When it comes to the impact of architecture on health, it is clear that badly designed spaces—such as structures prone to weather damage; spaces with stagnant air circulation; poorly lit corners; or hot and stuffy rooms—have a negative impact on well-being. It has long been observed that building-related illnesses (BRIs), most often occurring in workplaces […]
Read More… from Healthy Homes: The Importance of ‘Blank Spaces’
A HOUSE THAT ‘FLOATS’ ABOVE FLOODING In the suburban setting of Thu Duc in Ho Chi Minh City, this curiously skeletal house was tailor-made for a young Vietnamese couple. The architect had to address a looming threat: flooding from the nearby river during the rainy season. Other buildings in the neighbourhood have had their ground […]
SHARING A ‘BLANK SPACE’ While the context of a private residence could be highly customised to the inhabitants’ lifestyle and needs, communal housing could not be as specific—it needs to strike a balance between having standardised services and functions while also offering variety for a diverse user base. This was what the architects aimed to […]
The residential developments of Queens Hill Estate (comprising seven public rental housing blocks) and the adjacent Shan Lai Court (comprising six subsidised sale flats blocks) are situated in the rural area of Hong Kong, at Queen’s Hill, Fanling in the New Territories. The site used to be part of an abandoned military camp before the […]
Read More… from Public Housing Developments at Queen’s Hill, Fanling
It has been reported that the birth rate in Japan is the lowest it has ever recorded, continuing a steadily decreasing trend over at least two decades. This is a confluence of many factors—decreasing marriages, increasing social security costs and delayed post-pandemic economic recovery are amongst them. Data from 2021 indicates that there are under […]
Read More… from Meeting Societal Needs: Kitakami Health & Childcare Support Complex
Awarded the Best Civic Building Architecture Design 2023 title at the 2023 Asia Architecture Design Awards (AADA) held in August 2023, Buon Ma Thuot University Hospital has contributed much to the local community in terms of health and medical care since it opened. COMMUNITY & SOCIAL IMPACTS The architects shared that the project has facilitated […]
For the past year in 2023, I have been a regular at City Sprouts, a community farm in the heart of Singapore. Every Thursday at 9am, I along with five other volunteers am guided by our dedicated volunteer coordinator on a three-hour journey through the farm. The tasks vary each week, depending on the farm’s […]
Due to the tropical climate in Indonesia, the weather in various major cities is generally warm year-round with equally abundant rain and sunlight. As a rule of thumb, architects can design open-air areas inside buildings and bring in natural daylight to achieve healthier spaces, but must protect their buildings and users against rainstorms or other […]
Read More… from FuturArc Exchange and Exhibitions (FEX) | 1Q 2024
