Studio Focus

In the context of architecture, the conservation of historical buildings is understood as the management of change and permanence. It’s a way to balance the progress and relevance of these buildings while keeping the identity of a place that comes with the retention of the building to a certain degree. Furthermore, it is also directly related to tackling climate change, carbon neutrality, and the circular economy, in the industry of the built environment.

Based on the recommendations set forth by the Singapore Heritage Society, architects are called to initiate and propose alternative plans to rehabilitate buildings and bring forward strategies for adaptive reuse to stakeholders and government bodies. And as a practice of architectural design for conservation, this studio’s projects tackle the preservation and continuation of the significance and relevance of modern heritage in Singapore, specifically the People’s Park Complex.

Singapore’s identity as a modern Asian city-state is reflected in her modernist architectural heritage. But as this country grapples with the dilemma of retaining or demolishing these buildings in the name of progress and land scarcity, the longevity of these buildings is uncertain. However, in 2021, the Golden Mile Complex, one of Singapore’s iconic modernist buildings, obtained a conserved building status and was bought by a joint consortium for redevelopment. Therefore, its unprotected older sibling, the People’s Park Complex, also deserves the same attention through intervention schemes that are relevant to current use.

The schemes aim to reveal the qualities of the site and the place, including historical, architectural, cultural, and social memories of the past and their relevance to the present and future conditions. Architecturally, the new design interventions or insertions should integrate well with the existing built and natural context regarding typology, material, aesthetics, functionality, and environment. Moreover, the new intervention should add economic viability to the existing site/building/neighbourhood and be compatible and appropriate in responding to its immediate physical, social, and environmental contexts.