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/ EDITOR’S NOTE / PHOTOGR A PHY CHIN O SA R D E A

I

f there is one thing I learnt in the past two months, it is that I can produce a magazine while working from home. The imposition of the partial lockdown in Singapore since 7 April, brought

about by COVID-19, means I could neither attend events nor conduct face-to-face interviews. Consequently, I had to use voice and video calls, as well as the stalwart email, to conduct the orchestra – made up of newsmakers, advertisers, freelance writers and team members – and perform a symphony that manifests as this issue. My heartfelt thanks goes out to each of you who helped to make this possible.

Gracing the cover is Sinan Books Poetry Store (page 40), an unexpected find of an adaptive reuse project by Wutopia that saw the conversion of a Russian orthodox church in Shanghai, China into a home for literary tomes. Dominating its interior is a dramatic steel bookcase structure that follows the outline of the walls and ceiling in the main hall.

Sinan Books is obliquely connected to the feature story on conserving Singapore’s modern built heritage (page 12) as an example of how to creatively respond to and reinvent a building’s programme. The first piece in a year-long series spotlighting this important topic, it offers the architectural perspective and analyses what the fuss is all about. I specifically chose this issue to champion after recently learning that Shaw Tower along Beach Road is slated for demolition. Which precious modern building is next? And what must we do to ensure the rich layering in our urbanscape is maintained?

The second feature is centred on architects sharing their thoughts on how the built environment will evolve in a postCOVID-19 world (page 20). Six personalities with different areas of specialisations – from urban planning to landscape architecture – offer their views on how their work is going to be impacted by the threat of pandemics.

On a more light-hearted note, flip to page 82 for a delightful spread by our creative director. It features versatile furniture pieces that were curated for their ability to smoothly transit between home, hotel, office, public space...or wherever you want them to be. I hope something will catch your eye to include in an upcoming project. In the meantime, please take care, keep healthy and stay positive.

Low Shi Ping Editor

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/ CONTENTS / ISSUE 116 2020

32

MOOD BOARD

8 10

NET EFFECT

62

SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING NEW

FEATURE 12

CONSERVING SINGAPORE’S MODERN

BUILT HERITAGE

20 DESIGNING FOR A NEW NORMAL

PROJECTS 24 COMMERCIAL / JEWEL ON THE HILL 32 INFRASTRUCTURE / SOPHISTICATED CAMOUFLAGE

40 RETAIL / POETIC SANCTUARY 48 HOSPITALITY / SCENE IN BALESTIER 54 HOSPITALITY / MODERN-DAY HOTEL,

70 ABODE / CONTEMPORISING THE

TRADITIONAL

ANCIENT SITE

62 ABODE / IRONCLAD RESTRAINT

76 DINE / LUSH DECADENCE

/ ON THE COVER Sinan Books Poetry Store is an adaptive reuse project by Wutopia that saw the conversion of a Russian orthodox church in Shanghai into a home for literary tomes.

54

70 SPREAD 82 WE’RE EASY

LIFE 90 TELLING TALES

REGULARS 4 94 96 97 104

EDITOR’S NOTE BEST PRACTICE SUBSCRIPTION CATALOGUE AVANT-GARDE

/ MOOD B OA R D /

NET EFFECT THE ATRIUM OF THIS HOME HAS A SPECIAL FEATURE THAT WILL EVOKE DELIGHT. WOR DS LOW SHI PIN G / PH OTOGR A PHY AD R IE N WILLIA M S & MARC CR A M E R

S

oaring

atriums

architectural

are

feature

a and

popular North

American firm RobitailleCurtis Inc.

has put a unique twist to it in its project Atrium Townhouse.

Located in Montreal, Canada, the home features a three-storey void with a netting stretching across the top floor, where the children’s rooms are situated.

This converts the space into a play area for the young ones (and adults too) and also adds to the sense of openness on that level, since guardrails become unnecessary.

Above it, a sawtooth sky light lets in natural daylight into the house.

Riggers from Cirque du Soleil installed the trapeze net to give it an additional level of safety.

Further accentuating the atrium is a two-storey

bookcase

and

vertical-grain,

Douglas Fir slats.

The latter stands out against the white colour palette, making it eye-catching and drawing the gaze up to the trapeze net.

8

/ SPECI A L R EPORT /

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spray types: the delicate PowderRain gently envelopes the skin and the Intense PowderRain,

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“AXOR showers create a space for ix are round and six are square.

appreciation: their design, material and

Together, these one dozen overhead

the way they set the stage for the precious

showers make up AXOR’s latest range.

element of water lend the shower setting

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Sogno, VP of Brand Management at the

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The plate of each 2jet model offers two

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/ MOOD B OA R D /

SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING NEW DESIGN CUES FROM A VARIETY OF PLACES WERE TAKEN TO CREATE THE NEW LEXUS NX. WORDS LOW S HI PING

T

he new Lexus NX is yet another example of how the Japanese marque uses a multi-disciplinary approach to

designing its cars, while paying attention to the smallest details.

In the cabin of the luxury crossover SUV, both cup holders in the front are lined with elastomer, a high-friction material commonly found in the soles of athletic shoes, which can be removed to be cleaned.

The benefit? To allow the driver to untwist the cover of the cup with one hand, without it sliding around the holder.

in the interior of the Lexus LFA supercar.

On the exterior, a less-noticed part of the car are the windscreen wipers.

Unrivalled convenience and ease of use

For the NX, these have been redesigned

are also the traits of the interiors, aligned

to have a single support point, down from the

with Lexus’s commitment to the Japanese

usual four, to lower the profile of the blade. As a

hospitality principles of omotenashi.

result, there is a reduction in wind noise and a

A luxurious look and feel is now had

10

Less obvious are tiny alloy studs on the knee bolsters of the NX – the same ones found

cleaner, more aerodynamic appearance.

following an upgrade of the centre console.

Functional adjustments have been made

For instance, the climate control panel and

too, so that the fin design integrated into the

analogue clock has received ergonomic and

blade reduces lift to ensure excellent wiping

feature upgrades.

performance during high-speed driving.

/ SPECI A L R EPORT /

DESIGNED TO FIT FISHER & PAYKEL’S APPLIANCES SHOW HOW THEY CAN MAKE THE MOST OF THE SPACE AVAILABLE.

& Paykel offers a family of appliances that can be distributed throughout the kitchen, to maximise minimal space and suit the way you live and work.

For

example,

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Integrated

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Flexible storage allows for easy access to food, while ActiveSmart™ technology helps keep food fresher for longer by constantly maintaining the ideal temperature.

The Double DishDrawer™ Dishwasher is designed to integrate seamlessly into the surrounding cabinetry. Each drawer holds a true half load for small washes, while the Sanitise option kills 99.9 percent of

E

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ven if you are designing for a

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11

/ FEATUR E /

CONSERVING SINGAPORE’S MODERN BUILT HERITAGE THE ARCHITECTURAL COMMUNITY WEIGHS IN ON THIS TOPIC AND IDENTIFIES THE OBSTACLES THAT STAND IN THE WAY. WORDS LOW S HI PING

1

/ P H OTOGRAPHY JEREMY SAN, SHS COLLECT ION

EDITOR’S NOTE

This is the first feature in a year-long series where we spotlight the conservation of Singapore’s modern built heritage across six different themes.

Visit the d+a website for complementary stories on this important issue.

L

et us be honest: Modernist buildings are not the easiest to love.

“These are the tangible legacy of the

Abstract, hard-edged, unornamented

visionary leadership of local politicians,

and often composed of solid, simple walls of

planners, developers and architects who

reinforced concrete, they are the antithesis of

created a vast new landscape during 1965

conventional definitions of beautiful architecture.

to 1975,” says Ho Weng Hin, one of the three

In Singapore, they are everywhere, since

founding members of the Docomomo-Sg

the country underwent rapid urbanisation

Working Group-In-Progress and Founding

when the modern tradition was in vogue,

Partner of Studio Lapis.

loosely defined as from the 1950s to the 1980s.

For example, the Pearl Bank Apartments,

It naturally begs the question of why they

designed by architect Tan Cheng Siong,

are special and worth saving – in short, what

became an important prototype for high-rise,

exactly is the fuss?

high-density urban living that embodied the

ARCHITECTS STATE THEIR CASE Perhaps the most compelling argument is that they are symbols of Singapore’s “can-do

12

spirit” in its nation-building years.

pioneering spirit and innovation of that era.

While it still stood, it was studied and feted

by

architects,

architectural

planners,

historians

and

urbanists, heritage

enthusiasts both as an elegant solution to

2

AND THE OSCAR GOES TO… A key component to a modern building’s survival is buy-in from the local community, especially the lifestyle industries. One of the biggest success stories is The Projector, an indie cinema that doubles up as an event space. Its founder Karen Tan (who is also a co-founder of the Docomomo-Sg Working Group-InProgress) shares her thoughts on how she has given Golden Mile Tower a new lease of life.

applied urban research and experiment, and for its pure bold modernist aesthetics.

“Many

modern

buildings

have

high

architectural and design significance where their striking forms incorporate layers of wellintegrated planning, design and construction and engineering innovation,” points out Jonathan Poh, another founding member of the DocomomoSg Working Group-In-Progress and Founder and Principal Architect at Provolk Architects.

1. Golden Mile Complex / 2. Tiong Bahru Estate

“Significant

post-independence

modern

buildings in Singapore can be considered the nation’s best-designed buildings and thus are important to be conserved.”

Take Jurong Town Hall, built in 1974, for example. Its conservation and refurbishment recovered the spirit of its original design and purpose, and reprised its symbolic role in Singapore’s industrialisation drive.

“Consequently, modernist buildings offer subsequent generations of Singaporeans the chance to study the creative history of our society,” explains Mok Wei Wei, Managing Director of W Architects and a long-time champion of this issue.

Echoing his point is Tiah Nan Chyuan, Director of cross-disciplinary design practice FARM, “They are like time capsules for future generations to revisit and experience the creativity and audacity of the 1960s.”

Not to be overlooked either is how they accrued urban significance by marrying extreme urban intensification with high-quality living

“The Projector started from our work at Pocket Projects, which is a creative development consultancy focused on adaptive reuse. Our approach has always been to respond to what is there. We think it is key to look at both the architectural as well as programmatic aspects; the hardware and software have to work together.

As an example, our biggest intervention on day one was to put a stage in the Redrum room, replacing half the seats with bean bags and wooden terraces. The idea was to evoke a creative response from the audience.

This has been immensely successful, as people have been inspired and emboldened to do a variety of events ranging from pole dance competitions, to experimental music gigs and meditation sessions.

To ensure The Projector feels like it has grown into the building, rather than copy-pasted, changes were introduced gradually. The box office was only added three years after we opened, and we kept existing, old elements like the 1970s seats and signage on the doors to give people a sense of time and place.

The Projector was also part of a larger experiment in gradual adaptive reuse of a large complex. We wanted to see if we could seed an ongoing change in the building by clustering complementary uses that could then grow and evolve the building over time.

For instance, architecture studio Zarch Collaboratives opened a gallery below us, and The Great Escape bar popped up in our carpark. Unfortunately, the building management is very restrictive, and so that put paid to lot of other ideas people had.

The main challenge remains to get this forgotten modernist building back on the public radar and invite people back into our spaces to re-imagine new uses within. Hence, The Projector’s spaces are deliberately flexible and ‘un-polished’. This is key to making people feel relaxed and at home, where they can just be themselves, and is in line with our ethos of inclusivity and independence. We even get tourists who come to see an alternative side to Singapore.”

13

/ FEATUR E /

spaces, which served to transform the way Singaporeans live, work and play.

“Our

modern

buildings

became

the

manifestation of Singapore’s experimental urban renewal programme under the Government Land Sales that shaped the city’s future,” says Ho. In a way, some of the early modern buildings also paved the way for the Asian city in time to come.

“High-rise and high-density are terms we are familiar with now but back then, they were alien.

These buildings were ahead of their time and made it possible for everyone to see and experience what the future might be,” says Tiah.

EXISTENTIAL THREATS To better understand modern buildings, it is important to take a step back in time to understand how their design language came about.

“It became a proposition after World War I in Europe, when a lot of quick rebuilding was necessary in the devastated cities,” explains Mok. Among the pioneers of the Modernism movement were Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe from Germany and Le Corbusier from France, with the latter influencing the design of many public housing projects in the

F R O M TO P : M OK WE I WE I , TI A H NAN C H YUAN, J ONAT H AN P O H , H O WE NG H I N

United Kingdom.

Modernist architecture adopted the use of new industrial materials and technology resulting in characteristics such as simplicity of form; functional, flexibile and flowing spaces; exposed structure; and lack of ornamentation.

Advancements in technology also accelerated their popularity, specifically the invention of

movement corrupted by money,” explains Mok.

reinforced concrete, resulting in buildings that

Through its research, Docomomo-Sg has

did not need to be enclosed by load-bearing walls.

identified several other contributing factors that

“In fact, the void deck in our housing

threaten the existence and future of modern

development board buildings owes its origins to

buildings, particularly the privately-developed

some of these Modernist ideas,” adds Mok.

residential and mixed-use post-1965 ones in

The use of steel and glass technology

Singapore:

enabled the opening up of views and increased

1. Modern buildings suffer from deteriorating

transparency through ribbon windows that then

conditions due to aging fabric and services,

transformed the spatial relationship between the

as well as inadequate maintenance. There is

inside and out.

a lack of legislation that mandates enforcing

While the style was considered avant-garde when it first came to the fore, market forces soon discovered a way to commoditise it.

14

“To make things worse, many of the modern buildings were poorly built, resulting in a

preventive maintenance of private properties to prevent premature building decay.

2. Owners face sharply depreciating property

“People found it convenient to build fast

values, as these modern buildings reach the

and make fast money. By the second half of the

mid-point of their land lease, compounded

20th century, modernism had become adopted

by the uncertainty in qualifying criteria for a

internationally, with many cities looking the same.

building lease top-up.

3

MAKING THE OLD BETTER THAN THE NEW Lorenzo Petrillo is Director of LOPELAB, an urban design studio that explores the intersection between modern buildings, placemaking and adaptive reuse. He shares his rationale for this.

3. Collective

sales

offer

a

highly-attractive

alternative to owners to dispose of their stratatitled units to a developer willing to pay a high price for these city-centre complexes located on prime land. The current land policies unintentionally encourage speculative enbloc activities and accelerate urban renewal with ever-shortening building cycles.

4. A 100 percent owner consensus, regarding the redistribution of strata title shares tied to the increased GFA, is needed for conservation.

Bureaucratic

restriction

has

failed

to

promote conservation as a viable option, while encouraging redevelopment, requiring consensus of a mere 80 percent.

These factors do not exist in solidarity, but work together to exacerbate the situation.

3. People’s Park Complex

“Owners of aging leasehold buildings are reluctant to invest in maintenance overhaul costs partly because of the depreciating property values of their homes as the 99-year lease runs down,” says Poh. “A collective sale is thus seen as a means to be liberated from the onerous liabilities while making a windfall.

“This in turn also discourages communities from taking care of their residential buildings, allowing them to deteriorate even more, up to a

SCAN THE QR CODE TO READ THE SOLUTIONS SUGGESTED BY THE FEATURED ARCHITECTS ON HOW TO AVOID THIS FATE.

point where their demolition seems inevitable, way before their original designed lifespan.”

Does this mean the end is in sight for Singapore’s modernist buildings? Is our urban fabric destined to only have colonial buildings, shophouses and contemporary architecture?

Why have you chosen to support this issue?

We want to prevent the unmeasurable loss of identity and character that happens when iconic buildings are demolished forever. Cities are evolving at an amazing pace across the world and particularly in Asia. Sustainable development has become a goal for all countries seeking a balance between social, environmental and economic needs. The current model is focused primarily on providing marketable space at a reasonable cost and very often, this happens by demolishing iconic buildings to make space for the “new”. At LOPELAB we believe this does not have to be the case. In applying placemaking thinking by putting people at the heart of urban growth, we can make the “old” better than the “new”.

How are you giving modern buildings a new lease of life?

Most of LOPELAB’s projects focus on the regeneration of unused or under-utilised urban spaces. An example is the Singapore Urban Design Festival 2019, a placemaking event that champions sustainable urban development through educational and unique experiences. The 2019 edition was held within the top two levels of a multistorey carpark in Jalan Besar, after discovering that in Singapore, 80 percent of the top floors of a carpark are un-utilised for 72 percent of their lives.

The programme consisted of a three-day summit as well as a weekend of festivities. The former took an indepth look at sustainable development through the lens of technology in three aspects: Resources, mobility and people. Participants were invited to put their newfound knowledge to practical use with hands-on and experiential workshops that offered practical knowledge on hacking our public spaces. A roller disco (built right where the cars would park), light and art installations, pop-up rooftop restaurants for communal dining, wellness activities and live performances were part of this unforgettable experience that inspired thousands of people about the potential of our urban spaces.

What would you say to others from the lifestyle industries to follow in your footsteps?

I believe that the way lifestyle industries can support architects in the conservation of Singapore’s modern built heritage is in recognising the potential and bringing their creative endeavours to these iconic buildings.

Nowadays, branding is about “authentic and unique experiences” and these places lend themselves to the best expression of it. Buildings like Golden Mile Complex and People’s Park Complex are not only a concrete agglomeration but a real eco-system in continuous evolution. Their walls are preserving the history and character of a neighbourhood and demolishing these buildings means erasing all of this forever.

15

/ SPECI A L R EPORT /

BATHED IN NATURE BRINGING THE OUTDOORS IN IS A WELLNESS MEGATREND IDENTIFIED BY CERAMIC MANUFACTURER VILLEROY & BOCH.

A The

ccording to the United Nations, 68

by Villeroy & Boch. In fact, the ceramic

percent of the world’s population

manufacturer has a wide range of products

will live in urban areas by 2050.

that complement it. and

Through the use of natural materials

convenience is a trade-off against the

economic

and with the possibility of expressing

disconnect with nature and wide, open

individuality, the pieces come together to

spaces – but all is not lost.

compose a space of self-identity that also

Increasingly,

opportunities

designers

are

finding

Here, the German brand offers three

green dominates, including in the bathroom.

themes derived from the wellness megatrend

This is a wellness megatrend identified

16

welcomes in the outdoors.

creative ways to curate indoor oases where

to inspire your next bathroom design.

Artis washbasin in Neo Mint

Subway 2.0 Collection

THEME 1: FIFTY SHADES OF GREEN From deep fir to lush moss, the range of hues that this colour can come in is vast and never fails to delight.

The effect can be anything from cool, relaxing and refreshing, to warm, natural and even futuristic. Pick a bathtub with the sides in a glowing emerald, or a washbasin in Villeroy & Boch’s on-trend shade of Neo Mint that evokes images of a high-tech world.

Theano bathtub in green

17

/ SPECI A L R EPORT /

Collaro Collection

THEME 2: URBAN JUNGLE Get wet – and also wild. Nature is not always peaceful and serene and it should be celebrated in all its gritty glory. Cover the walls with striking wallpaper designed with lush flora and fauna, or fill corners with pots of exotic indoor plants for a look of controlled chaos. Pair these with furniture in wood or earth tones and classic white ceramics, or even bold colours like coal black or earthy brown. This is perfect for those with nothing less than an adventurous streak.

Oberon 2.0 bathtub in Coal Black

18

Memento 2.0 Washbasin & Finion Vanity unit

THEME 3: NATURALLY SMART Harness smart technology through the mobile phone to introduce nature

La Belle Collection

for a complete wellness experience.

Introduce exotic bird calls or the cheerful sound of a bubbling stream through ViSound.

the

smart

This

can

sound be

system

integrated

into the bathtub and has a moodsetting sound box with four vibration transducers and one amplifier unit. Out of battery but can’t bear to leave the bathroom yet? Villeroy & Boch’s Finion collection comes with side cabinets and shelves that can have an inductive charging station integrated into it.

19

/ FEATUR E /

DESIGNING FOR A NEW NORMAL ARCHITECTS SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON HOW THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT WILL EVOLVE IN A POST-COVID-19, PANDEMIC-THREATENED WORLD. WORDS LOW S HI PING / P H OTOGRAPHY MARKUS BERTS CH I

ADJUSTMENTS TO URBAN PLANNING “As the home becomes more important and commercial real estate less in demand, developers may focus on producing new residential typologies with larger areas and connecting workspaces. Open plans will make way for more closed spatial forms of co-existence, where household members can retreat to.

Co-working spaces in residential areas will thrive, occupied by fixed groups of people who know each other’s health approach. Office buildings will transform into temporary meeting places. The shopping culture will strongly reduce and people will live quietly along Orchard Road. Outdoor public spaces where social distancing is easy, may become even more important, while inner city life in malls, hawker centres and theatres will be regulated on crowding.

Mass transport will evolve to encompass selfdriving vehicles with a limited amount of passengers, which can be coupled into trains. These will deliver people to addresses on demand, eliminating the need for crowded buses or MRT platforms. Simultaneously, e-biking will become immensely popular, as everyone can use them. Hybrid e-bikes to transport goods or children will develop. As a result, the large surfaces of car-lanes on roads will turn into dedicated tracks for different kinds of low-tech, health-secure transport.

E-vehicles will also deliver goods to homes, ordered by e-commerce, as well as drone-systems to deliver parcels.”

Prof. em. Kees Christiaanse Principal investigator, Future Cities Laboratory & Founding Partner, KCAP Architects&Planners

20

NEW TOWNS WILL EVOLVE “The challenge in the planning of New Towns is to find the balance between what we would like to do post-COVID-19, and the availability of resources and competing needs, especially in land-scarce Singapore.

Transport infrastructure planning may see a fundamental change. With more people working remotely from home and commuting less on the roads, more new land allocation could go to green and open spaces. Trains and bus stations may need to be longer and wider so that commuters can space out. Airports may need isolation and healthcare facilities so that quarantine and treatments can take place within the airport, resulting in more effective containment.

With COVID-19 disrupting supply chains, there is a need to be more self-sufficient when it comes to essential products such as food and medical supplies.

We must also build up our local production capability.

In the planning of new towns, more space or land would need to be set aside for activities such as farming, creation of food sources and manufacture of medical supplies. With the pandemic restricting manpower availability, there could be efforts made to rely less on manpower to construct buildings. This will point the way towards greater automation and fabrication in the construction industry.”

Low Cher Ek CEO and Global Lead, Township, Surbana Jurong

INCREASED FLEXIBILITY IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES

INTEGRATIVE LIVE-WORK DYNAMIC “Before COVID-19, Asian cities were already developing solutions to bring people closer to the hub of city centres, resulting in shorter travel times and improved quality of life. Because of this pandemic, there will be an acceleration in demand for a more humane and integrative live-work dynamic.

We will see mixed-use commercial developments with more public spaces, including decks, rooftops and basements as necessities to cultivate porosity and connectivity in city hubs. Within these buildings, there will be more balconies, breakout and open-air spaces to create more biophilic reactions to nature and allow people to feel more relaxed in their work environment.

The quarantine brought about a sense of social responsibility through genuine social connections and meaningful community interactions. Commercial, retail and residential spaces will cultivate interaction with clean and spacious communal spaces. Rather than just a place to work, live or shop, developments will be more involved in the urban network and play a role in how we connect and experience life together.”

Keith Griffiths Chairman and Global Design Principal, Aedas

“We are fortunate that after learning from SARS in the early 2000s, Singapore has prepared itself by setting up the National Centre of Infectious Disease (NCID), and put in place various biomedical research programmes. These have immensely enabled our capabilities to fight the ongoing COVID-19 war.

However, it has also brought about new challenges different from SARS. The healthcare frontline to fight COVID-19 is now far more extended due to the ease of community spread. COVID-19 may lead to a structural shift in the healthcare system. The infectious disease unit may become a 24-hour, patient-fronting function in every general hospital, similar to the A&E department today.

Healthcare facilities will have to cater to flexible conversion of typical wards to containment wards to respond to periodic surges in patients due to COVID-19 and other pandemics.

In addition, a wide range of healthcare facilities and programmes specific to manage pandemics may evolve. For example, district-level containment facilities to house healthy patients in isolation, while allowing them to work remotely, will be needed. As the aged are more vulnerable to COVID-19, the design and management practice for aged-care and dementia institutions will need to be updated to mitigate the risks. For seniors and patients with chronic illness who are staying with families, home visits or telemedicine and any other means of minimising their exposure to community transmission will be needed.”

SCAN THE QR CODE TO READ TAN SHAO YEN’S COMMENTARY MAPPING OUT POSSIBLE SCENARIOS OF COVID-19’S IMPACT ON SOCIETY.

Tan Shao Yen Group Chief Innovation Officer, CPG Corporation & President, Board of Architects

21

/ FEATUR E /

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE NOW A NECESSITY

22

“The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed more exemplary moments of humanity as well as uncovered our innate desires in the times of strictly enforced quarantine and lockdown measures. This period has showcased our acts of solidarity in the times of social distancing as a positive phenomenon.

In Singapore, public parks are a source of relief and widely visited as circuit breaker measures were imposed. These large pockets of inviting public greens in our dense urban fabric have been a precious resource for fresh air and leisure, and become highlypopular destinations for all. The crowds seen at Bishan Park and Jurong Lake Gardens prove that these spaces perform important urban functions, and are a critical amenity of the neighbourhood that they serve. Other than its accessibility and connectivity to the larger urban fabric, the park and variations within the landscape provide a common relief, an escape to discover worlds within worlds.

Perhaps this offers greater data to improving the design of cities, as we define landscape as a necessity to urban life. This is where a public space can both be a place where we seek solace in privacy, as well as find comfort in assemblies. The value that parks bring in terms of wellness and health, both physical and mental, may enable us to find further evidence in making a case for its contributions to economic and societal growth.”

“COVID-19 will pass, but the peril of new pandemics loom, with global lockdowns becoming more of an unfortunate reality. In response, I believe that the impact to design will need to be significant but sensitive, with designers striking a delicate balance between designing for life as we know it, as well as accommodating pandemic contingencies in ways that don’t become a white elephant.

For the residential realm in particular, the notion of adaptability will be key. Homes will need to incorporate multi-functional and adaptive spaces. Its previous role as a domestic retreat with limited functions, such as dining, cooking, sleeping, entertainment, will be augmented by a need for it to also serve as full-time workplace and learning environment, and, in some cases, even as a gym or recreation centre.

Spaces will need to adapt to a variety of functions and serve them all relatively well, using strategies such as multi-functional, transformable or movable furniture and even spatial partitions. Lighting systems controlling the amount and colour temperature of light, may also need to be adaptable to suit different functions as a space adapts and transforms over the course of the day to suit a wide variety of activities.”

Jia Xin Chum Senior Associate, Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl

Colin Seah Director, Ministry of Design

ADAPTABILITY IN HOMES IS KEY

/ SPECI A L R EPORT /

FULL FLUSH KEEP THE TOILETS SPARKLING CLEAN WITH THESE TWO INNOVATIONS FROM DURAVIT.

T

hanks to the wonders of technology, the cleanliness of a toilet bowl has now reached

unprecedented heights – an important development considering the dangers that bad bacteria can unleash on us.

One sanitaryware company that is leading the way in this is Duravit.

It offers two types of products that help ensure optimum effectiveness in keeping toilets pristine.

RIMLESS TOILETS Flushing in such a toilet allows the water to enter the bowl evenly and powerfully so that the entire interior is rinsed. Manual cleaning it also easily done since the entire bowl is open and easily accessible.

The Duravit Rimless® range can also come with the WonderGliss coating that prevents dirt from sticking. This technology is available in the Architec, Darling New, D-Code, Happy D.2, ME by Starck, P3 Comforts, Starck 3, Vero Air and Viu design series.

HYGIENEGLAZE 2.0 This is a finish baked into the ceramic as it is fired. The result is a labproven reduction in pathogens such as escherichia coli, especially in parts of the toilet where these bacteria tend to accumulate. The patented process is comprised of a combination of metal ions and other active substances. According to experiments conducted, after six hours, almost all bacteria (or 90 percent) are killed, with up to 99.999 percent eliminated after 24 hours. HygieneGlaze 2.0 is available for most of the toilets and urinals in Duravit’s collections.

23

/ COMMER CI A L /

JEWEL ON THE HILL WITH ITS EXPRESSIVE SILHOUETTE, THE NEW EXTENSION OF THE BOH TEA CENTRE BRINGS IMAGINATION AND CHARACTER TO THE LARGEST TEA PLANTATION IN MALAYSIA. WORDS NIZAR MUSA

1

/ P H OTOGRAPHY L I N HO (H . LIN H O P HOTOGRAPH Y), LAWRENCE CHOO JUN SHI NG (PIXELAW PHOTOGRAPH Y)

O

verlooking

the

verdant

Sungei

Both the award-winning Phase 1 building

has, for well over a decade, been a

and its Phase 2 extension were designed by

favourite attraction in Cameron Highlands.

renowned local practice ZLG.

Drawing visitors and tea lovers near

“It’s a very linear building, based on a

and far, the acclaimed 145m-by-9m-long

simple concept of sustainability, no cut-and-

building of concrete, steel, glass and timbre

fill, and elevated,” describes Susanne Zeidler,

remains to this day a delicately-balanced

Partner at ZLG, of their original piece.

architecture of unapologetic materiality and considered flourishes.

The

Centre’s

“It was very site-specific, (we knew) where we wanted to have the views, where

design

has

since

been revisited, expanded to meet new

we wanted to have the main cafeteria, all connected back to the existing offices.”

requirements. Where a legacy vocabulary

The request to enlarge the centre would

could have been persistent, there was an

come 10 years later, finally completing in 2018.

opportunity for a trajectory shift.

And seize it, the architects did.

24

THE CHALLENGE OF SUCCESS

Palas valley, the BOH Tea Centre

But adding to such a successful and much-lauded icon posed its own concern; the

1. Constructed perpendicular to the original building, the BOH Tea Centre extension interprets the undulation of the surrounding hills through its irregular folded roof structures.

possibility of marring the outlook of the existing building was a real consequence.

building had to fit into the scheme.

The architects’ response was therefore

“It was a big challenge, you know. Because

to fashion an envelope that departs from

you build something (like that), so on its own, so

the original; springing perpendicular are

present and strong, and now you’re supposed to do

two extension blocks that hug the contour

an extension. How do you respond?” says Zeidler.

of the hill, each featuring an asymmetric

Additionally, the programmatic requirements

concertina roof that folds down to frame a

of VIP areas, a bigger

cafeteria and an admin

ABOVE. The extension modules are poised insertions lifted off the ground, relying on the natural lay of the land to present a jewelled proposition amid native flora.

clear glass façade.

25

/ COMMER CI A L /

Says Zeidler, “As an architect, you change, hopefully. Of course, it’s not going to be a duplication of the existing. The idea for those roofs come from the surroundings.

“You have the contours of hills, slopes, ABOVE. The use of materials such as cement board, coloured cement and different finishes of concrete adds to a diaspora of surfaces.

different formations. So I thought it was a pitches, a poetic response.”

ABOUT PRACTICALITY

She adds that the Onduline roofing and

While the new extension may at first

cladding material, a bituminous corrugate,

glance appear playful, it is nevertheless

possesses insulating properties on top of

rooted in pragmatism.

its rich dark brown aesthetic, able to reduce

“Pitched roofs in general work better in this climate in the long term, especially with leaves and water discharge. So in our response

26

S U SANN E ZE I DL E R , PAR TNER , Z LG

nice answer to have the roofs in irregular

noise from rainfall when compared to standard metal deck roof systems.

The

approach

to

the

extension’s

there is always both; it’s not just pure form, it’s

structure and materiality is in congruence

also about practicality,” Zeidler emphasises.

with the original; concrete plinths are used,

SITE PLAN

BOH TEA CENTRE

LOCATION

Pahang, Malaysia / COMPLETION

2018 / SITE AREA

7,500m2 / BUILDING AREA

2,888m2 / GROSS FLOOR AREA

1,230m2 / DESIGN ARCHITECT

ZLG / SUBMITTING ARCHITECT

Mastor Bin Surat / DEVELOPER

BOH Plantations / CONTRACTOR

Dimensi Contracts / C&S CONSULTANT

Edge Consulting Engineers Malaysia / M&E CONSULTANT

ABI Consulting Engineers / QUANTITY SURVEYOR

CPK Associates / SANITARYWARE

Johnson Suisse

27

/ COMMER CI A L /

similarly elevated off the ground, and above them steel structure set to the same height.

Steel is also maintained in the glass façade framing, a series of concatenated square modules.

28

Says Zeidler, “Over the years, we actually did other buildings with plywood, and we became more confident with using it, since it’s not that simple to apply.

“In the old building, we used bamboo

Altogether, this assemblage of elements

for the ceiling. In the end, both bamboo and

establishes a visual coherence between old

plywood are very similar because they’re a

and new, not just in construction but also in

local, non-imported, vernacular material,

proportion and language.

that is warm and has a natural look.”

A COLLECTIVE BELONGING

cement board, coloured cement, different

The use of other materials such as

Plywood panels line the ceiling of the

finishes of concrete and tile inlays adds to

extension’s spaces and walkways, similarly

a diaspora of surfaces that not only enhance

staggered like the façades.

that sense of warmth, but also communicates

ABOVE. Through concatenated black frames of clear glazing, the naturally-ventilated cafeteria extension offers visitors an uninterrupted view of the hills, an experience enhanced by dynamic ceiling planes and floor finishes of coloured cement and Peranakan-style tiles.

2

2. With its shared kitchen facilities, the new extension’s cafe counter is a bright and functional addition with a play of inlays and patterns that lend expression and character to the interior space.

3

3. Architectural and interior design touches blend to define the cosy yet refined ambience of the extension’s VIP room. /

4

a richness of character both inside and out.

“When you look at our work, we are always looking at materiality. And when we do projects, we like to do the whole thing; we see architecture and ID holistically,” speaks Zeidler, of their process.

4. Plywood panels line the ceiling and walls, chosen for them being a local, non-imported, vernacular material.

Against the panorama of plantation, native flora and sky, the BOH Tea Centre’s newest extension elicits delight and joy for the astute and the masses.

Yet, scale

through and

the

masterful

vocabulary,

it

use

of

manages

a

contemporaneous appearance, a collective belonging to its older counterpart, that is in itself worthy of accolade.

29

/ SPECI A L R EPORT /

PAST PRESENT DIALOGUE THESE FOUR CAREFULLY-RESTORED PROJECTS IN THE CITY OF BARCELONA IN SPAIN NOT ONLY REPRESENT HOW APARTMENTS CAN BE SENSITIVELY UPDATED FOR 21ST CENTURY LIVING, BUT ALSO SHOW HOW VERSATILE JUNG’S SWITCHES CAN BE. PH OTOGRAP HY ROBERTO RUIZ & ADRIÀ GOU LA

PROJECT: CASA 1302 A TERRASSA ARCHITECT: HARQUITECTES This

apartment

has

undergone

an

extreme

makeover. Only the outer walls and staircase bear witness to what it used to be. The rest of it has been restyled through inserting three wooden “boxes” into the ground and upper floors to segregate the spaces. An industrial charm permeates, with unplastered brickwork, exposed rafters and planks of wood in place of walls. Matching it all is the JUNG LS CUBE switch, wall-mounted so it stands out.

PROJECT: FONT 6 ARCHITECT: MARGHERITA SERBOLI ARQUITECTURA The Catalan Art Nouveau style is transposed to presentday in this 75m2 apartment in the Eixample quarter, a stone’s throw from the Sagrada Família. Overhead, the false ceiling was removed and the original Catalan vault exposed. Anchoring the space beneath it is an island with blue panels on the side. More colours like warm pink, coral, white and azure are found throughout, further accented by the JUNG design classic LS 990 switch in aluminium and anthracite.

30

PROJECT: APARTMENT IN BORN ARCHITECTS: COLOMBO AND SERBOLI (CaSA) With 4m-high vaulted ceilings, large windows and thick brickwork, there is much to appreciate about this renovated apartment in Born, Barcelona’s oldest district. Its design style is now light and airy, made possible through colours like warm pale pink, grey and deep blue. By the kitchen, a partition doubles up as a wardrobe, its bright orange giving it a cheerful lift. Amid it all, the JUNG design classic LS 990 switch in alpine white unobtrusively blends in with the interior design.

PROJECT: TYCHE APARTMENT ARCHITECTS: COLOMBO AND SERBOLI (CaSA) In an early-19th century building, an apartment has been carefully restored, reviving the essence of its original Art Nouveau style. The Catalan vaults in their authentic terracotta finish are revealed and fresh colours like pink, orange and green brighten the space. Subtle and functional is the JUNG design classic LS 990 switch in alpine white, its pure shape fitting in elegantly.

31

/ I N FR ASTR UCTUR E /

2

SOPHISTICATED CAMOUFLAGE HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT BY A MULTIFACETED SCREEN OF TRIANGULAR PANELS, THIS BIOENERGY PLANT IN RAVENNA REINTERPRETS THE UNCONVENTIONAL RAZZLE DAZZLE MILITARY CAMOUFLAGE TECHNIQUE. WORDS PEARLIE TAN /

1

P HOTOGRAPH Y MASSIMO CRIVELLARI

F

1-2. The imposing volume of the bioenergy plant is mitigated by the sculptural, multifaceted design of the outer skin. To minimise the perception of the height of the power plant, landscaped dunes were created along the perimeter.

32

by

or a hulking bioenergy plant that supplies

electricity

households,

Giovanni

the

Vaccarini

to

The dissimulation of this massive

84,000

structure is inspired by the Razzle Dazzle

Powerbarn

technique, which was used to camouflage

Architetti

treads lightly in terms of visual and environmental impact.

warships during World War I. “This is not about hiding, but about proposing a different reality to the

Surrounded by agricultural fields

observer, a more complex and deceptive

near the city of Russi in Emilia-Romagna,

one that, paradoxically, tends to attract

Italy, the eye is drawn to the geometric

his attention, making him wonder at

wooden hull and sculpted metal tower

what he sees,” says architect Giovanni

that dominate the landscape.

Vaccarini.

The furnace building and chimney

“The ambition was to think that an

of the Powerbarn are enveloped in a

industrial building could be beautiful and

compelling

a landmark for the area.

skin

of

large

triangular

shapes woven in a multifaceted pattern,

“The

a mutable disguise that offers an-ever

connecting

result

changing perception of the building in

surrounding area and by sharing the

different conditions.

project’s values.”

the

was

achieved

building

with

by the

33

/ I N FR ASTR UCTUR E /

PERCEPTION-ALTERING DESIGN Set on the 470,000m² industrial site of the former Eridania sugar factory, the furnace BELOW. Taking cues from the Razzle Dazzle military camouflage technique, the building is enveloped by large triangular surfaces that offer mutable and faceted displays of itself.

building and smoke line of the biomass plant extends 110m long and 40m high, while the chimney reaches 52m in height.

To dematerialise this imposing volume, the architect studied the Razzle Dazzle technique, which was developed by artist Norman Wilkinson as a type of disruptive camouflage.

“[Razzle Dazzle] consists of a series of lines and graphic signs that interrupt

British and American warships were

and face each other, which confuses the

painted in contrasting, irregular shapes

observer’s perception, making it difficult to

with dark and light stripes, making them a

precisely estimate the distance and size of

visually-confounding target.

the object,” explains the architect.

Before the advent of radar, this radical

34

G I OVANNI VACC AR I NI , G I OVANNI VACC AR I NI AR CH I T E T T I

Vaccarini

reinterprets

the

Dazzle

paint job was used in misleading the enemy

camouflage as a hybrid between an artistic

as to the vessel’s type, speed and direction.

technique and local inputs; a transposition

35

16. Biogas plant

15. Composting

14. Trenches

13. Waste water system site

12. Flue biomass ditches

11. Canopy wood chips short-term storage

10. Storage area and wood chips handling

9. Office building

8. Vehicle scale

7. Electrical substation

6. Conveyor belt wood chips

5. Engine room

4. Air condensers

3. Deposit site and storage

2. chimney +SME

1. Flue system and boiler building

SITE PLAN

/ I N FR ASTR UCTUR E /

SECTION PERSPECTIVE

1. Boiler 2. Electrostatic preciptator ESP 3. Acid gas abatement reactor 4. Bag filter

5. Acid gas abatement reactor 6. Economizer 7. Silencer 8. Chimney +SME

of the design of the agricultural land, while

chimney is a gleaming representation of the

revisiting the architecture of rural wooden barns.

industrial world.

The sophisticated external skin of the industrial

furnace

has

large

triangular

Alongside the mitigation of the main

that change direction along the multifaceted

structure, the architect has transformed

envelope, cleverly subverting the geometry of

the area by redefining the relationship

the volume.

between energy production and the agrarian

Standing alongside, the adjacent chimney

landscape.

is encased in a pattern of triangular steel

Rather than surrounding the site with

plates that extend towards the sky like a

industrial fences, a natural embankment of

Cubist sculpture.

dunes planted with trees has been created

Vaccarini explains that the project is calibrated on the balance between its rural context and industrial soul, which is revealed

along the perimeter of the new pole for energy production.

“The entire project started with the very design of its edges,” says Vaccarini. “It is not

in the differing exterior treatment.

The decision to clad the furnace building in wood was a symbiotic choice, as wood chips

a barrier, but a permeable, accessible and living element.”

are used to produce renewable energy, and the

While this environmental mitigation

pattern is a tribute to the art of weaving and

minimises the perception of the height of

nomadic architecture.

the Powerbarn, the bastion of dunes, typical

The

36

A NATURAL EDGE

surfaces woven with parallel wooden shingles

modern

metallic

finish

of

the

of the Adriatic landscape, establishes an

OPPOSITE. The chimney is encased in a pattern of triangular steel plates that extend towards the sky like a Cubist sculpture.

37

/ I N FR ASTR UCTUR E /

POWERBARN

4

LOCATION

Russi, Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy / COMPLETION

2019 / STUDY AREA

470,000m2 / PROJECT AREA

167,000m2 / NATURALISED AREA

280,000m2 / ARCHITECT

Giovanni Vaccarini Architetti / CONTRACTOR

Termokimik Corporation / SITE CONSTRUCTION

Studio DueEsse / SAFETY COORDINATOR (CONSTRUCTION PHASE)

Techno-HSE / SAFETY COORDINATOR (DESIGN PHASE)

Libra Ravenna /

5 4. Up close, wooden shingles are laid in a parallel pattern that change direction on each face to cleverly subvert the geometry of the building.

GEOLOGIST

Studio Garassino / LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Studio Paisà / ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY

Steam

38

/ 5. The bioenergy plant is fuelled by wood chips and plant residue sourced from within a 70km radius.

open interface between the bioenergy plant and the surrounding territory.

Built with earth from the excavation of the construction site, the dunes are between three and 10m high and have been designed with

The annual production of the pole is estimated at 222 GWh, which also includes a biogas plant powered by livestock sewage and a small photovoltaic energy plant.

Consistent

with

the

overall

accessible paths for cyclists and pedestrians.

environmental sensitivity of the project,

Fortifying the connection to the local area,

approximately 60 percent (280,000m²) of

the biomass plant is fuelled with materials

the original industrial site has been re-

sourced from a 70km radius, including

naturalised and returned to the community,

wood chips and plant residue from mowing

including three large wetlands.

and pruning.

These are shredded and stored in vast

Remarks transformation

Vaccarini, is

in

“The the

ABOVE. The site also features a biogas plant and photovoltaic energy plant.

greatest

relationship

rectangular allotments, before being dried

between the agricultural territory and the

beneath an ample canopy and led to the

industrial area, a landscape intervention,

furnace through a conveyer belt.

even before an industrial one.”

39

/ R ETA I L /

POETIC SANCTUARY A HISTORICAL RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN SHANGHAI IS RESURRECTED AS A POETRY BOOKSTORE WITH A FUTURISTIC BOOK DISPLAY SYSTEM THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE BUILDING’S HERITAGE DETAILS. WORDS MICHELE KOH MOROLLO

1

/ P HOTOGRAPH Y C reatAR IMAGES

1. Built in 1932, St. Nicholas Church on Gaolan Road was built in the Russian Orthodox style. / 2. Inside the renovated church is a steel bookcase structure that follows the silhouette of the interior wall.

40

C

hinese practice Wutopia Lab

“The first time I entered the church,

has renovated the interiors of a

I felt like I was standing in the middle of

former Russian orthodox church.

the ruins of a maze,” says Wutopia’s lead

Set on a thoroughfare in Shanghai,

architect Yu Ting.

China known for its well-preserved,

“But after my eyes adjusted to the

European-style historical architecture,

darkness, I could see the remnant details

it turned the landmark building into a

of the different architectural styles along

poetry bookshop named Sinan Books.

the walls and ceilings.

St.

Orthodox

“Additions and ornamentations from

Church at No. 16 Gaolan Road was built in

different eras in Shanghai’s history had

1932 in the typical Russian orthodox style

been integrated into the interiors of this

with onion dome spires.

old church.”

One

Nicholas

of

the

Russian

more

outstanding

Commissioned by Chinese publishing

historical buildings in Shanghai, it has,

group Shanghai Century Cloud Culture

over the last few decades, been used as

Development, this adaptive reuse project

an office, factory, warehouse, canteen,

had to adhere to the regulations of the

private residence, a club, then restaurant,

Shanghai Historic Building Protection

before it was abandoned.

Affairs Center.

2

41

/ R ETA I L /

3

This meant that no alterations could be made to the building’s existing façade, structural system, basic floor plan or the interior details on the walls and ceilings.

To meet these regulations, Yu and his 3. The modular cashier counter in the main hall can be split into three movable sections.

42

team used an archaeological technique to distinguish the different architectural

Y U TI NG, L E AD AR C H I T E C T, W U TO P I A L AB

elements within the building, so they could retain and restore those with historical value.

“After peeling off layers of paints, the textures and vicissitudes of the original 1932

He and his team cleaned up the interiors

church were finally revealed,” says Yu who

to reveal the original height of the main hall

removed recently-added structures – such as

and shortened a more recent addition on the

a steel-framed interlayer that was built in the

eastern side of the building, so it was aligned

1990s – that were not historically significant.

with the original parts of the church.

4

4. The 9.9m-tall structure is set 50cm apart from the interior wall so it looks like “a church within a church�. / 5. The historical architectural elements of the old church on the walls and ceilings peek through the new bookcase.

5

6

6. Wutopia Lab replaced the faded stainedglass windows with blue flim to bring more light into the interiors.

43

/ R ETA I L /

FLOOR PLAN

1. Main hall 2. Side hall 3. Side hall 4. Cafe 5. Showroom 6. Reading room 7. Pulpit 8. Lounge 9. Baking room 10. Lavatory

CHURCH WITHIN A CHURCH The floor plan includes a main hall in the centre of the building, flanked by two smaller side halls.

structure advanced to greater heights.

“The steel bookshelf was built by 30

To showcase the books, Yu and his team

workers in 80 days. The workers first cut

built a steel bookcase structure that followed

5mm steel plates into 128 standpipes, 640

the outline of the interior walls and ceiling

large steel plates and 2,921 small steel plates

in the main hall.

to create 23 layers of crossbars according to

This was set 50cm apart from the walls of the main hall so it looks like the “bones” of the church.

the drawings.

“They then pre-assembled the parts outdoors before moving the sections indoors

Additional book display areas were

and welding them together. The 9.9m-tall

created within the two side halls – one for

bookshelf was then placed 50cm apart from

children’s books and the other for cultural

the wall so it looks like ‘a church within a

and creative books.

church’,” says Yu.

According to Yu, the biggest challenge was finding a way to drop this huge steel bookshelf into the narrow and tall interior volume.

44

It would rise upwards so welders could graft the steel plates of the bookshelf as the

RESPECTFULLY UPDATED Blue film was chosen to replace the faded stained-glass window.

His solution was to have a crane

Explains Yu, “An infinitely transparent

with expandable steel pipes and motors

blue is rendered when sunlight spills into

built on site.

the side halls, dissolving the separateness

AXONOMETRIC DRAWING

45

/ R ETA I L /

7

7. Dining areas for the café were located in the eastern and western perimeters of the building.

SINAN BOOKS POETRY STORE

LOCATION

Shanghai, China / COMPLETION

2019 / BUILDING AREA

388m2 / DESIGN FIRM

Wutopia Lab / LEAD DESINGER

Yu Ting / CLIENT

Shanghai Century Cloud Culture Development

46

8

between the three halls and bringing more

three parts are moved to the entrance area

light into the main hall.”

and side halls.

The eastern and western perimeters of

“During events, the area that used to be

the church were transformed into the dining

the altar becomes the stage for the speaker.

areas for a cafe.

This way, the audience can sit in the main

Yu used a chocolate-brown colour scheme

hall, while the side halls can continue to

for this café to provide a warm contrast to the

operate as a bookstore and rest area,” says Yu.

imposing metal book display structure.

An existing interior balcony was turned

The new programme also includes a

into a viewing deck, where customers can

showroom, reading room, lounge, baking

see how the steel bookshelf integrates with

room and bathroom.

the old masonry of the church.

Since Sinan Books also plays host to

To highlight the marriage between

events such as poetry readings and book

old and new, Yu added light strips on the

review sessions, Yu redesigned the former

walls, so customers can distinguish the old

altar area of the church to be a stage.

features of the building from the new.

“We split the cashier counter in the main

Wutopia Lab has done a miraculous

hall into three movable tables. When there is

transformation of this former church and

an event, this counter is separated and its

the result is nothing short of divine.

8. The futuristic aesthetic of the metal bookcase is juxtaposed against the café’s warm and earthy colour scheme.

47

/ HOSPI TA LI TY /

SCENE IN BALESTIER A MADE-IN-SINGAPORE FURNITURE BRAND WITH A FOCUS ON HERITAGE AND HISTORY WAS INVITED TO DESIGN PIECES FOR THIS CO-LIVING PROJECT IN THE SUBURBS. WORDS LOW S HI PING

1

/ P H OTOGRAPHY J ESS ICA WONG, IVAN TAN

V

isitors to Singapore residing in Shang House can truly say they

For starters, the co-living space is

Specifically, it is inside a conservation shophouse on the quiet residential street, offering five suites across four storeys, complemented by generous living and Taking the cue from the locale, the team from made-in-Singapore furniture label Scene Shang fitted it out with homeware rattan-

manufacturing past.

At the same time, it also stays true

48

Keeping out prying eyes is the threeporous

Teng

Wicker

Screen

placed behind the Ming Console Table in solid elm wood just inside the front door.

Immediately, the connection to Balestier’s heritage is established at the entrance.

Once inside, the attention is distracted

dining rooms, and a kitchen.

Balestier’s

the façade. sectioned,

Balestier on Pegu Road.

referenced

The narrow frontage of the shophouse belies the generous space concealed behind

have lived like a local.

located in the suburban neighbourhood of

that

WEAVING A NARRATIVE

by an atrium soaring four-and-a-half storeys up and filled with daylight.

The canvas is predominantly white, apart from the grey-veined flooring on the ground floor, and timbre strips making up the staircase banisters and steps.

to its signature Shanghai Art Deco style,

“When I first saw the shophouse, I was

albeit with a contemporary take, to keep it

excited by the modern space offering a good

relevant for urbanites of today.

balance of openness and airiness,” says

1. The narrow frontage of the shophouse belies the generous space concealed behind the façade. / OPPOSITE. An atrium soaring four-anda-half storeys up sits immediately beyond the living room.

49

/ HOSPI TA LI TY /

2

Scene Shang’s co-founder Jessica Wong, SHANG HOUSE

LOCATION

Singapore / COMPLETION

2020 /

headed interior design firm Oats.

With such good bones to build on, Wong could focus on designing to the dominant theme of paying tribute to the heritage of the It was fortunate that it also dovetails with what her brand stands for, “Scene Shang

144.7m2 /

wants to inspire people to appreciate history

119.3m2 / GROSS FLOOR AREA

326.5m /

2

DESIGN

J E SS I CA WO NG, CO - F O U NDE R , S CE NE SH ANG

neighbourhood Shang House is in.

SITE AREA

BUILDING AREA

and culture and this is also something the client, Figment, is trying to do too.”

The result is furniture pieces and subtle and overt ways.

live here,” she explains.

STAY AND SHOP

Scene Shang /

In addition to including Scene Shang’s

Balestier line the walls, with distinctive art

classics in the space, Wong also created

LEAD DESIGNER

pieces by Arthur Ting sitting comfortably

unique pieces for this project.

DEVELOPER

Figment Collections

photographs

“Ultimately, we want residents to have a sense of place to build memories when they

homeware with the rattan weave in both Artistically-shot

styles; one piece is even of Shang House.

of

Jessica Wong /

50

who is a trained architect and previously

alongside them.

The Teng Wicker Screen is an example,

The latter is a charming series of works

as is the square-shaped Fang Dining Table

in three-dimensional detail that feature the

made from a single slab of solid Volakas

colourful façade of shophouses in different

marble with black powder-coated steel.

3

2. The spaces are occupied by furniture from Scene Shang that have a Shanghai Art Deco style with a contemporary twist.

4

/ 3. An interlocking, rectangular matrix of glass bricks lines the stairwell that leads up to the rooftop terrace.

5

4. The Yi Suite has a sliding screen in the same interlocking, rectangular matrix that affords it privacy from the atrium. / 5. Scene Shang customised bed frames with a rattan weave specially for this project.

51

/ HOSPI TA LI TY /

FLOOR PLANS

FOURTH FLOOR

FIRST FLOOR

52

SECOND FLOOR

THIRD FLOOR

ROOF

The rooftop garden is one of the communal spaces in Shang House done up in a cool mint green.

Hanging over it are four cylindrical

This same pattern repeats on the glass

pendant lights of varying lengths from the

bricks lining the stairwell that leads up to

Teng series, filling the five-storey atrium.

the rooftop garden, itself another communal

Naturally, the first floor is purely made up of communal spaces while levels two to four are occupied by the suites.

space perfect for an evening tipple as the day cools down.

Figment has a minimum three-month stay

All but one are twin-sharing and in

requirement to book a suite in Shang House

them, treasures from Scene Shang can be

and at the end of it, if the residents decide they

found, such as the Jia Ju Rocking Stool, the

cannot live without a piece of furniture, the

award-winning Shang System in variations

good news is they can be purchased.

like luxe leather, rattan and acrylic, and the Banker Desk Lamp.

Wong draws attention to the bed frames

“We are offering a shop-able boutique home experience, which also complements our retail stores,” says Wong.

with their rattan weave and how they too

But more than anything, Shang House

were specifically designed for this project,

has given her the freedom to experiment,

since Scene Shang does not usually produce

while also showcasing the breadth of

such pieces.

possibilities with her brand.

In the Yi Suite, a sliding screen with an

In

doing

so,

she

has

created

an

interlocking, rectangular matrix adds a layer

unforgettable experience for the residents,

of privacy from the atrium, its design again

while also ensuring Balestier’s heritage gets

inspired by Scene Shang’s aesthetic.

carried forward into the 21st century.

CREATIVE, COLIVING COLLECTIVE Shang House is part of Case Study Homes, a collection of co-living spaces owned and managed by developer Figment Collections that champions art, design and heritage as integral parts of life. Launched in June 2019, it was previously operating as The Lorong 24A Shophouse Series.

This is made up of eight conservation shophouses in a row in Geylang (now converted to co-living spaces too), where each was refurbished by a different architect, including Liu & Wo Architects, Lekker Design and Atria Architects. Other collaborations in Case Study Homes include Canvas House along Blair Road by Ministry of Design, and Still House along Koon Seng Road by Studio Juju.

53

/ HOSPI TA LI TY /

1

MODERNDAY HOTEL, ANCIENT SITE THE MUSEUM HOTEL ANTAKYA, DESIGNED BY EMRE AROLAT ARCHITECTURE, FLOATS ABOVE ONE OF THE 21ST CENTURY’S MOST ASTOUNDING ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS. WORDS REDZMAN RAH MAT / P HOTOGRAPH Y C E MAL EMDEN, EMRE DORTER, RUSSO ROBERTO, ST UDIO MAJO

W

hen the Asfuroğlu family was preparing the site of its proposed five-star luxury hotel, they broke

ground to an unexpected discovery.

Beneath the riverbed in Antakya, Turkey, they discovered the 2,300-year-old ruins of the ancient city of Antioch.

The location is found a few kilometres away from what is now modern Antakya, home to an important Christian pilgrimage site, the St. Pierre Church.

This discovery completely derailed the original plans for the site.

But instead of foregoing the initial plans of building a world-class hotel, the family decided to embrace the challenge of building said hotel

1. The Museum Hotel Antakya stands guard over a 2,300-year-old archaeological site that is the ancient city of Antioch.

around the archaeological site.

The result? A mixed-purpose architectural landmark that cleverly, and carefully, juxtaposes the modern amenities of a luxury hotel with the public offering of a state-owned, open-air archaeological park.

Today, The Museum Hotel proudly shares its

premises

with

the

Necmi

Asfuroğlu

Archaeology Museum.

35,000

ancient

artefacts

(from

13

civilisations that date back to the third century BCE) co-exist alongside a modern, 200-room architectural wonder.

54

55

/ HOSPI TA LI TY /

2

PRESERVING THE PAST Turkish

practice

Emre

Arolat

Architecture (EAA) accepted the challenge of designing the luxury hotel that not just 2. A modular construction method was used, where the hotel rooms were prefabricated off-site and then assembled and stacked carefully over the archaeological park. / OPPOSITE. From Roman baths to the world’s largest single piece of floor mosaic, the site is made up of countless archaeological wonders.

56

surrounds the archaeological site, but also E M R E ARO L AT, F O U ND ING PAR T NE R AND L E AD DE S I GNE R , E M R E ARO L AT AR CH I TEC T UR E

protects it.

Together with the Asfuroğlu family and a “protection committee” consisting of the Antakya Municipality, the Hatay Archaeology

Museum

Conservation

Council

and for

the

Adana

Cultural

and

As one of the most astounding finds

Natural Assets, the board began work on

of the 21st century, it became even more

Turkey’s largest systemic archaeological

evident that EAA had to preserve this

excavation since the 1930s.

incredible area.

The project took 10 years to complete, and the team continued to uncover groundbreaking archaeological finds.

BUILDING UP One of the most obvious challenges was

It started with the excavation of 29 wells,

to build a stable structure above the excavated

but further investigation revealed more

area, without disturbing the location or

archaeological wonders.

integrity of the artefacts and structures of

These include a 15,000m2 floor mosaic

the now-declared archaeological park.

(the world’s largest single piece), Roman

The solution was to construct a “floating”

baths from the fifth century, as well as the

hotel, raised on structural columns, that

world’s only intact marble statue of the

would ensure that the precious treasure

Greek god Eros.

below remained safe and intact.

57

/ HOSPI TA LI TY /

3

3.

Archaeologists working on the 15,000m2 floor mosaic.

5

4

First, 312 pieces of precast reinforced concrete walls were insulated and installed throughout the site.

With the foundation in place, the architect team erected 66 supporting columns.

In

order

to

minimise

any

potential

damage, the placement of each column was dictated by the location of the archaeological findings.

In total, 20,000 tons of hand-welded structural steel was used. This is four times more than what the Eiffel Tower boasts of.

This formed the multi-storey structure’s framework.

EAA then realised that the best course of action would be to utilise modular construction that

58

would

minimise

any

potential

4–5.

Structural steel criss-cross above the ground to support the hotel, while the columns were carefully placed to minimise impact on the site.

FLOOR PLANS

FIRST FLOOR

SECOND FLOOR

THIRD FLOOR

59

/ HOSPI TA LI TY /

60

6

THE MUSEUM HOTEL ANTAKYA

LOCATION

Antakya, Turkey / COMPLETION

2019 / TOTAL BUILDING AREA

365,972.95ft2 /

OPPOSITE. Left exposed, the structural steel supports give the hotel a contemporary, industrial feel, a stark contrast to the ancient world it floats over.

OWNER

ASF Hotel & Tourism / ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN

Emre Arolat Architecture / LANDSCAPE CONSULTANT

DS Architecture / LIGHTING CONSULTANT

Studio Lighting Design / FIRE CONSULTANT

Mustafa Ozgunler & Karina Design Services / WIND LOAD CONSULTANT

Alkazar Engineering & Consultancy / FAÇADE CONSULTANT

Axis Façade Istanbul / STRUCTURAL ENGINEER

Nodus Engineering / MECHANICAL ENGINEER

Termomek Eng & Besa Mech. Engineering

/

disturbances to the archaeological park.

well as a platform that houses rooftop public

To that end, the hotel rooms were

spaces such as the hotel’s ballroom, meeting

prefabricated off-site and then assembled

rooms, a swimming pool and a fitness centre.

and stacked carefully.

This roof/platform is inspired by the local

The public spaces such as the ballroom,

tradition of roof terraces, and also offers vista

lounge area and restaurant, were also

points that look out to the neighbouring city

constructed in a similar manner.

and the nearby St. Pierre Hill.

Walkways and bridges connect the

Slits on the platform act as skylights for

rooms to the main circulation of the building,

the archaeological site below, and present a

but still respect the treasures beneath.

beautiful visual connection between modern

The result is a semi-open space that

luxury and historical discovery.

circles and meanders over the excavation site.

EAA must be commended for the

This “inner world” is further enhanced by

concerted effort it took to pay tribute to

terraces and gardens, all of which maintain

the site, while also successfully integrating

visual contact with the archaeological park.

a thoughtfully-designed hotel over it for

EAA designed the canopy roof that acts

guests to experience first-hand the wonders

as both a marker for the historical site, as

6. Walkways and bridges connect the rooms to the main circulation of the building, flanked by glass panels that offer views down to the archaeological site.

of ancient Antioch 2,300 years later.

61

/ A B ODE /

IRONCLAD RESTRAINT DUBBED THE HOUSE OF HARMONY, RT+Q’S LATEST EXPLORATION OF THE BARN FORM BALANCES A VISUALLY-ROBUST MATERIAL PALETTE WITH REFINED DETAILS TO THE GREATEST EFFECT. WORDS AS IH JENIE / P HOTOGRAPH Y MASANO KAWANA

1. House of Harmony is RT+Q’s latest exploration of the barn form.

62

1

H

aving completed 118 residential projects in Southeast Asia and won plenty of awards since its

establishment in 2003, it is fair to say that RT+Q Architects has mastered the art of modern tropical houses.

The firm has also developed a distinct design language and an extensive lexicon of details.

“We

are

continuously

refining

and

tweaking them to suit each unique project,” says RT+Q co-founder Rene Tan. Refined is an apt word to describe its latest project, House of Harmony.

The two-storey-plus-attic home is RT+Q’s latest exploration of the modernist barn form.

RATIONAL AND COMPACT Located on a slope, the site was originally split into two levels. Tan decided to even them out so the house can enjoy a seamless spatial flow.

Sitting 1m above the main street level, the new home paints an elegant proportion in the neighbourhood with its pitched metal roof.

“The clients’ brief requested a very rational

and

compact

house,

which

translated to straightforward zoning,” says Koh Sock Mui, Associate Architect at RT+Q, who helmed the project.

“The beauty of the house is in the articulation of the details,” she adds.

It has an L-shaped plan and is home to a family of four. The first floor comprises

63

/ A B ODE /

2

64

living area, dining area, kitchen, the helper’s living quarter and a guest room.

On the second floor, the front wing is dedicated is the parents’ master suite, while 2. RT+Q articulates the barn form of the house with metal screens and Burmese teak. / ABOVE. A generouslysized deck allows the indoor activity to spill outside seamlessly.

All

three

are

solid,

visually-robust

materials that, in the hands of less-

the rear is for their two daughters.

experienced

architects,

could

easily

overwhelm the design.

But here, RT+Q skilfully pairs them with

“We designed it such that when the time

the precise ratio of open spaces, floor-to-

comes, the children’s area can operate as two

ceiling openings, and breathtakingly-thin

self-contained suites,” explains Koh.

cantilevered planes to render them just right.

The third floor is for hobby and leisure.

The attic houses a spa-like bathroom and a dance studio for the daughters.

The shade of grey in the house is kept consistent across materials.

The generous deck and swimming pool

Meanwhile, the entire rear wing hosts

stretching along the living area can serve

a roof garden with a canopied tea parlour

as either a connector or separator from the

that enjoys breezy evenings and a view to

dining area, depending on the occasion.

the dance studio and neighbourhood beyond.

POETIC SPACES elements:

Burmese timber.

granite,

planned

to

be

pleasingly

symmetrical, providing a perfect backdrop

The material palette comprises three primary

The spatial framing in the interior was meticulously

marble

and

for the furniture pieces curated by interior consultant D Editors.

On the façade, metal screens add texture

65

/ A B ODE /

and provide privacy for the inhabitants.

“The screens allow us to visually tie together the attic and the second level,” says Koh. The

attic

bathroom,

which

comes

with a steam room, enjoys the view of ABOVE. The porthole cut through the wall is a nod to the moon gate and just one of the many small touches that pay tribute to Asian heritage.

greenery made even more poetic as it is The freestanding bathtub serves both as a sculptural centrepiece and a functioning amenity.

Housed within the elbow of the L-shaped plan, the main stairwell enjoys ample natural light streaming in via a skylight.

As the day progresses, sunlight filtering

the house have been meticulously curated for their colour and grain consistency,” shares Koh. The stairwell area is both Tan and Koh’s favourite part of the design.

through the screen paints the woodgrain,

“It shows that a utilitarian space can be

marble and fairface concrete with shadows.

more than just that – it can be a poetic space

“Burmese teak has this distinct warm-

with the right amount of light and shadow,”

toned golden hue, and the pieces used for

66

KO H S OC K MUI , ASS O CI AT E AR C H I T E C T, R T+ Q AR C H I T E C TS

layered by the metal screen.

says Tan.

FLOOR PLANS

GROUND FLOOR

ATTIC

SECOND FLOOR

67

/ A B ODE /

3

HOUSE OF HARMONY

LOCATION

Singapore / COMPLETION

2019 / SITE AREA

954m2 / GROSS FLOOR AREA

738m2 / ARCHITECT

RT+Q Architects / LEAD ARCHITECT

Koh Sock Mui / PROJECT TEAM

TK Quek, Rene Tan, Jes Ang / INTERIOR CONSULTANT

D Editors / CONTRACTOR

Huat Brothers / C&S CONSULTANT

TnJ Consultants / M&E CONSULTANT

HPX Consulting Engineers / QUANTITY SURVEYOR

WS Surveyorship / LIGHTING CONSULTANT

Lighting Technologies / LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

Ecoplan Asia & Nyee Phoe Flower Garden / FURNITURE

Minotti, Georgetti, Poliform, Cocovara, Hammerton, Focus Wine Cellar / SANITARYWARE

AXOR, Hansgrohe, Duravit, Grohe

68

4

4. The rooftop tea parlour enjoys a view to the dance studio and neighbourhood. / 5. The freestanding bathtub enjoys a sweeping view of the neighbourhood while tucked behind the greenery and metal screen.

5

PERFECT BALANCE Further enhancing the quality of the material is the lighting.

It comprises mostly of recessed and indirect architectural lights that are felt more than seen, adding a glow to the perimeter of the porthole on the ground floor, and tracing the lines of the barn-shaped roof in the attic bathroom.

3. Natural light streams inside and paints the stairwell with poetic brushstrokes.

Here and there are small touches that pay tribute to Asian heritage.

The porthole – a somewhat spontaneous design

decision

that

Tan

took

during

construction – is a nod to the moon gate; so is the pattern of the timbre screen in the dining room.

These details work in tandem to soften the straightforwardness of the architectural shell.

“The early working title of this house was Japanese Armani,” reveals Tan, with

poetic discipline as such feels inadequate and oversimplified.

an amused smile, sharing that it came from

Evidently, the clients felt the same way,

the owners during brainstorming sessions

for they changed the name of the house

involving many mood boards.

when it was completed.

Seeing the home’s final look, one can draw the parallel.

But labelling its tailored elegance and

The House of Harmony balances many things with ironclad restraint, and the design shines because of it.

69

/ A B ODE /

CONTEMPORISING THE TRADITIONAL

2

ONCE AN ABANDONED SIHEYUAN IN BEIJING, QISHE COURTYARD IS NOW RESTORED INTO A CONTEMPORARY LIVING SPACE WITH CURVED WALLS AND SLEEK ROOMS WHILE RETAINING ITS UNIQUE, TIME-HONOURED FEATURES. WORDS PRAIS E POH

1

/ P H OTOGRAPHY WANG NING, WU QINGS HAN

1. The entrance was shifted to the east and the walls of the daozuo fang were removed to make space for a garage. / 2. The front courtyard retained many of its historical elements, such as the traditional grey bricks and arched door opening.

R

estoring an old building is not an

Iconic elements such as the carvings

easy task, much less an iconic

on arched door openings and traditional

siheyuan.

gateway at the entrance were kept.

Located in the old city of Beijing, this

Leftover old bricks, found inside the

project is named Qishe (literally meaning

courtyard, were used to repair the damaged

“seven houses” in Chinese), because it

exterior wall.

originally consisted of seven pitched-roof

“After all the reinforcement work was

houses and is also the seventh unit in the

done, we assessed and tested the bearing

hutong (the narrow lane between siheyuan).

capacity of the structure,” Han says.

Han

Wenqiang,

founder

chief

architect of Beijing-based design studio ARCHSTUDIO,

was

tasked

with

the

responsibility and he started by deciding what to retain and remove.

Parts of the roof and walls that were

COMPLETE CONNECTIVITY The original siheyuan consisted of three courtyards.

The front courtyard is small, featuring a row of daozuo fang (rooms that are located in

severely damaged had to be demolished.

the south of the siheyuan and face the north

Wooden structural beams that were well-

direction) and the gateway.

preserved were left in situ.

70

and

Traditionally, daozuo fang served as a

71

/ A B ODE /

form of accommodation for male servants and gatekeepers as they are the least desirable spot in the entire siheyuan.

ABOVE. The walls between the front and middle courtyards were dismantled and replaced by a transparent veranda to create a continuous flow between the three courtyards.

These were removed to create a continuous flow between the three courtyards.

However, as these were no longer

“The veranda acts as a connector between

relevant in our modern times, the team

the three separate courtyards, optimising

decided to utilise that space for a more

functional indoor space, natural lighting and

immediate need — a garage.

scenic views,” explains Han.

The entrance gateway was shifted to

It adopts a frame structure of ribbed beams

the east and the walls of the daozuo fang

to better blend in with the old construction.

were removed.

Variations in appearance were also made,

The original pillars were also replaced with steel structural beams to support the pitched roof, and a spacious car park was born.

according to the different landscapes and spatial functions.

For example, the roof of the veranda at the entrance curves slightly upwards to

In addition, the wall between the front

form a rounded arc with the curved edges of

and middle courtyards was dismantled and

the pitched roofs at both sides, creating an

replaced by a transparent veranda.

interesting view of the ancient tree in the

Han explains that the original siheyuan

72

natural lighting in the rooms.

back courtyard against the sky.

had too many partition walls, resulting in

Amenities such as bathrooms, a kitchen

many small, cramped spaces and limited

and equipment room were added to the newly-

QISHE COURTYARD

LOCATION

Beijing China / COMPLETION

2020 / SITE AREA

500m2 / ARCHITECT

ARCHSTUDIO / LEAD ARCHITECT

Han Wenqiang / C&S CONSULTANT

Bamboo Era

3

3-4. The veranda adopts a frame structure of ribbed beams to better blend in with the older construction, varying in appearance to suit the different spatial functions.

4

/ 5. The dining room located in the middle courtyard is adjacent to the western kitchen, which can be converted into an open kitchendining space.

5

restored space, as well as modern features like air-conditioners and HVAC piping to complete its modernisation.

To emphasise the sense of formality in a traditional siheyuan, the team adopted a symmetric layout for the place.

They also replaced the old elevated steps that led to the rooms with gentle slopes, and coupled with the transparent veranda, these enhanced the connectivity between the indoor spaces and the open courtyards.

The middle courtyard is designed to be a common area equipped with a living room, dining room and kitchen, while the back courtyard is designated for private spaces – mainly two bedrooms, a tea room and study.

The dining room features a folding door, which can be fully opened to extend indoor activities to the outdoor courtyard.

The middle of the dining room’s back wall has an arched door, which has been carefully restored and now serves as the entrance to the back courtyard.

The kitchen is divided into a semi-open

73

/ A B ODE /

FLOOR PLAN

1. Hutong Street 2. Main entrance 3. Garage entrance 4. Garage 5. Front courtyard

6. Reception room 7. Equipment room 8. Toilet 9. Servoce room 10. Original gate

11. Lobby 12. Living room 13. Tea room 14. Corridor 15. Middle courtyard

16. Bamboo courtyard 17. Storehouse 18. Rest area 19. Dining room 20. Western kitchen

toilet walls for privacy and natural light.

Their similarity in shape and size to the existing grey bricks offers an interesting connection and contrast.

High-performance, bamboo-based, fibrecomposite Besides

H AN WENQIANG , FOUNDER , ARCHSTUDIO

material

lining

the

is

heavily

bedrooms’

used.

flooring,

Han also applied it on the supporting beams underneath the veranda’s roof, as the material has an interesting texture western kitchen area, a closed Chinese

and brown hue that matches the existing

kitchen and a storage room.

wooden columns.

The western kitchen is adjacent to

He elaborates, “We use the material

the dining room and can double up as an

to support the veranda. The designing,

open kitchen counter to fulfil a variety of

processing and lofting processes proved

entertainment possibilities.

to be very challenging as the supporting

CELEBRATING THE OLD AND NEW Besides

using

traditional

“In addition, it is a new material and at present, there is no well-defined structural

building

design codes in China. Hence, the design

materials such as wood and grey bricks,

team and the construction team worked

the team also introduced other interesting

closely together to ensure that the overall

materials.

structure is as thin and light as possible, and

Glass bricks were used to construct the

74

structures are not of regular shapes.

in harmony with the old building.

21. Chinese kitchen 22. Study room 23. Back courtyard 24. Master bedroom 25. Second bedroom

6

7 “As in

there

may

measurements

be

slight

between

the

differences drawings

and existing construction, we could not prefabricate the structural beams in the factory and had to process and manufacture 6. The back courtyard consists of two bedrooms, a tea room and study.

The undulating veranda floor plan was designed to accommodate three existing trees. / 7. A neutral palette was used for the bedrooms and light fixtures were concealed in the roof structure to avoid exposed light bulbs, keeping the atmosphere cosy.

them on site.

“Lofting was done to create wooden models of the main curved beams of the veranda in a 1: 1 ratio for comparison on site. The craftsmen then proceed to process the bamboo-based, fibre-composite material based on the models, resulting in a much longer construction cycle.

“Furthermore, we had to be on site during each new phase to inspect and check things like the alignment to ensure the desired design effect.”

As traditional roofs are not installed with any waterproofing membrane, they are prone to develop leaks over time. Moreover, they

also

have

poor

thermal

insulation

as an attraction, and as such, they lost the living element.

performance. improvement

“We hope to include this usability in our

the team did was to add insulation and

restoration of Qishe to enrich the lives of

waterproofing layers underneath the original

those using this space.

Therefore,

one

major

grey tiled rooftops.

For Han and the team, the best way to “preserve” an old building is to make it “useable”.

“Many old buildings were being restored

“Of course, we also need to adhere to certain

restoration

principles,

such

as

incorporating the traces of time into the overall design,” Han concludes.

75

/ DI N E /

LUSH DECADENCE THE DYNAMISM OF CHINESE CULTURE IS ON FULL DISPLAY AT MOTT 32 SINGAPORE, DESIGNED BY JOYCE WANG STUDIO. WORDS LOW S HI PING

1

/ P H OTOGRAPHY EDMON LEONG, JOYCE WANG STUDIO

1. The entrance of Mott 32 is done up with its classic bank bar gold gates. / OPPOSITE. The main dining area of Mott 32 has pendant lights with embroidered linen shades.

76

T

located in Marina Bay Sands, throws up a

Mott 32 is visually stimulating, with so many details to take in and be distracted by. Why did you choose this stylistic direction?

smorgasbord of rich, luxurious detailing and

We wanted to celebrate the botanical theme

story-telling that spans time, culture and

without reservation, and ensure it extended

geographical boundaries.

to every surface in order to grant diners an

he lights are turned down so it might be hard to appreciate, but closer inspection of Mott 32 Singapore,

Conceptualised by Joyce Wang Studio,

all-immersive experience. Details have been

the modern Chinese restaurant is rife with

imagined with colonial influence, nods to

references

the Aesthetic Movement and of course, the

from

Chinese

imperialism,

the country’s colonial era, its traditional shophouse

architecture,

greenery,

Garden City.

the

Aesthetic Movement and Hong Kong, where Mott 32 first originated.

How similar is Mott 32 Singapore to the other outlets around the world?

The eponymous designer of the Studio

All Mott 32 projects (Singapore, Hong

offers her take on how she designed the

Kong, Vancouver and Las Vegas) share in

space, and her thought processes around the

the rigour to defy expectation and deliver

selection of materials.

something visionary. At the same time,

77

/ DI N E /

each is undeniably unique, as every design

exclusive. In line with the cuisine, the design

concept is so closely inspired and informed

embraces the dynamism of Chinese culture

by its home city and the local dining culture

while innovating tradition, and delivering an

of its surroundings.

honest, rustic, contemporary result.

One example of an element which locations, is the hideaway dining alcove not

How did you decide on the spatial configuration of the restaurant?

immediately noticeable to first time visitors

Mott 32 integrates three semi-private dining

– these special spaces create an experience

rooms alongside one main private dining room.

that diners look forward to when planning

We set out to create a space versatile enough

their next visit to a Mott 32 restaurant. For

to cater to a whole host of different diners and

Mott 32 Singapore this is The Orangery, a

to evoke different atmospheres dependent

botanical sanctuary-esque pavilion, with

on placement in the space. In a sense, each

draping ferns and rich foliage perfect for

becomes its own conceptual pocket.

remains

ABOVE. The Lantern Private Dining has a handpainted and embroidered ornate wallcovering of a rich, gold-leaf pattern on a semi-sheen blue background.

78

constant

across

all

Mott

32

yum cha gossip.

The Orangery, which celebrates the Garden City, has ferns draping around the

How does the interior design of Mott 32 Singapore complement its cuisine?

brim of the alcove redirecting guests to

In

dining

personality, which imbues the art movement

experience such as Mott 32, the earthy velvet

with the value of beauty in art and design.

palette of terracotta, teal and volcanic grey

We went around the city to source objets of

and considered lighting feels immediately

curiosities to sit against a hand-painted and

designing

for

an

elevated

look up for a fresh perspective. The Lantern Private Dining Room, conversely, has its own

2

2. The Orangery has ferns draping around the brim of the alcove redirecting guests to look up for a fresh perspective. / 3. One of the three semiprivate dining rooms with its own silk embroidery wallpaper.

embroidered ornate wallcovering of a rich, goldleaf pattern on a semi-sheen blue background, echoing The Peacock Room created by artists MOTT 32 SINGAPORE

James McNeill Whistler and Thomas Jeckyll,

LOCATION

What inspired the design of the numerous pendant lights in the different spaces?

Singapore / COMPLETION

2019 / SITE AREA

11,715ft2 / INTERIOR DESIGN

Joyce Wang Studio / CLIENT

Marina Bay Sands / CONTRACTOR

Falkcon Interior / M&E CONSULTANT

EWC / QUANTITY SURVEYOR

located in the Freer Gallery of Art.

The

pendants

have

been

designed

with

embroidered linen shades to bring a further layer of decadence, while providing a point of contrast to slick metal detail – thereby communicating a modern language of Chinese imperialistic design. In the Lantern Private Dining Room, the field of pendants and antique ornaments create another world within a world as the room is set behind the seethrough wine coolers, creating the perfect balance between privacy for diners but also an environment to want to “be seen”.

3

Rider Levett Bucknall /

What are the different materials you used to make the table tops?

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

In The Orangery, we used a resin-coated material

bar, the table tops feature rainforest marble, its

with loosely layered paints underneath. It is

veins and movement playing on the surrounding

SANITARYWARE

a technique that has been derived from car

foliage. In the Lantern Private Dining Room, we

Duravit, Kohler, Waterworks

painting and we were able to create a bespoke

used a precious blue agate stone to craft the lazy

colour palette specifically for this venue. At the

Susan, which then sits atop a timbre table top.

Mosscape /

79

/ DI N E /

FLOOR PLAN

80

4

Rope is used abundantly, especially on the ceiling of the main dining area.

What is the significance of it?

Mott 32 is a restaurant that boasts a Hong Kong story. Even so, we have opened outposts across cities internationally. We want to celebrate the fact that it originated in the dynamic city

JOYCE WA N G, PRI N C IPA L, JOYCE WANG ST U D IO

of Hong Kong, whereby the cuisine and design alike have been honed to satiate the tastes of a discerning crowd. Hong Kong’s humble

What type of timbre is used on the walls and floor throughout the restaurant?

beginnings was one of a fishing village and with the rustic rope detailing, we transport diners back to this period of trade and exchange. The rope canopy in the main dining area harks back

Rustic timbre is used extensively on the

to dockside activity – creating an authentic

walls and floors throughout the space.

tension between Hong Kong’s past and present.

Drawing

on

Singaporean

shophouse

and classic Mott 32 bank bar gold gates. The

What influenced your decision on where to place the artwork of our national animal, the lion?

timbre pairs harmoniously with the greenery

At Mott 32 Singapore, the lion is positioned

and earthy-toned furnishings to fulfil the

outside the men’s lavatory. We wanted to

natural, Garden City aesthetic. We have

locate the graffiti (created by graffiti artist

mainly used oak throughout the restaurant

Joe-joe) in an area that is not first noticeable

but stained it in different ways to highlight

on entry and can only be appreciated in a

its grain in certain areas, while hiding it in

more private setting by diners – perhaps

others. This made for a unifying language

even only on their second visit. Hence, we

throughout the space, while simultaneously

felt

imbuing feature dining rooms with their

provided a more subtle opportunity for the

own personality.

artwork to be discovered.

architecture, we looked to modernise and innovate this through the use of timbre slats

the

journey

towards

the

4. Mott 32’s bar front is clad in ancient Chinese featherembossed tiles, while the bar back has apothecary drawers that add an air of mystery.

restrooms

81

/ SPR EA D /

WE’RE EASY THESE VERSATILE PIECES OF FURNITURE SMOOTHLY TRANSIT BETWEEN HOME, HOTEL, OFFICE, PUBLIC SPACE…OR WHEREVER YOU WANT THEM TO BE, REALLY. D E SIGN A R IS LA I

Iuta Chairs by Antonio Citterio from B&B Italia, available at Space Furniture

Alcove Sofa by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec from Vitra, available at W. Atelier Ortigia Outdoor Collection Dining Armchair from Flexform

82

FourLikes Seating System from Four Design, available at XTRA

Copa Chairs by Ramos&Bassols from Viccarbe, available at Space Furniture

Rendez-vous Sofa by Sergio Bicego from Saba Italia, available at P5 Studio

83

/ SPR EA D /

Monreale Outdoor Collection Table and Moka Outdoor Collection Chair from Flexform

PodLounge Seating System by o4i Design Studio from Martela, available at Marquis HQO

Trestle Table by John Pawson and Season Mini Pouf by Piero Lissoni from Viccarbe, available at Space Furniture

84

Husk Chairs by Patricia Urquiola from B&B Italia, available at Space Furniture

Soft Work Seating System by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby from Vitra, available at W. Atelier

85

/ SPR EA D /

Fiber Chairs by Iskos-Berlin from Muuto, available at XTRA

Nooa Collection

by Antti Kotilainen from Martela, available at Marquis HQO

86

Stool-Tool Stool by Konstantin Grcic from Vitra, available at W. Atelier

Risom Desk by Jens Risom from Stellar Works, available at P5 Studio

Zante Sectional Sofa and Ortiga Outdoor Collection Armchair from Flexform

87

/ PEOPLE /

THE ALPHA BRANDON LIU IS ONE OF FOUR DIRECTORS AT WOLF STUDIO WHO BELIEVES HIS CALLING IS TO DESIGN GREAT PLACES FOR ORGANISATIONS TO CALL HOME. WORDS LOW S HI PING / L-R: THE REVITALIS ED POLIFORM SHOWROOM DESI G N AT S PACE F U RNITURE; W ESTSIDE S OFA

BY J EAN-MARIE MASSAUD FROM POLIFORM

88

BRANDON LIU Director, Wolf Studio Age: 37 Lesson learnt from working for other designers: Never be complacent

Why did you become a designer?

work. Our designers are relentless and committed to

As a child, I loved to draw, and wanted to be a famous

providing the best service to our clients and deliver a

artist. What I didn’t understand back then was that

unique and successful outcome for every project, no

when my mother encouraged me to draw buildings,

matter how big or small.

it turns out that she was carving my career path. and design through school and never lost interest.

How do you think interior design as a practice will be impacted by COVID-19?

Eventually, I studied Architecture and practised in

We are already examining our completed, current

Australia, where I grew up. When I came to Singapore

and upcoming projects to different extents to

in 2007, I was thrown into the commercial design

understand what this new normal will look like, and

scene and absolutely loved it. I now specialise in

what organisations should do to their workplace

workplace design and built our company around this.

to ensure it is a safe and healthy environment.

Since young, I have always followed the route of craft

Consultancy services will not just be based on design,

What is your design philosophy?

but understanding best practices in workplace

To bring joy to the world, by creating spaces

wellness and health policies. As designers, we need

people love coming to. People spend so much of their

to evolve with this and ensure every project is an

lives in the workplace. We’ve taken it as our calling

opportunity to help the world fight this virus and

to design great places for organisations to call

future pandemics.

home, while bringing a bit of fun, excitement and

experience, while also strategically driving business

Wolf Studio designs a lot of offices. How do you think their design will be impacted

by COVID-19?

aspirations and culture.

The workplace design industry has constantly been

inspiration each day for every person that comes to work. Design can empower a space to be fantastic to

evolving and pivoting with the development of

How does your style differ from other designers?

technology, demographics and the global economy.

People often ask why we named ourselves Wolf

the better. Companies will focus a greater deal on

Studio. Because there is no other animal that better

healthy workplaces and understand the value that

represents our never-ending curiosity, desire to work

good design can bring.

I see this event as another catalyst for change, for

as a team, and unwillingness to quit. Our company is a team of designers, led by designers. We focus a great deal on character among our team and in our

Why do you enjoy purchasing pieces from Space Furniture?

It offers an assurance of quality in fabrication and detail. It also has a unique range of brands that can complement any type of design language. One of my favourites is Poliform, for its clean lines and honest and pure form. We recently used its meeting tables and lounges in the client suite of one of our investment bank clients. The intention was to convey understated elegance, and Poliform is able to do exactly this.

This story is produced in collaboration with SPACE FURNITURE. FURNITURE.

89

/ LI FE /

TELLING TALES OLIVIA LEE’S NARRATIVE-LED WORKS STAND OUT IN THE CROWDED DESIGN SCENE FOR THEIR CHARM AND DEPTH OF MEANING. WORDS LUO JING MEI / PH OTOGRAPHY COURT ESY OF OLIVIA LEE

I

n November 2019, Olivia Lee transformed the top two storeys of Hermès’ Singapore flagship store into an otherworldly landscape.

She blanketed the penultimate floor in

undulating

terracotta

clay,

forming

towers,

valleys and ridges.

She timed a miniature metallic-copper train to loop in and out of tunnels.

She poised little vermillion diggers in midmotion of unearthing buttons and buckles.

90

Welcome to Planet H. The enchanting tableaus hint at extraterrestrial life gathering material scraps, which Hermès’ offshoot design atelier petit h turns into the exquisite objects – furniture, bags, stationery – colouring the setting.

Lee was inspired by the astronauts’ similar resourcefulness in the film Apollo 13 (they assembled a carbon dioxide-recycling machine with spacecraft parts).

The gnarled and the gleaming juxtapose in a wabi sabi moment for her ’30 LifeStories – Remembering Parks’ Struck bench.

For

Bynd

Artisan,

leather-bound

tomes

masquerade as coin banks and clutches, and the pastel, brassy objects in The Athena Collection are technologically-useful without being high-tech.

In Lee’s hands, the everyday – materials, messages and memories – become more beautiful.

In photographs, Lee’s arresting features – small eyes embellished with kohl flicks, prominent rosebud lips, blunt fringe – accompany structured outfits to project confidence and focus.

In person, she is also girly and approachable, and speaks with an endearing lyrical timbre.

This disposition reflects her works, which are as whimsical as they are relevant, and as aestheticallyinclined as they are technically-refined.

She elaborates on her approach of slow reveal.

“There’s a bit of mischief in what I do,” she chuckles.

“I think in design, you need to have a sense of fun, play and humour. Thinking about a [project’s] experience is like planning a party – how do I build in thoughtful touch points with a surprise at the end?”

For Lee, play is serious business, “I find that when you talk about qualities like happiness, beauty or wonder in design, people immediately write that off as superficial.

From Planet H, visitors traverse up a staircase

“But I firmly disagree. I think we need a greater

to the futuristic Habitat H, interacting with faux

sense of wonder in our buy-and-throw away culture.

machinery amid plants that laud the host city’s

It allows us to have greater appreciation for our

own penchant for nature and innovation.

objects,” she ruminates.

The experience spills to the street through

Furthermore, when people come to the message

artful window displays, a dynamic façade

on their own, in a fun way, they’re most likely to

graphic and an interactive feature that lights up

remember it.

stars and planets.

LIKE PLANNING A PARTY This installation could well represent the inside of Lee’s mind.

Her Alice in Wonderland-type encounters use storytelling and games to get her points across, and the joyful responses they generate echo the fun she has making them.

Lotus leaves frozen in the Float resin table for Industry+ gives to mesmerising light play.

The word “wonder” pops into her projects, as if a reminder of this manifesto.

There is the Museum of Wonder – a Hermès shop window display which has jocular, absurdist mise en scène snapshots Lee’s version of industrialisation – and The Wonder Facility, her studio-cum-co-workoffice welcoming alike minds.

An admirable lexicon running the gamut of Greek mythology, history and science backs her visions.

She’s not just a romantic; she’s also a geek.

Lee smiles in admission.

91

/ LI FE /

MUCH TIME FOR PLAY

don’t belong in silos,” says Lee, whose childhood

contented accomplishing tasks for the Science

businesswoman dreams – she experimented with

Centre’s Young Scientist Badge program and

imaginary company logos – represented an interest

ploughing through books on all topics.

in not just how things are made, but also sold.

She joined the science club, arts club,

While Lee’s commercial artist parents did not

computer club, drama club, choir and helped with

overtly promote design, they did provide a nurturing

the school magazine.

framework.

Such diverse interests resulted in fluctuating

Lee had access to their design books and

vocational goals, unlike classmates with ambitions

magazines, and art supplies like cow gum, set

clearly in hard-nosed or liberal arts professions.

squares and spray mounts were not out of bounds.

In industrial design, she found her salvation.

92

“It felt right for me because I feel disciplines

During school holidays, she was equally

“As a child, seeing projects just emerge around

“A large part of it is actually storytelling and

the house set up this can-do spirit,” she shares.

Ample

playground

time

after

school

with

how to compose a scene to tell a story very quickly,” she explains.

neighbours also benefitted.

“The make-belief, unstructured play is a very

Her fascination with machinery and processes

design mind set; you need to take what is available

found their way into projects for Hermès and The

to you and then create your own rules, find the game

Marvellous Marble Factory for SingaPlural 2015 that

within that,” she espouses.

had her serving up confectionery imitations made

At

the

National

University

of

Singapore’s

from natural stone on a conveyor belt.

Division of Industrial Design (NUS DID), she happily

Lee highlights Rube Goldberg’s illustrations of

supplemented design classes with cross-faculty

fantastical contraptions she discovered behind a

modules in astrophysics and film.

cereal box as a child.

But in her third year, she transferred to London’s Central Saint Martins (CSM) on a Design Singapore Council (Dsg) scholarship, upon advice of mentors who told her that to be a good designer, she had to see the world.

CSM’s variegated design disciplines supplied depth of design knowledge but the city proved to be the hidden school.

She patronised its countless museums and exhibitions, and travelled nearby to explore the Milan Furniture Fair and Paris’ Nuit Blanche.

“It’s like a smorgasbord of experiences and influences, which was formidable in shaping my early twenties, forming my creative identity,” she says.

There, she thrived, graduating with First Class Honours.

Fame came early with her thesis project – a trio of Limited Edition Dolls (Zaha Hadid, Karim Rashid, Jaime Hayon) as a tongue-in-cheek observation of the cult of design.

It was widely featured and earned her a guest illustrator opportunity for international design magazine Icon.

CHILD AT HEART For Lee, stepping out of her comfort zone aids creative growth.

After

working

for

London-based

designer

Sebastian Bergne, she joined the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), employing design thinking to help grow the consumer-facing business sectors.

In 2013, she took a leap of faith, establishing her eponymous studio.

It was the right move, allowing her to explore multifarious avenues including furniture design, scenography and brand communications that fed her restless nature and consolidated her brand.

What delights her most is how she is able to continue doing what she enjoyed as a child, albeit on a different scale.

“I realised that scenography and comic bookdesign are similar; the windows are like sequences of comic panels.

“I think, in a way, I still want to be that inventor,” she muses.

“I really love that kind of absurdity and humour.

I would take apart and reassemble LEGO and Meccano sets, aspiring to make these machines.”

As a designer, she’s able to do just that, inventing for clients like Bank of Singapore, Samsung and The Balvenie.

Moving on, perhaps, a hotel, the interior of a space ship or an entirely new vision to address pertinent issues such as sustainability?

How these would look like through Lee’s wild and witty lens is something we can’t wait to explore.

93

/ B EST PR ACTI CE /

THE PHYSICAL AND METAPHYSICAL A MATERIAL MOOD BOARD RANKS HIGH IN IMPORTANCE FOR A FURNITURE DESIGNER WHILE FOR AN ARCHITECT, IT IS THE PROCESS OF DREAMING THAT MATTERS. WORDS LOW S HI PING

“B

efore creating and designing a brand or collection for Commune, I like to curate a selection of materials that

could be used to make what I have in mind.

This is important because only by touching and feeling the physical item, can I start to envision the forms that they might take. It is also a way for me to assess if it can be commercially viable to produce; otherwise I’d just be making art.

These materials could be gathered from anywhere, but an important source for me are markets all over the world. What guides me is the persona or thematic environment that I want to portray through the collection.

For instance, when we created Volta for Commune, we knew it was styled for a rock

jackets, which I later incorporated into a

star. My material mood board therefore had

TV unit and sideboard, and a chair with a

elements like music amplifiers and biker

chevron pattern, respectively.

Another example is the Alt.o Collection, Commune’s new high-end range. A visit to a fashion market in Dongguan in Guangdong, China had me picking out the leather used for shoes and bags to incorporate into the leather ropes and belts found in the pieces. I later also sourced them from vendors there.

The material mood board influences the setup of the showroom experience where the collection is presented as well. With Volta, we had elements like a musky, woody scent and whiskey-based cocktails at the launch.

With Alt.o, we used a scent evocative of the coast, and when customers are checking it out, we serve Moroccan mint tea.”

Julian Koh, Brand & Design Director, Commune

94

“A

t Gensler, we are deeply committed to shaping the future of cities. Prior to the planning and design of a client’s project,

we go through a process I call Strategic Visioning.

It encourages alignment and focus among the client’s various stakeholders, has a unity of purpose and ultimately yields master plans and facilities well-suited to the present and poised for the future.

It

explores

and

challenges

the

client’s

assumptions, and encourages them to take a long view of what they are wanting to do that is both broad and strategic. It moves the conversation from “how” to “what”. Thinking about what could be done, rather than how to get it done, keeps great ideas from being dismissed prematurely. As designers, we hold tremendous power to conceive what doesn’t yet exist. We need to focus on what we want our future to look like, and only after that has been decided, should we attempt to figure out how we will bring it to reality.

A project that we applied this to was Rochester Commons, a mixed-use development currently under construction, located in one-north, Singapore.

It will provide grade A offices, a shared executive

learning centre, hotel and F&B options. Some of these will be housed in the 12 conservation-status colonial bungalows on the site.

The larger objective of the project is to establish a global landmark of learnerfocused

support

within

a

collaborative

learning environment. To accomplish this and accommodate the diverse programmatic elements

in

an

integrated

whole

on

a

challengingly compact site with significant elevation

changes,

a

Knowledge

Trail,

comprised of elevated decking, connects the bungalows with the main building, a mixeduse high-rise, creating a central activity spine that transforms a relatively congested site into a cohesive and stimulating three-dimensional learning ecosphere.

In this case, the integrating Knowledge Trail element was the key “how” discovery, but it didn’t become a part of the project until the “what” questions of program and function were settled.”

David Calkins, Regional Managing Principal, Asia Pacific and Middle East, Gensler

95

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Media

/ C ATA LO G U E /

CATALOGUE

The Museum Hotel Antakya (page 54), designed by Emre Arolat Architecture, floats above an archaeological park dating back 2,300 years.

/ C ATA LO G U E /

COMPLETE COMFORT D U R AV IT SINGAPORE www.duravit.com

F

ans of Duravit can now purchase

first

glance

shows

a

pure

rectangle defined by high-quality woods

the German brand.

like Mediterranean Oak carpentry, but

A collaboration with sieger design

go closer and the basin from Viu has

has resulted in creating the Viu ceramics

gentle, organic curves combined with a

range,

generous shelf.

XViu

furniture

collection

and

matching bathtubs.

98

The

the entire bathroom range from

Tiny

details

that

make

all

the

One highlight is the XViu washing area

difference include how the cover of the

variant, which can fit into areas up to 1.2m

push-open valve is flush with the inner

in width.

basin in the open position, and the

availability of the metal console in elegant Champagne Matt or avant-garde Black Matt.

Install above it a mirror or mirror cabinet.

These can come with a sensor switch to adjust the lighting from 2,700 kelvin to 6,500 kelvin, depending on the time of day and purpose of use.

Complete the bathroom with the latest edition shower-toilets SensoWashÂŽ Starck f Plus or SensoWashÂŽ Starck f Lite, designed

by Philippe Starck and developed and manufactured by Duravit.

Operable using a remote control and configured through a smartphone app, both are minimalist in style but offer maximum comfort when in use.

All the technological components are now tucked within the ceramic body.

Other

attractive

features

include

Additionally, a flush-mounted unit is created

individual configuration of the shower-

through the flat seat with a 40mm height

toilet, controllable hot air dryer and an odor

and white cover located behind.

extraction system.

99

/ C ATA LO G U E /

PRECIOUS JEWEL G E BERIT S O U TH E AST ASIA www.geberit.com.sg

A

dd a crowning touch to that perfect

cistern enabling it to be discreetly tucked away,

bathroom design with a Geberit

if necessary.

actuator plate that is a considered

balance of form and function.

Select the Sigma50 Series and customise the design with a motif, colour or surface to suit the theme, or opt for its elegant

100

in the harmony of the bathroom’s design.

Other sterling qualities that Geberit’s actuator plates

and Sigma 20 Series, respectively.

mechanism, available in the Sigma80 Series, and

For added convenience, the Type 70 Series

Sigma30

flush with the wall surface to prevent disruption

rectangular or round forms with the Sigma 30

can be placed up to 1.7m away from the

Sigma20

The Sigma60 Series is another that has camouflage capabilities, where it can be installed

Sigma50

Sigma60

have

are

their

hygienic,

touchless

the soft-touch option with the Sigma70 Series, so that no one is awakened by the flush actuation.

Sigma70

Sigma80

/ CATA LOGUE CUR ATED /

MORE THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS At

only

10.5mm2,

Mutaforma

is

the

world’s smallest mosaic. The tiny tile – its thickness measures only 1mm to 2mm – is an award-winning Italian creation made from diamond-cut extraclear glass and available in Singapore exclusively through Bodi Collections. Let the imagination run free and design an artistic feature wall for a home or backdrop in a hotel lobby, made up of thousands of these micromosaics. Work with a lighting consultant to illuminate it for dramatic effect throughout the day and night.

PROJ ECT SUPERSTAR This is one leading act to install in your next project. Diva is a modular staircase designed by Michele Giacomelli from the Fontanot Group. Striking not just for its sculptural aesthetic, it is also contemporary in its style, while rooted in tradition. The regulating mechanism from the lateral stringer has been shifted, resulting in a new line. Additionally, the option of choosing from a wide range of colours and materials – glass, wood, stainless steel, and marble – will make this feature much celebrated.

101

/ CATA LOGUE CUR ATED /

MURAL MAKER Turn a wall into a giant canvas. That is the premise of Scribit, a robot that can draw whatever you want

CURVY COMFORT

on any vertical surface – from glass to whiteboards

TABA is the name of an old Argentinian game,

and even plaster walls – and later, erase the content

played with a cow’s bone. TABA is also the newest

completely, leaving no trace behind. Designed by CRA-

collection from Moroso (available at XTRA in

Carlo Ratti Associati, an award-winning design and

Singapore),

designer

innovation firm led by MIT professor Carlo Ratti, it is

Alfredo Häberli. Pure in its organic form and free

a useful tool for collaboration among teams, or just to

of embellishment, the eight-piece set is suited for

keep that interior feature wall refreshing with new

public and private spaces and ranks high on multi-

designs every week.

by

Swiss/Argentinian

functionality. Relax, talk or work on them; they have a softness marked by symmetrical forms that make them comfortable to dwell on for long hours.

UNDER THE SEA With the northern hemisphere welcoming rising mercury levels, Vitra has expanded its accessories portfolio to include the Sea Things Summer Collection 2020. A motif first designed by Ray Eames, it dives under the ocean for a glimpse at the creatures that live there. Expect to find elements like starfish, jellyfish and crustacea in a blue-green colour on Classic Trays, Paper Napkins and a Table Runner. These products are available for a limited time period at W. Atelier in Singapore.

102

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EVENTS

d+a HOSTS ITS FIRST EVENT, DESIGN AFFAIR

WHAT’S HOT

LIFTING THE CURTAIN ON THE BLUE NOTE JAZZ

CLUB IN BEIJING

PEOPLE

SHIGERU BAN DISCUSSES HIS DISASTER

RELIEF PROJECTS

PROJECTS

A BUNGALOW THAT RESEMBLES A SPACECRAFT

WHAT’S HOT PEOPLE PROJECTS EVENTS

WHAT’S HOT

Interval Architects Pays Homage To Hoffman Through This Art Centre The architecture of a brick kiln is adapted in the design of this project in a wetland park in Hebei, China

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02

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PEOPLE

5 QUESTIONS WITH ADITI GUPTA

The Country Representative (India) of JPA Design shares her plans and insights on design from her country.

PROJECTS

TOUR JJ LIN’S OFFICE

JFJ Sanctuary is the headquarters and base for the artiste, songwriter and record producer

WHAT’S HOT

IS ARCHITECTURE A WALKMAN IN THE AGE OF

THE IPHONE?

The digital revolution is changing the world as we know it. How can Architecture keep up with the shift?

PROJECTS

THIS HOUSE IS AS UNDULATING AS THE

HILLS IT SITS AMONG

MJKanny Architect designs a weekend getaway that is bold and sustainable

@DesignAndArchitectureMag

/ AVA N T- G A R D E /

GREEN SANCTUARY WORDS LOW S HI PING / P HOTOGRAPHY FAAB A RC HITEKT URA

FAAB

These help to produce solar energy

Architektura has conceptualised Vertical

Polish

design

studio

while also purifying the air, reduce noise

Oasis Building, a mixed-use prototype

pollution and encourage natural cooling.

suited for high-density cities.

A

of

technology

and

biotechnology features have been factored

with endangered local flora are embedded

in too, including an AI and machine-

into the faรงade, giving it a sculptural

learning system connected to the plants

appearance.

to track their well-being.

Components of the external skin include

104

slew

Modular and terraced vertical gardens

BIPV

active

panels,

Ultimately, the intention behind the

glazing

tower is to improve the surrounds it will be

with clearview power technology and

located in, while also giving its inhabitants

multifunctional VOS WCC modular panels.

control to manage their living space.

/ FEATUR E /

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/ FEATUR E /

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