INSIGHT
4TH QUARTER 2015
4
4
A LOOK INTO THE SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS
INSTITUTE NEWS
Building An
Institution
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
The last quarter of 2015 is an exciting
time and a key milestone for the
Institute and the architecture fraternity
as we celebrate the opening of our
newly renovated premises @ 79 Neil
Road and the return of Archifest, our
annual festival to celebrate architecture
and the built environment.
The SIA Premises @ 79 Neil Road
25 SEPTEMBER 2015, Friday
7.00pm
Members were invited to the opening of the SIngapore Institute of Architects’ (SIA) newly renovated premises on
September 25, 2015. It was a key milestone for the Institute to be celebrated together with all in attendance.
As an update of the fund-raising for the project, to date we have received approximately $1.6 million in case donations
and pledges. This project has seen the coming together of members pooling their resources and efforts to bring it to
fruition and we are indeed encouraged by the results thus far. But we still need to raise another $1.2 million
approximately to cover the cost of renovation.
To this end, we appeal to all members to help us make-up this shortfall. No contribution is too small and all
contributions will be acknowledged in the "Building An Institution: The SIA Premises" Commemorative Book and on the
Benefactor's Architecture Feature that will be permanently on display in the newly renovated premises.
We thank you for your on-going support in the endeavour for our Institute and look forward to your continuous support.
www.sia.org.sg
I AM PLEASED TO SHARE WITH YOU THE BRAND NEW SIA NEWSLETTER, THIS QUARTERLY PUBLICATION
WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON THE HAPPENINGS IN SIA AND THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
The new SIA premises, after a one-year long renovation, had We look forward to more engagements with members
finally come into fruition with lots of brand facilities like the
CoLAB, lounge and training room. The festival village for
to make SIA a more vibrant, forward looking and young institute.
Archifest 2015 was intentionally held at SIA Premises to Ong Tze Boon
create more buzz and showcase the bigger and better President, 55th Council 2015/2016
Singapore Institute of Architects
premises. We hope that you will take advantage of all the
new facilities and make this the hub for architects and
designers to meet, share and network.
Hope that you will enjoy reading the news and please drop
us a note and share with us any feedback or newsworthy
story to be featured.
 DESIGN THRUST MESSAGE

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design excellence in architecture and the built environment.

THE DESIGN THRUST AIMS TO: THE DESIGN THRUST COMPRISES THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEES:
- attain design leadership  ‡$5&+,)(67&200,77((
- promote excellence in architecture through recognition and awards, education and continuing  ‡'(6,*1$:$5'6&200,77((
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Archifest 2015 SIA Hospitality Lounge and Design Awards Showcase

The Archifest (Singapore Architecture Festival) is an annual festival for the city to celebrate architecture
and the built environment. In its ninth edition, Archifest has been a platform for all walks of life to discuss,
debate and deliberate architectural issues. Participants will find themselves engaging in uninhibited
dialogues, creative collaborations, architecture tours and a constant exchange of ideas.
The main aim of the festival is to provide a platform to breed a vibrant design culture and consequently a
design conscious society, by encouraging and guiding the general public and design professionals of all
fields to interact in a fun and free atmosphere.
This year’s Archifest was curated by a team of 3 Festival Directors - Chio WenTian, Lee ZhiJie and Sri
Saravanan Subramaniam - with the theme, ‘What Future?’ opened on 25th September at the Festival Hub,
coinciding with the opening of the new SIA Premises. Key highlights include :
Archifest Conference – four internationally renowned architects, Dr. Kerry Hill, Prof Waro Kishi, Prof Li
Xiaodong and Mr Wong Mun Summ shared their views on “What Future” means to them and their practice.
The Conference was very well attended by both local and foreign architects.
Architours – curated and organised by The Architecture Society NUS, participants were led by student
docents from NUS, SUTD and SP on eight different tours to significant architecture works done by our
members. Almost every tour was sold out, attesting to its popularity.
City Studio – in its inaugural edition, City Studio brought architecture discourse and crits, so often hidden
within the walls of the higher institutions of learning, to the city for participation from the public.
“Why Architect?” Forum – popular among the public, this forum had architects sharing their experiences
and views on the process of the making of architecture from design to construction and why it is necessary
for home owners to appoint registered architects to carry out the renovation or construction of their homes.
50 Futures – this year being SG50, a video collection of our aspirations, dreams and ambitions, produced
by the Puttnam School of Film in collaboration with the LaSalle College of The Arts, documents the
thoughts of 50 individuals across our island nation.
The Design Awards Committee, chaired by Mr Teo Yee Chin, curated and designed the SIA Hospitality
Lounge at the recently concluded ArchXpo2015 at Marina Bay Sands, facilitating the exhibition of the
shortlisted finalists of the SIA Architectural Design Awards 2015 and the SIA-Rigel Bathroom Design
Awards. In addition, the SIA Lounge served as a networking hub for the various conference delegates and
an event space for press interviews and small scale sharing sessions.
We would like to thank the following partners for their support in the setup of the SIA Hospitality Lounge:
- Designer: Red Bean Architects
- Aluminium Structure: The Shelter Company
- Chip Board Panels: Zijian Design Pte Ltd
- Cardboard Signage: The Architectural Society, NUS
- Furniture by: Pure Interior, Lava East
The Singapore Architect
The Publications Committee has revamped the Singapore Architect - 4 editions will be led by Folios that
use a specific aspect of architectural exploration to discuss the works of the members while the other four
will be led by topics of enduring concern that the profession is facing. The first revamped issue was
launched during the combined opening of the new SIA premises and Archifest 2015. Limited copies of a
silver embossed issue were given out during the opening.
Green Mark Architecture Taskforce
The Sustainability Committee was invited by Building and Construction Authority (BCA) to the Architecture
Taskforce for Green Mark Version 5. The taskforce looked at issues with Green Mark and the desired
outcomes from a large scale revision. The taskforce also shared a detailed list of areas that were
investigated further by BCA.

Capstone Research Programme and All in the Layers Seminar

15th SIA Architectural Design Awards Presentation Dinner
Held at the Suntec City Convention Centre on Oct 1st evening, the Presentation Dinner honoured and
celebrated exceptional work and talent within our architecture fraternity.
The 15th SIA Architectural Design Awards jury panel comprising eminent practitioners and academics Dr.
Kerry Hill (KerryHill Architects). Prof Waro Kishi (Kyoto University), Prof Li Xiaodong (TsingHua University),
Prof Thomas Schroepfer (SUTD) and Prof Wong Yunn Chii (NUS), was chaired by Prof Richard KF Ho (Chair,
SIA ). The Presentation Ceremony held during the dinner honoured:
 ‡UHFLSLHQWVIRUSIA Architectural Design Awards
 ‡IRUWKHSIA-Rigel Bathroom Design Awards
 ‡ZLQQHUVIRUWKHUP Awards
The Sustainability Committee has also facilitated a SUTD-research programme, CAPSTONE, in which
students completed the research project on an innovative facade system integrated with sun-shading
elements and greenery and proposed as a new model typology and to spark sentiments on facades
designed particularly for Singapore's Tropical Climate. The Committee and students made a presentation at
the SIA Hospitality Lounge during ArchXpo on 1 Oct, titled ‘All in the Layers’.
Design Showcases
The Design Thrust is currently in discussion with the National Gallery Singapore on an exhibition space
that focuses on Singapore architecture and with the DesignSingapore Council on possible collaboration
on the next Singapore showcase at the Venice Biennale.

We would like to thank the following partners:

- Jaquar & Company for sponsoring the Building of the Year Award
in the SIA Architectural Design Award 2015
- Rigel Technology for their strong support in this award in the past years.
University Liaison Committee
The Committee has made contact with SUTD and NUS in an effort to understand how the Institute can play
a bigger role in their education and welfare. The Committee will also be reaching out to the polytechnics in
the near future.

PROF. Richard KF Ho
President, 55th Council 2015/2016
Singapore Institute of Architects

2
 ANNOUNCEMENTS

EDUCATION THRUST MESSAGE

Aspire to promote the spirit of continuous learning and uphold the highest standard of
professionalism amongst the local architectural fraternity, the key objective of Singapore Institute
of Architects, SIA’s Education Thrust is to create an effective platform for knowledge sharing and
gaining through an array of purpose-designed educational programmes .

To date, the Thrust has successfully conducted our 7th run of Architectural Practice Course (APC)
from July to October 2015. The next upcoming courses will be Design for Safety Coordinator (DfSC)
Course targeted to run in 1st quarter and Architectural Detailing and Specifications Course (ADSC)
LQQGUGTXDUWHURI<HDU

In addition, as part of the larger outreach effort, the Thrust has also engaged students of various
junior colleges in our career guidance counselling programme for students through Career Talks in
institutions such as National Junior College, Raffles Institution, Catholic Junior College and St. Joseph
Institution, as well as a talk during BCA Career Fair.
In celebrating the highest honour SIA bestowed on a senior architect, in recognition of his life time
contribution to architecture and his most distinguished service to the profession of architecture, the
Thrust has also invited the Seventh SIA Gold Medal Recipient, Datuk Seri Lim Chong Keat, to give a
lecture on 31 July 2015 to share with the architectural fraternity, his vast experience and professional
knowledge, insights and substantial wisdom of our evolving profession and architectural landscape.
In the new council year 2015/2016, the Education Thrust will work closely with Practice Thrust to
introduce two Practice Sharing Sessions (in Sep 2015 & Mar 2016) and two Boot Camps (Nov
2015 & May 2016) as an updated format of our former 3 SIA Weekend Seminars (May, Aug &
Nov). By clustering 3 events within 1.5 days, it will not only allow overseas practitioners to meeting
their CPD point requirements but also provide an effective platform to update the local professional
on latest development in the industry and hone their skills.
In our newly introduced Inspirational Talks, we have also witnessed overwhelming responses to
talks by our distinguished guest speakers Prof Kishore Mahbubani and Mr Ho Kwon Ping, as well
as Design Talk by Mr Mark Wee & Mr Bedmar Ernesto, and an Experiential Visit to the NEA
Incineration Plant. We look forward to all members’ continual support and active participation in
the coming months’ line-up of exciting and enriching educational programmes.

Seah Chee Huang

Chairperson, Education Thrust 2015/2016
Singapore Institute of Architects

INSTITUTION THRUST MESSAGE

Print is a dying trade, they say.
And as such, thank you for picking this document up.
In early October 2015, the 120-year-old publications, Architect’s Journal and Architectural Review
announced that their print versions are set to end, and that they will move to digital-only versions.
Those amongst us who enjoy the tactility of the printed page, whose drawings actually had scale and
dimension (as opposed to a scaleless, zoomable web image of an architectural drawing), wept a tear.

This comes as our very own Singapore Architect journal was refreshed, with a throwback to its
architectural roots – in print. And, almost like building breakwaters against the digital wave, we have
decided to launch INSIGHT, the SIA newsletter, in good old print!

The new INSIGHT brings to you a compilation of fun facts, news, updates and nuggets – virtually
everything you need to know as an SIA member. It keeps you on the pulse of all things SIA, and the
practice and design of architecture in Singapore. With the members’ handbook, the website, the
Facebook page and of course, the Singapore Architect journal, it becomes part of a new wave of
media carefully curated to keep your fingertips at the pulse of SIA.
With a spanking new (extended) headquarters at Neil Road, the recently-concluded plethora of
activity that was Archifest, and a slew of new initiatives in the Practice, Education, Design and
Institution Thrusts, INSIGHT aims to augment this new energy at the SIA, capturing the goings-on,
new building codes, talks, seminars and competitions in digestible print.
And as SIA opens her arms towards the larger local architecture fraternity and its allies, we can
look forward to a set of fresh updates. These include new Membership privileges, eligibilities and
the application process, new strategies in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), updates in our
corporate and professional partnerships, and more. Outside of the SIA realm, the newsletter will
also connect members to SIA’s roles in ARCAsia (the Architects’ Regional Council of Asia) and
UIA (the International Union of Architects) – all in print, of course!
Welcome back to the printed page, the joys of its tactility, and the aural pleasures that flipping this
page might bring!
Tan Szue Hann
Chairperson, Institution Thrust 2015/2016
Singapore Institute of Architects

3
 PRACTICE THRUST MESSAGE

Practice Thrust continually pursues enlightened policies and seeks to enhance architectural
practice by strategically and actively engaging the relevant authorities and professional institutions
ZLWKWKHDLPWRUDLVHVWDQGDUGTXDOLW\SURGXFWLYLW\DQGSURƓOHRIDUFKLWHFWXUDOSUDFWLFHLPSURYH
processes, promote equitable conditions of appointment, safe work practices, harness the latest
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upholds high standard of professional conduct and ethics.

For the past months, Practice Thrust has been actively engaging the authorities to review and Other major activities that Practice Thrust embarked on in the past months are as follows:
participate in building related regulations/policy formulation, improve existing regulatory proce-  ‡,QWHU$JHQF\&RRUGLQDWLQJ&RPPLWWHH,$&&0HHWLQJFKDLUHGE\%&$
dures and encourage holistic design and practices through dialogues, networking sessions and  ‡&RQVWUXFWLRQ,QGXVWU\-RLQW&RPPLWWHH&,-&0HHWLQJV
meetings. To hone the skills and update professional fraternity on pertinent and important practice  ‡6,$13DUNV'LDORJXH6HVVLRQ
knowledge affecting architectural profession, Practice Thrust organised Sharing Session and Boot  ‡6,$%&$1HWZRUNLQJ6HVVLRQ
CampRQ 6HSWHPEHUDQG 1RYHPEHUUHVSHFWLYHO\¬%HVLGHVUDLVLQJ  ‡'LDORJXH0HHWLQJEHWZHHQ6,$,(6$&(65('$66&$/38%DQG1($
awareness of practice related information to professional fraternity, Practice Thrust is also actively  ‡3DUWLFLSDWHLQ%2$3(%/DZ6RFLHW\'UDIW&KDQJHVWR' %&RQWUDFWV
reaching out to general public by educating them on the scope of works, roles and responsibilities  ‡5HGHYHORSPHQWRI1DWLRQDO3URGXFWLYLW\$QG4XDOLW\6SHFLILFDWLRQ
of an Architect, correct public misperception of an Architect, share insights on important issues  ‡635,1*'HYHORSPHQWRI3UDFWLFH0DQDJHPHQW:RUN3URFHVV
that home owners should be aware of and take into consideration when renovating their homes,  ‡3XEOLF&RQVXOWDWLRQ*XLGHOLQHV
provide a channel for public to seek proper advice instead of them relying on erroneous advice  ‡60$33XEOLF)RUXP:K\$UFKLWHFW"
offered by those who are not qualified.  ‡3XEOLF(GXFDWLRQRQ,OOHJDO3UDFWLFH
 ‡0LQRU:RUNV&RQWUDFW0:&6HPLQDU6HULHV 
THE MAIN FOCUS OF PRACTICE THRUST IN THE PAST MONTHS WERE:  ‡VW6HULHVRI3UDFWLFH7KUXVW6KDULQJ6HVVLRQ
  ‡'UDIWLQJRIQHZYHUVLRQRI6,$%XLOGLQJ&RQGLWLRQVRI&RQWUDFW  ‡VW3UDFWLFH7KUXVW%RRW&DPS
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of architectural fraternity and profession.

Chan Kok Way

Chairperson, Practice Thrust 2015/2016
Singapore Institute of Architects

Architecture, Building, Climate:

World Architecture Day FROM 5 OCTOBER 2015

The International Union of Architects (UIA), representing the

world’s 1.3 million architects, has announced the theme of World
Architecture Day (5 October 2015): Architecture, Building, Climate.

As the world’s national governments approach COP 21, the

international climate treaty negotiations taking place later this year,
the UIA will join with national and regional architecture
organisations to highlight the essential role of architecture, design
and town planning in reducing associated greenhouse gas
emissions.

UIA members, working bodies and partners will mobilize on 5

October to promote actions and solutions that apply the enormous
power of architecture and urban design in coping with global
climate change, one of the greatest challenges of our time.

Leading a series of events and sessions devoted to responsible

design, planning and building, the UIA will underscore the
contributions of architects worldwide during the COP 21 meetings
(Paris - 30 November-11 December 2015). A delegation, led by the
UIA President, architect Esa Mohamed of Malaysia, will represent
the profession.

www.uia.archi/en/s-informer/nouvelles/9743#.VgJqYBY-WHc

4
 ANNOUNCEMENTS

What’s On
World Architecture Festival (WAF)
4 - 6 NOVEMBER 2015
The gateway to global recognition, WAF is where the world architec-
ture community meets to celebrate, learn, exchange and be inspired.
World Architecture Festival is the world’s largest international
architectural event. It includes the biggest architectural awards
programme in the world, dedicated to celebrating excellence via live
presentations to delegates and international juries.
More than 2000 architects from 60 countries attend WAF - it is
your passport to the international architecture scene.
Networking on a global scale with international architects, clients
and suppliers. Be inspired by architecture's leading lights and the
community as a whole. By seeing architecture from around the
globe, and hearing from the architects themselves, you will find new
inspiration to tackle today's design challenges.
www.worldarchitecturefestival.com
‘Future of The Past’
ARCASIA Forum 18,
Ayutthaya Thailand
10 - 16 NOVEMBER 2015
One of the key features of ARCASIA is the ARCASIA Forum which is
a platform for the on-going discussion of current architectural
ideas pertinent to the region. This is a gathering of prominent
architects and thinkers intended to serve as an Asian 'catapult of
minds' on matters concerning architectural and environment in
the Asian context. The theme for ARCASIA Forum 18 2015 is
Future of the Past.
These are images that many people might think of when talking
about old cities. Amidst Asia’s delirious growth in the past decade,
many of those old cites have survived through rises and falls in
different conditions. Some were well preserved and maintained
while some were ruined by both their residences and over tourism.

Some are being too developed while some are forgotten. Some are
still alive like the era when they were built while some are injected
E\QHZSVHXGROLYHVDQGEHFRPH3RWHPNLQWRZQV,I72'$<LVWKH
future of the past, as it is the "past" of the future, it is important

International Skyrise
that “NOW” we help each others to understand the present
situation of those oldness to create new sustainability those
valuable cities.

Greenery Conference Architects, designers and urban planners are important bunch of
those who shape the future of old cities that have survived the

5 - 7 NOVEMBER 2015 past. The term, "to conserve", is just too broad and one sided as an
action towards the oldness since Asia cities have been undergoing
quick and intensified change. We may have to discuss further the
processes that are more specific and vigorous like "to revive" or "to
The International Skyrise Greenery Conference (ISGC) 2015 is an rebuild" etc., those that relate the past to the speed of the
industry-led knowledge platform held alongside the development today. Do not forget that the cities that we are living,
GreenUrbanScape Asia exhibition. Scheduled for 5 – 7 November old and new, are getting older everyday and could become the past
at MAX Atria @ Singapore EXPO, ISGC 2015 will host over 30 as well. So to look back at these old cities could seriously create a
world-renowned speakers and leading industry practitioners to good vision for the development of the "NOW" as well.
share their views and insights on the theme – Living Architecture,
Engineering Sustainable Environments.
www.arcasiaayutthaya2015.com
ISGC 2015 will feature the following industry topics:
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“The term, ‘to conserve’, is
‡0RGHUQ*UHHQ$VLD just too broad and one sided
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as an action towards the
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oldness since Asia cities
have been undergoing quick
www.skyrisegreenery.com
and intensified change.”

MND Family SG50 Roving Exhibition

“Our City, Our Home”
AUGUST - NOVEMBER 2015

In conjunction with the SG50 celebrations, the Ministry of National

Development (MND), together with its family of agencies, has organized the MND
Family SG50 exhibition, titled “50 Years of Transforming Our City, Our Home”. The
roving exhibition will be held from August to November 2015 at 6 different
locations across the island. It showcases the significant milestones in Singapore’s
urbanization and public housing journey over the past 50 years, as well as the key
initiatives which Singaporeans can look forward to in the coming years.

Through the interactive exhibits, visitors will discover how the MND Family
agencies work as a team to build good homes and a good living environment to
meet the needs and aspirations of Singaporeans. To create a more immersive
and interesting experience, the exhibition adopts a panel-less and porous
concept with information integrated into the exhibits themselves, allowing visitors
to be engaged in a journey of discovery.

Curious to find out more? Check out www.singapore50.sg or drop them an

email at SG50exhibition@mnd.gov.sg if you are keen to organise learning
journeys or have any queries.

www.singapore50.sg

5
 What’s On
SIA SEMINAR :

BIM : Legal & Contractual Considerations

17 NOVEMBER 2015, Tuesday
2.30pm - 5.35pm
SIA Theatrette - Level 3, 79 Neil Road
Why does BIM need new contract clauses and new procurement models?
A briefing by Professor David Mosey on current research, led by King’s College London and sponsored
Professor Paul Wong
David Mosey by the Society of Construction Law, as to how construction contracts and team selection processes
5RG\N 'DYLGVRQ
King’s Centre of /LWLJDWLRQ  can help make BIM work. He will assess the impact of BIM on design liability, the duty to warn, project
Construction Law Arbitration Group programming and IP rights, as well as risk management and dispute resolution.

Contractual provisions for BIM - the Singapore experience.

The Singapore BIM Particular Conditions (BIMPC) was published in response to the construction
industry's move towards the implementation of BIM. The second edition was published in 2015.
This presentation will discuss the Singapore experience in drafting the BIMPC and the changes made
for the second edition.

SIA PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE SERIES :

How Perception Of Space Changes

Because Of Large Size Panels (A World Of Possibilities!)
20 NOVEMBER 2015, Friday
3.00pm - 5.00pm
SIA Theatrette - Level 3, 79 Neil Road
What does a new large-size material/surface need to perform better according to so many outdoor-indoor
short-term changing environments? Façades, outdoor pavements, indoor floorings, staircases,
JC Aranaz
bathrooms and many details can be designed in a new way according to state-of-the-art technologies.
University of Seville,
Spain Changes on architectural rules in every country. But they follow a common ‘Vitrubio’ and also 'Modern'
language: the bigger (Utilitas), the stronger (Firmitas) and the nicer (Venustas)… the better!
With the actual worldwide projects done with the new type of material/surface (Ultracompact Surface),
the seminar is showing how the well-known and also the anonymous architects decided to 'bend the
rules’ and go into this new era.

SIA PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE SERIES :

Designing Watertight Structures : Ways To Keep Water Out

4 DECEMBER 2015, Friday
4.00pm - 6.00pm
SIA Theatrette - Level 3, 79 Neil Road

Waterproofing typically accounts for 1-2% of a building project’s overall construction cost. However, waterproofing failure and
repair can be highly disruptive and very expensive. Furthermore, water infiltration does not solve itself and often gets worse
Mandy Low Liauw Yudhy
Sidharta until it is fully resolved. In the meantime, costly damage may already have been done to structure and finishing.
W.R. Grace
SIngapore PT Grace In this seminar, the speakers will share:
Chemicals
Indonesia - Why it is just not enough to waterproof, using the right waterproofing for the application is critical
- Basements are no longer just car parks, what are the considerations that determine the right waterproofing approach
- Above ground - should the approach be the same for wet areas, balconies, roofs, landscaped areas

SIA DESIGN TALKS :

Ho Tzu Yin, LAUD Architects SIA EGM

10 DECEMBER 2015, Thursday
and Alan Tay, Formwerkz Architects
10 DECEMBER 2015, Thursday The Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) Extraordinary General Meeting will be convened to
consider and if necessary amend and approve the proposed amendments to the SIA Constitution.

Ho Tzu Yin Alan Tay

LAUD Architects Formwerkz
Architects

SIA Practice Boot Camp #1

15-16 JANUARY 2016

This is a 6-part series of Design Talks feature local architects who have completed a body of work that
contributed to the advancement of Singapore architecture and the built environment, some of which has This Practice Boot Camp concerns Advanced Training on Practice Matters to hone the skills of
demonstrated breakthrough in design ideas and concepts. Contact the secretariat for more information architects. Take your craft to the next level by being a part of this exclusive event. Sign up today,
on signing up.

6
 ANNOUNCEMENTS

What’s On
SIA DESIGN TALKS :

Winning Design, Philosophies & Concept Design for Safety

27 JANUARY 2016, Wednesday
Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall
Building of the Year
Coordinator Course
Join the continuing series of talks by award-winning architects from the SIA Architectural Design Awards to
understand the design philosophies and concepts behind the winning designs.
(DFSC)
W Architects will share their insights on the 9LFWRULD7KHDWUH &RQFHUW+DOOproject. The judges came away 28-29 JANUARY 2016
deeply impressed by how an old building could be given new life by reflecting on its past. It was a past that
included three eras of demolition and remodelling, each carrying its generation's memory. The new architecture
embedding the past in itself, is a confident commentary on, and an abstract resolution to, the nation's history.
WSHC Approved course to train Design for Safety Coordinators
(DfSC). This course will equip members with skills and knowledge
www.sia.org.sg/sia-architectural-design-awards/ to function as a DfSC and to address and identify means to
15th-sia-architectural-design-awards-2015/ eliminate or mitigate the risks inherent in the design of a
construction project. Upon completion of the course, members will
be awarded certificate of completion. DfSC who are successfully
certified will have their data listed online at iWSH Portal.

SIA DESIGN TALKS :

Robin Tan, :DOOŴRZHU$UFKLWHFWXUH 'HVLJQ Architectural
and Kerry Hill, Kerry Hill Architects Pte Ltd Detailing
18 FEBRUARY 2016, Thursday
& SpeciƓcations
Course (ADSC)
A continuing 6-part series of Design Talks
Robin Tan Kerry Hill featuring local architects who have completed
Wallflower Kerry Hill a body of work that contributed to the
Architecture
'HVLJQ
Architects advancement of Singapore architecture and
the built environment, some of which has
16 FEBRUARY-29 MARCH 2016
demonstrated breakthrough in design ideas
and concepts. Contact our secretariat for
more information.
Targeted at young architects and fresh architectural graduates
entering the profession. This 12-session course will equip members
with a basic understanding of architectural detailing and skills
regarding appropriate details and specifications. Contact us for
more information.

SIA DESIGN TALKS :

Winning Design, Philosophies & Concept
24 FEBRUARY 2016, Wednesday
It’s never too late to join in the continuing series of talks by award-winning architects from the SIA
Architectural Design Awards to understand the design philosophies and concepts behind the
winning designs.

This time, LAUD Architects will be sharing their thoughts behind the DECK Art Space for People and
Photography. The jury felt that the spaces were delightful and the architects composed the contain-
ers to make a strong form. They applauded the spirit behind the project, in the context of a highly
regulated built environment, and felt that the greatest value of the project was that it showcased the
potential and possibilities of a ground-up approach in activating urban spaces in our city. It is hoped
that we will see more of such projects in the future.

DECK: An Art Space for People and Photography www.sia.org.sg/sia-architectural-design-awards/

Best Project Under $2 million 15th-sia-architectural-design-awards-2015/

SIA BUSINESS TALKS :

Norman Ho - “Building A Corporate Culture On Strengths”

26 FEBRUARY 2016, Friday
Norman Ho is a partner in Rodyk & Davidson LLP's Real Estate Practice Group.
He is a leader in corporate real estate work, has extensive experience in a wide spectrum of property related
Norman Ho
transactions, including investment sales and purchase (by way of share or asset sales), collective sales and
Real Estate
Practice Group project development transactions. He regularly advises property developers, investment funds, statutory boards,
property consultants, investors, financial institutions and purchasers in real estate matters.

Norman has acted for owners and investors in commercial, retail, residential and resort developments both
within and outside Singapore (including United Kingdom, China, Indonesia and Australia). His projects include
the development and financing of a major shopping cum office project on Orchard Road and the acquisition of a
large commercial building in Singapore's Central Business District (CBD). He acts for major developers in large
residential projects, such as the new CBD Marina Bay Residence. He has acted in the acquisition, sale and
leaseback of industrial developments (including multi-storey strata buildings at the CBD fringe), involving the
Housing Development Board and Jurong Town Corporation.

Contact our secretariat for more information.

7
 Design
3rd SIA Design ‘What Future?’
Futurre?’
Awards Dinner 2015 ARCHIFEST 2015
1 OCTOBER 2015, Thursday FROM 26 SEPTEMBER 2015

ARCHIFEST, Singapore’s annual festival that celebrates the urban

environment returns with a thought-provoking theme of ‘What
Future?’ this year.

"Archifest celebrates more than just the positive qualities of our

built environment, its spirit is derived from the dreams and
aspirations of our people," commented Richard Ho, Chairperson,
Design Thrust, SIA. "This year's theme 'What Future?' is a particu-
larly timely notion as our nation turns 50 and we hope to engage
all in a purposeful celebration."

The two-week-long festival will address the theme 'What Future?'

The SIngapore Institute of Architects (SIA) honoured excellence in architecture and
the built environment at the recent 3rd SIA Design Awards Presentation Ceremony.
Congratulations to the proud winners!
through different contexts. Some of the highlights include a
Conference featuring award-winning architects including Li
Xiaodong and Kerry Hill; a pop-up design studio City-Studio;
specially curated Architours to explore Singapore's hidden
architectural gems; an interactive model-building installation We
Build This City; a forum Why Architect? to share insights on how
to realise your dream home; as well as an arresting series of
Singapore's land spaces documented in Plot, a digital art exhibition
by celebrated photographer Caleb Ming.

archifest@sia.org.sg

Best Project Constructed

under $2 million went to

DECK : An Art Space for

people and photography
by LAUD Architects Pte Ltd.

LAUD Architects Pte Ltd

W Architects Pte Ltd

Building of the Year was awarded to

Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall

by W Architects Pte Ltd.

8
 INSTITUTE NEWS

Design
SA Magazine Revamp
25 SEPTEMBER 2015, Friday

A revamped SA Magazine was unveiled at the opening of SIA New Premises as well as at Archifest 2015.

“Tradition is a matter of much wider significance.

It cannot be inherited, and if you want it you must
obtain it by great labour…”
T. S. ELIOT
In his essay “Tradition and individual Talent,” T. S. Eliot outlines a way of looking at the conundrum of the “new” in the context of
“tradition.” When we embarked on the change from SA to The Singapore Architect we were deeply aware of the need to bring about
a new examination of tradition and especially what we have become accustomed to in print. This is not a facetious act of disjuncture
but an act of reaching into the core of what an Architect is, in order to make a tradition in an Institute’s printed journal. This
remaking is a natural extension of the continuing maturation of a profession. As our confidence grows in making architecture at
home and abroad, we must examine the essence of our talent and know exactly what our foundation is. Perhaps in this way the very
title of this new series will become clear. What is the Singapore Architect?
The technique is a twinned reflection on the representation of the intrinsic skills of the architect as a way of self-discovery as well as
continuing discourses on Singapore as our principal context. Eschewing the lay methods, we use a very architectural way of
discussing our works and use an architectural lens through which we see issues. This will allow the public at large to gain deeper
insights into the structure of our genius. This is especially pertinent and even urgent at this moment when there is no other space in
Singapore for architectural discourse, criticism, and debate. For too long, under the influence of lifestyle magazines, the public
assumes that architecture is about frivolous styling and the fickle trends of fashion; the public thinks that architectural discourse
entails no more than sales pitch and promotional reportage. In our first edition, “Drawing” is our lead discussion of the intrinsic. It is
arguably the most significant signifier of the architectural mind. The jubilee year also brings a need to look at the public, focussing
on several examinations of public spaces of the old and the newly made.

In successive editions we will continue to search for a documentation and discursion of Singapore’s architecture, its finest exemplar
and the everyday, in particular, the works of our members. The strategy of the inquiry will manifest the ability of an architect: to think
critically and creatively, as well as advocate through representation and discourse.

FONG HOO CHEONG + CHANG JIAT HWEE

(GLWRU &R(GLWRURIThe Singapore Architect

Practice
Launch of the BCA Universal Design Mark RCS: NParks Waiver
Version 2.0 (2015) Application Format
27 JULY 2015 For Developments Requesting
Approval For Non-Compliance
The UD Mark certification scheme was introduced in October 2012 to accord recognition to
To NParks Greenery Requirements
developments and stakeholders that adopt a user- centric philosophy in their design, operations At The Development Control
and maintenance. To raise the bar on UD adoption in the built environment, Universal Design
Mark Version 2.0 (2015) was launched this past 27 July 2015.
And Building Plan Stages
Details of the Revision are as follows:
a. Revised points system for performance ratings;
FROM 1 SEPTEMBER 2015
 E5HYLVHGFULWHULDWRDOLJQZLWK&RGHRQ$FFHVVLELOLW\LQWKH%XLOW(QYLURQPHQWDQG
c. Additional UD features which would enhance the user-friendliness of the built environment.

Revised Points System for Performance Ratings From 1 September 2015, the National Parks Board will require
The performance rating weightage points has been revised with descriptions of objectives stated applicants to submit a waiver application form for developments
so as to improve applicants’ understanding on the qualitative standards and scoring requirements requesting approval for non-compliance to National Parks’
expected in the UD Mark certification. requirements at the Development Control (DC) or Building Plan
(BP) stages.
Performance Rating Points System
 ‡ 7KHProject Submission / Correspondence Reference
CURRENT NEW (VERSION 2.0) Number on the waiver application from should correspond
Certified (50 to 64 points) No change to that of the concurrent DC or BP submission.

Gold (65 to 74 points) Gold (65 to 79 points)  ‡ %HFOHDUDQGGHWDLOHGDVSRVVLEOHLQ\RXUGHVFULSWLRQDQG

justification for the non-compliances.
GoldPLUS (75 points and above) GoldPLUS (80 points and above)
 ‡ 3XUSRVHDOWHUQDWLYHVROXWLRQVRUPLWLJDWLQJPHDVXUHVWR
Platinum (75 points and above; Platinum (85 points and above; assuage the impact of the proposed non-compliance.
panel assessment required) panel assessment required)
 ‡ ,QGLFDWHWKHFRUUHFWFRUUHVSRQGLQJSODQUHIHUHQFHQXPEHU
Implementation Timeline for each non-compliance item.
The UD Mark Version 2.0 (2015) will apply to projects with building plan submission submitted for
 ‡ (QVXUHWKDWDOOVHFWLRQVRIWKHZDLYHUDSSOLFDWLRQIRUPDUH
regulatory approval complying with &RGHRQ$FFHVVLELOLW\LQWKH%XLOW(QYLURQPHQW. The
duly completed. Applications that are incomplete will not
current version of UD Mark certification scheme will continue to apply to projects where building
be considered.
plan submission complies with Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment 2007.

Details on the assessment and application process can be found in our website.
For clarifications, please contact Ms Cheong Yin Oi or Ms Joyce Tung at 6804 4762, www.bca.gov.sg/friendlybuilding www.nparks.gov.sg
or email: bca_ud@bca.gov.sg
9
 Practice
‘WHY ARCHITECT?’
Forum THE PANELISTS
3 SEPTEMBER 2015, Saturday
4.00pm - 6.00pm Bernard Ng
Archifest Festival Village
Bernard Ng founded BHN
79 & 81 Neil Road Architecture in 2005 after
graduating from the School of
Architecture, NUS with a Master’s
degree in Architecture in 1999.
BHN Architecture’s early office
commissions include houses and
interior design work, and to this day,
despite the expansion of its portfolio
into institutional, commercial,
community and hospitality work,
each project, irrespective of size or
type, is approached with the same
commitment of service and
sensitivity to design.
Bernard has special interest in the
multi-disciplinary integration of
architectural, interior and landscape
design in his projects, and has in
2008 also founded BHNA Pte Ltd to
offer interior and landscape design
services so as to provide integrated
and cohesive design solutions for all
his clients.
MODERATOR : Raymond Ang
Raymond Ang has spent more than a decade involved in both design and construction
of small and large scale residential, commercial, retail, interiors, leisure facilities,
healthcare and rail. He has lived in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and China, and in
that time has worked in small award-winning boutique firms as well as large
multi-disciplinary outfits of up to 7000 staff globally networking across time zones.
Notable projects delivered include ION Orchard, the Night Safari refurbishment in
Singapore, and Princess Margaret Hospital in Hong Kong.
Aware of the challenges that face small outfits that simply want to stay small and
352-(&7%< Ezra Architects
In conjunction with Archifest 2015, the ‘WHY ARCHITECT?’ Forum also took
place to address public-facing issues of the architecture industry.
Organised by the Small Medium Architectural Practice Committee (SMAP)
and SIA, the program kicked off with Bernard Ng giving the keynote address.
This was followed by a panel discussion comprised of Keith Khoo (Ezra
Architects), Teh Joo Heng (Teh Joo Heng Architects), William Ng (Studio Wills +
Architects), Khoo Soo Keong (Straits Teamwork) and Bernard Ng (BHN
Architecture) himself.
This was complimented with homeowners sharing their building experience as
352-(&7%< BHN Architecture
after the session.
The WHY ARCHITECT? Forum provided all with an understanding of what
Architects really do and how they go about their Professional Practice
assuming a range of multi-faceted roles and responsibilities. It was an
interesting and informative time of sharing and learning had by all.
10
Teh Joo Heng William Ng Khoo Soo Keong
Teh Joo Heng Architects, founded in As a little boy, William Ng would Straits Teamwork Pte Ltd was
2000, is a design-oriented firm that spend hours playing with Lego. founded in 1992 and concentrates
focuses on creating imaginative and Going down the path of architecture on construction of residential /
innovative design solutions to seemed like a logical fit. landed projects. With a team of
conventional design problems, experienced professional staff, the
Architecture aside, William keeps
thereby bringing a fresh perspective firm is led by Khoo Soo Keong who
Ranchus - a type of goldfish that is
to all design projects commissioned. is also a qualified Architect.
kept in ponds and appreciated from
The design process respects the
plan view. At all times, we have stressed the
existing environment and regional
need to provide quality and good
culture as heritage while embracing William finds beauty in the spirit,
service. We always bear in mind to
new technological possibilities. The over form, of things.
build a house that our clients will call
design solution is expressed in strong
their ‘dream home’.
and clear architectural forms and
space without predetermined stylistic
preferences to meet the aspirations
of the client, while adding to the body
of knowledge in architecture and the
built environment.
The firm has completed a broad
range of projects from private
houses, commercial offices,
educational institutions, to
community buildings. The firm has
received design awards including the
Singapore Institute of Architects
Design Awards; Malaysian Institute
of Architects Design Awards; URA
Architectural Heritage Award;
FuturArc Green Leadership Award
and Chicago Athenaeum
International Architectural Award.
nimble to ensure consistently good bespoke design and professional services,
Raymond has also started to volunteer his time to such small outfits, whose voices
are drowned amidst the industry’s rapid consolidation into huge conglomerates,
against a backdrop of an increasingly corporatised Asia.
Raymond is a registered Architect in Singapore. He is the Alumni Association Book
Prize Winner of 2003 Masters of Architecture cohort of National University of
Singapore. He is an accredited Project Manager, and a member of the Hong Kong
Society of Construction Law. In his spare time, Raymond contributes frequently to
industry-related journals and magazines.
352-(&7%< Teh Joo Heng Architects
352-(&7%< Studio Wills + Architects
 INSTITUTE NEWS

Education
Senior Architect-Student Mentorship Programme
AUGUST 2015 - JULY 2016

Since 1996, the Institute has introduced a Senior The purpose of the Mentorship Programme is to enable SIA
student-members to be assigned to a Senior Architect, as Mentor
Moreover, the Mentorship Programme will help the profession as
the students will be more prepared on the practice aspects when

Architect-Student Mentorship Programme yearly to one or more students for a period of a year. The students will be
able to seek advice from the Mentor from time to time.
they eventually graduate. It is SIA’s belief that the present genera-
tion must nurture the next generation of architects. Another benefit
for SIA student-members from the Department of In addition, the Mentor could provide the opportunity for the
of the Programme is to enable the students to build the relation-
ship with the firm at an early stage, which will help in their career
Architecture, NUS. The Mentorship Programme
students to gain the practical side of design, through site visits to
development.
acquaint them with the building process and construction

will run from August 2015 to July 2016 to coin- methods, as well as the pitfalls and likely problems, with a view for
them to understand the whole process of implementing a design.
bae@sia.org.sg
cide with NUS academic year.

‘Can Singapore Survive?’ ‘The Future for Ō5HŴHFWLRQVRQ0Hō

by Kishore Mahbubani
23 JULY 2015, Thursday
3.00pm - 4.30pm
YMCA International House
Tan Chin Tuan Room 1, Level 4
1 Orchard Road, Singapore 238824
PROF KISHORE MAHBUBANI
Dean
Professor in the Practice of Public Policy
/HH.XDQ<HZ6FKRRORI3XEOLF3ROLF\
National University of Singapore
Kishore Mahbubani has had the good fortune of enjoying a good career in
government and, at the same time, in writing extensively on public issues. He
was with the Singapore Foreign Service for 33 years (1971-2004). He served
as Singapore’s Ambassador to the UN and as President of the UN Security
Council in January 2001 and May 2002. He was Permanent Secretary at the
Foreign Ministry from 1993 to 1998. Currently, he is Dean of the Lee Kuan
Yew School of Public Policy, NUS.
He is the author of Can Asians Think?, Beyond The Age Of Innocence, The New
Asian Hemisphere, The Great Convergence (selected by Financial Times as
one of the best books of 2013), and most recently, Can Singapore Survive?
He was conferred the Public Administration Medal (Gold) by the Singapore
Government in 1998 and the Foreign Policy Association Medal in 2004. He
was listed as one of the top 100 public intellectuals in the world by Foreign
Policy and Prospect magazines in 2005. He was selected as one of Foreign
Policy’s Top Global Thinkers in 2010 and 2011. Most recently, he was selected
by Prospect magazine as one of the top 50 world thinkers for 2014.
Architecture’
SIA Gold Medal Lecture
with Datuk Seri
Lim Chong Keat
31 JULY 2015, Friday
7.00pm - 9.30pm
The URA Centre, Podium Block
Function Hall, Level 5
45 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069118
DATUK SERI LIM CHONG KEAT
DGPN, DSPN, BBM, APAM, FASc. .
B.A. Hons. Arch (Manchester), M.Arch (MIT),
LL.D. honoris causa (Manchester)
A philosophic overview of the changing context for Architecture as a significant
aspect of Culture within diverse civilisations. In tribute to Richard Buckminster
Fuller (1895-1983)
As world cultures face wide-ranging crises, the built environment and the socio-
economic fabric of societies will be affected, especially by crass commercialisa-
tion and wastage. The speaker will express views on the prospects for responsible
design and the need for new integrities, and local/global equations for the future
of divers communities that make up each "civilisation". He will relate his inspira-
tions from Buckminster Fuller, with references to Fuller's seminal works: "Manual
for Spaceship Earth", "Critical Path", "Utopia or Oblivion" & "Grunch of Giants".
Datuk Seri Lim Chong Keat has had personal contact with notable personalities,
including Walter Gropius, Frank Lloyd Wright, Charles Eames, Paul Rudolph, and
most significantly with Richard Buckminster Fuller, with whom he organised the
Campuan World Meetings and the currently ensuing Buckyworld Confluence.
He retired from active practice in 1995, and has served advisorily in education
and urban planning. He has served as Chairman of the Malaysian Forestry
Research & Development Board, FRIM (2001-2004), and has been dedicating
himself to botanical research, inter alia, and currently in the publishing of the
journal Folia Malaysiana, and with the Suriana Botanic Conservation Gardens in
Penang. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia.
Meritocracy & Equality
in Singapore
by Ho Kwon Ping
10 SEPTEMBER 2015, Thursday
3.00pm - 4.30pm
YMCA International House
Tan Chin Tuan Room 2, Level 4
1 Orchard Road, Singapore 238824
MR HO KWON PING
Executive Chairman
Banyan Tree Holdings
Ho Kwon Ping owns Banyan Tree Holdings, listed and private companies
engaged in the development, ownership and operation of hotels, resorts,
spas, residential homes, retail galleries and other lifestyle activities around
the world.
In 1994, after the success of rehabilitating an abandoned tin mine into
Laguna Phuket, Asia’s first integrated resort, he launched Banyan Tree
Hotels and Resorts. Banyan Tree has grown to more than 35 hotels and
resorts, over 70 spas and over 80 retail galleries, as well as three golf
courses. With a strong presence in China, Banyan Tree currently has over 20
projects under development.
In 2008, he was named CEO of the Year at the Singapore Corporate Awards.
As Chairman of Singapore Management University (SMU), Mr. Ho was
awarded the Singapore Government’s Meritorious Service Medal for his
contribution in the founding of SMU. In 2010, he became the first Asian to
receive the ACA (American Creativity Association) Lifetime Achievement
Award in recognition of his creativity and innovation in various spheres of
endeavour. In 2011, he was voted top Thinker in Singapore in the Yahoo!
Singapore 9 Awards, a testament to his business innovations and leadership
in civic causes. The year 2012 saw Mr. Ho awarded with CNBC's Travel
Business Leader Award Asia Pacific 2012, in addition to being named to the
board of Diageo.

11
 Education
SIA Practice Sharing Series
Security of Payment &
Adjudication : What have we
learnt in the last 10 years?
with Edwin Lee
Partner, Eldan Law LLP
4 SEPTEMBER 2015, Friday
9.30am - 12.00pm
From Prefabricated Bathroom A review of recent legal
units (PBU) to Prefabricated development affecting the impact
PreƓnished 9olumetric of the SIA Architect's status
Construction (PP9C)!
with Dr Philip Chan
with Richard Lai Associate Professor, NUS
Senior Principal Architect, ADDP
5 SEPTEMBER 2015, Saturday
Ramamoorthy 9.30am - 12.00pm

Rajendran
M2 Academy M2 Academy

Deputy Director, BCA

An appreciative Thank You goes out to
Andrew Lian everyone that generously shared and
Director, Alda Consultants
enthusiatically participated in this
4 SEPTEMBER 2015, Friday round of Practice Sharing. Look out for
2.00pm - 5.00pm
the next one in this regular series!
M2 Academy

SIA Design Talk Series

with Mark Wee
& Ernesto Bedmar
20 AUGUST 2015, Thursday
3.00pm - 5.00pm
YMCA International House
Tan Chin Tuan Room 2, Level 4
1 Orchard Road, Singapore 238824

Designing Experiences by Mark Wee An Experiential Visit:

Understanding that beautiful physical environments alone do not always equate
successful experiences, but great experiences are an empathetic and innovative NEA Incineration Plant
combination of how places, people and technology come together as a compelling
story. 28 AUGUST 2015, Friday
ONG&ONG EXPERIENCE DESIGN works with clients to establish its story and 2.30pm - 4.00pm
strategy for memorable experiences that emotionally engage its users and impacts Senoko Waste-To-Energy Plant
culture. Mark will share the studio’s design philosophy and approach through
various case studies.

Incineration plants are also known as waste-to-energy (WTE) plants. The heat from
the combustion process is used to generate superheated steam in boilers. The
My Latest Work: A Clubhouse steam is in turn used to drive turbogenerators to produce electricity.
by Ernesto Bedmar The Visitation to Senoko Waste-To-Energy Plant covered the following:

Session I
In his presentation, Ernesto Bedmar walked us through the steps taken from doing
Briefing and Video Show – Conference Room (25 mins)
private houses to this big clubhouse in Hong Kong and his reasons for accepting
Overview on solid waste incineration process of the plant
this commission.
Session II
Sight/Smell Tour (35 mins)
Visitors got to see and have close-up encounters at:

a) Refuse Crane Control Room - To view the feeding of refuse into the hopper

b) Central Control Room – Explore the nerve centre of the Plant to better under-
stand the control and monitoring of the equipment and processes in the plant

c) Conference Room - Return to the foyer outside Conference Room to view

photographs of the plant during its construction stage and followed by Q&A session
in the conference room.

12
 INSTITUTE NEWS

Institution
SIA-GETZ
Architecture Prize
26 AUGUST 2015, Wednesday

President Ong Tze Boon and Awards Chairman, Teo Yee Chin met up with Getz Bros President Ray Simkins and his team on August
26, 2015 to renew our memorandum of understanding to organise more editions of the SIA-Getz Architecture Prize.

The Prize was launched by the Singapore Institute of Architects and Getz Bros. & Co. (Singapore) in 2005. To date, the award
has drawn entries from over 10 countries within Asia including China, Japan, India, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam,
Pakistan, Taiwan and Philippines.

2006 LAUREATE: CHAN SOO KHIAN

2008 LAUREATE: HITOSHI ABE
2010 LAUREATE: WONG MUN SUMM & RICHARD HASSELL
2012 LAUREATE: JIMMY LIM
2014 LAUREATE: SONALI & MANIT RASTOGI

Purpose
The biennial SIA-Getz Architecture Prize for Emergent Architecture in Asia honours an architect who has significantly contributed
to the progress of architecture in Asia. In the last decade, Asia has seen an overwhelming rate of development, and this is begin-
ning to have an impact upon the history of architecture as well as its future. It is therefore timely to recognise and promote
emergent Asian architects and architecture, much as the Pritzker Prize has for the worldwide community of architects.
THE PRIZE AIMS TO:
 ‡,QFUHDVHUHFRJQLWLRQRIHPHUJHQW$VLDQDUFKLWHFWVDQGDUFKLWHFWXUH
 ‡,QFUHDVHSXEOLFLQYROYHPHQWDQGDSSUHFLDWLRQRI$VLDQDUFKLWHFWXUH
 ‡(QFRXUDJHIXWXUHJHQHUDWLRQVRI$VLDQDUFKLWHFWV
 ‡+RQRXUDOLYLQJDUFKLWHFWDQGWRUHFRJQLVHDFDUHHULQSURJUHVV

About Getz Bros.

*HW]%URV &R6LQJDSRUHLVDOHDGLQJDUFKLWHFWXUDOEXLOGLQJPDWHULDOVXSSOLHVDQGVHUYLFHVSURYLGHUDQGLVSDUWRI7KH*HW]*URXS
which is represented in 25 countries in the Asia Pacific region.

‘Help Nepal’ Fund

Raising Campaign
This past August, the Singapore Institute of Architects made a generous
contribution of SG$22,680,00 to the Nepal Earthquake Relief Effort.

The Institute through ARCASIA, worked with relief agencies Asia Disaster
Prepardness Centre (ADPC) to send major equipment such as mobile hospital
units, electrical and water supplies, mobile shelters and other relief units to
Nepal.

We thank all our members who contributed generously. If you would like to
contribute further, do issue your cheques payable to ‘Singapore Institute of
Architects’ and state ‘Help Nepal’ on the back of the cheque.

PAM Professional
<RXFDQDOVRFRQWDFWRXUVHFUHWDULDWIRUPRUHGHWDLOV

Practice Forum
‘Architect’s Fees Raised so far:
-The Singapore
Experience’ SG$22,680.00
12 AUGUST 2015, Wednesday

7KDQN<RX
12.45pm - 5.30pm
Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre
Plenary Theatre

to all who
At the Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival 2015, Theodore Chan - a
partner at CIAP Architects Pte Ltd and Immediate Past President of contributed
so generously
Singapore Institute of Architects - shared his candid perspective of how the
fee structure for architects in Singapore has evolved over the past 30 years,
making observations of how the global anti-competitions movement has and
will affect the profession and its future.

He also offered insights and suggestions of required changes of the

profession if it is to survive the challenges of the future of evermore
demanding clients and competitive scenarios.

13
 Institution
SIA Annual Golf Tournament
18 SEPTEMBER 2015, Friday The SIA Annual Golf TournamentKDVKDGRYHUZKHOPLQJUHVSRQVHDJDLQWKLV\HDUIURPPHPEHUVDVZHOODVIULHQGV7KDQN<
TournamentKDVKDGRYHUZKHOPLQJUHVSRQVHDJDLQWKLV\HDUIURPPHPEHUVDVZHOODVIULHQGV7KDQN<RXDOOIRU\RXUZRQGHUIXO
Tanah Merah Country Club,
Club Garden Course support all these years since the inaugural tournament in 1995.
1995 We look forward to welcoming you again next year on the gre
green!

The 3rd SIA Design Awards Dinner 2015 Winner’s List

1 OCTOBER 2015, Thursday

A brief recap of the Awards Winners at the 3rd SIA Design Awards
Presentation Ceremony which honoured excellence in architecture and
the built environment.

Winners in the 15th SIA Architectural Design Awards category were:

BUILDING OF THE YEAR
Victoria Theatre And Victoria Concert Hall, W Architects Pte Ltd

BEST PROJECT CONSTRUCTED UNDER $2 MILLION

 '(&.$Q$UW6SDFH)RU3HRSOH 3KRWRJUDSK\ LAUD Architects Pte Ltd

For RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

DESIGN AWARD
- House With Bridges, RT+Q Architects Pte Ltd
- SkyTerrace @ Dawson, SCDA Architects Pte Ltd
HONOURABLE MENTION
- Ardmore Three, Architects 61 Pte Ltd
- The Greja House, Park + Associates Pte Ltd
- Gallop House, Formwerkz Architects

For INSTITUTIONAL PROJECTS

DESIGN AWARD
- Victoria Theatre And Victoria Concert Hall, W Architects Pte Ltd
- National Gallery Singapore, studioMilou Singapore Pte Ltd
in collaboration with CPG Consultants Pte Ltd
- Al Islah Mosque, Formwerkz Architects
HONOURABLE MENTION
- Indian Heritage Centre, Singapore, Robert Greg Shand Architects
in collaboration with Urbnarc Pte Ltd

For SPECIAL CATEGORIES

DESIGN AWARD
- Victoria Theatre And Victoria Concert Hall, W Architects Pte Ltd
HONOURABLE MENTION
- House At Neil Road, ONG&ONG Pte Ltd
- '(&.$Q$UW6SDFH)RU3HRSOH 3KRWRJUDSK\ LAUD Architects Pte Ltd
- National Gallery Singapore, studioMilou Singapore Pte Ltd
in collaboration with CPG Consultants Pte Ltd

For INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE PROJECTS

HONOURABLE MENTION
- riceLAB, studiogoto

Winners in the 3rd SIA-RIGEL Bathroom Design Awards category were:

For COMPLETED PROJECTS
DESIGN AWARD
- House with Bridges, RT+Q Architects Pte Ltd
HONOURABLE MENTION
- 41 Swiss View, GENOME Architects
- CHIJMES, Multiply Architects LLP

For HYPOTHETICAL PROJECTS (by student)

HONOURABLE MENTION
- Hugging Landscape Amenity Station, Mr Riberd (Department of
Architecture, National University of Singapore)

Congratulations again go out to all the winners!

14
 3URƓOH
TAY KHENG SOON:

This video is essential viewing

on the subject of new planning
and new architecture for a
sustainable and humanised
future for the development of
habitats for humanity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urpc7UFTifk

National Day Awards 2015

Liu Thai Ker Ashvinkumar s/o Kantilal
Chairman Member
Centre for Liveable Cities Advisory Board Indian Heritage Centre, Steering Committee

The Distinguished Service Order The Public Service Medal

(Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang) (Pingat Bakti Masyarakat)

2015 Urban Habitat Singapore Architect

Award Winner: Shortlist for WAF
WOHA Architects World Building Of The Year 2015
JULY 2015 NOVEMBER 2015

This July, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
(CTBUH) released the names of the Urban Habitat Award winner
and finalists, the next in a series of announcements for the CTBUH
Awards. The 2015 winner of the CTBUH Urban Habitat Award is the
PARKROYAL on Pickering in Singapore, remarkable for its extensive
greenery throughout, and its porous, pedestrian-oriented
integration with the ground plane.
Acknowledging that the impact of a tall building is far wider than
just the building itself, the Council launched the Urban Habitat
Award in 2014, as part of the overall CTBUH Awards program, to
recognize tall buildings’ improvements to the urban realm as a
whole. This year’s Urban Habitat winners and finalists were chosen
for their exemplary designs that are intelligently influenced by both
their environmental and cultural context, and which add to the
social sustainability of both their immediate and wider settings.
Congratulations to WOHA Architects are in order.
A great achievement!
http://awards.ctbuh.org/media/ctbuh-announces-2015-urban-habitat-award-winner/
This November, Singapore’s architecture and design practices
hope to mark the year with a double celebration as they vie for the
coveted title of World Building Of The Year 2015 at the World
Architecture Festival.
Festival organisers have announced a staggering 20 Singaporean
projects shortlisted for the award in this, our 50th anniversary year
of nationhood. The nominations are a true testament to our rapid
growth and architectural progression.
Singaporean finalists Multiply Architects and Loud Architects will
be competing against each other and the likes of Norman Foster,
Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas, Heatherwick Studios and Herzog &
de Meuron.
They will be judged by a stellar cast of over 70 industry
practitioners, incljding Maria Warner Wong and Wong Chiu Man
from WOW Architects, Richard Hassell and Wong Mun Summ of
WOHA, Khoo Peng Beng of Arc Studios and Rene Tan of RT&Q.
The 8th Annual World Architecture Festival shortlist consists of 338
global projects across 31 categories. This year’s festuval is a must
attend event for Singaporean architects and designers who want to
support their colleagues and celebrate Singaporean architecture.

www.worldarchitecturefestival.com

15
 In The News
Celebrating 50 Years of Architectural Practice
SAA Architects Architectural education requires extensive exploration and exposure through travelling
trave to enhance
28 AUGUST 2015, Friday creative thinking. It also requires a lot of craft supplies to experiment and develop creative ideas
thoroughly, thus the outreach of SAA to underprivileged students aims to ensure that these students
would not be disadvantaged in pursuing a creative architectural education.
SAA Architects (SAA) celebrated its 50th Anniversary recently with the launch of
their book titled “Urbanistic, Humanistic, Optimistic” on 28 August 2015. The
celebration was graced by the presence of Guest-of-Honour, Mrs Christina Chia
(SAA’s late founder’s wife), Dr Wong Yunn Chii (Head of Architecture, NUS), past
partners, SAA regional offices’ group leaders, clients, consultants and friends.

True to the company’s philosophy of “Building Dreams, Enriching Lives”, SAA also
launched a $500,000 EnReach Study grant with the National University of
Singapore (NUS) as part of their 50th anniversary celebration. The SAA-NUS
EnReach Study grant provides financial assistance to underprivileged students in
WKHLU<HDUDQGDUFKLWHFWXUDOVWXGLHVDQGFRPSULVHVEXUVDULHVZRUWK6
each to be awarded to four students from the NUS School of Design and
Environment (SDE) annually. This gesture is part of their effort to give back to
society by supporting the education of our local architecture students.

SAA Managing Director Mr Yeo Siew Haip draws upon his personal experience of
receiving and benefitting from such gifts through the course of his student life.
“Architectural education requires extensive exploration and exposure through
travelling to enhance creative thinking. It also requires a lot of craft supplies to
H[SHULPHQWDQGGHYHORSFUHDWLYHLGHDVWKRURXJKO\µVDLG0U<HR´7KHRXWUHDFKRI
SAA to these underprivileged students aims to ensure that these students would
not be disadvantaged in pursuing a creative architectural education.”

BCA-SGBC Green Building

Individual Awards
@ Singapore Green Building Week
2 SEPTEMBER 2015, Wednesday

Young Green Architect Green Architect Lifetime Green Building Individual

of the Year Achievement Award Commendation Award
Tan Szue Hann Dr Kenneth Yeang Wu Tzu Chiang

Tan Szue Hann

Deputy Head
(Sustainable Urban Solutions)
 3ULQFLSDO$UFKLWHFW Dr Kenneth Yeang King Mun Wu Tzu Chiang
Surbana Jurong Pte Ltd Principal Director
75+DP]DK <HDQJ6GQ%KG DP Architects Pte Ltd
SIA Council Member,
Chairperson, Institution Thrust SIA Fellow (Life) Past SIA Council Member

As an architect, Tan Szue Hann took a keen interest in
environmentally sustainable design, urban design and integrated
engineering systems. This led him to join the Sustainable Urban
Solutions Studio, JURONG Consultants (now part of Surbana
Jurong Pte Ltd), in January 2013. In the same year, he was
certified as BCA Green Mark Manager.
With Surbana Jurong, Szue Hann is currently leading several
projects in Singapore and the region, including a state-of-the-art
test laboratory for building technologies on the roof of the BCA
Academy, targeting Green Mark Platinum. This laboratory is the
world’s first high-rise rotatable laboratory for the tropics, and
features a ‘plug-and-play’ interface for new sustainable technologies
in facades, air conditioning and lighting. He is also leading the
designs for an IT campus at SunTec Technocity, Trivandrum, India
(targeting the Green Mark Platinum (International) Award), and two
‘hospital resort’ projects, also in India.
An architect and ecologist by training, Dr Yeang integrates concepts
and ideas from both of these fields in his work. Regarded as a
pioneer of the green building movement and ecologically-mindful
construction back in 1974, his contribution to this field includes
developing a model for ecodesign and ecomasterplanning, based on
the idea of 'ecomimicry' and on designing to achieve a seamless and
benign biointegration of our built environment with nature. His work
adopts bioclimatic principles as low-energy buildings with minimal
dependency on non-renewable energy. He has designed and
delivered numerous passive-mode bioclimatic and ecological
buildings worldwide.
His work is climate-responsive coupled with the integration,
restoration, and rehabilitation of both the natural and built
environment. He has designed and delivered more than 200
projects, including several award winning buildings. His key built
work include the Roof-Roof House (Malaysia), Menara Mesiniaga
(Malaysia), National Library Singapore (Singapore), DiGi Data Centre
(Malaysia), Solaris (Singapore), and Spire Edge Tower (India).
Many projects directed by Wu Tzu Chiang have received the BCA
Green Mark Platinum Award, such as 7KRPVRQ, CDL Green
Gallery @ SBG Heritage Museum, H2O Residences, and Nanyang
Polytechnic. In 7KRPVRQ, the design and orientation of the
units were delicately prescribed after conducting Computational
Fluid Dynamics (CFD) studies to strike a balance between
capturing the prevailing wind while maintaining an unobstructed
view of the scenic surrounding. Building features like balconies and
bay windows were utilised to provide effective sun shading for the
residential units and to give architects much liberty in the use of
glass that allows in more natural light which is essential for
residential development.

16
 FEATURES

In The News

Singapore Botanical Gardens

is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Singapore Botanic The Gardens is the first and only tropical botanic garden on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. It is the first in Asia and
the third botanic gardens inscribed in the world following Orto Botanico di Padova and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Gardens (the Gardens) The inscription bid process started in 2010 following a feasibility study commissioned by the then-Ministry of Informa-
tion, Communications and the Arts, in consultation with experts, academics and other stakeholders, like the Singapore

has been inscribed as a Heritage Society. The study then showed that there was a case for the Botanic Gardens to be put up as cultural site
based on the UNESCO criteria, and there was broad consensus to proceed with the bid.

UNESCO World Heritage In January 2014, Singapore formally submitted the official Nomination Dossier for the bid, following an extensive

Site at the 39th session of

four-month long public consultation process.

On 15 May, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) released a recommendation for the Gardens to

the World Heritage be inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its evaluation guided the discussion of Singapore’s bid at the 39th session
of the World Heritage Committee (WHC).

Committee (WHC) in
Bonn, Germany. www.sbg.org.sg/unesco/

SPUR: 50 Years
of Nation Building
9 OCTOBER 2015, Friday

THE STRAITS TIMES

17
 In The News
The 3rd SIA Design Awards Dinner 2015
10 OCTOBER 2015, Saturday

THE STRAITS TIMES

18
 FEATURES

In The News
The 9th Edition of ARCHIFEST 2015
19 SEPTEMBER 2015, Saturday

THE STRAITS TIMES

ACPECC/AAC RIBA Visitation NUS-TAS

Roundtable hosted by Buzztalk
28 SEPTEMBER 2015, Monday
SIA+BOC 28 SEPTEMBER 2015, Monday

The Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) and Board of Architects, 28-30 SEPTEMBER 2015 SIA President, Ong Tze Boon shared an enlightening session on the architecture
Singapore (BOA) were proud to host our ASEAN counterparts for the joint industry at the Department of Architecture @NUS recently. Attendees were in
Asean Chartered Professional Engineers Coordinating Committee and equal parts well-informed and entertained by his illuminating Buzztalk!
Asean Architect Council Roundtable.
The Royal British Institute of Architects (RIBA) visitation and dinner were
Taking place at 6XQWHF&LW\&RQYHQWLRQ ([KLELWLRQ&HQWUH, the delegates
graciously hosted by SIA and BOA (Board of Architects, Singapore) recently.
and Singaporean participants spent a fruitful session discussing regional
With 4 visitation board members from the RIBA team, a local representative,
developments and ambitions. The delegates were introduced to
an external examiner from Hong Kong and 8 representatives from the
SIngapore’s development in Sustainable Waterfront Living, including a
Department of Architecture attending the dinner, rest assured that our guests
guided tour of Punggol New Town.
were well taken care of!
The delegates enthusiasm in visiting our waterfront townships was not
dampened by the unfortunate hazy and rainy conditions on that day in
Punggol. The day’s activities were warmly concluded with a dinner hosted
by the BAO and IES.

19
 Condolences
SIA PAST PRESIDENT

Chia Kok Leong

1944 - 2015
One of Chia Kok Leong’s biggest concerns when he was President
was that up until that point in the SIA’s history, Singaporean
architects had tended to be too inward looking, and he saw his role
as one of setting the groundwork so that Singaporean architects
could expand into the region and beyond. It was a time when China
was on the verge of becoming a huge market, and other places
such as Vietnam were not far behind. He saw Singaporean
architects as having an important role to play, but an international Singapore Institute of Architects
presence and credibility had to be established. In order to achieve 79 Neil Road
these goals Chia recognised the need for strong overseas connec-
tions and forging links with international organisations. Singapore 088904
One of his first priorities, then, was laying the groundwork that
would bring the UIA Congress to Singapore. Recognising that
T : 65 6226 2668
Singapore could not host the Congress alone, Chia worked with F : 65 6226 2663
Chinese counterparts to bid for the Congress to be held jointly in
Singapore and China. They lost the bid by one vote, but the
e : info@sia.org.sg
credibility of Singapore and the commitment of its profession was
now recognised, and in 1993 Singapore was able to host the UIA Look out for sia.org.sg

our next issue.

International Seminar in Singapore, and in 1999 China, with the
support of Singapore hosted the Congress, with the Council
Meeting being held in Singapore.
Excellence in Architecture
As President, Chia welcomed the entry of foreign architects into and the Built Environment
Singapore, something that others in the organisation didn’t always
agree on. However, he believed that foreign architects partnering
Out in the
1st Quarter
with local firms could only be to Singapore’s advantage, pulling us
into the international arena. His argument was that if Singaporean
architects wanted to go into China and elsewhere to practice, they
All content is © 2015 by the

of 2016.
would need to be more open to foreign architects working in
Singapore.
Singapore Institute of Architects.
We offer our deepest condolences to his family and friends while
marking the passing of this true luminary in the firmament of Reproduction without prior
Singapore architects.

20 consent is not allowed.