High-Tech Exchange

Architects and manufacturers discuss new technologies at BCI Interchange sessions

BCI Asia held three Interchange sessions in as many weeks in Singapore to encourage continual learning about materials science and building products. Ideas and feedback on building technologies were exchanged with executives of building-product companies.

Technologies from Hitchins, Hansgrohe and SCHOTT were reviewed and discussed with more than 100 architects and designers from P & T Consultants Pte. Ltd., RSP Architects Planners and Engineers (Pte.) Ltd. and DCA Architects Pte. Ltd. The sessions were held in informal settings within the architecture firms' offices, where architects, engineers and designers could come and go freely according to their own schedules.

The first Interchange session was held in the office of RSP with RSP staff interacting with manufacturers' executives. RSP is among the BCI Asia Top 10 2006 architecture firms in Singapore. It recently designed the ITE College East, LaSalle-SIA College of the Arts, Seaview Condominium, the NTU One-North Campus & Alumni Clubhouse and St Regis Hotel & Residences (in collaboration with WATG) for the Singapore market.

Diana Toh, RSP's assistant manager, said, "The session has provided RSP's staff updates and information on the new products and technologies of Hansgrohe, Hitchins and SCHOTT. I have filed a set of those catalogues with my library for the architects/engineers/designers' references."

The second Interchange session was held at P & T Consultants, also a Top 10 firm, on 30 June. Its recent projects include One North Condominium at Central Exchange in Singapore, BIDV Tower in Vietnam, Raffles City and Ningbo Ning Dong in China, Damansara City in Malaysia and Mulund Towers in India.

P & T Consultants Director Richard Soon said, "The session was informative and generally well received."

The third Interchange was held on 4 July at the office of another Top 10 architecture firm, DCA Architects. For sites in Singapore, the firm's recent projects include Quinterra, Sembawang Shopping Centre, Caribbean at Keppel Bay, The Business Financial Centre at Marina Bay, Plot 1 Waterfront Development at Keppel Bay, Harbourfront Place and The Imperial.

DCA Architects Managing Director Vincent Koo said he appreciated the time and effort put into organizing the Interchange session. He also welcomed BCI Asia's "continuous support to promote the architectural and building industries." Interchange sessions are being scheduled with other architectural firms in Singapore and other parts of Asia.

In Beijing, BCI Asia held two Interchange sessions—one in July, the second in August. Schindler, SCHOTT, Arkema, Centria and Solvay Solexis met with architects from the China Architecture Design and Research Group and from Tongji Architectural Design and Research Institute. Other Interchange sessions are being scheduled with other architectural firms in Singapore and other parts of Asia.