Combined BA Arch & MArch Programme Handbook AY2023-24

AY2023/24

Department of Architecture

College of Design and Engineering

CONTENTS

HEAD’S MESSAGE 4

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ARCHITECTURE PROGRAMME DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE 5

MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE PROGRAMME DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE 6

BA ARCH PROGRAMME OVERVIEW 10

M ARCH PROGRAMME OVERVIEW 12

BA ARCH PROGRAMME 15

YEAR 1 SEMESTER 1 16

YEAR 1 SEMESTER 2 18

YEAR 2 SEMESTER 1 20

YEAR 2 SEMESTER 2 22

YEAR 3 SEMESTER 1 24

YEAR 3 SEMESTER 2 26

M ARCH PROGRAMME (CDP AND SINGLE DEGREE) 29

ARCHITECTURE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME 30

OPTIONS DESIGN RESEARCH STUDIO + ADVANCED ARCHITECTURE STUDIO 34

CORE GRADULATE LEVEL COURSES 35

M ARCH II DESIGN RESEARCH THESIS 38

M ARCH II GRADUATE LEVEL ELECTIVES 40

BA ARCH DESIGN STUDIO SEQUENCE 45

DESIGN 1 : SEEING, THINKING, MAKING 46

DESIGN 2 : SCALE, PRECEDENT, CONTEXT 48

DESIGN 3 : AGGREGATION, STRUCTURE, SPACE 50

DESIGN 4 : ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE, ENVELOPE 52

DESIGN 5 : DENSITY, URBANISM, PUBLICNESS 54

DESIGN 6 : SYSTEMS, COMPREHENSIVENESS, INTEGRATION 5 6

DESIGN STUDIO FACULTY 58

M ARCH DESIGN STUDIO SEQUENCE 65

DESIGN STUDIO: SEMESTER 1 STUDIO DESCRIPTIONS 66

M ARCH I & II SEMESTER I DESIGN STUDIO LEADERS 69

M ARCH I SEMESTER II DESIGN STUDIO LEADERS 70

M ARCH II DESIGN RESEARCH THESIS OFFERINGS 72

M ARCH II DESIGN RESEARCH THESIS FACULTY ADVISORS 83

RESEARCH CLUSTERS 86

DESIGN STUDIO REVIEW CALENDAR 88

EVENTS & GUEST LECTURES 90

VISITING PROFESSORS & BA ARCH EXTERNAL REVIEWERS 92

STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES (SEP) & SUMMER PROGRAMME 93 CONTACT 94

Enci, Jonathan and Rachel Areilla Saly

Welcome to the start of the new academic year AY2023/24 at the NUS Department of Architecture! We are thrilled to welcome both new and returning students in our newly renovated buildings. Our department is now significantly better equipped and resourced to offer you with the finest architectural education possible.

As part of a leading comprehensive university and multidisciplinary college, DOA has developed an interdisciplinary curriculum that prepares students for the rigour of a professional architecture programme. In addition to learning the fundamentals of architecture and design—how to think critically and creatively about space, form, and function—students are exposed to the latest technologies and techniques used in the field of architecture. They are also taught about the history, values and culture of our built environment enabling them to design environments that best serve the needs of users and the demands of the planet.

Following the initial three years of study, students are presented with the opportunity to focus and specialise on a particular area of interest; with options ranging from urban design, urban planning, sustainable architecture, landscape architecture, architecture conservation, and many others. Be sure to explore our diverse pathways and plan your academic journey so that you can focus on your

specific interests and develop expertise in your chosen area.

Throughout your time here, you will be challenged both in class and in studio to think outside the box and push the boundaries of what is possible. While you push yourself academically, your wellbeing is of utmost concern to us. We understand that this journey can be an overwhelming experience and the department members are all here to support you every step of the way. Our faculty members are experts in their fields and are dedicated to helping you succeed academically. The university also has a wide range of resources available for all students to help with everything from academic advising, health counselling to career planning.

We hope that this handbook will serve as a valuable resource for you throughout your time here at our department. It is designed to provide you with the information you need to navigate your way through your academic journey.

We wish you all the best as you embark on this exciting journey with us in this new academic year.

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ARCHITECTURE PROGRAMME DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

Welcome to the BA (Arch) programme where students can expect to build a strong foundation in architecture. Designed for students with no prior knowledge or experience in architecture, the four-year course employs a combination of lectures, seminars, and hands-on design courses. It aims to impart a comprehensive understanding in the areas of History, Theory, Urbanism, Technology and the Environment, while fostering and instilling a sense of architectural thinking, discipline, and practice. Especially for those who do pursue a Master of Architecture programme and thereafter practice, this is just the beginning of their architectural education. For the best in the field, the learning never stops.

The study of architecture involves the study of many subjects; it is multi-disciplinary. At the Department of Architecture (DOA), we employ a project-based learning approach to create opportunities for students to consolidate and integrate their knowledge from other courses and other aspects of their education. These projects take place in the design studios, where students experiment, imagine, and explore ways in which the design of the built environment is informed by a multitude of concerns.

These projects are structured as deep dives into different facets of architecture. A total of 18 curated themes— sorted into six semesters of three related topics each— are selected to build a paradigm from which students will see, think and make, like architects. Learning is cumulative, experiential, and augmented through immersion in the culture of the design studio.

Students will develop core competencies whilst pushing conceptual envelopes. They will gain an extensive exposure to diverse modes of thinking and working approaches. They will be encouraged to develop a personal, intellectually robust, critical position as to what architecture is, what it can and should do. They will reflect on what they might, as a future architect, contribute to the society and the environment.

The DOA is a large and diverse school, with many studios per level. We value an exploratory culture, with each studio approaching design via thoughtful and energetic iterative processes. While we will teach the curriculum detailed in the following pages, students are also encouraged to actively participate in their education and strive to acquire knowledge beyond what is formally taught. Our programme requires that they take ownership of their own learning and fully exploit the multitude of opportunities in this environment. They will be expected to acquire and hone both hard and soft skills along the way, through their own efforts. Just as they will learn to use technical tools such as AutoCAD or Rhino, they will also develop essential soft skills like collaboration, stamina, grit and resilience. They will learn to present, debate and refine design work, and strengthen a mindset of circumspection beyond simple notions of “right” and “wrong”.

Finally, an architectural education at the DOA will not only equip students with the necessary skills in preparation for professional practice but will—perhaps more importantly—cultivate a generation of critical, creative, and articulate thinkers.

HENG CHYE KIANG Professor and Head of Department

ONG KER-SHING

Associate Professor in Practice

Bachelor of Arts in Architecture Programme Director

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

The NUS Master of Architecture (M Arch) is Asia’s leading design and research program for architecture. Our programme emphasises design expertise in architecture. By recognising architecture as a cultural practice that involves both speculative intelligence and practical execution, the programme encourages students to acquire knowledge and cultivate critical perspectives for their future creative practice.

NUS M Arch design studios are rich in diversity and rigorous in quality. Conducted across four semesters, the Design Options Studios and the Graduate Level Design Thesis Programme explore a variety of issues through research-based design. Students will be trained to think critically and materially as they embark on explorative design methodologies that commit to iterative design processes. Furthermore, the Studios aim to enhance architectural design skills of the students through complex and realistic design exercises.

Complementing the M Arch Design Studios are the Core Professional Courses and Graduate Level Electives. Set in a lecture and seminar-style learning environment, these courses focus on the core knowledge of specific topics. M Arch students will benefit from the application of these basic theories and research methods in their design activities and beyond.

Having the opportunity to experience the wide range of curriculum, students are expected to proactively build up their knowledge and skills. During the second semester of M Arch II, students will consolidate their learning and direct their focus towards their individual design thesis. Encompassing a wide variety of disciplines and cultural dimensions, the design thesis course offers students an opportunity to form independent positions on selfresearched inquiries.

Facilitated by a team of world-class academics and professional architects from six research clusters: Research by Design, History, Theory and Criticism, Technologies, Urbanism, Landscape Studies and Design Education; the programme develops students’ abilities in research-driven design practice. Concurrent degree programme students have the option to participate in the Architectural Internship Programme (AIP), which provides an additional opportunity to gain practical experience in real-life architectural practice. Enriched with guest lectures, symposiums, exhibitions, overseas exchange and field research, the NUS M Arch programme is designed to profoundly inspire students in their advanced graduate learning.

Through this carefully designed comprehensive approach, graduates from the NUS M Arch programme are definitely equipped to emerge as world-class design leaders: positioning them to seize opportunities presented by the rapidly evolving landscape of Asia and beyond.

TSUTO SAKAMOTO Associate Professor Master of Architecture Programme Director

Picture credit:George Zong Chi Hau

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

BA ARCH

MOE-subsidised / Partially-subsidised graduate level programmes Non-MOE-subsidised graduate level programmes Full fee with 10% rebate for Singaporeans and 15% rebate for NUS alumnuss

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Abbreviations

MaUD: Master of Urban Design MUP: Master of Urban Planning MSc ISD: Master of Integrated Sustainable Design MLA: Master of Landscape Architecture

SIA: Singapore Institute of Architects BOA: Board of Architects MAArC : Master of Arts in Architectural Conservation

* MUP is applicable for the BA Arch Concurrent Degree Programme (CDP) (CDP option for MLA is last offered to 2018/19 cohort)

Course Units

Department Essential Courses (Y1—Y4)

GE: General Education Courses (Y1—Y4)

CM: Common Courses (Y1—Y3)

UE: Unrestricted Electives (Y1—Y4)

Denotes flexible elective that can be taken anytime during stated duration

Incoming students with advanced placement

may apply for Student Exchange Programme to be taken in Year 3

To refer to page 13 for BA Arch students continuing into M Arch under the Concurrent Degree Programme (AY2023/24 Cohort Onwards)

3rd year BA students who opt to continue into the M Arch design programme must achieve a minimum B grade average across Design 5 and Design 6 studio courses to be automatically eligible.

For those students, the 4th year of the BA programme will be concurrent with their first year of the M Arch programme. Kindly refer to Page 13 for the BA Arch Year 4 Concurrent Degree Programme

COURSE

(CU s) REQUIRED FOR INCOMING

& Society & EE2211 Introduction to Machine Learning.

COURSE

BA

Internship Programme (AIP) can be taken in Year 4

Exchange Programme (SEP) can only be taken in Year 4 Semester 1

AR5321, AR5423 and AR5601 can be taken in either Year 4 Semester 1 or Year 4 Semester 2

AR5221,

AR5221, AR5321, AR5423 and AR5601 can be taken in either Year 4 Semester 1 or Year 4 Semester 2

AR5321, AR5423 and AR5601 can be taken in either Year 4 Semester 1 or Year 4 Semester 2

Summation of Courses cumulative towards M Arch core courses

Summation of Courses cumulative towards M Arch Graduate Elective courses

Summation of Courses cumulative towards M Arch Graduate Elective courses

Summation of Courses cumulative towards M Arch Graduate Elective courses

Summation of Courses cumulative towards M Arch Design Thesis courses

ARCH YEAR 4 (CONCURRENT DEGREE) Professional Practice Design Urban & Landscape History & Theory Architectural Design Thesis Technology Graduate Level Architectural Electives LEGEND : CONCURRENT DEGREE PROGRAMME M ARCH TRACK COURSE UNITS (CU s ) REQUIRED FOR CONCURRENT DEGREE STUDENTS 32 CUs 40 CUs BA ARCH YEAR 4 M ARCH II 72 CUs TOTAL + = Semester 1 Semester 2 M ARCH II Semester 1 Semester 2 Design History & Theory Technology Urban & Landscape AR5321 Advanced Architectural Integration 4 CUs per course 4 CUs per course Environment 4 CUs per course 4 CUs per course AR5221 Contemporary Theories Department Essential Courses Thesis Practice GLAE 8 CUs 8 CUs AR5805 Advanced Architecture Studio 8 CUs 4 CUs AR5601 Urban Design Theory and Praxis 4 CUs AR4XXX Graduate Level Architectural Electives 4 CUs AR5806 Architectural Design Research Report 4 CUs AR5807 Architectural Design Thesis 20 CUs AR4XXX Graduate Level Architectural Electives 4 CUs AR5423 Architectural Practice 4 CUs 4 CUs Incoming M Arch students AR5801 AR4421 Options Design Studio 1 / Architectural Internship AR5802 AR4421 Options Design Studio 2 / Architectural Internship AR5221,

Summation of Courses cumulative towards M Arch Design Thesis courses

AR4421 can be taken in either Year 4 Semester 1 or 2 and replaces the Options Design Research Studio of the chosen semester.

AR5221, AR5321, AR5423 and AR5601 can be taken in either Year 4 Semester 1 or Year 4 Semester 2

12 13

Professional Practice Design Urban & Landscape History & Theory Architectural Design Thesis Technology Graduate Level Architectural Electives LEGEND : CONCURRENT DEGREE PROGRAMME M ARCH TRACK COURSE UNITS (CU s ) REQUIRED FOR CONCURRENT DEGREE STUDENTS 32 CUs 40 CUs BA ARCH YEAR 4 M ARCH II 72 CUs TOTAL + = Semester 1 Semester 2 M ARCH II Semester 1 Semester 2 Design History & Theory Technology Urban & Landscape AR5321 Advanced Architectural Integration 4 CUs per course 4 CUs per course Environment 4 CUs per course 4 CUs per course AR5221 Contemporary Theories Department Essential Courses Thesis Practice GLAE 8 CUs 8 CUs AR5805 Advanced Architecture Studio 8 CUs 4 CUs AR5601 Urban Design Theory and Praxis 4 CUs AR4XXX Graduate Level Architectural Electives 4 CUs AR5806 Architectural Design Research Report 4 CUs AR5807 Architectural Design Thesis 20 CUs AR4XXX Graduate Level Architectural Electives 4 CUs AR5423 Architectural Practice 4 CUs 4 CUs Incoming M Arch students AR5801 AR4421 Options Design Studio 1 / Architectural Internship AR5802 AR4421 Options Design Studio 2 / Architectural Internship AR5221,

AR5321, AR5423 and AR5601 can be taken in either Year 4 Semester 1 or Year 4

The BA (Arch) is a four-year programme comprising three years of design studio and other essential courses, with a fourth year of electives. The final year can be concurrently registered with the first year of the two-year Master of Architecture programme for those who opt to continue—and who are accepted—into the Masters programme under the concurrent degree track.

The new undergraduate curriculum was introduced in AY2021/22 as part of the formation of the College of Design and Engineering (CDE). It creates more pathways that accommodate a wider range of second majors, minors and specialisation. During the first three years, students’ progress through six design courses where they are introduced to 18 foundational themes in architecture. This largest component of the curriculum takes place in design studios, where students tackle different hands-on design challenges, and discover their own unique, critical and creative approaches to solve assigned design problems. At the same time, students take additional courses for their Major Requirements within the DOA—courses within the Common Curriculum offered by both the School of Design and Environment (SDE), Faculty of Engineering (FOE), and General Education courses and courses in Unrestricted Electives elsewhere in the University. The Major and Common courses are carefully aligned and calibrated with the corresponding studio levels. These complement the learning objectives and outcomes of the design studio sequence.

This foundation programme is set within a broad-based interdisciplinary education model. It provides a strong disciplinary foundation and at the same time encourages students to expand their horizons and worldviews beyond the confines of the discipline. Ultimately, students are encouraged to draw on expertise and knowledge both within the Department and across the University. This allows students to align their design education with their own specific areas of interests. By offering a wide range of opportunities and offering comprehensive training in both discipline-specific and general education, our programme prepares students to be able to navigate a complex and multivariate future. This prepares them to become influential citizens and visionary thought leaders, not only within the field of architecture but in other various domains.

The key changes for the AY2021/22 cohort onwards included the addition of the Common Curriculum and General Education courses designed to provide students with broader foundational knowledge, whilst calibrated to the Major courses including design studios. Year 4 for the General Programme is now provided with curriculum space for electives. The following pages describe the design studio themes and other essential courses for Years 1-4.

Refer to the diagram on pages 10 & 11.*

Picture credit: Landon Ding

Picture credit: Chiok Jun Jie

Units: 4

This key foundation course is an introduction to basic design concepts and methodologies, as well as representational techniques specific to seeing, thinking, and making. These will be explored via analogue means. Students will be introduced to a wide range of architectural ideas, ranging from traditional representation and Singapore architecture, to emergent trends operating on the frontiers of data-driven and digital techniques in the field of design today.

Ideas of space, form, proportion, composition, and order will be examined and explored. As foundational design components, these will provide requisite grounding in developing a visual language through the practices of drawing, sketching, and model making. Students will learn basic drawing techniques and skills, including line weight, line type, scale, and the projective techniques of plan, section, elevation, perspective and axonometric drawing.

Students will also be introduced to techniques for understanding and addressing information and data, as well as the abstraction of architectural ideas through the production of architectural drawings and 3D scale models. They will be able to evaluate such representations as part of the fundamental process and methodology of contemporary computational design, and as an extension of traditional methods of gathering and analysing information.

Learning Objectives :

1. To understand the non-directional relationship between seeing, thinking and making.

2. To understand perception, scale, space, form, proportion and composition.

3. To understand and deploy line weight, line type, and graphic composition to produce structure and hierarchy in the visual field.

4. To understand and be able to make plan, section, elevation, perspective, and sketched and scaled axonometric drawings.

5. To understand and make models as fundamental mediums of design thinking and as part of the design process.

6. To understand the difference between representation, abstraction and transformation in the architectural process.

7. To understand architectural representation as necessarily a mixed mode employing mixed media, and that the “whole picture” can only be formed through the concurrent use of multiple methods.

8. To be able to read information and data and translate it into analogue architectural ideas, drawings and models, whilst engaging critically with the process.

DTK1234A DESIGN THINKING Units:

4

Design Thinking is a variant course of DTK1234, which introduces students design principles and design thinking to solve problems and create new possibilities. Given that the BA (Arch) curriculum is centered on the design studio, with students already “doing” design, this course focuses instead on equipping students with a metacognitive of Design Thinking and its methods and processes. This course is co-taught by tutors of AR1101, with studio projects and processes providing the content for reflection and application of meta-cognitive tools; learning objectives are applied to address spatial issues explored in AR1101.

This will empower the design student with greater control over design, allowing them to make strategic judgements and critical assessments of their undertakings. More importantly, the student will be able to critically assess and comprehend the significance of the design in the built environment that they have created and the process of design that they have experienced.

EG1311 DESIGN AND MAKE Units:

4

This course covers the fundamentals of engineering design and prototyping. Students will learn design principles and tools through lectures and engage in experiential learning through group design projects. A stage-based design process will be covered. Students will develop their skills in eliciting user needs, ideating solutions, and making prototypes to demonstrate their ideas.

Jason Ku

Picture credit:Giselle Gabriella Sim

AR1102 DESIGN 2: SCALE, PRECEDENT, CONTEXT

Units: 8

This course will build on AR1101 by focusing on the development of three foundational design skills: Scale, Precedent and Context. Students will be introduced to 3D complexities and relationships of scale, discover the use and transformation of precedent in architectural design processes; and gain an understanding of context as a component that impacts design outcomes within the built and natural environment.

This course will enhance students’ use of different mediums and graphic communication, with an introduction to complex 2D and 3D projections at scale, as well as the use of digital and analogue tools. Students will learn to combine representational tools to illustrate their design method(s). They will also delve deeper into the use of 3D models as part of the design process.

Expanding on what they have learnt the previous semester, students will employ various visual mediums as part of the design process, and as a tool to present, defend and refine their ideas on architecture.

Studio projects will also begin to wrestle with certain fundamental issues in architecture: site, programme, circulation, organisation of public and private zones, and the differing requirements of users. Students will apply thoughtful, rigorous methods in the process of formmaking, understanding it to be the language through which architects shape and create spatial experiences.

Learning Objectives :

1. To understand and deploy dimensions, scale and proportion, in relationship to context and the human figure.

2. To understand and transform precedent as a vehicle for design innovation.

3. To understand and integrate context in the conception of design.

4. To understand and begin to describe and communicate spatial qualities.

5. To understand and produce projective drawings in scale.

6. To understand and deploy a design method to structure the design process, making visible the transformational processes in drawing and model making.

7. To understand and deploy line weight/type, scale and graphic hierarchies to communicate information and design intention, and to understand and deploy materials in model making to communicate design intent.

8. To begin incorporating digital technologies together with analogue tools in hybrid representations.

9. To begin incorporating research methodologies and critical thinking as part of the design process.

10. To present architectural ideas in concise and considered visual and verbal presentations.

AR2227

HISTORY & THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE I

Units: 4

This course is the first of a two-part course introducing students to the history and theory of architecture and urban design. It is shaped around themes grouped by environmental features to emphasise the ways that societies have built in response to the landscapes, resources, and tools available to them. Covering almost two millennia of global architectural and urban history, the course begins in approximately 500 BCE, ending in approximately 1400 CE. The teaching material is presented to encourage comparative cross-readings of architectural history between geographies, societies, climates, cultures, religions, and socio-political registers.

Will Davis

AR2524

SPATIAL COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Units: 4

Spatial computational thinking is increasingly recognised as fundamental to various spatial disciplines. It involves idea formulation, algorithm development and solution exploration, with a focus on manipulating geometric and semantic datasets. Students will learn to use parametric modelling tools to generate and analyse building elements at varying scales, and applying visual programming interfaces to develop and test complex algorithms. They will learn to structure their ideas as algorithmic procedures that integrate data structures, functions, and control flow. They will also gain familiarity with higher level computational concepts, such as decomposition, encapsulation and abstraction.

CDE2000 CREATING NARRATIVES

Units: 4

This pillar aims to help students communicate competently and confidently in various professional communication situations they may encounter. This will be done through rigorous and critical analyses of communicative forms, as well as applications of the principles of effective communication. Students will also develop an understanding of how their identities are shaped by their communication practices.

Simone Chung Brian Stone (DID)

Aloysius Liang

AR2101 DESIGN 3: AGGR EGATION, S TRUCTURE, SPACE

Units: 8

This course investigates the architectural potentials of structure and space through the operation of aggregation—that is, the combination of architectural spaces, functions, and connective circulation systems. Students will propose architectural forms through the aggregation of volumetric programme components, creating a balance between repetition and singularity. They will grapple with the complexities of function and organisation in a variety of scaled spaces. They will also gain an understanding of material, gravity, and structure as foundational components and ordering systems of architecture and explore the interdigitation of these approaches in space-making.

Students will expand their representational techniques to include 3D projections and begin to incorporate the element of time. A repertoire of representational approaches that includes relevant drawing representation types such as hybrid or synthetic drawing that combined analytical information in the spatial, formal, organisational and tectonic aspects, will be introduced along with digital fabrication methods. These digital tools will be employed alongside and within advanced analogue techniques of model making.

Learning Objectives :

1. To understand and deploy the principles of structure (material, gravity, tectonics) as ordering elements in architecture.

2. To understand, design and deploy aggregation of volumetric elements as an ordering component of architecture, with scalar relationships of parts to the whole.

3. To understand and design spaces through the use of mass, form, voids and volumes.

4. To understand and deploy a design within a site that exerts its own influence on the massing and distribution of the architectural project.

5. To understand that design is a process, and the best outcomes are achieved through clear thinking and rigorous iteration.

6. To begin to understand the semester’s themes as values in architecture, and to formulate and articulate a position with respect to these values.

7. To develop and deploy advanced projective drawing and model making to communicate process, intentionality and research findings.

8. To utilise digital drawing and making in a hybrid relationship with advanced analogue tools.

9. To incorporate research methodologies and critical thinking as part of the design process.

10. To articulate and present architectural ideas in concise and considered verbal, written, and performative presentations, and to engage critically in studio and review discussions.

AR2228

HISTORY & THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE II

Units: 4

This course is the second of a two-part course introducing students to an Asian-centred transnational history and theory of architecture and urbanism. It is shaped around weekly themes to emphasise the ways that societies interacted with environments, resources, cultures and technologies to co-produce the built environment across different geographies. The course begins in approximately 1400 CE, on the verge of several seismic shifts in global history that profoundly influenced the planetary (built) environment. It then traces these shifts across six centuries to see how imperialism, industrialisation, modernisation, and globalisation connected the world unevenly, leading to the present climate crisis.

Chang Jiat Hwee

AR2328

ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRUCTION & TECTONICS

Units: 4

The course introduces the basic principles of construction in architecture by examining the physical properties of materials, and its relationship with fabrication techniques and technology. Building components are presented as integrated systems. Tectonics is discussed as an expressive quality of architecture and structure, achieved by materials, construction and integration of building components. The course also addresses sustainability by considering the choice of materials, construction methods or strategies, waste management and life cycle thinking.

Shin Yokoo

CDE2212

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR DESIGN

Units: 4

This course focuses on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our society. It will showcase AI’s current practical cum pending deployments. It examines how it can dramatically revolutionise our future society when combined with other innovations and digitalisation— in areas such as retail, manufacturing and service industries, national security, law enforcement, and the justice systems. Introduction of elementary underlying concepts will be via worksheet lab sessions and tutorials. Major topics include Deep Neural Networks and how learning systems have been evolving, AI under the Hood in High Level, Usage of AI, Economics of AI, Future of AI, Terminator Scenarios, Deployment Issues, and Trustworthy and Responsible AI.

Rudi Stouffs

Picture credit: Lee Jia En, Bryan

Units: 8

This course examines the boundaries of environment, climate, and architecture through the specifics of the envelope. Students will understand the gradient of atmospheric conditions between the interior and exterior, forms of atmospheric conditioning, and the design of climate in an expanse encompassing air, breeze, rain, dust, smells, and other contaminants. The contextual implications of hot and wet equatorial environments will be explored, and the value systems of environmental and sustainable designs examined within their long discursive histories. Students will expand their understanding of the site as a set of dynamic factors and processes—that influence or are influenced—by the act of architecture.

Students will understand and deploy advanced digital simulations alongside analogue testing and projecting. They will expand representational methodologies and design processes to incorporate the invisible conditions of the atmosphere as a design medium that impacts the architecture of the built environment.

Learning Objectives :

1. To understand and critically deploy conditions of environment as a fundamental component of architecture.

2. To understand that environment extends the interpretation of the site to include dynamic processes and systems both natural and constructed, and that these impact design processes and outcomes and vice versa.

3. To understand climate as a complex and variable set of mediums that influence design.

4. To understand the envelope, as a site of exchange, in a range of positions from human to territorial scales, and to understand filtering as a component of architecture.

5. To develop collaborative skills and to critically engage with contradictory information and data in the design process.

6. To apply conceptual tools in design, making value and ethical judgments as to the material and resource consequences of decisions in the design process, relative to a larger understanding of climate and the environment.

7. To utilise advanced projective drawing and model making to communicate process and architectural iteration.

8. To utilise digital drawing, simulations and model making alongside advanced analogue tools and testing methodologies.

9. To organise and properly present research for design, and understand what constitutes design research.

10. To present architectural ideas in concise and considered verbal, written and performative presentations, utilising a wide range of mediums, and to engage critically in studio and review discussions.

AR1329 CLIMATE, ECOLOGY & ARCHITECTURE

Units: 4

The impact of the tropical climate on buildings results in various design strategies to minimise energy usage while increasing comfort. Here, different building typologies, functions, and occupancies—whether individual or collective—and related compactness are relevant. It discusses the impact of passive environmental design performance and synergy with the ecological system in achieving sustainable or regenerative objectives. Students will learn about degrees of applied technology and design complexity ranging from passive design strategies to integration of green solutions and embedding a design into the environment and potential reciprocity with the surroundings. In addition, material aspects like bio-based materials, embedded energy, and circularity, and manufacturing processes like prefabrication and sourcing, will be explored.

Florian Heinzelmann

IE2141

SYSTEMS THINKING & DYNAMICS

Units: 4

Adopting an interdisciplinary approach that combines various design disciplines and scales with STS (Science, Technology and Society), this course examines the complex, shifting relationships between design, technology and society—historically from the 18th Century to the present. It begins with the emergence of the different fields of design—industrial, interior, architecture, landscape and urban during the 18th and 19th century, that arose in response to the first industrial revolution and the global reconfigurations of social relations of production and consumption. The course concludes by examining the current state of design and technology, in light of social, cultural and environmental challenges that defines the present era.

AR3223 INTRODUCTION TO URBANISM

Units: 4

Students will be introduced to the foundation of what is Urbanism. The holistic knowledge analyses the study of relationships, interconnectedness and interdependencies between people in urban areas with the built environment. They will undertake a thorough examination of urban history, key theories, topics, design principles and practices related to urban design, urban planning and landscape design. They will also develop critical and analytical skills of reading, documenting, analysing and synthesising complex information on contemporary urban issues and conditions.

Zdravko Trivic

EG2501 LIVEABLE CITIES

Units: 4

Using case studies of Singapore and other cities—through a system thinking lens—this course explores how cities are planned, developed, governed and managed to achieve liveable outcomes of quality of life, sustainable environment and a competitive economy. Thus, allowing us to understand the role(s) that urban systems professionals (urban policy makers, planners, architects, engineers, real estate consultants and managers) play in achieving an integrated way of liveable city outcomes, by combining their individual expertise in different disciplines.

Khoo Teng Chye

AR3102 DESIGN 6: SYSTEMS, COMPREHENSIVENESS, INTEGRATION

Units: 8

This programme aims to develop a high level of competence in comprehensive and integrated building design. The architectural whole is approached as a complex network of systems (of production, technology, infrastructure and so on), and in turn embedded within larger systems (of ecology, economy and so on). Under the guidance of their tutors, students will research and refine a conceptual system of concerns to be fully explored and developed in their architectural proposals. This entails a critical and nuanced understanding of architecture as a synthesis between constituent parts and their whole, resulting in the creation of a cohesive whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Students will sharpen their competence in research, design thinking, operational skills and communication. This semester is intended as a summation—demanding that students take informed design positions incorporating all 18 studio themes they have covered. As the conclusion of this foundational sequence, students are expected to show advanced architectural thinking that will form the basis for embarking on the Masters programme at DOA. They should deploy advanced and mature representational techniques to communicate architectural ideas. Design projects at this stage will also demand a holistic awareness of the issues related to the environment, climate, context, technologies and building.

Learning Objectives :

1. To understand and critically manifest the comprehensive range of considerations that impact design thinking.

2. To understand and take a critical position on integration as a value system in architecture.

3. To understand architecture as a complex of systems and to explore possible future trajectories.

4. To design with conceptual tools to make value and ethical judgments on the respective roles of different systems in architectural design.

5. To fully explore an architectural concept and develop its architectural manifestation at all scales through a critical and rigorous iterative process.

6. To utilise advanced projective drawing and model making to communicate process and architectural iterations.

7. To utilise digital data, visualisations, and contemporary simulations in 2D, 3D, and 4D mediums, to make visible the complexities of architecture.

8. To incorporate research methodologies as part of the design process.

9. To communicate architectural ideas in concise and considered verbal, written, and performative presentations utilising a wide range of mediums, and to engage critically in studio and review discussions.

10. To begin to ask, scope and refine an architectural question beyond answering of a brief.

AR3722

SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS

Units: 4

This course will provide students with an understanding of the concepts of environmental systems and their spatial requirements in an architectural context. The increasing need for the integration of building technologies within multidisciplinary projects in a modern construction environment will be addressed. The course first focuses on understanding how basic environmental systems or building services systems (mechanical, electrical, plumbing and drainage) are related to the building program and broader built environments. Codes of practice, such as fire safety, will also be addressed. Furthermore, renewable energy and water systems in architecture in the green building movement will be discussed.

Eddie Lau

PF1101 FUNDAMENTALS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Units: 4

The course covers the fundamental concepts of project management, identifying nine broad project management knowledge areas. Students are given an introduction to theories relating to the management of project scope, time, costs, risks, quality, human resources, communications, and procurement. The overall integration of these eight knowledge areas and the management of externalities as the ninth project management knowledge area is also emphasised.

Low Sui Pheng

The Master of Architecture (M Arch) is a two-year programme comprising optional internship programme, two years of design studio, design research report, design thesis, core graduate level courses and graduate level electives. The first year can be concurrently registered with the fourth year of the four-year Bachelor of Arts in Architecture Programme under the concurrent degree track.

The new graduate curriculum was introduced in AY2021/22 as part of formation of College of Design and Engineering (CDE). The first year, students progress through two Options Design Studios where students are introduced to a variety of design themes and issues.

Framing design as a creative practice, the courses aim for a high level of competence in research that leads to skilful and insightful design outcomes. Integrated with the Options Design Studio in the first semester, Advanced Architecture Studio in the second year, provides an opportunity for students to experience a vertical setting, where students from different cohorts are learning from each other.

Architecture Internship Programme (AIP) is an optional course that complements students’ architectural education in the classroom. This provides students with valuable exposure to a range of professional experiences and skills which cannot be taught in a university setting.

Complementing the design studios are the Core Graduate Level Courses and Graduate Level Electives. Conducted in a lecture and seminar-style learning environment, these courses focus on the core knowledge of specific topics. Students will benefit from the application of these basic theories and research methods in their design activities and beyond.

The second year, students embark on architectural design thesis comprising Architectural Design Research Report in Semester 1 and Architectural Design Thesis in Semester 2. Selecting thesis supervisors from a variety of fields, students pursue their own selfdirected thesis themes. Deemed as thesis preparation, the Design Research Report builds and elaborates on a body of ideas that will be further pursued in the Design Thesis. The fundamental purpose of the course is to enable students to develop a rigorous method and deepdived focus in a specific area of design.

The actual Design Thesis, building on the Design Research Report, drives students to adopt a critical stance towards their research and hypothesis. Through a semester-long design exploration, this process will culminate in the manifestation of an architectural proposition. The following pages describe optional internship programme, design studios, design research report, design thesis, core graduate level courses and graduate level electives.

ARCHITECTURE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME (AIP)

LIST OF PARTNER FIRMS & ORGANISATIONS:

103 EAST Architects

AAMER Architects

A D Lab

AECOM Singapore Pte Ltd

AEDAS Pte ltd

AGA Architects Private Limited

AKDA Architects Pte Ltd

AKTA-RCHITECTS Pte ltd

APDS Architects

ARCHEDEN Architects Llp

ARC Studio Architecture + Urbanism Pte Ltd

ARCHITECTS 61 Pte Ltd

ARCHITECTS TEAM 3 Pte Ltd

AWP Architects

CENDES+TENarchitects & Planners

CONSORTIUM 168 Architects Pte Ltd

CPG Consultants Pte Ltd

DP Architects Pte Ltd

East 9 Architects & Planners

ECO-ID Architects

Ernesto Bedmar Architects Pte Ltd

EZRA Architects

FARM Architects Pte Ltd

FDAT Architects LLP

Formwerkz Architects Pte Ltd

Freight Architects LLP

Goy Architects

Hassell Design (Singapore) Pte Ltd

HCF and Associates

Housing & Development Board

HYLA Architects

IX Architects Pte. Ltd.

Jay Chiu Architects & Associates

JPG ARCHITECTURE (S) pte ltd

JTC Corporation

K2LD Architects Pte Ltd

Kaizen Architecture

Kerry Hill Architects Pte Ltd

Kite Studio Architecture Pte

KLAN Architects

KNTA Architects

Kyoob Architects Pte Ltd

KYX Architects LLP

LAUD Architects Pte. Ltd.

Lekker Architects Pte Ltd

Lian Architects

Liu & Wo Architects Pte Ltd

M&Y Design Architects

M.A.N Architects LLP

Meta Architecture

Ming Architects Pte Ltd

MKPL Architects Pte Ltd

Mode Architects Pte Ltd

Morrow Architects & Planners Pte Ltd

ONG&ONG Pte Ltd

OWAA Architects LLP

Paper Plane Architects

Park + Associates Pte Ltd

PI Architects LLP

Plystudio Architects Pte Ltd

Provolk Architects

P&T Consultants pte ltd

Quarters Architects LLP

RichardHO Architects

RSP Architects Planners & Engineers Pte Ltd

RT+Q Architects Pte Ltd

S A Chua Architects Pte Ltd

SAA Architects Pte Ltd

SCDA Architects Pte Ltd

Shing Design Atelier Pte Ltd

Solid Architects LLP

Studio Hatch

Studio Lapis Conservation Pte. Ltd.

Studio Milou Singapore Pte Ltd

Studio Wills + Architects

Studiogoto

Surbana Jurong Consultants Pte. Ltd.

Swan & Maclaren Architects Pte Ltd

Swing Architects

TA.LE Architects

Teh Joo Heng Architects

The Architects Circle Pte Ltd

Tierra Design Studio Pte Ltd

Timur Designs LLP

Topos Architects Pte Ltd

Twosquarefeet Design Studio

Type0 Architects

W Architects Pte Ltd

WASAA Architects & Associates

White Matter Design Studio

WKL Architects

WOHA Architects Pte Ltd

YUME Architects

ZARCH Collaboratives Pte Ltd

ZIVY Architects

AR4421 ARCHITECTURE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME

Coordinator: Prof Ar.Richard Ho

Units: 8

NUS DOA’s Architecture Internship Programme is an optional course that complements students’ architectural education in the classroom.

The six-month AIP Internship is divided into two 3-month internships - the first 3-month internship must be completed with a registered architecture firm in Singapore while for the subsequent three months, the student may choose to intern with a foreign architecture firm or a firm in a related industry, subject to approval from the AIP Committee.

This provides students with valuable exposure to a range of professional experiences and skills which cannot be taught in a university setting. It also allows them to observe practitioners at work, see how classroom learning translates to the workplace, and experience the rhythms, ebbs and flows of life on a job in architecture and its related fields.

Finally, the internship also helps the student progress in his or her maturity and understanding of the industry, in preparation for entry to the M Arch II programme.

Picture credit: Lyon Ler Yue

OPTIONS DESIGN RESEARCH STUDIO + ADVANCED ARCHITECTURE STUDIO

SEMESTER 1 (M ARCH I & II STUDENTS)

AR5801 OPTIONS DESIGN RESEARCH STUDIO 1

AR5805 ADVANCED ARCHITECTURE STUDIO

Units: 8

SEMESTER 2 (M ARCH I STUDENTS)

AR5802 OPTIONS DESIGN RESEARCH STUDIO 2

Units: 8

Graded Course

This three-semester design course sequence establishes the foundation for master level creative research and design. Framing design as a creative practice, the objective of the course is to develop a high level of competence in research, that leads to design outcomes which are innovative, skilful and insightful in terms of architectural design.

The design course provides students with an opportunity to select from a variety of studio topics; thereby allowing them to choose the themes aligned with their individual interests and intellectual drives, while creating synergy with their studio leader.

The course expects students to demonstrate a high degree of proficiency in research, design, representation, and communication. In its process, students are not only conducting the research, but also translating its outcomes into actionable strategies in architectural design. The processes and the final products should be communicated through representational techniques that are most suitable for the architectural design content.

Learning Objectives :

1. To set an appropriate question pursuable through architectural design research.

2. To explore questions through empirical and visual methods.

3. To translate research outcomes to architectural approaches, techniques and strategies.

4. To propose profound architectural design that takes into account its impact to social, urban and natural environments.

5. To explore insightful architectural design that substantiate conceptual, technical and practical aspects of architecture.

6. To use representational methods that are appropriate for the research contents, design process and final architectural design.

7. To experiment with representational techniques in both digital and analogue media, simulations in 2D, 3D and 4D media to communicate ideas in the most effective manner.

Measurable Outcomes :

1. Clear individual focus

2. Critical and rigorous research using graphical methods

3. Close relationship between research and design

4. Substantial architectural proposal

5. Architectural representation suitable to design content

CORE GRADUATE LEVEL COURSES

AR5601

URBAN DESIGN THEORY AND PRAXIS

Tutor: Cho Im Sik/ Naomi C. Hanakata

Units: 4

This course will provide a comprehensive and in-depth examination of the theories, methodologies and praxis of urban design. It will introduce ideas that are instrumental in establishing the foundations of urban design, examine rationales and strategies for creating vital and lively urban spaces, and explore key issues and the myriad challenges facing urban design both today and in the future. This course will also view urban design from a place-making perspective—ranging from physical to social, tangible to intangible, and global to local—with a primary focus on topics such as urban form, density, diversity, identity, public space, community, and sustainability.

AR5321

ADVANCED ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRATION

Tutor: Shinya Okuda / Shin Yokoo

Units: 4

The course will offer learning experiences in multidisciplinary collaboration and problem-solving between architects and engineers, to prepare students for contemporary architectural practice. Students will look at case studies that will provide an overview of the foundations for interdisciplinary collaboration. A series of lectures on advanced architectural technologies will also illustrate how multidisciplinary collaboration can produce innovative architecture. Students will then draw up group proposals for innovative integrated building systems aimed at achieving optimisation, performance, and aesthetic goals, in collaboration with lecturers and consultants who are architects and engineers.

AR5423 ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE

Tutor: Singapore Institute of Architects

Units: 4

This course will provide students with foundational knowledge and understanding required to enter architectural practice, and offer students an overview of the key aspects of running an architectural firm. It will introduce students to office management processes, to using a system to help to manage information, processes, and risk, to ensure consistent project delivery. Lectures and assignments will be designed to simulate the running of a project, demonstrating what needs to be considered from beginning to the end. The lecture notes and slides provided will be intended not only for academic learning but also for students to use as a guide and resource when they enter practice.

AR4421

ARCHITECTURE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME

Coordinator: Richard Ho

Units: 8

NUS DOA’s Architecture Internship Programme is a compulsory course that complements students’ architectural education in the classroom.

AR5221 CONTEMPORARY THEORIES

Tutor: Federico Ruberto / Francois Blanciak

Units: 4

This course aims to expose architecture students to an array of intellectual ideas and theoretical positions by drawing from an expanded field of discourse that includes architecture, urban studies, design, and the humanities. This broad focus acknowledges the unique nature of architectural education, manifold forces that shape the design of a building, and the role an architect plays in society. The lecture and assignments will be based around nine topics: atmosphere, interior, representation, capital, agency, security, networks, infrastructure, and the Anthropocene.

Under this internship programme, M Arch I students undergo six-month work attachments at firms or organisations in the fields of architecture, design, infrastructure and urban planning. This provides students with valuable exposure to a range of professional experiences and skills which cannot be taught in a traditional university setting. It also allows them to observe practitioners at work, see how classroom learning translates to the workplace, and experience the rhythms, ebbs and flows of life on a job in architecture and its related fields.

Finally, the internship also helps the student progress in his or her maturity and understanding of the industry, in preparation for entry to the M Arch II programme. The six-month internship is recognised by BOA as partial fulfilment of the 24-month log sheet requirement for the Professional Practice Examination; only students who intern in firms registered with BOA will qualify for the partial fulfilment.

AR5806 ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN RESEARCH REPORT (SEMESTER 1)

Units: 4 Pass / Fail Course

The Architectural Design Research Report is a compendium of students’ individual design research conducted in the course. The report shall build and elaborate on a body of ideas that will be further pursued in Architectural Thesis (Semester 2) through actual design practice. Using texts, images, charts and diagrams, and committing to a variety of material research; the report shall display a focused issue, line of inquiry, approach, theoretical background and various evidence that supports the idea.

The course’s fundamental purpose is to enable students to develop a rigorous method and deep-dive focus in a specific area of design research. It expects students to produce a series of high-quality-investigations and analysis of which the outcomes are translatable and pursuable in the area of creative design practice.

Deliverables:

A 4000-word A4 portrait in PDF format

The following should be included in the report:

1. Title of Research

2. Research Abstract (300 words)

3. Research Approach

4. Research Context and Community of Practice

5. Research Outputs

6. Contribution to Knowledge

7. Annotated Bibliography and Review of Literature, Works, and References

8. Image/Resource Index

9. Self-Disclosure of Research

10. Ethics Approval as necessary

Learning Objectives :

1. To demonstrate relevance of the topic in our contemporary world.

2. To demonstrate how architectural design can contribute to the focused issue.

3. To formulate a thesis statement, abstract and approach, understood as a design question and line of inquiry.

4. To take a critical position on research and its outcomes, and a subsequent proposition of architectural design.

5. To present how might the translation of research outcomes occur into architectural approaches, techniques and strategies or tactics.

6. To present how architectural design would be developed and what would be a significant concern for the design.

7. To realistically speculate significant impact of the nascent architectural design to people, communities and environments.

8. To communicate research and design in a concise and thoughtful manner by using texts and visual materials.

Measurable Outcomes :

1. Clear research topic and focus

2. Clear design thesis argument in written and representational tools

3. Presentation of design intent, approach and strategy

4. Presentation of consequential impact of design to social, urban and natural environment

5. Narration of design research project

M ARCH II SEMESTER 2 M ARCH II DESIGN RESEARCH THESIS

AR5807 1 SEMESTER ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN THESIS (SEMESTER 2)

Units: 20

Graded Course

The Master of Architecture design thesis will span across one semester establishing the final design criteria for achieving the degree of Master of Architecture. Students will be able to select from a variety of thesis advisors, and either align their thesis with their advisors’ research interests and expertise, or pursue their own self-directed thesis themes.

The two courses (AR5806 Architectural Research Report and AR5807 Architectural Design Thesis) dealing with the design research thesis have been put together to allow students to develop a high level of competence in creative practice design research; this competence would lead to architectural outcomes in a wide range of topics.

Building on the (AR5806) Architectural Design Research Report, the Architectural Design Thesis will drive the students to take a critical position of their research and hypothesis, where a semester-long design exploration will progress to the manifestation of an architectural proposition.

Students are encouraged to extend the research programme from Semester 1 through to Semester 2, translating and transforming a research topic and hypothesis into design outcomes. Deliverables include all necessary drawings, models, photos, films that represent the research and Expansion of Thesis preparatory report as an A4 Portrait document, illustrating and describing the research outcomes in Semester 2.

Learning Objectives :

1. To experiment with a variety of design solutions within the framework set in the architectural design research conducted in the previous semester.

2. To explore an innovative translation of the design research to an actual design.

3. To understand architectural design as a series of inquiries and they are pursued through reiterative design attempts.

4. To propose profound architectural design that takes into account its impact to social, urban and natural environments.

5. To propose meaningful architectural design through informed ethical judgments.

6. To demonstrate that the proposed design and its exploration are innovative and thus contribute to the disciplinary knowledge of architecture.

7. To use representational methods that are appropriate for the research contents, design process and final architectural design.

8. To experiment with representational techniques in both digital and analogue media and simulations in 2D, 3D and 4D media, to communicate ideas in the most effective manner.

Measurable Outcomes :

1. An innovative design concept in response to a formulated thesis statement.

2. Clear and rigorous design method and approach

3. Substantial architectural proposal

4. Contribution to the disciplinary knowledge

5. Architectural representation suitable for a design content

AR595XX

GRADUATE LEVEL ELECTIVES

Units: 4

Graduate Level Electives* are seminal learning experiences for M Arch students. Taught in a seminar format, electives are aligned with research clusters, as well as faculty members’ specific expertise and research efforts, providing a wide range of contemporary topics to enrich an architect’s education. Deep dives into specific themes allow students to align their personal interests in architecture with graduate-level research, thinking, making and writing.

SEMESTER 1 FACULTY OFFERING

Chang Jiat Hwee

Chen Yu

Lilian Chee

David Chin

William Michael Davis

Thomas Kong

Lai Chee Kian

Lam Khee Poh

Naomi C. Hanakata

Eddie Lau

Shinya Okuda

Tan Beng Kiang

Yuan Chao

SEMESTER 2 FACULTY OFFERING**

SEMESTER 1 FACULTY OFFERING

AR5951B

THERMAL MATERIAL CULTURE: BODIES, OBJECTS, AND ENVIRONMENTS IN THE MEDIATION OF HEAT IN THE CLIMATE CRISIS

Tutor: Chang Jiat Hwee

AR5952G

OVERSEAS CHINESE ARCHITECTURE AND SETTLEMENT

Tutor: Chen Yu

AR5952E

HEALTHCARE FACILITIES PLANNING AND DESIGN

Tutor: David Chin

AR5952A

DESIGNING WITH ENERGY. LOCAL RENEWABLES AS KEY FACTORS IN URBAN PLANNING

Tutor: Naomi C. Hanakata

AR5951C

HISTORIES, THEORIES AND CONTEXTS OF ARCHITECTURE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Tutor: Lai Chee Kian

AR5953B

ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS: DESIGNING SOUNDSCAPES AND NOISE CONTROL IN BUILDINGS

Tutor: Eddie Lau

AR5953C

NET ZERO CARBON BUILDING

Tutor: Lam Khee Poh

AR5955F

WORKAROUND: ALTERNATIVE SITES OF LABOUR

Tutor: Lilian Chee

AR5953A

INTRODUCTION TO MASS TIMBER ARCHITECTURE IN THE TROPICS

Tutor: Shinya Okuda

AR5952B

PARTICIPATORY COMMUNITY DESIGN

Tutor: Tan Beng Kiang

AR5951A

ARCHIVAL FUTURES: A PERIPATETIC INTRODUCTION

Tutor: Thomas Kong

AR5951D

HOUSES ARE PEOPLE; ARCHITECTURE AND DISAPPEARANCE IN THE HOT WAR

* Graduate Level Architecture Electives are only offered to M Arch II students under the Concurrent Degree Programme or the Single Degree Masters of Architecture Programme

**The elective courses offerings for Semester 2 will be published to students in due course.

Tutor: William Michael Davis

AR5953D

INTEGRATED URBAN WIND ENVIRONMENT DESIGN

Tutor: Yuan Chao

BA ARCH DESIGN STUDIO SEQUENCE

Architectural design can be overwhelming in its complexity. To guide students’ learning and creative explorations, the six studios in the undergraduate design studio sequence are structured as deep dives into different facets of architecture. As each semester progresses, students gradually delve into a narrower breadth of considerations, while concurrently allowing for more opportunities in experimentation, exploration, and conceptual probing.

Design 1 introduces “Seeing, Thinking, Making” as a recurrent, non-linear process, equipping students with fundamentals of representation in architecture and understanding and processing visual information. In Design 2, students are guided by “Scale, Precedent, Context”, to design in three-dimensions, exploring the relationship between people and the spaces surrounding them, making small architectural components. Design 3, using “Aggregation, Structure, Space”, prompts the combining of courses to understand the relationship between parts and the whole. These three design studios are additionally characterised by a specific focus on equipping students with architectural literacy. Architecture is made through physical forms; “form” is therefore the architect’s language. The mastering of this language—whether writing, reading, or speaking it—is one of the nonnegotiable foundational skills of the architect.

Through “Environment, Climate, Envelope”, Design 4 interrogates the interface between architecture and its environment, expanding the idea of the facade as a zone of negotiation between the building and the atmosphere around it. Design 5 then further expands upon this concept into the spaces and conditions between architectures, as “Density, Urbanism, Publicness” are investigated and unpacked. By Design 6, students tackle “Systems, Comprehensiveness, Integration” and are expected to produce design work that displays a holistic and cumulative understanding of the knowledge, skills, and thinking from the five studios prior.

Some fundamental concerns such as architectural form, site, programme, and the user, are not named as “themes” but are nonetheless ever present from studio to studio. The revisiting of these concepts each semester allows for an increase in sophistication and complexity as students progress through the years. These fundamental elements should be seen as dynamic rather than static or given. Furthermore, as students cover the different studio themes, they should gain an understanding that throughout, a thorough examination of these components, and their associated parameters, should be incorporated as part of the design process.

Ultimately, the 18 design themes are lenses through which allows them to investigate architectural seeing, thinking, and making. The following pages describe in more detail the directions of the six design studios for AY 2023/24 .

Image Credits: Florian Heinzelmann and Chew Shi Cheng Christopher

Picture credit: Tee Kai Jie, Forbes

Architecture is created and articulated through architectonic and formal language akin to authors using words and sentences to convey a story, and musicians using musical notation to express their compositions. Different formal languages arise from cultural, social, technological, and economic developments that reflects the zeitgeist of their respective eras. With each new formal language, a new set of approaches (Seeing), architectural ideas (Thinking), and syntax in 2D and 3D representation (Making) are invented.

Seeing is not merely looking. It involves thorough research, close reading and in-depth observations of precedents without prejudice. By uncovering various versions of original drawings, models and texts by the author; a wide range of topics will be explored, encompassing the broader context culturally, socially, technologically, and economically. In addition, specific architectural concepts, formal vocabulary, organising grammar and geometry, spatial phenomenology, materials, techniques and graphical representation methods can also be discovered and compared.

Thinking involves the dissection and analysis of complex information collected through the process of seeing. It includes evaluating the relevance of data, interpreting its meaning and significance, and making inferences based on the available evidence. This forms the basis of critical thinking, the core of all architectural design processes and formulation of new conceptual frameworks.

Making is the creative synthesis of seeing and thinking. It is not just a simple application of learnt methods but a rigorous process of experimentation with drawing and model making techniques, as well as prototyping and manipulation of materials. The making process, balancing both intuition and informed decision making, involving both digital and analogue tools, is essential for the creation of new forms and spaces. Drawings and models are what architects make to envision the architecture, regardless of whether the design is eventually built by craftsmen or not.

The process of Seeing, Thinking and Making, shows that the design process is non-linear and iterative. Design 1 introduces the students to diverse ways of seeing, thinking and making through a selection of critical formal languages in architecture and exposes them to the organic process of design conception. The end goal is to inculcate within the students the ability to discern between a piece of architecture and a purely functional building .

Image: AR1101 AY21/22 student work from Sanya Dixit

Yong Sy Lyng

Design 1 Year Leader, Unit 1 Leader

Ng San Son

Unit 2 Leader

Elaine Lee

Unit 3 Leader

Architecture is a continuous rigorous investigative process. A discipline that requires as much knowledge that crosses its own discipline and yet obey its own syntax, like any language. When its syntax is disrupted, it is what Peter Eisenmen calls— ‘distortion’. And how this ‘distortion’ is to be resolved is the very essence of architectural development. It is this constant negotiation between internal programmatic pressures with external pressures that morphs the language of architecture. While “Scale, Precedent and Context” are ubiquitous in all architectural developments and embodies a broad definition, it is the interest in Design 2 to scope and define the extent of impact and coverage that best identifies with this level—building the foundation from tangible conditions. Its respective complexities will evolve over the succeeding years with the inclusion of intangibles.

Scale is defined within the fundamentals that has immediate impact on the ‘self’ rather than its broader definition to the city and the world (referencing to diagram on the right). It involves the introduction to anthropometry, i.e. how the body as an extension of itself relates to space and its immediate environment and vice-versa.

On a more technical aspect, it is recognising when to deploy the right scale of drawings to demonstrate the right number of details, from design detailing on one end of the scale, and site/location plan (which includes the contextual environment or its relation to the world) on the other end.

Precedents are important as it forms the basis of the formal languages for architecture throughout its own evolution and negotiation through historical events, socio-cultural changes, technological shifts, and politicaleconomical changes in territories. Albeit a complex evolution, the exploration of architectural languages from the 20th and 21st centuries, shall provide the necessary architectural vocabulary and form the basis to springboard into a project.

Context in Design 2 is defined as conditions that involves the physical site. This includes both static and dynamic forces afforded by its mere location; static forces like the immediate built environment etc. and dynamics like wind, rain and sun conditions. For this level, we will not be focussing on the broader intangible conditions that are affected and effected by social, cultural, historical, technological, economical, or political contexts.

Image by Lee May Anne

Lee May Anne

Design 2 Year Leader, Unit 1 Leader

Elaine Lee

Unit 2 Leader

Lee Hui Lian

Unit 3 Leader

Design 3 is interested in the emergent forms of spatial and tectonic organisations that arise primarily from the interrogation of Structure and Space through aggregation.

Aggregation is by definition a group, body, or mass composed of distinct parts or individuals. We can define what the individual parts are, how can they be brought together, and what they will be like as an aggregated whole. An architecture of aggregation can be seen as a number of unitised spaces, with a distinct formal character, organised in a certain formation as a collective whole.

The Structure and Space that defines individual units relate intrinsically through its form, giving rise to possibilities of activity and program. When units come together as similar or variations of itself, its individual quality may change where adjacencies must be considered. Through repetitions and additions, the newly formed combinations take on a new dynamic through its interactions with others—where the processes of aggregation define its outcome as a collective structure. Structure in this context, should be seen more as alluding to the structuring of a format or an order rather than just for its load bearing function. This process of structuring is developed through organisational thinking, giving rise to novel forms of formal and tectonic compositions. Through its aggregations, the key takeaway here would be the ability to conceive compelling architectural outcomes that demonstrate the intersection of such a structured spatiality.

The common theme of Collective Dwellings will serve as the programmatic vehicle of investigation. The function of a dwelling relates fundamentally to the understanding of its spaces for inhabitation in relation to the human scale. This builds upon the lessons learnt in Design 2 but increases the scope and complexity of the architectural endeavour, with the aggregation of individual dwellings—where the relationship of the individual and the collective, as well as the interplay of singularity and repetition becomes critical. An understanding of size, scale and the occupant’s basic need for access to light, ventilation, views, privacy and interaction at the individual unit level, as well as the forms of occupation it will demand, will be fundamental.

The pedagogical focus for Design 3 will extend from the earlier approaches of Seeing, Thinking, Making in Year 1 to the design processes developed via the unit framework across three different urban sites in the city. Each unit will offer a specific focus—investigating critical methods of aggregation. This will range from Unit 1’s form-driven, outcome-led self-referencing cuboid aggregations, to Unit 2’s aggregation via sectional investigation of positive and negative inversions; and finally, Unit 3’s process-driven operationalartistic exploration of composition, configuration, and complication in architectural aggregations.

Image Credits: Tibet/China Border by Yuma_A (source : socialfoto.tumblr.com)

Victor Lee

Design 3 Year Leader, Unit 1 Leader

Tiah Nan Chyuan Unit 2 Leader

Adrian Lai Unit 3 Leader

Design 4 will be a hands-on studio where students will research, design, build; and more importantly evaluate envelopes as a response and in dialogue with tropical climatic conditions. The pedagogical aim is for students to develop an understanding and gain experiences on several levels.

Firstly, students should learn about certain practical issues and tectonics in combination with material and geometry properties, directly leading to performative results—whether they are related to structure, durability or the microclimate. Secondly, by building a prototype that (re)acts on or alters the climatic conditions internally and externally, students will receive first-hand feedback for further design iterations. It also creates credibility through proof of concept. Thirdly, it is important to learn how to mediate between quantitative (the measurable performance aspects) and qualitative design aspects, since the outcome may clash with the design intent through a conflict of design parameters at times. In other instances, an unintended and unbiased design quality will emerge solely from experimentation through ‘thinking by doing’; which, once discovered, can be synthesised, and become part of the larger design system. Finally, the importance of training strategic planning processes will allow students to acquire skillsets related the knowledge of sourcing materials, manufacturing prototypes, and transporting the prototype to various locations for testing.

The studio brief intends to focus on the physically obtainable and verifiable, while discovering qualitative aspects through the process of design exploration. In the end, when the quantitative fails, a building’s functionality may be compromised—rendering it unusable; and concurrently leading to the qualitative aspects losing their shine, and the original design intent becomes meaningless. Hence, architectural design invariably encompasses both quantitative and qualitative aspects. The fundamental question for this studio, then is: How can one successfully achieve both a bottom-up design exploration approach within the framework of top-down project planning?

Image credits: Close up of kinetic façade apertures at Institut du Monde Arabe by Architecture-Studio and Jean Nouvel, Paris, 1987. Photo by Florian Heinzelmann, 2008

Florian Heinzelmann

Design 4 Year Leader, Unit 1 Leader

Erik L’Heureux Unit 2 Leader

Shin Yokoo Unit 3 Leader

Federico Ruberto Design 5 Year Leader, Unit 1 Leader

François Blanciak Unit 2 Leader

Jacqueline Yeo Unit 3 Leader

Through the lenses of “Prototyping Urban Interfaces”, Design 5 explores how architecture always relates to other architectures, spaces and urban elements. It celebrates the singular-plural role of architecture in the definition and alteration of urban structures and situations.

Density, Urbanism and Publicness are conceptual poles that Design 5 employs to challenge existing urban-architectural typologies, discovering design possibilities responding to present and forecasted urban dynamics, forces and conditions. We approach Urbanism embracing the values of density, diversity and the public. By analysing socio-cultural qualities and predicaments nested differently within specific city-forms, we have a better understanding of how urban extensions are not only the result of large programmatic decisions, but how they are in part determined by architectural instantiations. Although the studio focuses on the urban scale, its approach does not involve master-planning. Instead, it presents possibilities of urban design made through tactical interventions, site-specific architectures— singular, yet able to affect larger contexts when adapted and transformed.

The studio also analyses the larger context in the form of a vehicle articulating innovative architectural projects that are both responsive to urban conditions and challenge them simultaneously. Accordingly, in Design 5, architecture is envisioned and examined as an urban interface between indoor-outdoor, public-private, collective-individual, natural-manmade, material-symbolic, and analogue-digital. Such a prototypical interface should have the capacity of fostering negotiations, exchanges and synergy— cherishing alternatives and critical life-forms (whether existing or to be promoted). Investigations within Design 5 should lead to a range of typological mediators—proposals that embrace the proto-para-meta, hybrids that are able to contest, connect, divide or expand the social, architectural and environmental context in which they are situated.

Students are guided through analytical and projective stages so as to design feasible architectural solutions: proposals that should not strictly adhere to, or exhaustively being framed by norms and regulations. This aim of this is not to promote a laissez-faire agenda, but to encourage critical creativity, and accept that the nature of design studios is to deploy alternative solutions—contesting the smooth acceptance of commodified modes of living and prototyping instead alternative “forms of life”. Thus, eventually we aim to invent typologies for inclusive social and environmental norms to be subsequently developed. Students will gain an understanding of the spatial implications of socio-political relationships and conditions generated by architecture when grasped and articulated within the urban space. Design 5 expands on scale and complexity of Design 4, which looked at the envelope as an interface between environment, climate, and architecture. The course embraces relational plurality, preparing the students for a more comprehensive and integrated building in Design 6—where architecture is approached as a larger microcosm-macrocosm, a complex system tightly related to, and part of a larger system—the city.

References:

Agnes Denes, “Wheatfield - A Confrontation: Battery Park Landfill, Downtown Manhattan”, 1982.

© Agnes Denes, photo by John McGrall.

COMPREHENSIVENESS, INTEGRATION

Design 6 invites students to re-evaluate the role of systems in the increasingly complex field of architecture by reconsidering the cartesian mode of thinking where systems tend to become reductive, thereby counterproductive to our creative endeavours. Instead, if we align ourselves with the trans-disciplinary ambitions put forth by Ludwig von Bertalanffy in his more fluid General System Theory, novel outcomes could emerge when several apparently isolated parts/ sub systems interact to form more complex unexpected behaviours as a collective .

Folding this back into architecture, we see parallels with Christopher Alexander’s “Systems Generating Systems”, where he urges us to consider two ideas embedded in the word “System”.

1) A System as a “whole” is not an object. Rather it is a holistic and abstract way of looking at an object as an emergent system.

2) A Generating System is a kit of inter-scalar parts/sub systems with rules governing how they may interact. These parts/sub systems could also be located on the periphery of design and in our case, beyond the normative tangible considerations of architecture.

Concluding these two ideas, Alexander suggest that a novel piece of design can never be reached through a summative process of solving design problems in a procedural manner. Neither can it be achieved through a comprehensive knowledge of its parts without the knowledge of how they interact.

The final and perhaps the most intriguing point in this piece of writing is Alexandar’s proclamation that every “System as a whole” is generated by a Generating System. Therefore, if we wish to design things as “wholes”, it is imperative that the creation process involves the invention of Generating Systems. This not only suggests a move beyond the categorical thinking and stratification of building systems, it implies a transformative scope for Architects where we depart from a mere manipulator of form/passive organiser of apriori systems to a designer of Generating Systems for emergent systems. This recalibration forms the launching point for Design 6.

Image: Isaac Lee Wei-En

Chaw Chih Wen

Design 6 Year Leader, Unit 1 Leader

Adrian Lai

Unit 2 Leader

Wu Yen Yen

Unit 3 Leader

BA ARCH DESIGN STUDIO FACULTY

DESIGN 1

UNIT LEADERS:

Yong Sy Lyng (Design 1 Year Leader, Unit 1 Leader)

B Arch (The Cooper Union), BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

Ng San Son (Unit 2 Leader)

M Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

Elaine Lee (Unit 3 Leader)

M Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore)

STUDIO LEADERS:

Timothy Collins

MArch II (Syracuse University in Florence, Italy), BArch (The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art)

Law Lipeng

M Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore)

Lee May Anne

B Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

Albert Liang

M Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore)

William Ng

M Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Evy Sutjahjo

M Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

DESIGN 2

UNIT LEADERS:

Lee May Anne (Design 2 Year Leader, Unit 1 Leader)

B Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

Elaine Lee (Unit 2 Leader)

M Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore)

Lee Hui Lian (Unit 3 Leader)

M Arch, B Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

STUDIO LEADERS:

Timothy Collins

MArch II (Syracuse University in Florence, Italy), BArch (The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art)

Fong Hoo Cheong

B Arch (Hons), BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore), Dip Illum Des (Sydney University); GMAP, MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Albert Liang

M Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore)

William Ng

M Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Jerome Ng

M Arch (ARB/RIBA part 2) (UCL), Architecture

BSc (UCL), BFA Visc Comm (ADM, NTU)

Isabelle Song

M Arch (Yale School of Architecture), BA in Architecture (Princeton University)

Yong Sy Lyng

B Arch (The Cooper Union), BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

DESIGN 3

UNIT LEADERS:

Victor Lee (Design 3 Year Leader, Unit 1 Leader)

Adjunct Assistant Professor; AA Dip, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); MSIA, ARB, Registered Architect, Singapore and the UK

Adrian Lai (Unit 2 Leader)

Adjunct Assistant Professor; AA Dip, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); MSIA, ARB Registered Architect, Singapore and the UK

Tiah Nan Chyuan (Unit 3 Leader)

Adjunct Assistant Professor; AA Dip, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

STUDIO LEADERS:

Chaw Chih Wen

Adjunct Assistant Professor; M Arch, B Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Lee Hui Lian

M Arch, B Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

Jerome Ng

M Arch (ARB/RIBA part 2) (UCL), Architecture

BSc (UCL), BFA Visc Comm (ADM, NTU)

Neo Sei Hwa

Adjunct Associate Professor; B Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Shinya Okuda

Associate Professor; M Eng, B Eng (Kyoto Institute of Technology); Registered Architect, Japan and the Netherlands

Khairudin Saharom

Adjunct Assistant Professor; M Arch (National University of Singapore); MSIA

Isabelle Song

M Arch (Yale School of Architecture), BA in Architecture (Princeton University)

Tham Wai Hon

M Arch, B Arch Studies (National University of Singapore)

Yang Han

M Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

Shin Yokoo

Senior Lecturer; PhD (Tokyo University of Science), M Eng, B Eng (Tokai University); Registered Architect, Japan

DESIGN 4

UNIT LEADERS:

Florian Heinzelmann (Design 4 Year Leader, Unit 1 Leader) Associate Professor in Practice; PhD (Eindhoven University of Technology), M Arch (Berlage Institute), Dipl-Ing (Munich University of Applied Sciences); Registered Architect, the Netherlands

Erik L’Heureux (Unit 2 Leader)

Dean’s Chair Associate Professor; PhD (RMIT University), M Arch (Princeton University), BA Arch (Washington University in St. Louis); FAIA, Registered Architect, New York and Rhode Island, USA, MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore; LEED AP BD+C, NCARB

Shin Yokoo (Unit 3 Leader)

Senior Lecturer; PhD (Tokyo University of Science), M Eng, B Eng (Tokai University); Registered Architect, Japan

STUDIO LEADERS:

Huay Wen Jun

M Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Victor Lee

Adjunct Assistant Professor; AA Dip, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); MSIA, ARB, Registered Architect, Singapore and the UK

Ronald Lim

M Arch (Yale University), BA (Wesleyan University); MSIA, RIBA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Christo Meyer

PG Dip PP (University College London), PG Dip Arch (London South Bank University), B Arch Stud (University of the Free State); ARB, RIBA, Registered Architect, UK

Roy Pang

B Arch (RMIT University); GMM, UDA, DfSP, MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Tham Wai Hon

M Arch, B Arch Studies (National University of Singapore)

Tiah Nan Chyuan

Adjunct Assistant Professor; AA Dip, BA Arch (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Wu Huei Siang

M Arch (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Yang Han

M Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

Yuan Chao

Associate Professor; PhD (Chinese University of Hong Kong); MArch (Beijing University of Civil Engineering & Architecture); KTCP (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

DESIGN 5

UNIT LEADERS:

Federico Ruberto (Design 5 Year Leader, Unit 1 Leader)

PhD (European Graduate School), MSc Arch, M Arch (Polytechnic of Milan)

François Blanciak (Unit 2 Leader)

Associate Professor; PhD, M Arch (University of Tokyo), DPLG (École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Grenoble); Registered Architect, France

Jacqueline Yeo (Unit 3 Leader)

AA Dip, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); ARB, Registered Architect, UK

STUDIO LEADERS:

Chan Wai Kin

B Arch (University of Melbourne); Registered Architect, Singapore

Lee Tat Haur

M Eng Arch (Tokyo Institute of Technology), B Arch (RMIT University); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Ronald Lim

M Arch (Yale University), BA (Wesleyan University); MSIA, RIBA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Christo Meyer

PG Dip PP (University College London), PG Dip Arch (London South Bank University), B Arch Stud (University of the Free State); ARB, RIBA, Registered Architect, UK

Roy Pang

B Arch (RMIT University), GMM, UDA, DfSP; MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Sri Saravanan

M Arch, BA Arch Studies (Hons) (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

Zdravko Trivic Assistant Professor; PhD (National University of Singapore), Dip Eng Arch (University of Belgrade, Serbia)

Wong Chong Thai, Bobby Adjunct Associate Professor; Dip Arch (Aberdeen), MDesS (Harvard); MSIA, Registered Architect Singapore

DESIGN 6

UNIT LEADERS:

Chaw Chih Wen (Design 6 Year Leader, Unit 1 Leader)

Adjunct Assistant Professor; M Arch, B Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Adrian Lai (Unit 2 Leader)

Adjunct Assistant Professor; AA Dip, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); MSIA, ARB Registered Architect, Singapore and the UK

Wu Yen Yen (Unit 3 Leader)

Adjunct Assistant Professor; M Arch (Columbia University), BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Green Mark AP, MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

STUDIO LEADERS:

Chan Wai Kin

B Arch (University of Melbourne); Registered Architect, Singapore

Cheah Kok Ming

Vice Dean (Academic), Associate Professor; B Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

Chin Kean Kok

B Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

Lawrence Ler

AA Diploma (Architectural Association), BA Arch (National University of Singapore); BOA, MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Joseph Lim

Associate Professor; PhD (Heriot-Watt University), MSc (University of Strathclyde), B Arch (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Ng San Son

M Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

Pan Yi Cheng

AA Diploma Honours, Architectural Association; MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Ali Reda

B Arch, BSc Arch (University of Sydney)

Federico Ruberto

PhD (European Graduate School), MSc

Arch, M Arch (Polytechnic of Milan)

Peter Sim

ARB UK; B.Arch (Hons) NUS, BA (Architectural Studies) National University of Singapore

Jacqueline Yeo

AA Dip, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); ARB, Registered Architect, UK

DESIGN STUDIO : SEMESTER 1 STUDIO DESCRIPTIONS (AR5801)/(AR5805)

WORKHOUSE

Tutor: Hitoshi Abe

Developments in manufacturing technology led to a shift in labour practices, resulting in work activities that were previously conducted within the home being relocated to designated workplaces. The separation of work from home became a key concept in modernisation, driving the design of buildings and cities. Recently, we have witnessed a paradigm shift in this principle: the spaces traditionally designated for domesticity and work are gradually merging, leading to the emergence of a blurred or interconnected area. The activities and experiences of daily life have exceeded the structures that contain them, becoming more fluid and seamless. At the forefront of this shift are numerous co-working/living spaces that have appeared. Admidst this period of critical evaluation and experimentation, these spaces serve as indicators of the broader shifts resulting from technological advancements, lifestyle changes, and the rise of the sharing economy.

WORKHOUSE studio will explore what the phenomenon of coworking/living means for architecture, and how it can serve as a catalyst for a series of mutually beneficial, thoughtfully coordinated programmatic relationships. We believe that this approach will lead us to a series of new building types which will help us to envision the future of our living environment.

SPORTS ON SMALL PLOT: HYBRIDISING FOR MORE WITH LESS

Tutor: Cheah Kok Ming

Half fish, half lion—our mascot the Merlion, epitomises the concept of a hybrid, an entity produced by a combination of two or more distinct elements, usually with an outcome that is more than the sum of its elements. Hybrid or mixed-use buildings are invented for land use optimisation as well as capitalising on the synergy of different functions to create symbiotic benefits. Sports facilities like swimming pools, stadiums and play fields are expansive land occupiers. In recent decades, the strategy of collocating different facilities has resulted in the creation of unique community architecture, where large sports facilities residing with libraries, community clubs, polyclinics and food courts. Tampines Hub, Heartbeat @ Bedok and Bukit Canberra are examples of such community hybrid concepts that optimised land use and concentrated public accessibility.

This studio is about seeking more possibilities of architectural hybridisation. The objective is to achieve innovative sports infrastructure designs that can maximise utility while using less land, considering the context of Singapore.

BANDUNG-LASWI CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

Tutor:

Florian Heinzelmann

Bandung, the capital of the province of West Java (Indonesia), also called “Paris of Java”, plays a significant role in Indonesia’s education and creative industry. In addition, Bandung was envisioned as the new capital of Indonesia during the Dutch colonial rule. In the late 19th and early 20th century, Bandung saw significant developments not only in architecture and education (e.g., ITB) but also in infrastructure. One of these developments is the railway connection and related facilities within the city of Bandung. One of these remnant facilities is the ~16ha Laswi train depot heritage site. Over the past few years, several master plans and initiatives were drafted on what to do with the site and heritage. Current plans foresee turning the area into a cultural and retail function while respecting the heritage of the site and existing buildings. The research design task aims to understand and rethink cultural activities, respectful utilisation of heritage structures, the integration of old and new elements, examination of the existing masterplan, understanding Bandung’s socio-economic context, and proposing a phased microclimatic performative green building solution. Throughout this process, the goal is to avoid gentrification and maintain accessibility for Bandung’s general population.

HOT AIR IV:  CARBON & CAPITAL

Tutor: Erik G. L’Heureux

This studio will expand on three previous semesters of design research and aims to explore the outcomes of planet-positive design at the architectural scale in Ho Chi Minh, an equatorial city. The research will focus on the intersection of Hot Air, Carbon, and Capital.

As the equatorial city transitions from a granular, porous, and informal city to a more formal, conditioned, and carbondependent metropolis, the idea of a carbon-neutral or planetpositive city is challenged by large-scale capital, global emulation, and imported technological systems. Previous semesters have shown that designing zero-carbon buildings in a dense metropolis is a significant challenge. In this semester, carbon accounting will be used to create net-zero carbon propositions as a baseline and necessary task.

The design studio research will explore how architects envision a future of planet-positive action and decarbonisation while recognising rural-urban migration, increased densities, and aspirations for similar conveniences as those in the Global North. The studio will also focus on counting carbon, labour, and capital that goes into the building processes, making counting a fundamental component of design research. There will also be additional research activities that will include travel to HCMC.

RETHINKING VERTIPORTS

Tutor: Joseph Lim

In the way that high speed trains revolutionised city centres, Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) using eVTOL drones will change regional air transport infrastructure to impact on the architecture of the city. Beyond the use of existing airfields for immediate operations, early vertiport designs manifest as standalone transport, logistic and commercial structures accommodating large roof pads. While AAM is understood as the use of eVTOL aircraft for places not served by surface transportation or airports, the moving of people and cargo between city nodes and outlying areas can be studied as an extreme change in city life at a smaller scale of the urban grain. What is this new threshold where machine interfaces with building? Where vertiports are understood in large scale, this options studio investigates how small eVTOL pads can manifest in the urban grain. How can AAM reduce demand on large land plots and building footprint? How can they be integrated with existing infrastructure to mitigate deforestation for future urban developments?

Design geometry is explored as networks in form, space, and structure using Grasshopper, or equivalent tools. Conceptual and Design Development processes in studio are augmented by industry experts from Arup Singapore, Skyports and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

TALE OF DESTINIES

Tutor: Tan Teck Kiam

This studio delves into the economic and social spatial forces that shape urban spaces and draws upon the critical works of Jean Baudrillard and Henri Lefebvre to provide a theoretical framework.

Jean Baudrillard’s “The System of Objects” (1968) offers valuable insights into the intricate spatial relationships within homes, highlighting the complex interplay of functionality, hierarchy, privacy, and family interactions. Similarly, urban environments are determined by planning strategies, design guidelines, and population densities, influenced by the intertwined concepts of live-work-play. Henri Lefebvre’s spatial triad, presented in “The Production of Space” (1974), provides a comprehensive understanding of urban spaces. It encompasses perceived space, the individual’s spatial experience; conceived space, the planned and designed space by professionals; and lived space, the space where daily life unfolds with its own practices and meanings.

UNIDENTICAL TWINS:

HOUSE PROJECT FOR JAPAN

AND SINGAPORE

KYUSHU UNIVERSITY / SHINKENCHIKU COLLABORATION

Tutor: Tsuto Sakamoto

The studio takes up a house as subject. Responding to the four seasons and surviving harsh climatic conditions, the houses in Japan have evolved with variety of techniques and technologies.

Focusing on the houses in Japan and its relationship with a natural environment, the studio will start with scientific simulations, and investigation of cultural and poetic aspects of them. Students will study heat exchange, air movement, humidity and light; while analysing consequential phenomena such as particular spatial experiences, life patterns, relationships amongst residents and their engagements with objects, plants and animals.

Subsequently, the studio imagines the houses being relocated to a particular site in Singapore. The students will pursue a “counterpart of the twins” of the original house by responding to the alternative climatic conditions by modifying them creatively.

Critical examination of the often-overlooked forces that shape urban spaces, shedding light on the contributions of foreign workers in Singapore and their impact on the urban fabric are also explored in this studio. Drawing parallels with Fritz Lang’s film “Metropolis,” it reveals striking similarities between these two worlds. Moreover, the studio explores the potential power of artificial intelligence and its transformative effects on cities. It seeks a balance between technological progress and the preservation of humanity within an inclusive and sustainable urban landscape. It highlights the importance of human agency in realising a shared destiny.

SUSTAINING CONNECTIONS

Tutor: Steven Thor

‘Have you eaten?’…….. The simple greeting is often cursory and fleeting.

Dig deeper and you will find it as an expression of a people, their culture, considerations, and cares that are rooted in the importance of sustenance and food security. Or a promise to a dinner date.

Transient acts often have echoes of the past and the evolution of an emerging pattern.

We need a pause and take in the importance of social mores and ephemeral habits and in turn, a reset from the numbing life pursuits and cursory relationships to root ourselves to a meaningful existence.

Social movements, environmental concerns, technology, locational context and many more drivers have the currency to shape our behaviours and built environment.

This studio questions the relationships between inane unconsciousness, set behaviours and built spaces. You are to explore future environments that foster meaningful relationships and celebrate the greatness and captivating aspects of life, while still resonating with real world conditions and needs.

You will propose a palette of usage from selected plot with contextual driven designs respecting urban and human scale. The studio encourages architectural explorations that connect with users and celebrate life’s theatre.

M ARCH I & II SEMESTER 1

DESIGN STUDIO LEADERS :

AR5801 OPTIONS DESIGN RESEARCH STUDIO 1 LEADERS : AR5805 ADVANCED ARCHITECTURE STUDIO LEADERS :

Hitoshi Abe

Ong Siew May Visiting Professor NUS Professor, Department of Architecture and Urban Design, University of California Los Angeles; Terasaki Chair for Contemporary Japanese study; Director, xLAB, UCLA; Director, Paul I . and Hisako Terasaki Center for Japanese Studies, UCLA; Principal, Atelier Hitoshi Abe

Cheah Kok Ming

Vice Dean (Academic), Associate Professor; B Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

Simone Chung

Assistant Professor; Ph.D. (Cantab.) ARB/RIBA Part 3 (UK). M.Phil. (Cantab., dist.), M.Sc. (dist.), AA Diploma, B.Sc. (Hons.)

Fung John Chye

Associate Professor in Practice; B Arch (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

Richard Ho Professor in Practice; B Arch (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Florian Heinzelmann

Associate Professor in Practice; PhD (Eindhoven University of Technology), M Arch (Berlage Institute), Dipl-Ing (Munich University of Applied Sciences); Registered Architect, the Netherlands

Gauraung Khemka

Visiting Professor; Master of Urban Design (UC Berkeley), M Arch (National University of Singapore), B Arch (Sushant School of Art & Architecture, India); MSIA, AIA, IIA., Registered Architect, Singapore, India and US

Khoo Peng Beng Adjunct Associate Professor; B Arch (National University of Singapore); RIBA, MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Lawrence Ler

AA Diploma (Architectural Association), BA Arch (National University of Singapore); BOA, MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Erik G. L’Heureux

Dean’s Chair Associate Professor; PhD (RMIT University), M Arch (Princeton University), BA Arch (Washington University in St. Louis); FAIA, Registered Architect, New York and Rhode Island, USA, MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore; LEED AP BD+C, NCARB

Joseph Lim

Associate Professor; PhD (Heriot-Watt University), MSc (University of Strathclyde), B Arch (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Mike Lim

MBA (University of Leicester, UK), BA Arch (National University of Singapore); SIDAC Interior Designer Practitioner – Class 1 (ID1)

Kevin Mark Low

Bachelor of Architecture, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, U.S.A. - June 12th, 1988. Master of Science in Architecture Studies, M.I.T., Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A. - June 3rd, 1991. Minor in Art History, M.I.T., Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A. - June 3rd, 1991.

Khairudin Saharom

Adjunct Assistant Professor; M Arch (National University of Singapore); MSIA

Pier Alessio Rizzardi M Arch, B Arch (Polytechnic University of Milan)

Tsuto Sakamoto

Associate Professor, M Arch Programme Director; MSc (Columbia University), M Eng (Waseda University), B Eng (Tokyo University of Science)

Soh Leen How

University of Kansas, Bachelor of Architecture with Distinction, Thayer Gold Medal RMIT University, Master of Business Administration (International Management)

Ruzica Bozovic Stamenovic

Associate Professor, Deputy Head (Administration and Finance); ScD, MSc (University of Belgrade, Serbia), Spec Arch, Dip Eng Arch (University of Belgrade, Serbia); Registered Architect, Serbia

Rudi Stouffs (Co-teaching with Jean You)

Dean’s Chair Associate Professor; PhD, MSc (Arch Comp Design) (Carnegie Mellon University), MSc (ArchEng), Ir-Arch (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

Tan Beng Kiang

Associate Professor; DDes (Harvard University), M Arch (University of California, Los Angeles), B Arch (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Tan Teck Kiam

Adjunct Associate Professor; B Arch (Hons) (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Alan Tay

Adjunct Asst Professor; M Arch (NUS), MSIA, Registered Architects, Singapore

Teh Joo Heng

Adjunct Associate Professor; SMArchS (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), B Arch (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Steven Thor

BA (Arch S), BArch (Dist); Registered Architect, Singapore

DESIGN STUDIO LEADERS :

AR5802 OPTIONS DESIGN RESEARCH STUDIO 2 LEADERS :

François Blanciak

Associate Professor; PhD, M Arch (University of Tokyo), DPLG (École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Grenoble); Registered Architect, France

Lilian Chee

Associate Professor; PhD, MSc Arch History (University College London), B Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore)

Gauraung Khemka

Visiting Professor; Master of Urban Design (UC Berkeley), M Arch (National University of Singapore), B Arch (Sushant School of Art & Architecture, India); MSIA, AIA, IIA., Registered Architect, Singapore, India and US

H. Koon Wee

Visiting Associate Professor; M Arch (Yale University), B Arch (University of Western Australia), BA Arch (National University of Singapore); FRSA, Registered Architect, Singapore and the Netherlands

Ho Puay Peng

Professor, Head of Department; PhD (University of London), M Arch, Dip Arch (University of Edinburgh); RIBA

Thomas Kong

Associate Professor, NUS; Deputy Head, Department of Architecture; Assistant Dean (Development), College of Design and Engineering; M Arch (Cranbrook Academy of Art), B Arch (National University of Singapore); Assoc. AIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Neo Sei Hwa

Adjunct Associate Professor; B Arch (National University of Singapore), BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Shinya Okuda

Associate Professor; M Eng, B Eng (Kyoto Institute of Technology); Registered Architect, Japan and the Netherlands

Lawrence Ler

AA Diploma (Architectural Association), BA Arch (National University of Singapore); BOA, MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Rene Tan

Adjunct Associate Professor; M Arch (Princeton University), B Arch (Music and Architecture) (Yale University); Registered Architect, Singapore

Tan Teck Kiam

Adjunct Associate Professor; B Arch (Hons) (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Wong Chong Thai, Bobby Adjunct Associate Professor; Honorary Fellow (National University of Singapore), Dip Arch (Aberdeen), MDesS (Harvard); MSIA, Registered Architect Singapore

Picture credit: Shawn Ng Xin Wei

THESIS OFFERINGS

FORM

Tutor: François Blanciak

What should a significant architectural project look like? How can it exist within the current ecological context of architecture and a strained economy of attention? In light of current debates on what is—fundamentally—a building, this thesis topic will focus broadly on the issue of form in architecture, a notion so contentious that it is often presented as necessarily “following” particular variables. What these variables are, and why they surface at specific moments in history, will be investigated. A particular emphasis will also be put on the study of precedents in order to envision architectural outputs that transcend solutionism.

‘WITHOUT’ ARCHITECTURE

Tutor: Randy Chan

If architecture is seen as a container of space, then, Spatial Allegory is an idea that calls out the stories that fill it.

As a critique of present-day architecture, where the heavy focus of buildings is on sterile formality, the thesis interest shall seek to highlight a loss of narrative meaning in architectural spaces. It encourages a more compelling methodology to interpret and construct space as a means for individuals to understand the “self” and the “everyday” to give rise to fresh and unexpectedly enriching meaning to the spaces we inhabit ubiquitously.

REFUGE FOR HOMO DEUS

Tutor: Chaw Chih Wen

We are interested in the paradigmatic shifts in architecture as we transit from Homo Sapiens to Homo Deus. Yuval Noah Harari’s trilogy of works will serve as a springboard for further investigation into related sociopolitical-cultural phenomenon and most importantly, their spatial implications.

Last year’s thesis offering focused on creating alternative Temples for Homo Deus in the face of the rising technoreligion; Dataism. This year, we invite students to reimagine the idea of Refuge for Homo Deus as a possible architectural respite for the dividual where the existential question of their humanism is constantly challenged in this network society.

The thesis should refrain from a simplistic application of black box technology in architecture, but rather, focus on the discovery of novel, unimagined spatial practices through the lens of a homo deus.

SITUATED STRANGENESS

Tutor: Cheah Kok Ming

In any creative endeavours, the deep insights of context and the responses to it produces significant and meaningful outcomes. The inventive originality of these outcomes could only be informed by the specificity of the issue and its situated conditions. Sometimes these solutions are so unique and unprecedented that they are simply strange or provocative; nevertheless relevant and fit for its time, place and purpose.

Health Robinson’s caricature during the two world wars brought entertainment to the British who were plagued by the misery of bloody conflicts. His comic relief was uplifting and hilarious in those dark times. They were always about odd, absurd inventions or overly-engineered contraptions conceived to poke fun at the enemies. His cartoons were refreshingly captivating and tinted with

“anti-fragility”. He was able to harvest adverse moments to create jokes that boost public morale. Robinson’s inventions were appealing because they had strong contextual underpinnings. It captured the British brand of humour and satire, celebrated the might of industrialisation and mechanisation of early 20th Century as well as the British pride of the Arts & Crafts Movement in its praise for craftsmanship. The latter inspired the intricacies of his ludicrous device illustrated in each witty narrative.

A successful architectural thesis is predicated on critical and in-depth understanding of the issues and the context they reside in. There is the context of the past, present and the future and further futures. Each context of its time has an intertwining set of conditions involving geography, environment, climate, society, politics, culture, technology, and economy. The thesis is an informed projective cast into the future or a speculative exploration responding to evolving temporal contexts. The study of contexts will always reveal signs that define the strangeness.

EMERGING CIVIC URBANISMS: DESIGNING FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

Tutor: Cho Im Sik

With rising awareness of the impacts of environmental degradation and growing social and economic polarisation, various forms of civic urbanisms are emerging around the world as an alternative to the growth-oriented and market-driven urban development of the past. This implies an awakened desire for a new paradigm in society based on more sustainable ways of life, which contributed to the increased interest in communal life and shared identities in localities, with greater emphasis on well-being, quality of life, social inclusion, environmental consciousness, and active participation of citizens in decision-making. In a fastchanging social context, this studio draws attention to the possibilities and challenges that we face; while moving towards a more inclusive and sustainable future. By critically reflecting upon the conventional ways we perceive, plan and build our cities, the studio will rigorously question established norms, conceptions and systems, to inspire new visions of urbanism designed for long term social impact.

The studio will explore integrative and hybrid urban models that cultivate genuine socially and ecologically sustainable lifestyles. Innovative approaches will be investigated to facilitate timely, flexible and contextsensitive urban interventions; this is to encourage a shift from centralized, top-down approaches to more decentralized, bottom-up processes, and from singular and static design solutions to dynamic and pluralistic design processes, which can be instrumental for reconceptualizing urban space design for the hybrid and high-density environments of today and tomorrow. This may result in the creation of ‘structures for inclusion’, which permit opportunities for collaboration between different social/economic groups to enhance economic vitality and social equality. This may also mean the creation of new and diverse hybrid social spaces that encourage individual and collective creativity and allow for continual transformation and adaptation. Ultimately, the studio aims to open up new possibilities of re-centring urban development toward a more inclusive cosmopolis of diversity and accommodation of difference based on greater involvement of communities in the making of our future city.

ARCHITECTURE AS MEDIA II

Tutor: Simone Chung

Technology in this millennium has evolved from the domination of information to become a conduit for communication, creative expression and knowledge transmission. For one, the abundance of real-time data capture and intermedial interventions in the public realm surfaces the dynamic reciprocity between the built environment and digital milieu—one which potentiates fresh adventures with new mixed reality experiences (Chung 2023). The technological gaze in this digital age has made us forget that media means more than devices and interfaces: they encapsulate the geophysical histories and materiality of an artefact that predates its date of production. Media, as defined by Hertz and Parikka (2015:146), is “approached through the concrete artefacts, design solutions, and various technological layers that range from hardware to software processes, each of which in its own way participates in the circulation of time and memory.” From a deep-time perspective, the materiality of media exposes an extensive matrix implicating the geopolitics of labour, expansionist capitalism, and irreversible environmental damage not only from planetary excavations and energy production but also the long-tail effects of toxic waste.

The work of architects is varied; while they may be solution-centred, exploratory, innovation-oriented or highly speculative, the resultant outputs are often driven, and advanced, through application. As before, this year’s theses interrogations will consider the multiplicity of roles architecture plays—as conveyor of meanings, a platform for others to build on, as a conduit for connection, activate collectives.

ESTUARY AND ECOFANTASY

Tutor: Will Michael Davis

This thesis studio is an invitation to explore architecture in terms of living materials and living traditions. From woven palms, pressed bamboo, shingles stitched with rattan to natural dyed fabrics; students will research tactile traditions in the context of Southeast Asia— paying attention to the range of scales that architecture encompasses, where the same weave might involve mats, baskets, walls, and roofs. The studio questions what we can learn from the tactile practices of nonwritten knowledge, and how can architecture respond in the contemporary moment—taking into account craft and intergenerational knowledge in order to understand locality in new ways?

F.U.N. 5.0 | REIMAGINING HEALTHSCAPES

Tutor: Fung John Chye

Aspiring for good health and wellbeing is the zeitgeist of urban living in the 21st Century due to the convergence of medical advancement, economic progress, transformative technologies, climate change, population ageing, pandemics, and the rapid propagation of human knowledge through the Internet. A high-density environment poses immense challenges to human health. This Master’s studio will examine community-based approaches towards human-centric “healthscapes” by reimagining our future urban neighbourhoods as a crucible of human health. Future Urban Neighbourhoods (F.U.N.) 5.0 is fifth in the series that re-imagines highdensity future neighbourhoods at both urban and architectural scales. Students first conceptualise a masterplan and then delve deeper into architectural innovation.

credit: Muhammad Syafiq Bin Muhamad Ayyoob

THE MODERN CONSTITUTION: ARCHITECTURE & SOCIETY

Tutor: H. Koon Wee

This studio would be exploring architecture within the framework of modern society and its politics. In such an exploration, there would be linkages between the rhythms of modern life and work, the inequalities they generate and their impact on the broader environment. It is not by accident that advanced societies are on a journey towards modernization, industrialization, and the building of sophisticated infrastructure and cities, in order to better harness human and natural capital.

Globalization would also be a natural outcome of such a modern project. Students could take this studio as a continuation of their formative discoveries of architectural and urban concepts of efficiency, functional zoning, systems thinking and different ways to create and rationalize the modern condition.

First guarantee : even though we construct Nature, Nature is asif we did not constructit.

Second guarantee : even though we do not construct Society. Society is as if we did construct it.

Third guarantee : Nature and Society must remain absolutely distinct…

In describing the modern condition, Latour (1993: 32) observes three guarantees. This studio draws upon the philosophical foundations of such thinking. Latour’s seminal works include how professionalized barriers of competency are created when postcolonial governments undertake modernization projects (Latour & Shabou, 1974), how scientific facts are constructed under complex sociological settings in an advanced laboratory (Latour & Woolgar, 1986), and many others.

“SOCIO-CLIMATIC PLACES”

Tutor: Florian Heinzelmann

Students are invited to research and design systems and solutions that focus on addressing global warming’s effects through the built environment and construction practice, with the aim to halt or reverse its effects. The socio-climatic context of the tropical region within Southeast Asia should be used as a base for their work. With a deep understanding of a specific location and societal context, students can propose solutions to rethink, improve, repair, or optimise various aspects. They can explore different means from climatic adaptability, passive climatic design strategies, adaptive re-use of materials and construction systems, embodied energy, energy production, etc. The basis of this concept stems from the idea that when a space is comfortable enough, meaningful social interactions and activities can happen— thus turning them into places for occasions, as concluded by Aldo van Eyck.

CULTURE, IDENTITY AND FORM

Tutor: Ho Puay Peng

Architecture embodies social aspirations and is the formal expression of social values. Thesis research and design is a process of exploration. This thesis studio will focus on the discovery of the meaning behind conceptions of society, community, and cultural manifestation. Observation, robust research and critical discourse are essential to this process. Individual and societal identity, and the process of identity construction should be investigated through formal scrutiny and architectural production. The process of searching is as important as the final form creation. This thesis offering is also complemented by the interest in architectural heritage conservation, adaptive reuse, and intervention in historic buildings and neighbourhoods.

THESIS STATEMENT

Tutor: Richard Ho

The ever-growing urban centres leading to specific human conditions necessary to survive in overcrowded populated spaces, as well as the ongoing contestation for space in the urban centres has always been my research interest. Architects and government agencies have, by and large, failed to protect the interests of the have-nots, the under-privileged and those without a voice—preferring to further the myopic commercial and economic gains of the developers and landowners instead. The evidence lies in deforestation, conversion of arable land to golf courses and gated condominiums, demolition and destruction of our built heritage and the over-fishing of the oceans are everywhere for those who care to look.

In Singapore, issues such as the inequitable distribution of land to private vs. public housing, golf courses pandering to the leisure of a select few, priority of roads for cars over streets for people, conservation of our architectural heritage driven by commercial interests— are all pressing issues which the present generation of architects must seek to redress.

We often hear about buildability and sustainability being championed, but what about cultural sustainability? How do we address that in a multi-cultural society like ours? This is an issue not only in Singapore but also in the other Southeast Asian countries where the pressure of development in urban centres are most felt. Students are welcome to choose sites beyond the confines of our island.

FUTURES FOR OUR MODERN PAST

Tutor: Ho Weng Hin

Faced with mounting redevelopment pressures, postindependence modernist structures and landscapes in Singapore are at a watershed moment. Today, imageable heroic modern megastructures such as the People’s Park Complex built barely four decades ago are threatened with obliteration, through their impending en-bloc sales. On the other hand, following estate intensification programmes, what used to be a substantial and varied building stock of modernist housing heritage—such as the pioneering Queenstown Estate—has been severely depleted. The studio proposes that this paradigm is becoming increasingly environmentally and socially unsustainable, leading to disruptions in social, cultural and urban accretion indispensable to create a vibrant, liveable city. Rather than seeing conservation as opposition to progress and intensification, it explores rehabilitation and adaptive reuse as an alternative mode of urban regeneration—one that layers on rather than a demolish-and-rebuild approach. Under the guidance by a practicing conservation specialist, the studio will adopt a rigorous research-based approach to inform conservation design strategies for a site of the student’s choice, during the thesis preparation stage. Students will gain new skills and tools for ‘deep reading’ into heritage landscapes, structures and artefacts that will inform a robust conservation/ intervention framework to guide the thesis design stage.

HOLON STUDIO

Tutor: Khoo Peng Beng

TABULA RASA RASA RASA

In the quantum paradigm, the human person is a macro quantum system that is non-locally entangled with other organism throughout the biosphere. We are no longer seen as separated and apart from the universe. We are simultaneously whole and a part of, or a holon, of the universe. This thesis studio is concerned with examining the concept of the holon and holoarchy in architecture. It starts with the student as the basic unit of the holon, building up the complexity of the system through integrative processes. Students will explore how simple system nests within larger systems, creating a holoarchy. Unlike the traditional hierarchy, a holoarchy does not have a defined top and a defined bottom but is open ended and bi-directional. Architecture therefore is seen as a complex system comprising autonomous wholes that exists within a larger system. Students will be free to explore this conceptual framework and its implications in any context pertaining to a future Singapore.

Adrian Lai

TABULA RASA RASA RASA

Tutor: Adrian Lai

THE ART-DESIGN NEXUS

Tutor: Thomas Kong

Tabula Rasa is the obliteration of what went before, so as to make anew.

“The curse of the tabula rasa is that, once applied, it proves not only previous occupancies expendable, but also each future occupancy provisional too, ultimately temporary. That makes the claim to finality – the illusion on which even the most mediocre architecture is based – impossible. It makes Architecture impossible.”

Rem Koolhaas, Singapore Songlines or Thirty Years of Tabula Rasa, S,M, L, XL

Tabula Rasa is the obliteration of what went before, so as to make anew.

A reframing for architecture would be to renew, rather than to constantly make anew. In explorations of newness, this studio will work on architectural proposals in search of originality over novelty to elicit the freshness of rediscovering origins and a glimpse beyond the shadows cast on Plato’s cave walls.

A reframing for architecture would be to renew, rather than to constantly make anew. In explorations of newness, this studio will work on architectural proposals in search of originality over novelty to elicit the freshness of rediscovering origins and a glimpse beyond the shadows cast on Plato’s cave walls.

This studio invites students to explore architectural techniques to renew the city through integration and adaptation, rather than obliteration. Palimpsest and Traditions—or at least the artefacts of these cultural legacies— will serve as a way in for us to research, reimagine and remake. Intensities, densities, proximities and freedoms will be applied to measure out architecture that affords connections, cultural practices and community for the formulation of identity.

This studio invites students to explore architectural techniques to renew the city through integration and adaptation, rather than obliteration. Palimpsest and Traditions – or at least the artefacts of these cultural legacies – will serve as a way in for us to research, reimagine and remake. Intensities, densities, proximities and freedoms will be applied to measure out architecture that affords connections, cultural practices and community for the formulation of identity.

The art-design nexus animates and pervades my practice and teaching. I am particularly interested in art as a process of seeing, thinking, and making; to challenge our values, perceptions, and ideas of what is acceptable and offer insight into the marvellous, uncanny, and poetic. As a social and critical practice, art stirs good trouble. It provokes us to think deeply about what we value as a society, reveals hidden agendas, forges new connections, and gives voice to the disenfranchised. In this regard, art is no different from an architecture thesis, which must possess these aspirations. A good thesis stakes and communicates a position with clarity, force, and conviction. It has the audacity to imagine another way is possible.

In the etymology of the word ‘tabula’, that is, to raise up or frame, the word ‘rasa’ takes centrestage. Rasa in Bahasa Melayu is the act of feeling, the sense of touch or the sensation produced by a thing touched. Rasa (

In the etymology of the word ‘tabula’, that is, to raise up or frame, the word ‘rasa’ takes centre-stage. Rasa in Behasa Melayu is the act of feeling, the sense of touch or the sensation produced by a thing touched. Rasa ( रसा ) in Sanskrit profoundly refers to both the essential state and experience of any work of art, be they visual, literary or performing art.

) in Sanskrit profoundly refers to both the essential state and experience of any work of art, be they visual, literary or performing art.

Tabula Rasa Rasa Rasa is the methodical insemination of these essences from Singapore’s multi-cultures into our origin story to speculate and rewrite Koolhaas’s Singapore Songlines. We will reimagine original Singaporean architecture premised on a new understanding of Tabula Rasa.

M Arch AY 22/23 Programme Structure Master Deck

Tabula Rasa Rasa Rasa is the methodical insemination of these essences from Singapore’s multi-cultures into our origin story to speculate and rewrite Koolhaas’s Singapore Songlines. We will reimagine original Singaporean architecture premised on a new understanding of Tabula Rasa.

1

FORM FOLLOWS SYSTEM

Tutor: Nirmal Kishnani

Asia is witnessing a staggering loss of human, social and natural capitals, due in part to the way we build. The problem isn’t that we aren’t green enough; but that green may be the right answer to the wrong question.

Should we stay the course of green and do less harm?

In the time that Asia embraced the green building movement, our collective impact on natural ecosystems was nevertheless catastrophic.

Should we, therefore, faced with a crisis of ecology and climate, aspire to do good; to heal, repair, and regenerate?

This studio returns to the heart of the sustainability question: how to forge human-nature partnerships, and restore our place in the natural world.

What does this mean at the drawing board?

The answer is rooted in whole systems thinking. Each building is many elements, interacting to form a system. This is embedded within a wider system that is the neighbourhood, which is in turn nested in a systemof-systems that is the city. By understanding scale and complexity, we begin to see design as the making of systemic structure and behaviour. Good design, or design in search of good, is many systems fitted together within an efficient and beautiful form, acting in positive reciprocity within a wider system-of-systems.

This approach leads to an altogether new perspective on form, one with profound implications on people and

A “WELL AND GREEN” HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Tutor: Lam Khee Poh

This thesis studio aims to explore and understand the complex ecological relationship between the human species and the built/natural environment towards designing, constructing, and maintaining a “well & green” habitat that supports sustainable and healthy living. The green movement in the built environment has taken root globally over the past three decades. Many innovative technologies have emerged to enable low carbon sustainable developments. However, health and wellness considerations are relatively nascent. There are exciting opportunities to discover new insights as well as to imagine and test new holistic design concepts.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle said this 2000 years ago: “Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence. Happy people tend to be healthier people due to lifestyle choices. A healthy city must therefore create inspiring and enabling physical and social environments to support such choices. So, the focus must be on the people that cities are built toaccommodate and serve.”

Image credit: Collage of the Great Mosque, Diyarbakir (original photo from Daily Sabah, 2019)

ICONOMIC FORM

Tutor: Victor Lee

Through time, buildings have cemented generations and brought together communities through religions, economic manifestations and socio-cultural endeavours. From the traditional buildings of worship to the contemporary world of museums, cultural halls, shopping malls, skyscrapers and the like—such architectural manifestations often involve the use of form, scale, physical dominance and visual signifiers as an outward show of faith, vision and status. Archetypal forms of the dome, pyramid, spire and the modern equivalents of grandeur and extravagance, are commonly depicted as icons to signify meaning and purpose to this end, but are there less pompous ways to communicate presence and significance?

Iconomic form—the making of form from the words icon and economy, questions the pervasiveness of the building of icons and buildings as icon by proposing an alternative way of designing significance through an economy of form to engender an iconic experience. This form-driven thesis offering will seek a new relevance and value in the making of iconomic form through understanding building economy as a counterpoint to the iconic and the spectacular. We will posit how the non-icon can be used as an instrument of an ‘everyday’ architecture to reconnect people and to bond over a common humanistic vision. The search for such a potential architecture that supports the convergence of daily life while respecting the larger culture and context of a place is especially critical in a world that now lies at the intersection of economic instability, climate change and social responsibility.

HOT AIR: CLIMATE, CARBON & CAPITAL

Tutor: Erik L’Heureux

With the current issues of global warming, rapid population growth, and decarbonisation, the relationship between equatorial cities and their surroundings has become increasingly crucial. This thesis will focus on exploring the architectural implications for densely populated equatorial cities in “hot and wet” climates. The research will investigate alternative representational techniques for drawing and photography to enhance design capabilities, considering factors such as humidity, temperature, breeze, sound, heat, and rain that shape a hot and wet environment. Moreover, the research will also consider the impact of carbon, capital, and labour accounting in the design process—with particular attention to adaptive reuse in growing equatorial cities. The course will build on the Options Design Studio and extend creative practice research to Southeast Asia (excluding Singapore). Each student will develop a design thesis that contributes to the discourse on equatorial

urbanisation, producing new architectural knowledge calibrated to the region’s hot and wet climate.

VERTIPORT CITIES

Tutor: Joseph Lim

In the way that high speed trains revolutionised city centres, Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) using eVTOL drones will change regional air transport infrastructure to impact on the architecture of the city. Beyond the use of existing airfields for immediate operations, early vertiport designs manifest as standalone transport, logistic and commercial structures accommodating large roof pads.

While AAM is understood as the use of eVTOL aircraft for places not served by surface transportation or airports, the moving of people and cargo between city nodes and outlying areas can be studied as an extreme change in city life at a smaller scale of the urban grain. What is this new threshold where machine interfaces with building?

Thesis students investigate at a wider scale, the implications of AAM on reinterpreting transit-oriented developments. Can they also be integrated with existing infrastructure to mitigate deforestation or flood by occupying airspace instead of land plots for future urban development?

Design geometry is explored as networks in form, space and structure using Grasshopper or equivalent tools. Conceptual and Design development processes in studio are augmented by industry experts from Arup Singapore, Skyports and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

PERIURBAN PRACTICE

Tutor: Victoria Jane Marshall

Students are invited to explore a periurban architecture practice for urban-rural futures in Monsoon Asia in this studio. Periurban can be defined in three distinct temporal ways. These definitions range from the city edges, to extended urban regions, and even extend beyond the city accounts. Some explanations reject the term periurban altogether, arguing that compact urbanisation does not necessarily occur in proximity to cities in modern times.

In all instances, the rural element is missing. In response we will bring a focus on the lived ecologies and infrastructural legacies of the settled rural, as well as non-human agency. Then relatedly, we will account for the fact that processes of urban-rural hybridisation exhibit distinct dynamics in different settings. Lastly, we will retain periurban as a useful concept, for its validity must be judged in terms of the context of its use and the function it is expected to perform.

COASTAL CONSUMPTIONS – LIVES & LIVELIHOODS

Tutor: Neo Sei Hwa

The studio doesn’t aim to solve global climate issues but seek solutions—both interim & long-term—to address coastal living conditions impacted by environment extremities. Can we strike a new balance, do we displace or coexist with nature, must we prioritise economy over environment, how relevant are climate agendas in discussions of lives and livelihoods? The contextual basis for this exploration is a coastal area in neighbouring West Java, Indonesia. The communities there have lost both homes and livelihoods in a futile struggle against environmental pollution and coastal abrasion. Subject to opportunities, the studio may plan a site visit to experience the situation first-hand.

NATURE UNFOLD- ADVANCED ARCHITECTONICS DESIGNS FOR SYMBIOTIC FUTURE IN THE TROPICS

Tutor: Shinya Okuda

Contemporary social issues are often complex and intertwined to include financial and environmental issues, which require holistic design approaches across materials, built forms, programs and performance. The objective of advanced architectonics designs is to sublime them into innovative multi-dimensional architectural solutions by leveraging essential gamechanging phenomena, such as carbon sequestration. These elements will be constructed into sophisticated functional advanced architectural compositions and unique sustainable aesthetics. Embracing the power of architecture, the Nature Unfold thesis studio envisions to reveal various symbiotic future relationships including nature and urbanism in Southeast Asia and beyond.

DIRT, FORM, PERFORMANCE

Tutor: Ong Ker-Shing

From early modernity, architecture—through its envelope, plumbing, air-conditioning, weather-tightness and relationship to the ground—has increasingly separated people from the dirty, natural processes, organic waste and germs. Human interferences in natural systems have created fractured links, fragmented systems and energies—a multi-scalar context for new alignments and interactions. In this studio, we will explore reversals of the conventional values of modern architecture, specifically on its resilient cleanliness, aiming for strategic and designed “failures”. We will explore how new typologies, languages and material systems may restore or invent new modes of architectural production that combine the architect’s intentions with the input of non-human collaborators—the shifts from biome to micro-biome, between building and body and public.

INDUSTRIAL (R)EVOLUTION

Tutor:Roy Pang

Bart Lootsma posits that ‘gravity fields’ can be identified in the built environment. These invisible fields, influenced by various factors such as planning and building regulations, technical constraints, natural conditions, geopolitics, economic, social, cultural, etc., ‘holds the key to understanding how society manifests itself in contemporary architecture’, and ‘reveal themselves when sublimated beneath certain maximised circumstances or within certain maximised constraints.’

With the inevitable transition from the third to the fourth Industrial Revolution, and with the advent of the Information Age—big data, the internet of things, AI, etc., the effects of these fields will be increasingly felt both in the natural and artificial landscapes.

The studio seeks to uncover such fields, understand their spatial implications and critically examine their relationships to the natural and built environment. Based on their research and discoveries, students will then be encouraged to pursue a speculative longer-term focus for their projects—of future-tech, and their future vision/ version of the city.

ASSEMBLAGE

Tutor: Tsuto Sakamoto

This thesis studio focuses on an assemblage of things and living beings including animals, plants and human beings. Experiencing disasters, pollution and pandemics, and being immersed in the environment where intelligent technology and pervasive networks enforce a certain way of lifestyle, behaviour and response, we have come to realise that a variety of non-human entities have as many expressions as humans do. Scrutinising these, the studio speculates that alternative environments and architecture consequentially emerge from various assemblages of non-humans and humans that are co-functioning, symbiotic, troubling and/or disturbing.

Tutor: Ruzica Bozovic Stamenovic

By incorporating the cultural and humanistic dimensions into Singapore’s technological and economical transformation, we witnessed the naissance of distinct linear public domains such as the green link or rail corridor. These spaces spread independently and distinctly, parallel to the existing urban matrix. Building upon a premise that more and diverse linear urban “tubes” could be anticipated, this studio will investigate philosophical frames for their appearance, the impactful programs and unorthodox designs to serve the needs of contemporary urbanites and their desire to thrive and achieve the life they desire. This topic is by nature transdisciplinary, building upon the results of previous studies of IT and sensorial aspects of architecture for wellness. The thesis will be generated through structured research process and design research exercises presented and discussed in weekly studio sessions.

GENERATIVE DESIGN: THE SEA-CITY INTERFACE

Tutor:

Rudi Stouffs

This thesis studio explores (computational) generative design methodologies and processes of architectural concepts and building designs at the urban scale; within the context of the current threat of increasing shocks and stresses induced by climate change and excessive CO2 emissions at Singapore’s sea-city fringes. This may lead to the design of a low-carbon neighbourhood, focusing on building form and its contribution to the surrounding urban fabric, or the exploration of biophilic approaches for water-sensitive design. Other design considerations and objectives are welcome as well. Notably, the elaboration of the exploratory process should be considered more important than any single outcome, instead aiming at achieving multiple, alternative outcomes. Exploration is a data-driven process and serves to achieve betterinformed designs. By considering performance as a guiding design principle in this process, the objective is to define the design object not based on what it is or how it appears, but by what it does or how it performs. The focus is on its capability to affect, transform and serve a given function. Identifying both the parameters and boundaries of this exploration allows to define the design space under consideration, thereby guiding the exploration toward the desired performance.

Tutor: Tan Beng Kiang

In this studio, we will delve into the profound connection between architecture and the needs of the wider community. In an era riddled with income disparity, social immobility, homelessness, disability discrimination and climate change injustices; our focus lies in fostering social justice, inclusion, and sustainable outcomes. This studio invites socially minded students to embark on a journey that explores architecture and urban solutions rooted in the approach of community engagement and participatory design.

Through adopting an empathetic approach, students should seek to understand the everyday realities of people’s lives and develop a deep appreciation for their diverse perspectives. In-depth community and stakeholder consultation should be an integral part of this process. To enhance their understanding and skills, students are strongly urged to enrol in the elective course, “Participatory Community Design,” which offers an insight to methods and techniques.

By embracing the notion that architecture reflects external forces and aspirations, this studio hopes to cultivate a new generation of architects who prioritise social, economic, and environmental sustainability, ultimately shaping a more just and equitable world.

Productive Urbanity-The Incomplete Project

Tutor:

The COVID-19 pandemic left an indelible mark on our world, exposing the disconnection between humanity and the natural world. Throughout history, humans have exploited the land for its resources, often disregarding the long-term repercussions. Moreover, conflicts relating to land and resources between nations and communities have escalated to unprecedented levels. Against this backdrop, this thesis studio aims to explore a new spatial relationship between humanity and nature, as well as within human society. It seeks to establish an economicspatial urbanity that addresses the underlying causes of these issues.

The concept of productive urbanity is introduced to recalibrate the fragile spatial contract between humanity and nature in a continuous and balanced manner. The studio acknowledges the ongoing and adaptive nature of this endeavour, recognizing the need to respond to change over time and in phases. The exploration encompasses various dimensions of space, including land, airspace, underground, and seas.

Taking inspiration from Henri Lefebvre’s influential work, “The Production of Space,” this studio speculates on the potential collaboration between communities and the natural environment within a productive urban context. The works of Jean Baudrillard, particularly “Simulacra and Simulation” and “The System of Things,” provide a theoretical foundation for comprehending the intricate dynamics between humanity, nature, and the built environment.

The thesis studio emphasizes the urgency of transforming our approach to spatial relationships. It envisions probable congenial spatial environment where humanity respects nature and coexist harmoniously, utilizing technology as a tool to achieve this goal. This endeavour is always a work-inprogress and necessitates constant adaptation, patience, and profound reflection

META-MORPHOSIS IN AN ENIGMATIC CITY

Tutor:Teh Joo Heng

It is fundamental to architecture that it metamorphoses, especially in this day and age, due to the rapid change in people’s needs. Without metamorphosis, cities would become stagnated, alienated and inactive.

This studio is to speculate the possibilities of BRAS BASAH BUGIS AREA being re-transformed and metamorphed into an area of new possibilities through interesting and strategic program insertion and functions.

This transformation allows for the reclamation of land from roads, carparks, and other public infrastructures. Through the recalibration of usage for existing buildings and leftover land, a new possibility and enigmatic form then emerge within the city.

THE OTHERS: CONDITION OF THE ISLAND PEOPLE

Tutor: Tiah Nan Chyuan

Across different cultures and time, the island condition has been described historically and mythically as an outpost that is defended, surrounded, contained, isolated, quarantined or hidden. The inherent vulnerability and siege mentality of islands imbue their inhabitants with both a deep awareness of their identity and their relationship with the surrounding externalities.

This thesis will explore the “island condition” through both physical and abstract notions, looking at operative conditions from isolation to protectionism, access and rights, equality and equity. Non-linear enquiries would be conducted across multiple probes, to unravel deep mindsets that define the unique behaviour of “islands” and their people, “the others”. The hope is that these insights will suggest alternative strategies to engage geopolitical issues related to collective identity, shared responsibility and ownership over contested territories, space and time.

REFRAMING CONSERVATION: INTEGRATING CLIMATE ACTION, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND ECONOMIC IMPERATIVES

Tutor: Johannes Widodo

Conservation is inextricably linked to urgent concerns such as climate change, necessitating decisive climate action while encompassing social justice and economic imperatives. The research shall critically examine modern heritage’s preservation and enduring significance within this complex context and historical layers. It is imperative to uncover the site’s intrinsic qualities, embracing historical, architectural, cultural, and social memories while ensuring their relevance amidst present and future conditions. The new intervention should invigorate the existing site/building/neighbourhood economically, align with social justice objectives, and thoughtfully respond to its immediate physical, social, and environmental contexts. Architecturally, the design intervention or insertion must seamlessly integrate with the existing built and natural environment, harmonising typology, materials, aesthetics, functionality, and ecological considerations. The design for conservation resolution must rigorously address the “fivein-one” principles: Environmental Sustainability, Cultural Authenticity, Social Continuity, Economic Viability, and Architectural Integrity.

Tan Teck Kiam

The project is about pathways, networks and connections: Existing and emerging ones.

It is in making connections that significations occur. These are moments where thoughts/actions are virtualised/actualised.

Like a throw of a dice, diverging and converging forces collide producing singularities.

Such that the old are refreshed, and or morphed into new emergence.

For Nietzsche, this is truth.

Truth is not in identity; matching, measuring and authenticating against perfect models.

For he is not an idealist.

He is beyond Good and Evil: It’s about emergence. Pre-existing cultural value plays no part in this process Nietzsche shies away from codes, language or identity. For him, it is about the production of sense prior to language, codes and identities.

THE CORPOREAL PERIPHERY

Tutor: Wu Yen Yen

Architecture is rarely predicated on discourse and ideology. Rather, it reacts to metaphysical, natural and societal constructs. This studio offers space for counter-anthropocentric investigation into unfamiliar corporealities where they exist and thrive unseen.

Starting from outside of architecture, we will give empirical form and language to these matters.

Materialist ontologist Manuel De Landa suggests that geology, biology, economy and linguistics, steered the growth of cities. Historian Mario Carpo says contemporary form can be generated by computation and science. Architect Philippe Rahm designs with invisible, meteorological aspects of space. A new kind of intelligence in architecture, and how we think about it, is upon us.

Kenneth Frampton quoted Alice Konstantinidis (1913–1993): “Good architecture starts always with efficient construction. Without construction there is no architecture. Construction embodies material and its use according to its properties, that is to say, stone imposes a different method of construction from iron or concrete (Tectonic Culture, 2001).”

Based on this, tectonic features entail an understanding of the relationship between materials and context (e.g., building construction, textile, earthwork, metallurgy with local roots), but they also acknowledge the significance of structural engineering in modern architecture.

The thesis studio will examine spaces related to structural thought while learning basic structural analysis software as needed and investigating the meaning of tectonic features as they apply to structural or constructive approaches to the design perspective, including aesthetics. Furthermore, if the concept of tectonic features (or technological inspiration that is not limited to designing structural things) is applied, students can use them for different types of buildings and urban projects.

CLIMATE SENSITIVE DESIGN: LIVABLE AND SUSTAINABLE CITIES

Tutor: Yuan Chao

With rapid urbanisation and climate change, the key challenge faced by architects is clear: the difficult balancing act to achieve between unstoppable human desire for development and the finite environmental carrying capacity of cities. This design studio engages students to explore ways to conduct climate-sensitive design to create buildings that are more human centralised and environmentally responsible. The studio emphasises the impact of environmental analysis on design. The knowledge delivered in this studio allows students to not only develop climate sensitive design concepts and ideas, but also to practice the corresponding design strategies and skills.

M ARCH THESIS DESIGN STUDIO FACULTY

Chew Shi Cheng Christopher

M ARCH II DESIGN RESEARCH THESIS

FACULTY ADVISORS :

François Blanciak

Associate Professor; PhD, M Arch (University of Tokyo), DPLG (École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Grenoble); Registered Architect, France

Randy Chan

B Arch, B Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

Chaw Chih Wen

Adjunct Assistant Professor; M Arch, B Arch (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Cheah Kok Ming

Vice Dean (Academic), Associate Professor; B Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

Cho Im Sik

Associate Professor; PhD (The Graduate School of Seoul National University, Korea), M Arch (The Berlage Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands), B Sc (Seoul National University)

Simone Chung

Assistant Professor; Ph.D. (Cantab.) ARB/RIBA Part 3 (UK). M.Phil. (Cantab., dist.), M.Sc. (dist.), AA Diploma, B.Sc. (Hons.)

Will Michael Davis

Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Architecture, Princeton University, Lecturer, Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore

Fung John Chye

Associate Professor in Practice; B Arch (National University of Singapore); Registered Architect, Singapore

H. Koon Wee

Visiting Associate Professor; M Arch (Yale University), B Arch (University of Western Australia), BA Arch (National University of Singapore); FRSA, Registered Architect, Singapore and the Netherlands

Florian Heinzelmann

Associate Professor in Practice; PhD (Eindhoven University of Technology), M Arch (Berlage Institute), Dipl-Ing (Munich University of Applied Sciences); Registered Architect, the Netherlands

Ho Puay Peng

Professor, Head of Department; PhD (University of London), M Arch, Dip Arch (University of Edinburgh); RIBA

Richard Ho

Professor in Practice; B Arch (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Ho Weng Hin

Adjunct Senior Lecturer; Dip Specialista in Restauro dei Monumenti (Universita’ degli Studi di Genova), M Arch, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore)

Khoo Peng Beng

Adjunct Associate Professor; B Arch (National University of Singapore); RIBA, MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Thomas Kong

Associate Professor; M Arch (Cranbrook Academy of Art), B Arch (National University of Singapore); Assoc. AIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Nirmal Kishnani

Associate Professor, MSc ISD Programme Director; PhD (Curtin University of Technology), MSc (Env Psych) (University of Surrey), BA Arch (National University of Singapore)

Adrian Lai

Adjunct Assistant Professor; AA Dip, BA Arch (National University of Singapore); MSIA, ARB Registered Architect, Singapore and the UK

Lam Khee Poh

Provost’s Chair Professor of Architecture and Built Environment, PhD (Carnegie Mellon University, USA), B Arch (University of Nottingham, UK); FRIBA, Registered Architect, UK, FIPBSA

Victor Lee

Adjunct Assistant Professor; AA Dip, BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); MSIA, ARB, Registered Architect, Singapore and the UK

Erik G. L’Heureux

Dean’s Chair Associate Professor; PhD (RMIT University), M Arch (Princeton University), BA Arch (Washington University in St. Louis); FAIA, Registered Architect, New York and Rhode Island, USA, MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore; LEED AP BD+C, NCARB

Joseph Lim

Associate Professor; PhD (Heriot-Watt University), MSc (University of Strathclyde), B Arch (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Victoria Jane Marshall

Visiting Senior Fellow; PhD (National University of Singapore), MLA, Cert Urban Design (University of Pennsylvania), BLA (University of New South Wales), AAG

Neo Sei Hwa

Adjunct Associate Professor; B Arch (National University of Singapore), BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Shinya Okuda

Associate Professor; M Eng, B Eng (Kyoto Institute of Technology); Registered Architect, Japan and the Netherlands

Ong Ker-Shing

Associate Professor in Practice, BA Arch Programme Director; M Arch, MLA (Harvard University); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Roy Pang

B Arch (RMIT University); GMM, UDA, DfSP, MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Tsuto Sakamoto

Associate Professor, M Arch Programme Director; MSc (Columbia University), M Eng (Waseda University), B Eng (Tokyo University of Science)

Ruzica Bozovic Stamenovic

Associate Professor, Deputy Head (Administration and Finance); ScD, MSc (University of Belgrade, Serbia), Spec Arch, Dip Eng Arch (University of Belgrade, Serbia); Registered Architect, Serbia

Rudi Stouffs

Dean’s Chair Associate Professor; PhD, MSc (Arch Comp Design) (Carnegie Mellon University), MSc (ArchEng), Ir-Arch (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

Tan Beng Kiang

Associate Professor; DDes (Harvard University), M Arch (University of California, Los Angeles), B Arch (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Tan Teck Kiam

Adjunct Assistant Professor; B Arch (Hons) (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Teh Joo Heng

Adjunct Associate Professor; SMArchS (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), B Arch (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Tiah Nan Chyuan

Adjunct Assistant Professor; AA Dip, BA Arch (National University of Singapore); MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Johannes Widodo

Associate Professor; PhD (UTokyo - Japan), MArchEng (KU LeuvenBelgium), Ir (UNPAR - Indonesia) mAAN, ICOMOS, DoCoMoMo, AAHM, TCHS, SEACHA

Wong Chong Thai, Bobby

Adjunct Associate Professor; Honorary Fellow (National University of Singapore), MDesSt (Harvard University), DipArch (Robert Gordon University); MSIA

Wu Yen Yen

Adjunct Assistant Professor; M Arch (Columbia University), BA Arch Studies (National University of Singapore); Green Mark AP, MSIA, Registered Architect, Singapore

Shin Yokoo

Senior Lecturer; PhD (Tokyo University of Science), M Eng, B Eng (Tokai University); Registered Architect, Japan

Yuan Chao

Associate Professor (Presidential Young Professor); PhD Architecture (Chinese University of Hong Kong), MIT Kaufman Teaching Certificate (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Picture credit: Munifah Wani

Picture credit: Daryl Ang Sheng Kong

RESEARCH CLUSTERS : AN ASIA RESEARCH FOCUS

At DOA, our advanced research delves into critical issues of contemporary and future architecture. In particular, we anticipate and closely observe the emergence of new demands and innovative architectural forms in buildings, cities, environments, and across Asia and the equatorial region.

DOA research clusters coalesce creative practice, technology, urbanism, landscape, preservation, and the specific expertise of our faculty members into a productive synergy and alignment between teaching and research.

The following six clusters drive the M Arch I Design Research Studio Options sequence, the M Arch II Design Thesis and the graduate level elective offering across our Master of Architecture programme. These are nonetheless included in the BA Arch programme booklet so that students may understand the various research interests of their faculty.

TECHNOLOGIES

The Technologies cluster investigates environmentally performative or sustainable building forms and systems, and generative evaluative processes for designing liveable environments.

It employs both traditional and emerging technologies to foster a better understanding of the human ecosystem, employing emerging computational methods and techniques to uncover the relationships between form and performance.

Members investigate the relationship between human and natural landscapes at every scale—from the building component scale to the urban scale. Special emphasis is placed on the examination of high-density Asian cities, and on application of design and building technologies in a tropical context.

Rudi Stouffs (Cluster Leader)

Filip Biljecki

LANDSCAPE STUDIES

The Landscape Studies cluster undertakes research to generate new knowledge of landscapes as socioecological systems. It also promotes the application of knowledge in governance systems and landscape design to improve human welfare and enhance the ecological integrity of the environment.

The geographic focus is primarily focussed on highdensity urban regions in Asia. However members of the cluster also work in the transitional zones within the rural-urban continuum, where urban regions are expanding at a rapid rate and encroaching into rural landscapes.

RESEARCH BY DESIGN

The Research by Design (RxD) cluster develops translational research approaches through creative practice. It emphasises the importance of the necessity to rigorously engage critical and creative practice in making, writing, and thinking in architecture. RxD strives for innovation and exert influence in the built environment through its research outcomes. To date, a number of these outcomes have won awards and made considerable impact to the industry.

RxD focuses on design within Asia and the equatorial region; delving into current issues and exploring speculative future directions through research. Members work in a range of design modes from sole authorships to collaborative and interdisciplinary configurations. As a group, RxD leverages its combined creative expertise, teaching within design studios and graduate elective courses. Research outcomes include leading buildings, texts, exhibitions, installations, films, drawings, photographs, and object-making, alongside design monographs, edited volumes, and research papers.

RxD’s commitment towards integrative and translational creative practices empowers design research with intellectual and critical bearings, to achieve a discipline in transformation.

Erik G. L’Heureux (Cluster Leader)

Lilian Chee (Cluster (Co-leader)

Cheah Kok Ming

Florian Heinzelmann

Joseph Lim

Ong Ker-Shing

Shinya Okuda

François Blanciak (Minor)

Ruzica Bozovic Stamenovic (Minor)

Tan Beng Kiang (Minor)

HISTORY, THEORY AND CRITICISM

The History, Theory and Criticism cluster develops critical capacities to examine questions of built environmental production and consumption within the historical and contemporary milieu.

Taking architecture and urbanism in Asia as a primary focus, members work in interdisciplinary and transnational modes. Our members conduct research into a wide range of topics against the context of colonial/post-colonial and modern/post-modern Asian contexts—with the aim teaching and encouraging historical literacy and consciousness in students, allowing them to understand how the present is historically sedimented.

In addition to teaching, members actively publish extensively across various mediums, organise and participate in major conferences and workshops, curate key exhibitions, and provide advisory services to both governmental and non-governmental organisations worldwide in relevant fields.

Chang Jiat Hwee (Cluster Leader)

François Blanciak

Chung Shu Yeng, Simone

Ho Puay Peng

Nikhil Joshi

Tsuto Sakamoto

Johannes Widodo

Wong Yunn Chii

Lilian Chee (Minor)

Thomas Kong (Minor)

Erik G. L’Heureux (Minor)

Lee Kah Wee (Minor)

Nirmal Kishnani

Lam Khee Poh

Lau Siu Kit, Eddie Yuan Chao

Joseph Lim (Minor)

Shinya Okuda (Minor)

Zhang Ye (Minor)

URBANISM

The Urbanism cluster aims to contribute towards the development of sustainable and resilient models, as well as innovative advanced urban strategies that addresses various environmental, social, economic and technological challenges that Asian cities currently and continue to face in the future.

The starting point for this research begins with a comprehensive understanding of the complexity and distinctive characters of emerging urbanism in the region. Against this backdrop, members investigate emergent urban design issues related to the community and participation; conservation and regeneration; ageing and healthcare; well-being and built form; modelling and big data; and resilience and informality.

These issues are examined from multiple perspectives, through both inter-disciplinary and transdisciplinary collaborations. The purpose is to question conventional norms and conceptions and perceptions, while fostering new visions for an inclusive, progressive and sustainable urban future that is human-centric.

Ruzica Bozovic Stamenovic (Cluster Leader)

Cho Im Sik

Fung John Chye

Heng Chye Kiang

Naomi Hanakata

Tan Beng Kiang

Zdravko Trivic

Zhang Ye

Lee Kah Wee (Minor)

Johannes Widodo (Minor)

The overall research approach covers both interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary methods. The cluster not only looks at advancing theoretical concepts and knowledge, but also applies the knowledge in practice and public policy, and to shape the environment. Areas of research span a wide spectrum of the socioecological dimensions of landscape: from landscape science and landscape management, to design research and sociobehavioural studies.

Tan Puay Yok (Cluster Leader)

Jessica Cook Kenya Endo Hwang Yun Hye

Lin Sheng Wei

Tan Chun Liang

Dorothy Tang

DESIGN EDUCATION

Design Education occupies a unique place in the realm of professional education in a university. Located at the intersection and traversing across different fields and disciplines, it covers a long, illustrious— and at times—challenging historical periods through the years. Questions and debates have erupted over purpose and pedagogy. Positions are staked, experimental pedagogies introduced, leading to new paradigms emerging which left important marks in the evolution of design education through the years.

The research cluster provides a platform and forum for faculty members from architecture, landscape architecture, and architectural conservation to advance discourse, conduct research, scholarship opportunities, and share best practices on design education. It is an invitation to collaborate, share, nurture and build a community of design educators through various channels of lectures, workshops, seminars, conferences, publications, and exhibitions.

Thomas Kong (Cluster Leader)

Cheah Kok Ming

Lau Siu Kit, Eddie Nikhil Joshi

Zhang Ye

François Blanciak (Minor)

Tsuto Sakamoto

Tan Beng Kiang

(Minor) indicates a secondary membership

EVENTS & GUEST LECTURES

Over the course of each academic year, DOA organises and curates a series of events throughout the Academic Year which includes: guest lectures, symposiums and professional learning community events.

The Events and Guest Lectures for AY2022/23 included:

EVENTS:

B.A. ARCH Design 6 EXHIBITION 2023

May 17th to June 3rd 2023

This exhibition features 3rd year student works, celebrating their final design project of their undergraduate coursework. The exhibition will feature the architectural models of 140 student projects and is of interest to educators, students and practitioners alike.

Exhibition Curator: Dr Joseph Lim

Exhibition Organiser: NUS DOA

2023 NUS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE GRADUATION

EXHIBITION & RECEPTION

May 15th to May 28th 2023

This exhibition features the works of the first graduating cohort from the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture programme since its establishment in 2020.

Exhibition Organiser: NUS DOA

SUSTAINABLE HERITAGE, LIVABLE FUTURE

April 15th 2023

Showcasing the works from our talented MA Architectural Conservation students, they will share about their plans to de-gentrify Singapore’s Chinatown and preserve People’s Park Complex.

This is a unique opportunity to learn about the fascinating history and cultural significance of this historical area and discover how these talented students propose new ways to preserve and revitalise these important landmarks of Singapore.

Exhibition Curator: M A Architectural Conservation Exhibition Organiser: NUS DOA

DOA AND SPORTS SG POOL +: ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

EXHIBITION

February 21st to March 3rd 2023

SportsSG and NUS DOA collaborated last semester to explore new possibilities of Swimming Pools as social and community nexus. This is an architectural exhibition of the outcome of 2 studios of 4th year and M Arch students led by Assoc Prof Florian Heinzelmann and Assoc Prof Cheah Kok Ming.

Exhibition Curator: Assoc Prof Florian Heinzelmann and Assoc Prof Cheah Kok Ming

Exhibition Sponsors: NUS DOA and SportsSG

Harry Seidler: Painting Toward Architecture

March 8th to February 16th 2023

This exhibition is the final stop of a travelling exhibition that visited 32 cities across 20 countries in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia. The show traces the work of Harry Seidler, Australia’s most prominent 20th century architect, and examines his distinctive place and hand within and beyond the Modernist design methodology.

Exhibition Curator: Vladimir Belogolovsky

CARBON SYMPOSIUM

February 2nd 2023

The Carbon Symposium for the Built Environment by College of Design and Engineering (CDE) at NUS serves as a scaffold for reflection, exploring research and design/technology solutions to tackle one of the most significant challenges of the 21st century. Nine international speakers present a constellation of voices surrounding carbon and its relationship with architecture, technology, material, form, and design pedagogy.

Symposium Moderator: Lam Khee Poh

Session 1: Eric Howeler, Erik L’heureux, Ho Puay Peng, Mok Wei Wei, Nader Tehrani

Session 2: Hossein Rezai, Kua Harn Wei, Nirmal Kishnani, Wolfgang Kessling

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF TRADITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS CONFERENCE 2022

December 14th to December 17th 2022

Tradition has multiple forms, manifestations, and influences that shape the processes used to produce, transform, preserve, and consume built environments in synch with sociocultural and economic change. Over the past thirty years, IASTE has helped shape the discourse around the political, cultural, economic, and legal frameworks of tradition. The notion of rupture will be used to frame this ongoing discussion at the IASTE 2022 conference, to be hosted by the National University of Singapore.

Conference Organiser: IASTE and NUS DOA

KELLEY CHENG - CITY OF EMBONG

November 13th to November 27th 2022

The City of Embong is a humorous imagination of the 56th city as an addition to the 55 fictitious cities in the book, each city named after the name of a woman. Adhering to the rules of the mathematical matrix of the Oulipo literary group which Calvino subscribed to and keeping the City of Baucis as the central point for symmetry, an additional sub-chapter has to be added to the 1st and last chapter. Hence the City of Embong will take these two themes to begin and end the matrix of cities using the book’s numerical pattern.

Exhibition Works: Kelley Cheng, Richard Hassell, Wayne Peng Exhibition Organiser: NUS DOA

GUEST LECTURES:

RIVER NETWORKS: A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION AND CONFUSION (APRIL 26th 2023)

Speaker: Peter Molnar

FORM AND CONSTRAINT: ORTHOPEDAGOGIES (APRIL 5th 2023)

Speaker: Francois Blanciak

SKETCHBOOK TALK: CONSTRUCTING NARRATIVES (MARCH 23rd to MARCH 24th 2023)

Speakers: Jerome Ng Xin Hao and Annabelle Tan

TEACHING AND LEARNING AESTHETICS IN DESIGN EDUCATION (MARCH 16th 2023)

Speakers: Tay Kheng Soon

SKY TIMBER: MASS TIMBER ARCHITECTURE IN THE TROPICS - REGENERATION CASE STUDIES IN CONCRETE AND TIMBER AND MET REFERENCES (MARCH 9th 2023)

Speaker: Ryusuke Kojio

WEAPONIZED CRAFT (MARCH 8th 2023)

Speaker: Reiser + Umemoto Rur Architecture

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF WAH FU ESTATE IN HONG KONG (MARCH 8th 2023)

Speaker: Vincci Mak

CHINA DIALOGUES (MARCH 7th 2023)

Speaker: Vladimir Belogolovsky

MAP OUTSIDE THE PIXEL (MARCH 6 th 2023)

Speaker: Yuhao Lu

URBAN SHADE PLANNING FOR THERMALLY SUSTAINABLE CITIES: PERSPECTIVES FROM MULTI-SENSOR ANALYSIS (FEB 27th 2023)

Speaker: Park Yujin

CONSTRUE & CONSTRUCT XV: UNPRECEDENTED 2 (FEB 27th AND MARCH 6th 2023)

Speaker: James Mitchell, Carolina Larrazabal and Shin Chang

NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS 2.0 (FEB 20th 2023)

Speaker: Stefan Aarninkhof and Dr. Bregje Van Wesenbeeck

THE ECO-RACE IN ARCHITECTURE - CAUGHT BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL INTUITION AND INTELLIGENCE (FEB 2nd 2023)

Speaker: Jonathan Natanian

YARD STICK FOR URBAN INNOVATION, ENERGY AND EMISSION CONTROL: THE 2000-WATT SOCIETY (FEB 2nd 2023)

Speaker: Alexander J. B. Zehnder

CONSTRUE & CONSTRUCT GUEST LECTURE SERIES: UNPRECEDENTED 1 (JAN 30th 2023)

Speaker: Alexander Erikkson Furunes, Sudarshan V. Khadka, Junior, Magic Kwan, Kenrick Wong

UNDERSTANDING HEAT-HEALTH IMPACT FOR BETTER CLIMATE RESPONSIVE DESIGN AND PLANNING –AN EXPERIENCE FROM HONG KONG (JAN 10th 2023)

Speaker: Dr Chao Ren

MASTER OF ARTS IN URBAN DESIGN (MAUD) 25TH ANNIVERSARY CEREMONY, LECTURE AND FORUM (NOV 19th 2022)

ADVANCING ROBOTICS IN ARCHITECTURE (OCT 28th 2022)

Speaker: Henriette Bier

DESIGN, ENVIRONMENT AND RE-NATURALIZATION: A CRITIQUE (OCT 28th 2022)

Speaker: Douglas Spencer

SOCIAL VR IN ARCHITECTURE (OCT 27th 2022)

Speaker: Tomas Dorta

PERMANENCE IN URBAN DESIGN (OCT 27th 2022)

Speaker: Henco Bekkering

THE PHENOMENA OF CHANDIGARH AND ITS ARCHITECTURE (OCT 4th 2022)

Speaker: Sangeet Sharma

FOUR DIMENSIONAL CITIES (SEP 29th 2022)

Speaker: Stephen Marshall

VITALISING THE DESIGN PRACTICE: GUEST LECTURE BY JILLIAN WALLISS AND HEIKE RAHMANN (SEP 14th 2022)

Speaker: Associate Professor Jillian Walliss and Dr. Heike Rahmann

THE URBAN-RURAL COMMONS BY ARCHITECTURAL BEHAVIOROLOGY (SEP 1st 2022)

Speaker: Momoyo Kaijma

CONSTRUE AND CONSTRUCT XIV: SPORTS & SPAN 2 (AUG 23rd and AUG 30th 2022)

Speaker: Andra Matin and Jan Knikker

VISITING PROFESSORS & BA ARCH EXTERNAL REVIEWERS

Ong Siew May Visiting Professors (For AY2022/23)

Stephen Cairns

Programme Director, Future Cities Laboratory (FCL), Singapore

Hsin-Ming Fung

Professor, Southern California Institute of Architecture

Other Visiting Professors (For AY2022/23)

Erieta Attali

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Architectural Photography, Columbia University (GSAPP)

Craig Hodgetts

Professor, Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning, UCLA

Thierry Kandjee

Co-founder, Taktyk

Victoria Jane Marshall

Founder, Till Design

Petra Pferdmenges

Founder, Alive Architecture

Koon Wee

Assistant Professor, HKU Department of Architecture

STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES (SEP)

NUS DOA aims to make the most of Singapore’s strategic location and its networks to prepare our graduates to engage in the global practice of design. We create opportunities for our students to enhance their academic experience and cultural exposure through our extensive list of Student Exchange Programmes (SEP) with leading architecture and industrial design schools.

We have in place various school-level and department-level exchange programmes with the following universities:

Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Chalmers University of Technology

Chinese University of Hong Kong

Chongqing University

Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Chulalongkorn University

Cracow University of Technology

Czech Technical University in Prague

Delft University of Technology

Ecole Speciale d’Architecture

Eindhoven University of Technology

ETH Zurich

Ewha Woman’s University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Hanyang University (Erica Campus), HYU

Kyoto Institute of Technology

Lund University

McGill University

SUMMER PROGRAMME

Design Summer Camp (DSC)

Meiji University

National Cheng Kung University

Polytechnic University of Turin

Technical University of Munich

The University of California

The University of Hawaii, Manoa

The University of Hong Kong

The University of Navarra

The University of New South Wales

The University of Seoul

The University of Sheffield

The University of Strathclyde

The University of Waterloo

Tianjin University

Tongji University

Tsinghua University

Tunghai University

UIC Barcelona

Yonsei University

Zhejiang University

Design Summer Camp (DSC) is a three-week programme at the DOA, open to anyone from Junior Colleges and above, including university students and working professionals who are interested to learn about Design Education. This studio-based programme offers an immersive experience that allows individuals without prior background, to engage and experience conceptual approaches and develop skills relevant to the design profession.

For more information: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/arch/designsummercamp/ Instagram: @designsummercamp

External Reviewers

Over the course of each academic year, DOA also invites leading international practitioners and experts in the field to serve as external reviewers.

The BA Arch external reviewers for AY 2022/23 included:

AY 2022/23 Sem 1:

Stephen Cairns Programme Director, Future Cities Laboratory (FCL), Singapore

Timothy Collins

Part-time tutor, National University of Singapore

Goy Zhenru

Principal Architect, Goy Architects

Fiona Nixon Tan Director, STUDIO NvS

AY 2022/23 Sem 2:

Carlos Bannon

Co-founder, Subarquitectura Architects

Spain

Rene Tan Director, RT+Q Architects Pte Ltd

Wo Mei Lan

Founder, Liu & Wo Architects Pte Ltd

Yap Lay Bee

Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize Secretary

Group Director, URA, Singapore

The M Arch external reviewers for AY 2022/23 included:

AY2022/23 Sem 1

Khairudin Saharom

Founder and Principal, Kite Studios Architecture

Seah Chee Kian

Senior Managing Director, RSP Architects, Singapore

Christine Yogiaman

Assistant Professor, SUTD, Singapore Founding Partner, Yogiaman Tracy Design (yo_cy), Singapore

Swinal Samant

Co-programme Director, MSc ISD Visiting Tutor, NUS

AY2022/23 Sem 2

Jeremy Aloysius Principal, Arup Singapore

Kelley Cheng

Creative Director, The Press Room

Justin Hill Councillor, Australian Institute of Architects International Chapter

Christina Thean Director, Parks + Associates

Students already matriculated into the BA Arch programme are not eligible to participate in this camp.

Picture credit: Ian Mun

Picture credit: Ian Mun

* The availability of SEP for each academic year will depend upon the prevailing COVID-19 situation.

Picture credit: Loh Meng Tong, Marcus

Picture credit: Teng Fengshi

CONTACTS

National University of Singapore

Department of Architecture

NUS College of Design and Engineering

4 Architecture Drive

Singapore 117566

Tel: +65 6516 3452

https://cde.nus.edu.sg/arch/

Instagram: NUS Department of Architecture | @aki.nus

DOA 2023 Showcase | @archival_2023

Facebook: www.facebook.com/nus.aki

For more information on our programmes and on the DOA in general, please feel free to get in touch with the following persons:

Teaching Trainees BA Arch

BA Arch

Contact: Lee Yik Heng

Email: lee.yikheng@u.nus.edu

Contact: Muhammad Syafiq Bin Muhamad Ayyoob

Email: e0449895@u.nus.edu

Teaching Trainee M Arch I & M Arch II

Contact: Jessie Yaw

Email: yawjessie@gmail.com

Department Updates & Other General Enquiries

Contact: Ires Cheng

Email: akisec@nus.edu.sg