom in the tourism sector triggered by the completion of the two Integrated Resorts. This has boosted the demand for hotels and spurred hoteliers to embark on new developments as well as give their existing properties a facelift. We are privileged to have continued rigorous involvement in hotel projects: Fullerton Bay Hotel, the new wing for Carlton Hotel, the refurbishment of Meritus Mandarin Orchard, to name a few. We are also witnessing Singapore’s transformation into a regional medical hub, evidenced from the opening of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and the upcoming fifth general hospital in Jurong. The private sector is also contributing to this growth, with Parkway Novena Hospital and Connexion – a mixed-use development that combines hospital, medical and hotel facilities within a single address – entering the scene. The growth in the medical tourism industry will affect a change in the landscape of the hospitality industry and the evolving typology of hotels. In this issue, we put the spotlight on three of our recently completed hospitality projects in Singapore – Oasia Hotel and Novena Specialist Center, Grand Park Orchard and Hotel Fort Canning. The first was conceptualised as a healing space where the medical centre is a complementary facility to the hotel. Grand Park Orchard and Hotel Fort Canning are refurbishment projects catering to leisure travellers. The former, located along the famed Orchard Road shopping belt, appeals to fashion lovers while the latter offers an urban retreat with a touch of history amidst the lush Fort Canning Hill landscape. These pages offer a glimpse of our hospitality portfolio and demonstrate how our design approach has evolved with the times.
Short takes on new & notable projects
01 Thomson Grand 02 The Clift 03 Hotel & Commercial Development@ Zhongshan Park 04 Skyline@Orchard Boulevard 05 Park Square 06 Carlton City Hotel 07 Skyline Residences 08 Robinson Hotel 09 36 BTrd
Featured projects
Hotel Fort Canning Oasia Hotel
Design Solutions
Grand Park Orchard
Awards & events
ITE Eco Conference NUS Architecture Exhibition 2011 Minister of National Development’s R&D Award Badminton & Bowling Tournaments URA Architectural Heritage Awards Emerging Voices Talk Series Green Construction Seminar Asia Pacific Tree Climbing Championship
DP personalities
Interview with Lee Shee Koeng & Yong Chin Hwei
Chan Hui Min Heng Chin Hong Nartano Lim Collin Anderson
DESIGN IN PRINT TEAM
Graphics
Writing
Editorial
Teoh Hai Pin, Director, DP Architects Pte Ltd
DP Architects in China An Apology
Office Event: Bottle Tree Park Family Day 2011
Celebration of past projects
Kyle Fulton Toh Bee Ping
Loh Yew Cheng Lek Noonchoo Fu Tingting Additional contributor: Jackie Poh
Merlin Inn, 1982
Cover photo: Grand Park Orchard
| The latest happenings in DP
A NEW ADDRESS, A NEW BEGINNING
AN APOLOGY In Volume 2 Number 2 of Design in Print, the information in an article on the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), accompanied by pictorial representations of three satellite campuses, was published prematurely in error without their consent. This was a result of internal miscommunication between our publication and project teams. We retract the article and have put in place procedures to make sure that such an error does not happen again. On behalf of DP Architects, we offer our sincere and unreserved apologies to SIT for the inconvenience caused by this oversight. – Directors Angelene Chan and Chin Thoe Chong
DP Architects in China
DP Architects’ China operations began early in the decade with a representative office in Shenzhen. In 2002, the first branch office was established in Shanghai’s Pudong district with a staff of six. As the firm approaches its tenth year in China, its presence in the country has increased with branch offices in Beijing, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, and the staff strength has multiplied to 130. To meet the demands of a growing outfit, the Shanghai main office moved to a new premise in March this year. Relocated to Nanjing Road West in the heart of Shanghai Puxi commercial and retail hub, the new office is now on the 32nd floor of Wheelock Square, one of the tallest skyscrapers in Shanghai. The new Shanghai main office signifies the firm’s commitment to the China market and marks the beginning of a new chapter for DP Architects in China.
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residential
| Short takes on new & notable projects
Thomson Grand Singapore
residential
Poised atop an exquisitely carved landscaped deck, the nine residential towers are conceived as sculptures within the development’s lush park-like setting. Each twenty-storey tower typically features two units per floor served by private lifts. All 339 apartment units enjoy breathtaking views of the Singapore Island Country Club and Lower Pierce Reservoir. Each tower’s tapering balconies culminate in a majestic ‘crown’ at the rooftop. At night, the crowns glow as iconic beacons in the Upper Thomson district. The 22 strata landed houses offer an alternative living environment and are articulated with similar glazing treatment to complement the towers.
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The Clift Singapore
Situated on McCallum Street in the heart of the Central Business District, The Clift offers a new lifestyle concept for contemporary urban living. The 43-storey development is designed for maximum usability and loft-style living from the 32nd storey up. Conceived for city dwellers, the units have a functional and compact layout. The landscaped terraces on the 10th and 31st floors serve as a modern playground and entertainment area. The 10th floor recreation deck houses a fully-equipped gymnasium and spa amenities. On the 31st storey, this concept is extended to include an indoor clubhouse area and private alcoves with ensuite plunge pool or jacuzzi perfect for private parties.
DP 01
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Hotel & Commercial Development@Zhongshan Park Singapore
mixed-use
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Short takes on new & notable projects
The Hotel & Commercial Development@Zhongshan Park was a URA tender site launched in 2008 to rejuvenate the Balestier Conservation Area. The development consists of two hotels, an office, two levels of retail, and low-rise F&B amenities surrounding a public park that leads to the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall. The park, named after Dr Sun Yat Sen, is the third Zhongshan Park outside China and the first in South East Asia. The park is designed in a contemporary fashion but along the lines of a traditional Chinese garden. An unobstructed view corridor was pre-determined to ensure a strong visual connection from the park towards the Memorial Hall.
04 Skyline@Orchard Boulevard Singapore
Situated in Singapore’s most sought-after address, Skyline@Orchard Boulevard is a 33-storey masterpiece soaring above a richly landscaped garden. The tower consists of 40 luxury residential units in five varying sizes and configurations. Each unit type has a distinctive expression, contributing to a multifaceted façade. The tower is crowned by a 875 sqm penthouse unit with three floors, an outdoor garden, swimming pool and roof terraces. Between the low and mid-rise sections, a sky garden provides a double-height outdoor fitness and relaxation centre with stunning views. This project is designed by Maki & Associates of Japan.
05 Park Square India
retail
Located within the International Tech Park Bangalore, the premium IT hub of the city, Park Square is aimed at the affluent young IT professionals. Besides retail, this 41,800 sqm mall includes a multiplex, entertainment and F&B outlets, and two levels of basement parking. The vibrant façade, with its multi-coloured vertical glass patterns, echoes the playful mood of the younger visitors. This vibrancy is extended to the interiors and the surrounding landscape. The entrance leads to a generous skylit atrium space, injecting natural light into the mall. A covered over-bridge with escalators invites people in and provides a vital connection to the IT campus.
hotel
residential
The low-rise fine-grained commercial massing is articulated to sit harmoniously with the conserved shophouses and modern buildings in the Balestier area. The towers, on the other hand, take on a clean and simple form, maintaining an ephemeral presence above the low-rise massing.
06 Carlton City Hotel
Singapore Standing at 29 storeys, the four-star 386-room business hotel features a double volume reception lobby on the ground level and an executive guest lounge that opens to a roof terrace with panoramic views on the 28th storey. The hotel tower’s façade is a composition of dark grey tinted glass with vertical aluminium fins serving as sun shading devices; its rectangular prismatic form interlocks the 3-storey stone-clad podium with architectural clarity. A glass-encased rotunda – a signature reference to the Carlton Hotel on Bras Basah Road – addresses the important junction of Tanjong Pagar Road and Gopeng Street.
residential
residential
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Skyline Residences Singapore
Situated in a tree conservation area, the condominium has three 24-storey towers consisting of 283 units with eight unit types and three duplex penthouses at the prime tower. The second storey terrace has an extended ceiling height equivalent to six storeys, raising the lowest level residential units to 18m above ground level.
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Robinson Hotel Singapore
Built in 1927, this four-storey conservation building at the corner of Boon Tat Street and Robinson Road, known formerly as the Telecommunication Authority of Singapore building, is to be converted into a hotel with a five-storey new extension. The original Neo-classical faรงade will be restored. The design of the new extension complements the site and the existing building while staying contemporary. A skylight separates the old and the new. Lifts and the staircase core are located where the old and the new joins, and a continuous looping corridor serves the 134 guestrooms. Night lighting is integrated with the old and the new to reflect the architecture and enhance the vibrancy of the Central Business District.
hotel
Careful planning and cantilevered balconies ensure that all units enjoy unobstructed views of Sentosa island and the Straits of Singapore with the vast greenery of Keppel Golf Link and Labrador Park in the foreground. For the bigger units, a private lift open onto the balcony so that residents and visitors are greeted by the picturesque scene on arrival. The dynamic movement of water permeates throughout the development, enhancing the vertical lines of the architecture while creating and reinforcing the illusion of three towers that rise from a tranquil oasis.
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36 BTrd Singapore
This three-storey inter-terrace house is the first private residence to be rated Green Mark Platinum. Driven by the principles of passive design, the open concept encourages crossventilation and lets in plenty of natural daylight. Balconies, overhangs, shading devices and landscaping reduce interior heat. Indoor-living is made comfortable and energy-efficient with environmentally-friendly systems including solar-powered air-con and hot water system, LED lights and a solar-charging station for an electric bike. Sustainable materials such as recyclable steel structures, reclaimed timber and green cement were used. The estimated carbon-emission reduction of 4.62 tons per year is equivalent to saving 22 trees a year. DP 03
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Featured projects
HOTEL FORT CANNING
A PROJECT OF REVITALISATION AND REINVENTION
By Collin Anderson
PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY OF HOTEL FORT CANNING
A collection of architectural details describe the rich history of a conserved building and its site Hotel Fort Canning and its environs have been stage to a deeply layered history that is both geographic and national. To reconfigure this 1926 British Colonialstyle military building as a contemporary urban hotel, the architects worked both retrospectively – carefully considerate of the structure’s evolution with reference to that of its site – and in an anticipatory manner, employing techniques that would creatively rerepresent the past in light of new function. Specifically, the ephemeral architectural elements of glass and lighting work to expose and celebrate the layers of this history.
YEAR: 2011
At 60 metres above sea level, Fort Canning Park is the highest point within Singapore’s Central Area. This geological elevation has made the hill a centre of regional authority for centuries: archaeological excavations evidenced the park as having once been home to palatial residences of 14th century Malay kings, for which the site came to be known as Bukit Larangan or Forbidden Hill; Sir Stamford Raffles built his first residence and botanical garden here in the 1820s with the founding of Singapore as a colony; the park owes its current name to a later Governor-General who transformed the hill into a fort and military command headquarters; and the site became home to the Singapore Armed Forces following the nation’s independence in the 1960s. Hotel Fort Canning is adapted from a military administrative-use building erected in 1926, a structure later host to the Fort Canning
Country Club. In the conversion of this building into a hotel, the architects have designed each of the building’s elements as reflective odes to this diverse history: for instance, a shallow pool in the lobby recalls the baths of the hill’s 14th century palaces; and guestroom balcony planters extend the exterior inwards, drawing from the mid1800s botanical gardens first established by Sir Stamford Raffles. As a conserved heritage building, design work for the hotel necessitated extensive restorative measures respectful of the building’s original architectural qualities – this included the revival of the façade, re-programming a closed lobby once again as an outdoor portecochere, stripping columns and ceilings of supplemental cladding to reveal former structure, and repairing timber elements at the grand
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AREA: 11,200 SQM
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SINGAPORE
central staircase, cross balustrades, beams and trusses. In addition to refurbishment, the architects performed interior layout alterations to accommodate new hospitality functions – partition wall rearrangements to incorporate 86 guestrooms within the existing column grid, and replacing outdoor verandahs with perimeter wall bathrooms, for instance. In each of these cases, lighting and glass are implemented to juxtapose original architectural elements with new visual and functional details. These work to capture the minimalist characteristics inherent to the building’s initial use for military operations – rather than relying upon artwork and fabrics as critical components of interior design, the architectural details themselves provide the rich textures and articulations of a comfortable internal environment. DP 05
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Featured projects
Right: Each Deluxe Garden Room features French doors that open to a private landscaped patio (bottom left).
Ephemeral elements of glass and light reveal the building’s many layers Lighting works in an exhibitionist manner, commemorating elements of the building’s original structure: lit coffers open up the ceiling to frame underlying beams; lights embedded in the floors transform each column into a feature on display; the asymmetry of the 1920s central hall is retained and emphasised by a lit cove designed along one edge of the ceiling. These illumination techniques extend to the exterior, where lights produce a nightlong display of original horizontal and vertical façade segments. In a second consistent architectural theme, glass detailing performs as a backdrop to establish striking moments
of transition between new and old. Frameless, electric glass doors sit inside heavy timber portals to contrast the historic with the modern at the lobby; these also work to place the building’s central column on display as a specialised feature. Four glass-enclosed archaeological pits are embedded into the floor of the reception space to showcase 14th and 19th century pottery and earthenware excavated from the hill. In the guestrooms, verandahs are creatively transformed into bathrooms and sitting areas to counter the narrow transverse dimensions of the building. Here, grand doorways float in a frame of glass to highlight the once-existent transition from inside to outside — this becomes the room’s focal point in a unique reciprocal relationship of ‘framing the frame’ to expose the space’s altered function by means of architectural detailing; a similar technique is employed to hold a heavy portal within a plane of glass at the ground floor passageway leading into new reception and lounge spaces. On the exterior, window glazing units added atop the balustrades in the 1990s were recessed to highlight this rich architectural façade element and establish hierarchies between the historical and the contemporary. In all these ways, the architects of Hotel Fort Canning employ lighting
Above: Sunken archaeological pits exhibit 14th and 19th century artifacts excavated from the site. Facing page top: Wall and ceiling details provide material texture in the hotel lobby. Facing page bottom: Wooden door frames held within planes of glass serve as visible thresholds between old and new internal spaces.
Project Team: Jeremy Tan Loh Hai Yew Wee Eng Chang Aloysius Lian Yong Chin Hwei Jessica Chow Arief Budi Ariyanto
and glass in a process of architectonic layering that communicates the evolutionary nature of the building’s development. These design techniques of stratification and exhibition highlight difference to clearly pose old against new, dramatically altering the way which we understand the structure, its spaces and its history.
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Featured projects
YEAR: 2011
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AREA: 24,300 SQM
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SINGAPORE
OASIA HOTEL URBAN OASIS By Heng Chin Hong
Oasia Hotel is an urban oasis where greenery and water features serve as healing elements of the hotel and medical suites
Project Team: Ong Shen Sien Teo Yang Haw Yang Li Chuan Lina Waty
True to its name, Oasia Hotel, with its medical podium Novena Specialist Center, is an urban oasis in Asia providing respite for leisure and medical tourists.
Right: The expression of the interlocking bay windows is enhanced by the wash of light
Located in the Novena medical hub, the hotel is programmatically synergistic with the adjacent Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Novena Medical Center and the future Parkway Novena Hospital. The development connects 69 medical suites with 428 guest rooms via dedicated lift lobbies, bringing convenience and privacy to patients of the medical centre.
within the recesses of the façade. Bottom Right: The sunken plaza, comprising of green courtyards and reflective
The spatial quality of the development is largely defined by the open spaces that have been introduced at various levels. At the ground level, visitors are greeted by a large sunken courtyard fronting Sinaran Drive which provides an urban space sheltered from the street bustle. Intimately-scaled gardens are introduced as connectors between the medical suites; the greenery and water features serve as healing elements that complement the medical centre. The architectural massing is delineated by the different functions of the building: the hotel rooms are located within the eighteen-storey tower – expressed as an independent volume by the distinct pilotis – which sits above the seven-storey medical podium. The division is further accentuated by a lush terrace garden on the 8th floor. The introduction of the sky terrace on the 22nd storey further defines the more exclusive club rooms within the hotel. The façade design draws reference from water as a motif and is translated into a series of randomly staggered and layered bay windows. The glass windows combined with the blue-grey shade of the aluminum façade reflect the hues of the skies and water, extending the notion of the oasis from interior to exterior.
pools, provides an urban space that is sheltered from the bustle of the city.
Facing page: The architecture is defined by the distinct massing of the hotel, medical centre and commercial components. The random configuration of interlocking bay windows lends a refined scale to the slab block.
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Design solutions
GRAND PARK ORCHARD FABRIC TO FAÇADE By Kyle Fulton
Orchard Road has long stood as Singapore’s most celebrated retail and entertainment district with all the bright lights and big brand names you would expect from a modern metropolis. At its centre where Orchard and Bideford Roads meet, Grand Park Orchard glows, inviting the sophisticated tourist and local alike. As DP Architect’s latest intervention on Orchard Road, it commands the attention of those who pass by with a unique design that incorporates the tenets of high fashion and luxury living.
Working with the site’s existing structure, the design team dressed the building in a series of new façades which have transformed its presence while retaining the strong geometric form of the original architecture. In this way the architects have set up a dialogue between the past and present reminiscent of cyclical fashion trends which reinvent past styles for contemporary tastes. This conceptual relationship between Grand Park Orchard and fashion was further developed throughout the design process and translated into architectural motifs.
Facing page: The
Project Team:
façade’s herringbone
Charmaine Wong
pattern is highlighted
Ng Bee Chen
by the LEDs integrated into the glazing.
Nur Hidayah Binte Kasturi Cleofer Malijan Yong Chin Hwei John Ting Edwin Lim Pao Ven Yuen Lionel Leow Varit Charoenveingvechkit Eric Yau
YEAR: 2010
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AREA: 23,400 SQM
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SINGAPORE
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Design solutions
Far left: A concept drawing showing Grand Park Orchard’s strong geometric form and herringbone pattern. Left: Herringbonepatterned fabric is a staple of sophisticated tailoring.
Below: The clever incorporation of the herringbone pattern into architectural elements such as the glazing and ceiling articulation.
One such instance can be seen in the expansive façades decorated in a distinctive V-shaped pattern known as herringbone. The herringbone pattern has long been used in twill fabrics and its use here represents the timeless quality of fashion through its continual reinvention. Across the building’s façades, the herringbone pattern has been achieved using two different types of construction: the first is planar in the form of etching on glass, and the second is sculptural using modular fins which protrude from the building’s surface. The hotel’s glass façades have to meet stringent heat and sound regulations to ensure that the interior spaces are comfortable for guests. To achieve this, a carefully composed herringbone pattern was embossed on two layers of glass. This increased the overall opacity of the glass and reduced the amount of light allowed into the hotel suites, thus lowering thermal transfer and the associated solar heat gains. While this is a desirable effect, the architects were careful to leave some of the glass transparent;
Sectional Axonometric
Hotel Guestroom Sunscreen Feature Wall (Showers Behind) Main Hotel Reception Retail Shop
Hotel Concierge + Drop-Off Lap Pool
Media Wall Hotel Executive Lounge on 11th Storey Hotel Guestroom
All-day Dining Flagship Store Urban Sculptures
Pool Deck Escalator Portal (Leading to 3rd Storey Retail)
Orchard Pedestrian Walkway
this creates a difference in texture which allows the herringbone pattern to be read across the façades and creates framed views of Orchard Road. To enhance the experience of the patterned façade at night, LEDs were integrated into each of the glazing panels. These lights have been programmed to emit a range of colours at different intensities, adding to the atmosphere during festivities.
Working with the site’s existing structure the design team dressed the building in a series of new façades which have transformed its presence while retaining the strong geometric form of the original architecture
Above: Grand Park Orchard stands as a fashionable figure at the heart of Orchard Road.
The same attention to detail was shown when considering sound insulation. To ensure that hotel guests are not disturbed by the noise and bustle of Singapore’s busiest shopping street, the architects decided that rather than treating the glass with expensive noise reducing films and gases they would simply deflect the noise. This was achieved by fixing specially designed oval louvres in front of the glass which deflect sound waves away from the building. In keeping with the building’s fashion concept, the louvres were arranged in a herringbone pattern, adding to the textural nature of the façade. The architects of Grand Park Orchard have created a building that responds to its famous and fashionable address. Together with its stylish retail podium named Knightsbridge, Grand Park Orchard – physically and conceptually – celebrates fashion’s power to transform.
Right: The oval louvres were specially designed to deflect sound as well as sunlight, ensuring a comfortable and peaceful interior space.
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Awards & events
DP Architects at
ITE Eco Conference The inaugural ITE Eco Conference was held on 8 July at ITE College West. Industry leaders and academics were invited to discuss green practices and the challenge of reducing carbon footprints. Speakers include Fanny Lai, Group CEO of Wildlife Reserves Singapore, and Ang Kian Seng, Director of Research and Centre for Sustainable Buildings at BCA. DP Architects was invited to participate at the event, and the firm’s exhibits showcased the green-thinking behind some of its recent award-winning projects and highlighted the need for sensitive and innovative sustainable solutions.
Supporting future architects
NUS Architecture Exhibition 2011
The National University of Singapore Architecture Exhibition is an annual event that showcases the works of NUS architecture students, including the thesis works of all graduating Masters students. Besides publicising the school, the event serves to demonstrate the quality of the student works to potential employers. This year’s event was held from 24-28 June at the MICA ARTrium. With the aim of developing the next generation of architectural professionals, DP Architects supported the event as a major corporate sponsor.
Zero Energy Building receives
MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT’S R&D AWARD The Zero Energy Building (ZEB), located at the BCA Academy, was bestowed the Distinguished Award at the Minister for National Development’s R&D Award ceremony held on 27 June. The award was one of the highlights of the inaugural Urban Sustainability R&D Congress held on 27 and 28 June. DP Architects was appointed the architect of ZEB, a test-bed for clean energy technologies and the first building in Southeast Asia to be fully retrofitted with Green Building Technologies. The building achieved zero net energy consumption in its first year.
Photo courtesy of Building and Construction Authority
The sporting spirit
Inter-Company Tournaments DP Architects came in second in an inter-company badminton tournament organised by Aecom. Held on 28 May, the competition featured eight teams from the industry including Arup, Beca and TY Lin. In the following month, DP Architects battled 27 teams and finished fourth place in the annual bowling competition organised by Hunter Douglas Singapore. Associate Oliver Venegas did DP proud by placing 8th out of 112 in the individual category.
DP Architects wins three
URA ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE AWARDS The Urban Redevelopment Authority has conferred three Architectural Heritage Awards on DP Architects for its restoration of conservation buildings. Boutique hotel Wanderlust received an award in the National Monuments and Fully Conserved Buildings category, while Hotel Fort Canning and Fullerton Heritage (comprising Clifford Pier, The Fullerton Bay Hotel and Customs House) are recognised in the Integrated ‘Old & New’ Developments category. The awards presentation was held on 3 October. The annual award was introduced in 1995 to give recognition to buildings in Singapore with preservation and conservation status which are well-restored and exhibit architectural or urban design excellence. Photo courtesy of The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore
The green agenda
Green Construction Seminar DP Architects was invited by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) to speak at the Green Construction Seminar on 10 August. Associate Director Chan Hui Min, who oversees DP Architects’ Environmentally Sustainable Design unit, presented to an audience made up of members of MCYS divisions, Singapore Sports Council, People’s Association, National Council of Social Services and Voluntary Welfare Organisations. Using three case studies, Ms Chan illustrated how the green agenda can be integrated in buildings.
Hotel Fort Canning
Photo courtesy of Wanderlust
Nartano Lim speaks at
The Architectural League’s Emerging Voices Talk Series Associate Nartano Lim was one of four guest speakers at The Architectural League: Emerging Voices Talk event held on 21 July at Singapore Polytechnic. Speaking on the theme of Opportunism, Mr Lim presented real-world examples – both in the world of contemporary art and through three significant projects by DP Architects. Organised by the Singapore Institute of Architects Young Architects League, the series aims to engage the interest of students in architectural design.
Promoting tree preservation
Asia Pacific Tree Climbing Championship DP Architects is a proud sponsor of the Asia Pacific Tree Climbing Championship held on 17-19 June at Esplanade Park, Singapore. The annual regional event was jointly organized by National Parks Board and Singapore Arboriculture Society (SAS). DP Green’s Edwin Lim – arborist and council member of SAS – and colleagues were present to promote awareness of tree preservation and reinforce the firm’s continuing efforts in sustainable urban greenery.
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DP personalities
An interview with
Shee Koeng& Chin Hwei
IN PERSON celebrates the firm’s diversity by profiling members of the DP family. The interview is conducted as a casual conversation between two individuals. Interview by Toh Bee Ping
There is nary a dull moment when Associate Director Lee Shee Koeng and Senior Associate Yong Chin Hwei get together to discuss their pet subject – wine. The two discovered in 2002 that they share the same heady passion and have since exchanged scores of notes at wine fairs and over oyster omelette at Toa Payoh. Design in Print meets the two wine buffs for a spirited discussion. How did it all begin? LSK: It was about 20 years ago. A cousin of mine bought a bottle of Chablis. It was my first taste of wine and I was hooked. To this day, Chablis is still my favourite white wine. YCH: It was during my secondary school days. A group of friends wanted to add a little something to our dinner. The Blue Nun (an inexpensive German wine popular in the 70s & 80s) was the beginning of my salvation (laughs).
“Wine is organic. You can’t pin a wine down; one bottle is not definitive of the type.” - Chin Hwei And now? YCH: I have wine every day as part of my evening meal. On average, I drink about 2 to 3 glasses a day. Half a bottle at one meal is more than enough. What’s the point of drinking, say, 2 litres of soup? To me, it’s about good wine, good food and good company. All parts are equally important. LSK: I do sometimes drink alone. Those occasions are more of an exercise to quietly savour the wine, which then puts you in a contemplative mood to ponder on life.
But mostly, I drink during social get-togethers. When we drink, we talk about ourselves, our tastes, what we value. Wine drinkers are a bit like evangelists. We want to share with our companions the wonderful aspects of wine and want them to enjoy what we enjoy. It’s like proselytizing!
What is it about wine that induces grown men to slurp and suck at the dinner table?
YCH: Wine-tasting is a sensory experience using your tongue, nose and eyes. We subconsciously try to discern the flavours each time we take a sip. It is part of learning about wine and it adds to the enjoyment. LSK: Initially when I first started drinking, I would consciously and deliberately dissect the wine and test myself. But now the act becomes second nature. I can do it quickly without people knowing. It’s like looking at girls, but the wife doesn’t know! Wine appreciation is a lot like food appreciation. With wine, it’s more intriguing because one single ingredient – the grape – creates many distinct flavours. I also have my mother to thank for my love for wine-tasting. She is against drinking but cultivated in me a sensitive palette. She doesn’t reveal what goes into her cooking, so I learnt to breakdown and experience the different flavours.
Your pet peeve when it comes to wine drinking and drinkers? YCH: Wine snobs. I’m turned off by people who only drink labels. And there are many wine snobs and wine bores in Singapore. LSK: I don’t have a pet peeve but sometimes people are quick to stereotype. Like if I say I’m fond of white wine, many will say “that’s a sissy drink”. But white wines can be complex and robust while some reds can be soft and
sophisticated. That said, people who are label and varietal conscious tend to have very specific taste; they don’t eat certain kinds of food and are not very open to suggestions. Those who will drink anything are generally more open to exploration, even in other areas of life, and are more accepting of people.
“If you want to know if a wine is good, just open and drink.” - Shee Koeng If you can have any wine in the world, what would it be? YCH: Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, especially 1990. A bottle of DRC is worth the stratospheric price because the taste reflects the region and its culture. LSK: Yes, DRC for me too. Any year will be good. There is a common perception that one must be rich to drink wine. Its true! I cannot afford to drink DRC! YCH: Yes wine is an expensive hobby. To be a connoisseur, you have to drink many bottles of the same wine from different years to fully know the wine. That’s why it’s important to have friends who can contribute!
Tell us something about yourself that few people know about. LSK: I like Stephen Chow movies. Stupid, crude, lame movies – I love them. YCH: I enjoy poetry. I especially like Irish poets like Seamus Heaney and Patrick Kavanagh.
This year’s Family Day was held on 4 June in a more rustic setting at Bottle Tree Park in Yishun. Families and friends of staff were welcomed to share in the convivial kampongstyle activities like longkang fishing for the kids and young at heart, others tried their hand at prawn fishing (and eating) and obstacle race, while the high-spirited ones get fired-up in rambunctious rounds of paintball. Even the bout of good luck showers in the morning did not dampen the happy carnival atmosphere as DPians and families got together for a special weekend.
bottle tree park
FAMILY DAY 2011
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Situated on top of a hilly ground overlooking the waterfront south-east of Johor Bahru, the Merlin Inn is a composition of merged triangular and rectangular shapes. These are heightened by the use of glazing along the central corridors, which gradually become more expanded as the triangular section tapers off. The reflection of sunlight on glass during the day and illumination from the corridors by night add to the strong visual impact of the building on the Johor Bahru skyline.
Merlin Inn
1982