Louvres are a time-honoured element of architecture in the tropics, performing several functions related to light and optics. They filter out sun glare while allowing in natural daylight to reduce a space’s cooling load, and could allow cross-ventilation through the breathable gaps. Depending on their angle, louvres can also shield the interior against outside eyes. […]
City life is often described as stressful. Cities are associated with 39 per cent higher risk of depression, 21 per cent more anxiety and other negative effects from sensory overload and low social cohesion.1 In the bustling, fast-moving city-state of Singapore, almost ten per cent of its its 5.6 million population met the criteria for […]
Read More… from The Nest: Supporting neighbourhood spaces with mental healthcare tech
What if bees and leeches could help manage diabetes? This was an unusual proposition that certainly grabs one’s attention. The bigger question is how does this relate to architecture, or more directly, healthcare-related architecture? The students behind this ambitious project researched on several aspects of alternative therapies—some of which involved insects—and posited a future hub […]
Read More… from Diabetic Care Hub: A futuristic idea of using nature to heal & manage diabetes
Among the challenges faced by Singapore’s architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry are its limited land and shortage of manpower. To optimise resources—as well as to reach carbon targets—there is a need to expedite construction times, streamline the work, reduce waste and minimise construction-related disruption in the city. A solution is to adopt the Design […]
Read More… from Avenue South Residence: World’s tallest PPVC residential building
There is a quote by Singapore’s founding father, Lee Kuan Yew: “Housing was and is a most important public policy, one with profound influence on the lives of our people.” After nearly a century of successfully providing public housing for over 80 per cent of the population, the Singapore Government’s next stage of policy is […]
AirMesh, designed by Carlos Bañón, FuturArc Prize 2022 juror, is an award-winning pavilion which serves as both a gathering space and a light sculpture made out of stainless-steel 3D-printed components. The design follows Eurocode regulations and is the first 3D-printed structure that has been approved by the Singapore Building Construction Authority (BCA) for occupation as […]
Read More… from FAP 2022 Juror Project Highlight: Carlos Bañón’s award-winning AirMesh
Many cities in Asia have a number of colonial-era buildings that remain standing till today. Often, these buildings were conceived as public institution, built with good ‘bones’ to support their lives for decades—if not centuries—to come. Yet, many of these buildings have stood empty and unused. This could be due to their functions falling out […]
Read More… from Creative reinterpretations of historic colonial-era buildings
In line with our ongoing student competition FuturArc Prize (FAP) 2022: Reinterpretation, we are highlighting projects that follow the theme. Click here to learn more about the brief and to submit your entries for FAP! While she might not seem like it, but this modest-looking building has been around since the 1870s, and has taken […]
Read More… from An oldie but goodie: A 140-year-old convent with multiple lives
Educational institutions are usually constructed to last many years—campus buildings that have served multiple generations are oftentimes seen as proof of both the architecture and the institution’s quality. However, it is inevitable that the programmatic needs, design considerations as well as performance targets would evolve over time. In order to meet demands of the modern […]
Read More… from UWCSEA Dover Campus: Retrofitting for the future
As targets are being put in place to green 80 per cent of Singapore’s GFA by 2030 and to achieve 80 per cent of new developments to be SLEB, buildings are driven towards achieving this goal. There are a handful of buildings that have managed to achieve zero energy, such as the National University of […]
For the Singapore Pavilion in Expo 2020 Dubai, which is set to be held from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, architect WOHA alongside landscape architect Salad Dressing has created a lush garden that surrounds and suffuses a three-storey building. The Pavilion is designed to have a light environmental impact and a self-sufficient ecosystem […]
Read More… from Not a Mirage: Singapore’s Net-Zero Tropical Microclimate Thrives in the Desert
The solar photovoltaic (PV) farm is one of the world’s largest inland floating solar PV systems. The commencement of its operations marks a significant step towards enduring energy sustainability in water treatment, making Singapore one of the few countries in the world to have a 100 per cent Green waterworks system while contributing to the […]
