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Two From DP Architects Make List of 20 Promising Singaporean Architects

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Mr Seah Chee Huang and Mr Ng San Son from DP Architects have been selected by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) to showcase their portfolio of works as part of the “URA 20 under 45” initiative. Both Mr Seah and Mr Ng joined DP Architects in 2003 and are actively involved in the design and planning of notable projects in Singapore. They have been recognised for the community-centric and socially conscious quality in their work.

Mr Seah, a director at DPA, has completed several inclusive community projects, among them Singapore Sports Hub; Our Tampines Hub; Project Bus Stop, an experiment that re-imagines bus stops as meaningful social nodes; and Goodlife! Makan, a seniors’ activity centre with a communal kitchen that engages stay-at-home elderly.

On this award, Mr Seah said, “I am deeply humbled and honoured to be recognised alongside my peers who are working on outstanding works in their respective practices. It is an exciting and challenging time for architects in this age of digital disruption, rapid urbanisation and increasing environmental changes – I hope that as part of the new energies of our fraternity, we will collectively drive Singapore architecture to new levels of design rigor and professionalism, to better lives of local and global communities.”

Mr Ng was the design architect of myVillage at Serangoon, Civil Service Club at Changi and River Safari. He is currently leading the revitalisation of recreational and community destination, Downtown East. He is also the principal designer for local healthcare project, Ang Mo Kio Nursing Home.

Mr Ng considers it “a privilege to be recognised as one of 20 leading architects in Singapore under the age of 45. I am grateful to all my mentors and collaborators, who have encouraged me to push myself in my work and given me the opportunities to make my small contribution to the community and the built environment. It is important to remain cognizant of our commitment to the profession and industry as we press on in our architectural journey.”

In the second edition of this initiative in 2010, DPA’s Ms Angelene Chan and Mr Tan Chee Kiang were among the 20 selected architects. Today, Ms Chan is the CEO of DP Architects and its group of companies, and Mr Tan, one of its directors.

Global Architectural Thought Leaders Convene at DP50 Design Future Conference in Singapore

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Image courtesy of DP Architects

The DP50 Design Future Conference, held on 10 October, 2017, marked the third high point in DP Architects’ (DPA) year-long, 50th anniversary celebrations. More than 1,400 attendees comprising students, industry experts and practitioners of the architectural community from around the world convened at the MES Theatre on MediaCorp Campus for the conference.

The conference was categorised into three primary themes – Future Cities, Future Architecture and Future Design – and was graced by two keynote speakers: renowned architect and Pritzer Prize winner, Mr Fumihiko Maki and  diplomat Professor Chan Heng Chee.

Taking to the podium first, Mr Maki spoke on the topic of “Future Architecture”. His presentation, aptly titled Humanism of Empathy not only gave insight into his design thoughts and philosophy. Through clear examples of signature projects from his portfolio of works, he challenged the architects of today to re-examine the relationship between architecture, time and space in order to create spaces that delight. Professor Chan seconded this. Speaking on “Future Cities”, she made a clear call for the creation of more “sacred places” within the city’s fabric in her presentation on Asia’s Future Cities: Sustainable, Liveable, Loveable.

The conference also saw special guest appearances and presentations by Mr Keith Brewis, a partner at Grimshaw Architects and Ms Chan Hui Min, a director at DPA. Both explored the theme of “Future Design” with Mr Brewis speaking on Our Relationship with Mobility and Ms Chan sharing insights on Tech and the City. Each provided unique perspectives on how emerging technology-enabled trends are influencing user-space relationships and changing the way architects design.

Image courtesy of DP Architects

The event culminated in a panel discussion on the future of the built environment facilitated by Professor Erwin Viray, Head of Pillar of Architecture and Sustainable Design at Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).

Mr Seah Chee Huang, Director at DP Architects, concluded the event with the announcement of the winners of DP’s inaugural Inspire Awards. An annual awards programme, it aims to drive design excellence and innovation within the practice.

CapitaLand Purchases Asia Square Tower 2 for S$2.09 billion

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Singapore real estate company, CapitaLand Commercial Trust, has agreed to buy Asia Square Tower 2, part of a world-class commercial development in Singapore’s Marina Bay business and financial district. Real estate consultancy JLL advised on the transaction on behalf of the seller, BlackRock Asia Property Fund III. The sale represents the largest office transaction in both Singapore and the Asia Pacific region in 2017 and is the second largest office transaction globally this year.

“The sale of Asia Square Tower 2 continues the trend of buyers being attracted to mega deals in Asia. The sales process generated strong interest from major global investors and sends a clear message about the continued recovery of the Singapore office market,” says Stuart Crow, Head of Asia Pacific Capital Markets, JLL.

According to Greg Hyland, Head of Capital Markets, Singapore, JLL: “The Singapore office market is really starting to gain pace and this deal is likely to spur further interest, both domestically and internationally. Investors will be aware that we are at a point in the cycle where there is still the opportunity to get good value, but we expect prices to pick up in the coming quarters as supply starts to taper down between now and the end of 2019.”

The 46-storey Tower 2 has a net lettable area of 778,719 square feet. Asia Square Tower 1 was sold in June 2016 to sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority for S$3.4 billion (US$2.45 billion). The entire Asia Square asset, which comprises Tower 1, Tower 2 and the Westin Singapore, achieved a combined sale price of S$5.8 billion (US$4.3 billion). The three elements were sold in 2016, 2017 and 2014 respectively.

JLL has been the leasing agent and property manager of Asia Square since it opened in 2011. Tenants of Tower 2 include major financial institutions such as Allianz, Mizuho, Mitsui, National Australia Bank and Westpac.

7th Singapore Construction Productivity Week Focuses On Innovation And Building For The Future

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The Singapore Construction Productivity Week (SCPW) will return for its seventh year running, with the theme “Embracing Innovation, Building Our Future”. Organised by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) with strategic partner Sphere Exhibits Pte Ltd, the SCPW will be held at the Singapore Expo Max Atria and Hall 3 from 24 to 26 October, 2017.

This year’s theme reflects the critical role that technology plays in paving the future of construction in Singapore. There is huge potential for the built environment sector to improve its productivity and resource efficiency, streamline project management and processes, and enhance construction quality and safety through innovation.

SCPW 2017 will focus on two key areas – through the adoption of Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA), and Integrated Digital Delivery (IDD).

Mr Hugh Lim, Chief Executive Officer of the BCA, said: “We have seen technology disruption occurring across many sectors in recent times. Some might view it as a threat but for our sector, it presents opportunities for firms to build up their competitive edge and attract more Singaporeans to join their workforce.

SCPW brings together various stakeholders including technology solution providers, industry experts, as well as public sector agencies to help provide a platform for firms to learn more about the support and resources available for business growth and innovation. This will help firms to start embarking on their transformation journey.”

Highlights of this year’s SCPW include anchor events such as BuildTech Asia, the Build Smart Conference, an experiential workshop with site visits to projects adopting game- changing technologies as well as student competitions. There are also new line-ups this year, including:

  • ProTech Demonstration, where industry players can learn about the latest Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) technologies in the market and witness a live demonstration of construction building services with prefabricated MEP modules.
  • A showcase of productive and high quality architectural finishes as well as industry sharing on best practices and experiences in producing top quality construction work with the use of Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) at the inaugural Achieving High Quality PPVC Projects workshop.
  • The Regional Perspective to DfMA Construction workshop, which provides a platform for Singapore firms and international delegates to learn about the latest developments of DfMA technologies in the region. It also serves as a networking platform for firms to make new connections and explore overseas business opportunities.

Reinventing Smart Building and Construction through Technology
According to BMI Research, Asia is expected to remain as the largest and one of the fastest growing construction markets in the world over the coming years due to Government-led infrastructure development initiatives in China, India and emerging markets in Southeast Asia. With a current pipeline of construction projects worth more than US$3.6 trillion in Asia, there is a significant market for construction technologies and solutions.

Echoing this, the 7th edition of BuildTech Asia is held in conjunction with the Singapore Construction Productivity Week, in Singapore Expo Hall 3. Organised by Sphere Exhibits Pte Ltd and hosted by the BCA, the trade platform will feature smart building and construction solutions to help industry practitioners achieve greater efficiencies and contribute to the development of smarter cities.

BuildTech Asia 2017 will showcase the latest in SMART construction and productive technologies to address the challenges of building and construction across different vertical industries aside from the staple exhibits in construction machinery and equipment, building materials and architectural solutions, and quality finishes. The international building technology trade show is expected to attract the biggest gathering since its inception, with about 120 exhibiting companies and more than 8,000 trade visitors from over 30 countries across Asia Pacific and Europe.

Visit www.scpw.sg and www.buildtechasia.com for more information.

C&W Services Singapore Wins Big at Singapore Facility Management Awards 2017

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C&W Services Singapore was named Best Facility Management (FM) Service Provider of the Year for the second year running at the recent Singapore Facility Management (FM) Awards 2017. It also scooped the Singapore FM Service Provider Award for Innovation Excellence.

The awards ceremony was held on October 4, 2017 in conjunction with the fifth International Facility Management Expo 2017 and the fourth International Facility Management Conference 2017. The event was co-organised by the Singapore Chapter of the International Facility Management Association and Conference & Exhibition Management Services.

The Best FM Service Provider of the Year award is considered the highest industry accolade in Singapore. C&W Services Singapore was awarded the prize for the successful introduction of a food waste digester system. This has enhanced site-recycling efforts and reduced long-term waste disposal costs, in line with the Singapore government’s drive for a smarter, more sustainable nation.

The Innovation Excellence award was awarded for the successful implementation of mobile cameras with two-way voice communication accessible via a cell phone, as well as drones that provide a bird’s eye view of the estate that we manage. This system addresses illegal dumping, encroachment and parking issues commonly faced by our tenants. The implementation of these solutions has helped to improve the estate environment and image. Since the implementation, there has been a reduction in the number illegal dumping cases within the estate.

“Winning these two coveted awards is attributed to our innovative solutions that address our customers’ complex challenges while delivering excellent services. It’s an honour to be recognised as the industry leader in facility management services and I am very proud of our teams that serve our customers,” said Jun Sochi, Managing Director, C&W Services Singapore.

 The Singapore FM Awards recognise those who have made significant contributions to the knowledge, practical application and sustainable performance of Singapore’s FM industry. The awards promote industry excellence, encourage innovation and recognise the professionalism of facility managers among their industry peers as well as in the building and real estate sectors.

Masterplan for Jurong Lake District Singapore Unveiled

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The Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) recently unveiled the masterplan for Jurong Lake District , the city’s future second Central Business District.

KCAP Architects&Planners leads a multi-disciplinary team consisting of SAA Architects, Arup, S333 and Lekker, and is responsible for many of the key ideas  in the plan.

A Distinctive Identity
The ambition is to develop the area into a new mixed-use business area built around the future Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail terminus. This will further anchor Jurong Lake District as Singapore’s second Central Business District. Qualities of the plan are its high- density mixed-use programme, which incorporates new waterways and a series of stacked horizontal landscape datum and connections that weave through the entire district. This helps create a distinctive identity for Singapore and its vision as a “City in the Garden”.

A Dialogue Between High-Density Urban Sustainability and Heritage
The high-density urban typology maximises vertical urban greenery within a vertical city next to the beautiful Jurong Lake Gardens and creates a streetscape network for active mobility, walkability and interactive public spaces.

The integrated, sustainable urban systems maximise the streetscape by proposing to place all major transport and engineering below the city, which creates layers of optimised infrastructure and a car-lite district. Existing heritage buildings, landscapes and ecosystems are respected and repurposed in the new development.

With its strategic location, open environment and live-work-play programming, the area will become a new gateway to Singapore and can also be the new hub for a emerging science and innovation corridor in West Singapore.

A dedicated website for the project has been launched at www.jld.sg and a flythrough video of Singapore’s next CBD can be found here.

Surbana Jurong Unveils Sustainable Vertical Farming Concept Within Urban Environment

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Imagine rearing edible fish in farms dotted around the urban environment such as in parks, unused rooftops and other community spaces. This may become a reality soon. Surbana Jurong (SJ) has developed a high-intensity vertical farming concept, Floating Ponds, which can be applied to fish, vegetable or other agricultural products.

The proposed modular and scalable Floating Ponds comprises vertically stacked fish raceways to maximise production capacity of the available space. Such a concept means farms can be commercially productive even within limited land area and thus help ensure food security in land-scarce countries such as Singapore.

Make Use of Any Available Urban Space
Being modular and scalable, Floating Ponds can be built and can function within any urban space available, ranging from a park space, to un-used roof space as well as community spaces within larger commercial developments. Having the entire fish farm ecosystem within the city will bring food production and processing closer to the residents and encourage them to take a proactive role in productive farming. Done on a large-enough scale, vertical farming could significantly contribute to Singapore’s food requirement and enhance its food security.

Self-sustainable, Closed-Loop Farm System
Floating Ponds is designed to be self-sustainable through a closed-loop ecosystem where the exchange and flow of water, nutrients and energy are integrated. This means that waste from one unit becomes input for another, reducing wastage and creating by-products of value. The spatial design and architecture of the farm works towards enabling these exchanges. The farm will also comprise a cold warehouse, processing and packing room, offices and R&D laboratories, integrating all farm processes into a singular facility.

Apollo Aquaculture Group’s Three-storey Fish Farm Prototype
SJ is ready to implement the Floating Ponds concept with partner Apollo Aquaculture Group (AAG). AAG successfully prototyped a three-storey fish farm using their closed-system water reticulation technology. The prototype currently holds about 100,000 fish and fry. SJ’s Floating Ponds concept can increase this to six storeys or more and potentially yield almost 5,000 tonnes of food-fish per year when in full operation. This is six times more than conventional fish farm using the same amount of space.

“Surbana Jurong believes that innovative design and technology can play a significant role in agriculture and high-tech farming in land-scare Singapore. We are happy to partner Apollo Aquaculture Group in developing Floating Ponds, a concept that enables rapidly expanding high-density cities to build food resilience through creative and innovative usage of spaces. With such a vertical farming concept, Floating Ponds can maximise use of land and help make a small pocket of urban space significantly productive, enhance the surrounding ecology and generate a vibrant community hub with farming activities,” Mr Wong Heang Fine, Group CEO of Surbana Jurong said.

“The farming sector is vibrant in Singapore, but there are obvious space constraints here. We need to break away from the conventional mould and advocate new ways of farming. We are delighted to collaborate with Surbana Jurong in developing Floating Ponds and look forward to modernising fish farming and bringing the aquaculture industry to new heights,” Mr Eric Ng, Group CEO of Apollo Aquaculture Group said.

Two Lighting Shows to Happen Simultaneously in Hong Kong

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HKTDC Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition) 2017, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) from October 27 to 30, 2017, brings together state-of-the-art technology and the latest design trends in lighting. More than 2,660 exhibitors are expected in 2017.

The Autumn Lighting Fair and the concurrent HKTDC Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo 2017, together form the world’s largest lighting marketplace. The Outdoor and Tech Light Expo will run from October 26 to 29, 2017 2017 at the AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE)

Comprehensive Product Categories
Zero in on the products that are relevant to your business. The fair covers the following:

  • Commercial Lighting
  • Hall of Aurora
  • Household Lighting
  • LED Recessed Spotlight
  • LED Grow Light for Plant
  • Wireless Speaker with Dimmable LED Lighting
  • LED & Green Lighting
  • Smart Lighting & Solutions
  • Testing & Certification

Highlighted Zones

  • LED & Green Lighting – A proliferation of LED products, as well as other energy-saving solutions.
  • Hall of Aurora – Top-tier branded lighting for upmarket retail stores and prestigious developments.
  • Smart Lighting & Solutions – Components and complete solutions in smart lighting technology.
  • Household Lighting – Many styles and price points in domestic lighting.
  • Seminars and forums – There will also be social activities such as the Networking Reception

Supporting Services for Buyers
Among the services and facilities offered for buyers’ convenience are:

  • Dragon Green, a haven for VIP buyers, offering complimentary snacks and beverages, Internet access, newspapers and magazines and private rooms for meetings;
  • Courtesy Shuttle Bus Service runs between AWE and HKCEC, as well as serving major hotels and shopping centres in Kowloon.

Incentives for First-Time Overseas Buyers
First-time overseas buyers are entitled to exclusive travel incentives. Pre-registration is required. For enquiries, please contact HKTDC at (852) 2240 4235, or email hklighting.visitor@hktdc.org.

M+S announces Singapore’s First Integrated Live-Work-Play App for Marina One and DUO

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The Marina One development

M+S Pte Ltd announced recently its upcoming digital app, MySphere, a unified mobile platform for its Marina One and DUO developments, offering an integrated smart live- work-play management system that seamlessly combines smart controls, community management and lifestyle offerings.

The app will be Singapore’s first to be driven by its own ecosystem of assets and partners across two separate integrated developments, including over 1,600 luxury residences, 5.4 million square feet of office space and a mix of retail and F&B offerings, the Andaz Singapore hotel and urban amenities.

MySphere aims to provide purposeful and convenient access to the full suite of comprehensive offerings at M+S’s landmark developments for a holistic live-work-play experience, all from a single interface.

MySphere will also be the first app in Singapore to offer office workers mobile turnstile access at office lobbies. Encrypted technology by HID ensures enterprise-grade security with commercial-grade firewalls. A quick tap of one’s device on the turnstiles at Marina One Offices and DUO Tower authenticates the user’s avatar, allowing office workers entry into the premises and automated lift assignment.

Residents and office occupants will enjoy privileged access to state-of-the-art amenities shared between both developments. These include auditorium facilities; event spaces; and hotel rooms, function rooms and ballrooms at DUO’s Andaz Singapore hotel.

In addition, the app will deliver the first seamless, completely automated visitor management system at both developments. Other features include e-booking of residential facilities, handyman services, mobile alerts for emergency evacuation and fault reporting.

MySphere will also feature bespoke concierge services and new, innovative service models. Residents, office workers and visitors can use the app to call for a taxi; make restaurant reservations; loan an umbrella, wheelchair or mobile charger and even request for a VIP escort. They will enjoy added conveniences and perks from M+S’s partnerships with other strategic lifestyle partners, including mobile commerce platform PageAdvisor and transport services like oBike and Telepod.

On the retail front, the app will offer privileges including special retail promotions and an M+S loyalty rewards programme.

Ms. Kemmy Tan, CEO of M+S Pte Ltd, shared, “We recognise the powerful opportunity to harness mobile technology to enhance the experience for those who live, work and visit Marina One and DUO. The app is uniquely tailored to meet the needs of our tech-savvy occupants who lead increasingly busy lives. In MySphere, we will be enabling the community at Marina One to tap into the amenities and services found at Marina One as well as those at DUO; and likewise for the community at DUO, they will also be able to enjoy the same cross-integration benefits.

“‘MySphere’ aptly reflects M+S’s own sphere of influence provided by its tenants and assets, complemented by its network of lifestyle partners to access the all-encompassing live-work-play essentials and perks spanning both developments. The app will transform how residents, tenants and guests interact with the developments. This smart mobile platform is testament to our efforts to define new standards of live, work and play; meeting the digital demands of today’s generation.”

M+S appointed Habitap, a homegrown start-up for smart living technology by Philip Tang & Sons, to develop MySphere.

Franklin Tang, Chief Executive Officer of Philip Tang & Sons, added, “We are proud to partner M+S to pioneer Singapore’s first smart cross-integrated development app. M+S’s “My Sphere” app is a great example of how our mobile app development platform can help create better living, greater convenience and efficiencies for the diverse audiences of commercial, residential and retail spaces. MySphere offers a series of firsts for the local property space, and we are excited to be at the forefront of this technology as we gear up with Singapore’s Smart Nation drive.”

The MySphere app will be available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in Q4 2017.

Exhibition Tracing DP Architects’ 50 Years Design Journey Opens to Public

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This exhibition is part of the line-up of events celebrating DP Architects’ 50th anniversary. Image courtesy of DP Architects.

DP Architects’ exhibition tracing the firm’s 50 years architecture journey is now open at The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) Centre this evening. The exhibition was officially opened by guest-of-honour Minister of National Development Lawrence Wong.

The firm was founded as Design Partnership in 1967, and incorporated as DP Architects in 1975. DP has evolved in tandem with Singapore’s nation building, becoming an important contributor to the country’s public projects and urban development. The firm’s work in Singapore has played a critical role in shaping the urban landscape: beginning with early projects like People’s Park Complex and Golden Mile Complex, early architectural anchors that helped introduce Singapore to new styles of modernist architecture; to some 20 projects on and around Orchard Road that redeveloped the retail corridor; to more recent projects like Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay and Singapore Sports Hub that have become integral components of the urban fabric.

A Common Line | One Global Studio curates DP Architects’ portfolio of works within the context of Singapore’s architectural history as well as the firm’s global projects. The works are presented through over 2,000 never-before-seen architectural drawings, in chronological order, showcasing the breadth of DP’s portfolio; 37 reconstructed models, some larger than typical building models, investigating the practice’s design methodology by typology; a specially commissioned wall-sized illustration, titled Building Blocks by local illustrator, Lee Xin Li; and an interactive visual display that customises Augmented Reality technology to allow visitors to reimagine the future through an immersive visual experience of two key urbanscapes, Orchard Road and Marina Bay.

The works are presented through over 2,000 never-before-seen architectural drawings, in chronological order. Image courtesy of DP Architects.

On the exhibition, DP Architects’ senior associate director and head of exhibition Ng San Son said, “This exhibition was over a year in the making and it is a retrospective of our design journey over the past five decades. We hope that visitors to the exhibition will not only query the function of architecture and urbanism, rethink conventions, but also encourage conversations as they relate their memories of the spaces they have interacted with, in one way or another.

The exhibition opens from August 12 to September 29, 2017, 9 AM to 5 PM (closed on Sundays) at The URA Centre. A half-hour architect-guided tour is offered on selected Saturdays at 11 AM. This exhibition is part of the line-up of events celebrating DP Architects’ 50th anniversary.