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UPDATES<br />

DP GROUP OF COMPANIES<br />

NEW LEADERSHIP<br />

IN DEPTH<br />

RIVER SAFARI<br />

AN IMMERSIVE JOURNEY<br />

IN DEPTH<br />

ADDIRIYAH GATE<br />

BRIDGING THE MODERN & HISTORIC<br />

RESORTS WORLD<br />

SENTOSA WEST ZONE<br />

AN AQUATIC-THEMED DESTINATION<br />

THE<br />

LEISURE<br />

ISSUE<br />

VOLUME 4<br />

NUMBER 2<br />

2013<br />

SINGAPORE<br />

www.dpa.com.sg<br />

MICA (P) 012/10/2012


<strong>In</strong> 2017, DP Architects will celebrate its<br />

50 th anniversary. During the last five<br />

decades, DPA has undergone several<br />

organisational transformations.<br />

CHAIRMAN’S<br />

MESSAGE<br />

NEW LEADERSHIP AS DP MOVES<br />

TOWARDS ITS 50 TH YEAR<br />

<strong>In</strong> the early 1980s, our office had 120 staff<br />

with its main vision being the search for new<br />

directions in architecture in the Singapore<br />

context. The partnership strived to be the<br />

best design firm that could be, and it was at<br />

this time that the philosophy of the office was<br />

formulated and crystallised. This philosophy<br />

remains with much relevance today.<br />

To sustain growth on a long term basis,<br />

accompanied by the Architects Act of 1991, the<br />

22<br />

21<br />

20 27<br />

16<br />

12<br />

4<br />

15<br />

5<br />

9<br />

10<br />

11<br />

3 2<br />

14<br />

13<br />

7 6<br />

1<br />

26<br />

24 25<br />

8<br />

18<br />

23<br />

17<br />

28<br />

19<br />

29<br />

1 Chan Sui Him, Chairman | 2 Francis Lee, CEO | 3 Ti Lian Seng | 4<br />

11 Lee Shee Koeng | 12 Suneeth Changaroth | 13 Jeremy Tan | 14 To<br />

19 Yeong Weng Fai, DP Green | 20 Goh Yong Ping, DP Engineers | 21<br />

26 Ian Liew, China | 27 Rida Sobana, <strong>In</strong>donesia | 28 Yeoh Tok Jew, M


firm was subsequently restructured to become<br />

DP Architects Pte Ltd with a more corporate form<br />

of architecture practice and management.<br />

To stay meaningfully relevant, the firm continues<br />

to evolve through a constant process of selfrenewal<br />

with in-house specialist teams formed<br />

as necessary. Today, the DP group – comprising<br />

DP Architects, DP Consultants, DP <strong>Design</strong>,<br />

DP Engineers, DP Environmentally Sustainable<br />

<strong>Design</strong>, DP Green and DP <strong>In</strong>frastructure –<br />

provides a comprehensive range of services<br />

from architecture, urban planning, interior<br />

design, project management, sustainable<br />

design, landscape architecture to engineering,<br />

with over 1,200 staff in 12 offices worldwide.<br />

<strong>In</strong> addition to enabling our clients with a larger<br />

pool of resources under the DP umbrella, the<br />

firm’s design work has also benefited from<br />

the synergy among the various disciplines to<br />

ensure timely and smooth delivery of projects,<br />

as our track records in the recent past have<br />

quickly proven. Also importantly, this multidisciplinary<br />

approach reinforces the firm’s<br />

continued commitment and deep concern for<br />

the built environment and the desire to create<br />

architecture of excellence that enriches the<br />

human experience and spirit.<br />

To strengthen our multi-disciplinary practice and<br />

to make certain that our various offices continue<br />

to produce exemplary works to meet our clients’<br />

needs towards our 50 th year and beyond, I<br />

take great pride in announcing several critical<br />

promotions to enhance the current leadership.<br />

The new leadership offers a kaleidoscope<br />

of professionals; this diversity of strengths,<br />

special talents and skills creates goal-directed<br />

niches within the DP group, firmly positioning<br />

us to face the challenges ahead and reach<br />

new heights. This promotion will, of course,<br />

mean additional responsibilities and I am<br />

confident that all our newly promoted leaders<br />

will discharge them efficiently.<br />

The Board of Directors joins me to<br />

congratulate the newly promoted introduced<br />

in this issue of <strong>Design</strong> <strong>In</strong> <strong>Print</strong>.<br />

Chan Sui Him<br />

Angelene Chan, Deputy CEO | 5 Teoh Hai Pin | 6 Wu Tzu Chiang | 7 Chin Thoe Chong | 8 Vikas Gore | 9 Lesley Lim | 10 Dadi Surya<br />

h Sze Chong 15 Tong Bin Sin | 16 Mike Lim, DP <strong>Design</strong> | 17 Neil Johnson, DP <strong>In</strong>frastructure | 18 Steven Gan, DP <strong>In</strong>frastructure<br />

Tan Yew Chai, DP Engineers | 22 Lee Boon Woei, DP ESD | 23 Wu Zhi Wei, China | 24 Neo Chen, China | 25 Niew Pey Ran, China<br />

alaysia | 29 Hoo Chuen Piew, Malaysia.


Volume 4 Number 2, 2013, Singapore<br />

CONTENTS<br />

Letter from the Guest Editor<br />

Dear Readers,<br />

With increasing career demands, striking a balance between work and<br />

leisure has become more important. To compensate for having lesser leisure<br />

time, greater emphasis is now placed on the quality of leisure activities.<br />

Correspondingly, the demand for recreational developments such as<br />

integrated resorts, theme parks, and attractions with nature, sports, wellness<br />

and entertainment activities has risen steadily.<br />

With information readily available on the <strong>In</strong>ternet, clients’ expectations and<br />

demands for a wider range of distinctively different leisure attractions have also<br />

increased. They are constantly seeking exciting ’wow’ features in their new<br />

developments to differentiate their products and stay ahead of the competition.<br />

An example of such a shift can be seen in the development of retail malls.<br />

No longer built just for shopping, the retail mall has become a lifestyle<br />

product, a one-stop entertainment and recreational centre that houses a<br />

diverse range of functions and facilities, including atypical provisions such as<br />

performances, sporting activities and the arts. Some of the unusual features<br />

that DP Architects has designed for retail malls include skating ring, largescale<br />

aquarium, indoor waterfall, snow park and retractable fashion catwalk.<br />

As the nature of leisure developments evolves, it is important to keep up<br />

to speed with prevailing trends and be innovative. It is part of the design<br />

process to research widely on the latest recreational developments and<br />

leisure ideas in other parts of the world and learn from the success stories.<br />

This issue of <strong>Design</strong> in <strong>Print</strong> highlights the design and features of several<br />

recently completed and in-progress leisure-centred projects including River<br />

Safari, Resorts World Sentosa West Zone and Downtown East in Singapore;<br />

and Addiriyah Gate in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.<br />

We hope this issue will inspire you to head out for some leisurely fun.<br />

Toh Sze Chong<br />

Director, DP Architects Pte Ltd<br />

The latest happenings in DP<br />

DP Architects announces<br />

Appointment of Titleholders<br />

Short takes on new & notable projects<br />

01 Tampines Town Hub<br />

02 Changi Cove Hotel<br />

03 Dulwich College<br />

04 Stephen Riady Centre<br />

05 Singapore Dance Theatre<br />

06 <strong>In</strong>finite Studios<br />

07 Lippo Plaza Beijing<br />

08 RMZ Ecoworld<br />

Featured projects<br />

River Safari<br />

Downtown East<br />

Addiriyah Gate<br />

Resorts World Sentosa West Zone<br />

IN FOCUS<br />

Sustainable <strong>Design</strong><br />

<strong>Design</strong> Optimisation<br />

Awards & events<br />

BIM Strategies<br />

Asia Pacific Property Awards 2013<br />

BCA Awards 2013<br />

Dolphin Plaza Wins First Prize<br />

DPA Is Top Ten Firm<br />

Yangon’s Architectural Heritage<br />

DP personalities<br />

<strong>In</strong>terview with David Liauw & Ng San Son<br />

Editorial<br />

Writing<br />

Graphics<br />

Celebration of past projects<br />

SAFRA Resorts & Country Club, 1994<br />

Chan Hui Min<br />

Nartano Lim<br />

Toh Bee Ping<br />

Leanne Lim<br />

Leong Wei Lin<br />

Tong Tong<br />

Loh Yew Cheng<br />

Fu Tingting<br />

DESIGN IN PRINT TEAM<br />

Additional contributors: Lee Boon Woei, Lek Noonchoo<br />

& Stephanie Yong<br />

Cover image: River Safari


|<br />

The latest happenings in DP<br />

DP Architects announces<br />

Appointment of Titleholders<br />

DP Architects announced its annual appointment of titleholders and key positions for the firm and its subsidiary<br />

companies on 1 July 2013. The Board of Directors would like to extend its congratulations to all promoted staff<br />

members and wish them continued success in the years ahead.<br />

DP ARCHITECTS<br />

Deputy CEO<br />

Angelene Chan<br />

Director<br />

Lee Shee Koeng<br />

Suneeth Changaroth<br />

Jeremy Tan<br />

Toh Sze Chong<br />

Tong Bin Sin<br />

Lee Boon Woei, ESD<br />

Wu Zhi Wei, China<br />

Niew Pey Ran, China<br />

Neo Chen, China<br />

Ian Liew, China<br />

Rida Sobana, <strong>In</strong>donesia<br />

Associate Director<br />

Ng San Son<br />

Tania Wee<br />

Toh Li Chuin<br />

Charles Barguirdjian<br />

Li Jian, China<br />

Chai Ming Kuang, Malaysia<br />

Lim Wei Liang, Malaysia<br />

Sonya Kundi, MENA<br />

Senior Associate<br />

Andria Adiputra<br />

Ang Guo Zi<br />

Chan Farn Sheng<br />

Charles Putera<br />

Daisy Layadi<br />

Goh Wei Kiat<br />

Jessica Chow<br />

Lim Sheau Miin<br />

Lionel Leow<br />

Ngata Tapsell<br />

Seetoh Khan Pang<br />

Tan Yean Tsui<br />

Chow Li May, China<br />

Zhao Man Li, China<br />

Smruti D Divker, <strong>In</strong>dia<br />

Lim Su Yeong, Malaysia<br />

Steven Liew, Malaysia<br />

Nafisah Nasid, Malaysia<br />

Senior Associate<br />

(Technical)<br />

Chia Wee Hou<br />

Laura Smagin<br />

Pao Ven Yuen<br />

Paulino Evangelista<br />

Associate<br />

Andi Anggoro<br />

Carina Tang<br />

Foong Wei Jiet<br />

Fransiska Wongso<br />

Gan Xing Yun<br />

Goh Yonghui<br />

Gwee Tong Mui<br />

Hamish Winstanley<br />

Ho Yi Pei<br />

<strong>In</strong>dra Arif Rachman<br />

Jeffrey Ang<br />

Joee Ong<br />

Juliana Chan<br />

Kailas Moorthy<br />

Lau Sze Yee<br />

Lim Su Ching<br />

Mae Seetha Dauth<br />

Maggie Tan<br />

Matthew Yeo<br />

Maureen Chan<br />

Nassar Bin Mohamad Zain<br />

Ng Ching Hsiung<br />

Ng Wenjun<br />

Noer Ucen Hong<br />

Phang Chiew Li<br />

Raden Andhini<br />

Sarah Lim<br />

Serine Chan<br />

Tan Zhi Liang<br />

Tay Chin Nyap<br />

Ting Ying Ying<br />

Trecia Lim<br />

Wong Jet Wai<br />

Yii Yeong Ginn<br />

Yvonne Yeo<br />

Bryan Chow, China<br />

Ding Chuan Dong, China<br />

Goh Yong Qin, China<br />

Wu Xin Chun, China<br />

Zhang Fan, China<br />

Sandeep Kumar, <strong>In</strong>dia<br />

Liang Lok Mei, Malaysia<br />

William Chua, Malaysia<br />

Satrio Dradjat, MENA<br />

Associate (Technical)<br />

Cleofer Malijan<br />

Dennis Bock<br />

Ding Hao<br />

Hanafi Kasnan<br />

Hasanah Bte Ahmad Noor<br />

Jeyachandran Varadharajan<br />

Joe Koh<br />

Kam Yau Fat<br />

Lardizabal Serrano<br />

Ng Ting Yu<br />

Ong Shen Sien<br />

Ramir Rosario Poyaoan<br />

Ian Soliva<br />

Yeo Bee Lay<br />

Associate (Contracts)<br />

Jaslyn Chang<br />

Julia Gwee<br />

Lam Lee Chuen<br />

Mabel Tan<br />

Michael Chim<br />

Nur Alina Bte Mohamed Ali<br />

Nur Atiqah Bte Ahmad Nor<br />

Tan Cheng Pei<br />

Teo Sheng Leong<br />

Teo Shuh Shin<br />

Wendy Tan<br />

Associate (Model Making)<br />

Wu Yan<br />

CORPORATE SERVICES<br />

Director<br />

Raymond Chan, Human Resources<br />

Chief Financial Officer<br />

Siau Kai Bing<br />

Senior Manager<br />

Jacqueline Chua, Office Admin<br />

June Soon, Finance<br />

Linda Choo, Human Resources<br />

Michael Wong, <strong>In</strong>formation &<br />

Communication Technology<br />

Toh Bee Ping, Corporate Comms<br />

Manager<br />

Fu Tingting, Corporate Comms<br />

Stephen Cheok, <strong>In</strong>formation &<br />

Communication Technology<br />

Wong Chuin Hun, <strong>In</strong>formation &<br />

Communication Technology<br />

Linda Chin, Project Admin<br />

Irene Lim, Finance, Malaysia<br />

Assistant Manager<br />

Rena Chong, Finance<br />

DP CONSULTANTS<br />

Associate Director<br />

Lisa Hui, Contracts<br />

Senior Associate<br />

Tan Teng Siew<br />

Bernard L Tapang, Technical<br />

Associate<br />

Kwek Soo Hwee, Contracts<br />

DP DESIGN<br />

Director<br />

Mike Lim<br />

Associate<br />

Zita Carrillo<br />

DP ENGINEERS<br />

Senior Associate<br />

Kong Kian Hau<br />

Leslie Khuan<br />

Louiechito Niño<br />

Renee Cheong<br />

Associate<br />

Thiam Bee Choo<br />

Walter Parcero<br />

DP GREEN<br />

Director<br />

Yeong Weng Fai<br />

Senior Associate<br />

Varit Charoenveingvechkit<br />

DP INFRASTRUCTURE<br />

Director<br />

Neil Johnson<br />

Steven Gan<br />

Senior Associate<br />

Debashish Mondal<br />

Mohammed Ahmed Zakair<br />

Associate<br />

Earl Rebosura<br />

Jimmy Apolonio<br />

Pramod Gangolli<br />

Winnie Wang<br />

Goh Hui Yen, Technical<br />

DP 03


| Short takes on new & notable projects Situated near Changi Village, Changi Cove Hotel is located on a 4ha<br />

recreational & civic<br />

02<br />

Changi Cove Hotel<br />

Singapore<br />

heritage site that comprises a conservation building, a convention centre<br />

and two hotel blocks with 112 modern-style guestrooms. The new hotel<br />

is built around the lush greenery, conserved heritage trees and natural<br />

topography of the site. The sensitively restored Command House on Fairy<br />

Point Hill, originally built by British architects in 1935, provided a further<br />

13 guestrooms. Careful attention was paid to underline the building’s<br />

rich colonial heritage and to retain the essence of the bucolic setting: the<br />

conserved external corridors retain the original neoclassical style, while the<br />

deep verandahs with terracotta tiles are typical of colonial architecture.<br />

hotel<br />

Courtesy of Changi Cove Pte Ltd<br />

Tampines Town Hub<br />

01Singapore<br />

Tampines Town Hub (TTH) is a 120,000sqm development<br />

that will combine recreational, sporting, community<br />

and culture facilities under one roof. Situated at the<br />

bustling suburban centre of Tampines, the building is<br />

designed with a highly porous ground floor that connects<br />

seamlessly with the streetscape. Key public nodes within<br />

TTH link to different key zones in the surrounding context.<br />

03<br />

Dulwich College<br />

Singapore<br />

The Dulwich College Singapore campus was designed to cater to students of<br />

varying ages. From planning, interior design, landscaping to material selection,<br />

the concept revolves around the size and needs of the children from early years,<br />

through junior school to senior school. Shared facilities such as an indoor sports<br />

centre, future performing arts centre and boarding school are designed for all<br />

ages. The focus of each school is its own library, designed as a huge ‘window to<br />

the world’. Brick finishes distinguish the school walls, while the main circulation<br />

paths are characterised by brick-inspired patterns. A boulevard spanning north to<br />

south serves as the main connector linking the schools and shared facilities.<br />

Externally, TTH is primarily organised as interlocking<br />

clusters of spaces, depicting different thematic zones,<br />

facilities and settings, linked by a network of elevated<br />

community streetscapes and programmes. These clusters<br />

are made up of a dynamic range of arts and cultural,<br />

sports and recreational, lifestyle, and F&B components.<br />

Various façade treatments are used for each cluster,<br />

including louvres, mesh panels, green terraces, green<br />

walls, glazings, rendered wall surfaces. The array of<br />

envelope designs adds richness to TTH’s outlook and its<br />

purpose as a vibrant and meaningful gathering place for<br />

the Tampines community.<br />

institutional<br />

institutional<br />

04<br />

Stephen Riady Centre<br />

Singapore<br />

The Stephen Riady Centre at NUS University Town (UTown) is a three-storey,<br />

mixed-use complex that houses a range of facilities for learning, performing<br />

arts, sports, retail and dining. These include a 466-seat auditorium, dance<br />

studios, music rooms, two multipurpose sports halls, an open-air swimming<br />

pool, and a gym that overlooks a large recreational field known as Town<br />

Green. An open plaza lies at the heart of the building and provides a central<br />

gathering point for students and visitors. With covered connections to the<br />

Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) hub<br />

and the Education Resource Centre, Stephen Riady Centre forms a strong<br />

focal arc for student activities at UTown. On the whole, it supports a holistic<br />

education experience and promotes experiential learning among its students.


institutional<br />

05 Singapore<br />

Singapore Dance Theatre<br />

The new 2,000sqm campus of the Singapore Dance Theatre, located on<br />

the seventh floor of Bugis+, houses four professional dance studios and<br />

supporting facilities. A spacious corridor facing the roof garden leads to<br />

the site. With the aim of attracting and educating the public on dance as a<br />

performing art, huge perforated sliding doors are located at the entrance.<br />

These doors, when fully opened, maximise the luxury of space and merge the<br />

public space with the foyer, drawing visitors in to witness the hard work and<br />

dedication of professional ballet dancers at practice.<br />

The impressive height of the site made it ideal to demonstrate the interplay<br />

of volumes. <strong>In</strong> addition to the use of stacked walls, shipping containers are<br />

positioned high above the ceiling level – compressing and decompressing<br />

the space along the corridor. Lastly, mirror panels were strategically placed<br />

on the container walls to create the illusion of an endless expanse of space.<br />

06<br />

<strong>In</strong>finite Studios<br />

Singapore<br />

<strong>In</strong>finite Studios, located at Media Circle, sits strategically at the heart of Mediapolis,<br />

Singapore’s first digital media hub. The development houses a five-storey office<br />

block above a five-storey podium, a single-storey annex block, an adjoining block of<br />

production offices, and up to three fully operational soundstages.<br />

The bold design of the façade is expressed through the creative use of industrialchic<br />

materials and graphic projections. Littered with interstitial spaces to encourage<br />

communal interaction, a distinctive campus atmosphere pervades the development.<br />

Supporting media production facilities are integrated into the public zone, which<br />

results in an interesting dichotomy. A park is nestled within the development to<br />

encourage interaction between the community within and the public.<br />

commercial<br />

commercial<br />

07<br />

Lippo Plaza Beijing<br />

China<br />

Located in Beijing Economic and Technology Development Area,<br />

the 175,000sqm integrated mixed-use development consists of a<br />

4-storey retail podium, a 17-storey office tower, three 13-storey<br />

office towers, and nine blocks of residential and SOHO towers.<br />

08<br />

RMZ Ecoworld<br />

<strong>In</strong>dia<br />

The 2.6ha RMZ Ecoworld development comprises 11 office<br />

buildings located over four plots within a master plan. The<br />

architecture was conceived to enhance the skyline, and adds visual<br />

interest and legibility to the environment. With the silver exterior,<br />

the buildings appear light in contrast with the surrounding masonry<br />

structures. The façade treatment includes stone cladding, doubleglazed<br />

high-performance curtain wall, and architectural devices<br />

such as sun screens and fritted glass panels that allow natural light<br />

into the buildings while reducing thermal heat gain. Lush gardens<br />

with water features, sculpture courts, outdoor resting areas and<br />

plazas create a unique sense of place. The design and planning<br />

is in line with the developer’s commitment to develop sustainable<br />

business parks.<br />

master plan<br />

The residential and commercial activities are seamlessly blended without<br />

compromising the physical needs of each component. Maximising the<br />

retail footprint, four office towers are positioned above it yet maintaining<br />

their appearance as stand-alone offices with dedicated drop-offs. The retail<br />

podium is wrapped with a distinct screen pattern that unifies the entire<br />

development. A wide, fully landscaped, street-front plaza encourages<br />

social activities and interaction. A central promenade lined with cafés<br />

and restaurants connects the north and south zones, leading pedestrian<br />

traffic to the mall. Every residential and SOHO tower is carefully planned to<br />

obtain unobstructed views towards the surroundings, achieving maximum<br />

exposure to southern light and warmer temperatures.<br />

DP 05


|<br />

Featured projects<br />

RIVER SAFARI<br />

AN IMMERSIVE JOURNEY<br />

By Tong Tong<br />

While a modern metropolis such as Singapore<br />

offers many amenities and conveniences, there<br />

are times when people seek respite from urban<br />

life and a chance to interact with nature. River<br />

Safari is the first and only river-themed wildlife<br />

park in Asia, hosting Southeast Asia’s largest<br />

panda exhibit and the world’s largest freshwater<br />

aquarium. It is not just a collection of wildlife<br />

exhibits, but blends the animal habitats into a<br />

natural setting – immersing guests and animals<br />

in the same landscape. It allows people to<br />

observe how animals live in the wild and to<br />

establish an open, authentic connection with<br />

the animals, yet offering the same safety<br />

benefits of a more traditional enclosure.<br />

Top: A series of twostorey<br />

huts at the<br />

entrance plaza provides<br />

human scale. Functioning<br />

as a village, the entrance<br />

plaza is designed for<br />

resting and socialising.<br />

Above: Sketch of<br />

the huts at the<br />

entrance plaza.<br />

Sited along the Upper Seletar Reservoir and<br />

nestled between Singapore Zoo and Night Safari,<br />

this 12ha attraction features animals representing<br />

eight freshwater habitats from around the world –<br />

Amazon, Congo, Ganges, Mekong, Mississippi,<br />

Murray, Nile and Yangtze rivers.<br />

On arrival, visitors are led by a covered<br />

walkway to the entrance plaza. <strong>In</strong> response<br />

to the need to provide human scale, the<br />

architects incorporated a series of two-


YEAR: 2013 | SITE AREA: 894,400 SQM | SINGAPORE<br />

storey huts at the entrance. The plaza<br />

accommodates services and facilities including<br />

a gift shop, nursing rooms and a restaurant<br />

on the second storey; offices, a function<br />

room and first-aid station on the first storey.<br />

Functioning as a ‘village’, the entrance plaza<br />

is intended for meeting, socialising, resting<br />

and exchanging greetings before visitors move<br />

through to other destinations.<br />

The structure and appearance of the huts<br />

are informed with an awareness and respect<br />

for the natural landscape. Views and natural<br />

light are two important considerations in the<br />

genesis of the form. This collection of multifunctional<br />

spaces over two storeys is unified<br />

by a dog-legged spiral staircase carved out<br />

of the structure. The staircase is wrapped<br />

with dark brown vertical aluminium trellis that<br />

sensitively filters daylight and views into the<br />

inner spaces. As one traverses the veiled spiral<br />

staircase, direct views to the surrounding<br />

nature and reservoir gradually unfold.<br />

A focus on fine detailing and the use of local<br />

materials when designing the huts created a<br />

structure that is both modest and unique.<br />

Above: Sited along<br />

Upper Seletar Reservoir,<br />

the setting of River<br />

Safari is an attraction<br />

unto itself.<br />

Left: The multi-storey<br />

car park is designed to<br />

bring in natural light and<br />

provide views towards<br />

the surroundings.<br />

DP 07


|<br />

Featured projects<br />

Team Members:<br />

(Sitting left to right)<br />

Yeo Bee Lay,<br />

Angela Ng,<br />

Lim Sheau Miin,<br />

Maria Rizalina L Laforteza,<br />

(Standing left to right)<br />

Tan Kok Ming,<br />

Ng Ching Hsiung,<br />

Ng San Son &<br />

Yeong Weng Fai.<br />

1<br />

2<br />

3<br />

4<br />

8<br />

5<br />

7<br />

6<br />

Legends:<br />

1. Transport Hub<br />

2. Ticketing Plaza Extension<br />

3. Entrance Plaza<br />

4. Rivers of the World<br />

5. Giant Panda Forest<br />

6. Bridge over Upper Seletar Reservoir<br />

7. Amazon River Quest<br />

8. Amazon Flooded Forest<br />

0 50 100m


THE ENTRANCE PLAZA IS DESIGNED<br />

WITH AN AWARENESS AND<br />

RESPECT FOR THE LANDSCAPE,<br />

WITH VIEWS AND NATURAL LIGHT<br />

AS TWO KEY CONSIDERATIONS


| Featured projects Applying extensive treated bamboo screening<br />

underneath, the otherwise solid metal roofs of the<br />

huts are transformed into a lightweight canopy.<br />

Each of the four metal roofs are supported with<br />

a cluster of twisting structural steel columns that<br />

terminates at the apex with a circular skylight – a<br />

mimicry of the existing perimeter trees that are<br />

reaching towards the sky.<br />

A similar approach is reiterated in the unique<br />

semi-outdoor bathrooms throughout the<br />

entire development. The central skylight with<br />

a wooden trellis veil enlivens the interior of the<br />

bathrooms in the entrance plaza zone, while<br />

preventing rainwater from splashing into the<br />

space. Another example is found in the Amazon<br />

River Quest zone. The open-air wash basin area<br />

Clockwise from left:<br />

The solid metal roof<br />

is transformed into a<br />

lightweight canopy<br />

by applying extensive<br />

treated bamboo<br />

screening underneath.<br />

Vertical aluminium trellis<br />

filters daylight and views<br />

into the staircase and<br />

inner spaces.<br />

The 165m-long bridge<br />

over Upper Seletar<br />

Reservoir.


KNITTING TOGETHER<br />

ARCHITECTURE AND<br />

LANDSCAPE, NON-EXHIBIT<br />

SPACES ARE DESIGNED<br />

TO CORRESPOND WITH<br />

THE SURROUNDINGS<br />

is surrounded by natural greenery and bamboo<br />

detailing, generating a pleasant microclimate by<br />

tempering the immediate environment. These<br />

distinctive design elements not only give the<br />

bathroom interiors an identity, but also foster<br />

the interplay between openness and privacy.<br />

The park brings together four distinct zones –<br />

Rivers of the World, Giant Panda Forest, the<br />

Amazon River Quest ride and Amazon Flooded<br />

Forest. The paths are carefully orchestrated to<br />

give visitors different experiences at each of the<br />

thematic zones. The charm of River Safari lies<br />

beyond the traditional static animal observation;<br />

the journey is planned as a kind of promenade<br />

designed for both lingering and dynamic<br />

viewing. For example, one of the key features<br />

is a 165m-long bridge which is built over the<br />

reservoir and offers a panoramic view out to<br />

the east. Along with the animal enclosures and<br />

attractions, the setting itself becomes another<br />

attraction as the visitor can experience vistas<br />

which are unique to this part of Singapore.<br />

Above: The central<br />

skylight with a wooden<br />

trellis veil enlivens the<br />

interior of the bathrooms<br />

in the entrance plaza<br />

zone, while preventing<br />

rainwater from splashing<br />

into the space.<br />

Right: The bathrooms<br />

within the entire<br />

development are<br />

designed as semi-outdoor<br />

spaces with a focus on<br />

detailing and the use of<br />

local materials.<br />

DP 11


| Featured projects Undoubtedly, the Giant Panda Forest is<br />

Left: The glazed dome<br />

structure of the Giant<br />

Panda Forest encloses<br />

a temperature and<br />

humidity-controlled space<br />

that maintains a strong<br />

connection with the changing<br />

patterns of daylight.<br />

Below: Preserving the site’s<br />

natural topography, the<br />

panda enclosure is served<br />

by an elevated walkway that<br />

allows encounters with the<br />

pandas at eye level.<br />

Facing page: Amazon<br />

Flooded Forest. The<br />

attention to light and volume<br />

of the space imparts a true<br />

sense of discovery.<br />

one of the highlights of the journey. <strong>In</strong> order<br />

to minimise the physical impact to the<br />

topography, the panda enclosure capitalises<br />

on the existing sloping terrain. From the<br />

entrance, visitors are led by an elevated<br />

walkway so that they can encounter the<br />

pandas at eye level. Looking into the species’<br />

living environment, the architects designed<br />

a glazed dome structure that encloses a<br />

temperature and humidity-controlled space.<br />

The space maintains a strong connection with<br />

the changing patterns of daylight, and at the<br />

same time avoids direct sunlight. The pattern<br />

of bamboo leaves on the glazed dome imitates<br />

the effect of bamboo trees casting dappled<br />

shadows on the ground.


Another immersive attraction is the Amazon<br />

Flooded Forest towards the end of the journey.<br />

The visitors pass through an underwater tunnel<br />

and emerge into a rich underwater universe.<br />

One of the first experiences after the tunnel is<br />

the encounter with the giant river otters. The<br />

barriers between the animals and visitors are<br />

well disguised so the experience is much more<br />

intimate than would typically be expected.<br />

Another darkened tunnel leads visitors to gently<br />

descend into a river environment; the dramatic<br />

control of the ambient lighting from light into<br />

darkness enhances the sense of arrival and<br />

experience. Walking in front of acrylic viewing<br />

panels of more than 22m in length and 4m in<br />

height, visitors are treated to a panoramic view<br />

of the underwater environment.<br />

The manatees and numerous schools of fish<br />

practically envelope the viewers, while stingrays<br />

swim in a fan-shaped tank in the ceiling above.<br />

Natural light permeates this space and plays<br />

off the surface of the water while penetrating<br />

the depths to create an almost ethereal scene<br />

below the surface. The careful and detailed<br />

attention to light and volume imparts a true<br />

sense of discovery to the visitor.<br />

The priority in the design of River Safari is to<br />

place an emphasis on the visitor experience<br />

and to challenge conventional thinking of zoo<br />

interaction. Visitors are guided on a rhythmic<br />

journey that offers intimate observation of<br />

the exhibits in a setting that is an attraction<br />

unto itself.<br />

DP 13


|<br />

Featured projects<br />

DOWNTOWN EAST<br />

A SUSTAINABLE LEISURE DESTINATION<br />

By Leong Wei Lin<br />

Team Members:<br />

(Sitting left to right)<br />

Yeo Bee Lay,<br />

Angela Ng,<br />

Lim Sheau Miin,<br />

Maria Rizalina L Laforteza,<br />

(Standing left to right)<br />

Tan Kok Ming,<br />

Ng Ching Hsiung,<br />

Ng San Son,<br />

Yeong Weng Fai,<br />

Varit Charoenveingvechkit &<br />

Thun KongSub.


YEAR: 2014 | AREA: 90,100 SQM | SINGAPORE<br />

Far left: View of the<br />

overall master plan.<br />

Left: Festival Walk –<br />

consolidated dining,<br />

entertainment and<br />

retail options.<br />

Below left: View of<br />

the multi-storey resort<br />

accommodation block.<br />

THE NEW DOWNTOWN<br />

EAST IS COMMITTED<br />

TO PROVIDING<br />

AFFORDABLE RESORT-<br />

STYLE AMENITIES FOR<br />

SINGAPOREANS FROM<br />

ALL WALKS OF LIFE<br />

Downtown East was first developed in 1986,<br />

and has seen several sporadic additions<br />

over the years which resulted in a lack of<br />

cohesiveness of the overall development.<br />

The new master plan seeks to integrate<br />

and update existing amenities and extend<br />

new areas to create a comprehensive and<br />

harmonious development with a sense of<br />

place and identity.<br />

The objective of the new Downtown East<br />

master plan has a three-pronged approach of<br />

Engagement, Universality and Sustainability.<br />

The revitalised and integrated development<br />

will provide a variety of venues of different<br />

scales and settings for a wide range of<br />

community engagement opportunities. These<br />

venues and amenities will be designed with<br />

a conscious understanding of the needs of<br />

all demographics in terms of affordability<br />

for the masses as well as universal access<br />

for all potential users. The master plan also<br />

takes into consideration three key aspects of<br />

sustainability: environmental, economic and<br />

social sustainability.<br />

The master plan zoning consists of four main<br />

nodes – the E-hub; the Members, Union and<br />

Community Engagement (MUCE) facilities;<br />

the Wild Wild Wet theme park and the Costa<br />

Sands Downtown East Resort – with the<br />

nodes connected across the site via a new<br />

pedestrian network.<br />

<strong>In</strong> particular, Wild Wild Wet will see a doubling<br />

of land area, with four additional rides, and is<br />

set to become the heart of the new Downtown<br />

East. Costa Sands will also have brand new<br />

chalets and more amenities for resort guests.<br />

various elements within the site, which helps<br />

visitors to easily orientate themselves in this<br />

extensive development. Dedicated drop-offs<br />

planned for the different components serve<br />

to create a sense of arrival for visitors, as<br />

well as to divert the potential heavy numbers<br />

to manageable levels. This reorganisation<br />

of pedestrian and vehicular circulation ties<br />

together the disparate components under a<br />

coherent master plan while allowing for the<br />

unique expression of each part.<br />

The master plan also considers the site<br />

context where the surrounding developments<br />

are primarily residential, with the developments<br />

north of Pasir Ris Drive 3 being low to<br />

medium-rise, and the high-rise developments<br />

located towards the south. The new large<br />

MUCE centre will be situated along Pasir<br />

Ris Drive 3 to form a strong urban front with<br />

the existing E-hub. Further up north, facing<br />

Pasir Ris Park and Beach, will be the new<br />

Costa Sands chalets. This allows the chalets,<br />

which are multi-storeyed to minimise the<br />

building footprint for greater conservation of<br />

existing trees, to also have views towards the<br />

mangroves of Sungei Tampines at the west.<br />

The richness of site opportunities gives rise to the<br />

design of a wide range of environments within<br />

the development. Other design strategies aim to<br />

make the development as inclusive as possible,<br />

by creating an elevated all-weather landscape<br />

deck at the second storey which promotes safe<br />

and pleasant pedestrian conditions by separating<br />

the human and vehicular traffic flows. This<br />

landscape deck is also connected to the first<br />

storey via gently sloping ramps, keeping to the<br />

tenets of universal design.<br />

On the macro level, a main north-south<br />

planning axis is established after accounting<br />

for existing components that were to<br />

be retained from the client’s brief. Major<br />

elements and zones were then oriented along<br />

this main axis, defining the main circulation<br />

system and view corridors linking up the<br />

With a consistent focus on providing affordable<br />

family-oriented activities in a resort-style<br />

setting, the enhancements to the infrastructure,<br />

new clarity of the circulation networks and<br />

improved amenities to cater to increasing<br />

demands, the new Downtown East will be the<br />

leisure destination of choice for Singaporeans.<br />

DP 15


|<br />

Featured projects<br />

ADDIRIYAH<br />

GATE<br />

BRIDGING THE MODERN<br />

AND HISTORIC<br />

By Leong Wei Lin<br />

Team Members:<br />

(Left to right)<br />

Eugenie Royo,<br />

John Alejandro,<br />

Anna Narciso,<br />

Rahmanto Darma,<br />

Vera Purnomo,<br />

Ryan Tilao,<br />

Clyde Uriarte,<br />

Ti Lian Seng,<br />

Francis Lee,<br />

Toh Sze Chong,<br />

Andhie Wicaksono<br />

Ahmmad Trisyarahman,<br />

Dimas Satria,<br />

Taufiq Rusdi,<br />

Karlota Nunez,<br />

Ricky Cahyadi &<br />

Maureen Suryani.<br />

Located in Riyadh, with close proximity<br />

to the recently restored Wadi Hanifah<br />

wetlands and the historic Addiriyah ancient<br />

city site, Addiriyah Gate will be the first<br />

mega-scale mixed-use development of its<br />

kind in Saudi Arabia, incorporating retail,<br />

dining, family entertainment, theme parks,<br />

convention space, hospitality and residential<br />

components. Significantly, the design of<br />

the 28 exclusive residential villas facing<br />

the heritage site of Addiriyah responds<br />

sensitively to the site context and echoes<br />

the traditional architecture of the area,<br />

connecting the historic and modern aspects<br />

of the site. The design premise is to create<br />

a family and lifestyle destination for the local<br />

population, and a global city attraction that<br />

can rival the best the region has to offer.<br />

Riyadh is an area that is rich in culture<br />

and has a mixture of both vernacular and<br />

contemporary architectural landmarks. The<br />

development site spanning 1km in length<br />

connects the modern and historic parts of<br />

the city. Taking into consideration Saudi<br />

Arabia’s hot and arid climate as well as the<br />

cultural and social context, the mall’s design<br />

objective is to provide avenues for visitors to<br />

enjoy the different attractions in a comfortable<br />

sheltered environment.<br />

There are three main thematic zones in the<br />

development, namely, the Wadi Walk, the<br />

Aquatic Walk and the Arctic Walk. With the<br />

large variety of programmatic functions and<br />

massive development scale, emphasis was<br />

placed on the design of clear access routes<br />

and simplicity of the internal circulation<br />

paths. The tropical, aquatic and arctic<br />

themes designed for the three zones serve<br />

to clearly demarcate space, and create a<br />

juxtaposition of the external environment<br />

to the climate-controlled interiors, thereby<br />

generating a memorable and distinctive<br />

experience for visitors.<br />

Taking advantage of the proximity to the Wadi<br />

Hanifah, which is popular with families to<br />

gather on its banks on weekends, the mall will<br />

also offer external programming to link the mall<br />

experience to the wadi. <strong>In</strong> addition, designed<br />

to be reminiscent of the natural landscape<br />

of the Wadi Hanifah, the 380m-long Wadi<br />

Walk integrates water landscape design with<br />

the commercial components in the form of<br />

pavilions and islands. Patrons are greeted by<br />

a 10m-wide meandering waterway, where they<br />

can enjoy a unique sensory experience as they<br />

stroll through the mall sheltered by the skylight<br />

and the green canopy overhead.<br />

The Aquatic Walk, which is also the central<br />

spine of the development, will lead visitors<br />

through an urban streetscape to the 2.5-storey<br />

aquarium and indoor amusement park; while<br />

the key feature along the Arctic Walk is the<br />

Snow Park, set to become one of the best<br />

theme parks in Saudi Arabia. The park is sited<br />

such that guests in the adjacent hotel and<br />

dining patrons can also enjoy the snowscape<br />

from their hotel rooms or the fine dining<br />

establishments in the vicinity. Another main<br />

feature located in the basement is The Bazaar,<br />

a grand 20m-wide boulevard that stretches<br />

half a kilometre. Its design reflects the scale,<br />

flavour and charm of a traditional souk.<br />

Addiriyah Gate is a reflection of the<br />

growing economic progress and increasing<br />

modernisation of the country. It addresses the<br />

needs of a modern society and celebrates the<br />

diversified activities that can be enjoyed by the<br />

local and international community, while paying<br />

respect to its native culture and roots.


YEAR: 2013 (DESIGN) | AREA: 496,300 SQM | SAUDI ARABIA<br />

ADDIRIYAH GATE WILL<br />

PROVIDE A UNIQUE MALL<br />

EXPERIENCE WHICH<br />

IS A DELIGHT TO THE<br />

SENSES, AND SENSITIVE<br />

TO THE LOCAL CLIMATE,<br />

CULTURE AND CONTEXT<br />

Top: Wadi Walk, a<br />

380m-long sensory<br />

experience, is a<br />

continuation of the<br />

stunning landscape of<br />

Wadi Hanifah featuring<br />

waterways, waterfalls<br />

and lush greenery.<br />

Left: View of the<br />

overall development.<br />

Consisting of a<br />

4-storey high snow<br />

slope, Snow Park<br />

provides a scenic<br />

backdrop for hotel<br />

and dining patrons.<br />

DP 17


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Featured projects


YEAR: 2013 | SITE AREA: 142,200 SQM | SINGAPORE<br />

AN AQUATIC-THEMED<br />

DESTINATION<br />

RESORTS<br />

WORLD<br />

SENTOSA<br />

WEST ZONE<br />

By Tong Tong<br />

With an active beachfront and a lush tropical backdrop, Sentosa<br />

has been a hot spot for outdoor activities since its redevelopment<br />

started in the early 1970s. Resorts World Sentosa’s aquatic-themed<br />

West Zone encompasses the latest attractions on the island and the<br />

final phase of the Resorts World Sentosa integrated resort which,<br />

spanning 49 hectares, boasts a range of hotels, entertainment and<br />

recreation developments including Universal Studios Singapore,<br />

a gaming facility, MICE spaces, and a plethora of retail and F&B<br />

outlets. A design principle shared throughout the entire development<br />

is the concept that the visitor should always be aware of the natural<br />

environment of Sentosa. This results in large, naturally ventilated<br />

plazas and boulevards which are shaded to ensure thermal comfort,<br />

while all vehicular traffic is moved to the basement levels to create a<br />

truly pedestrian-friendly environment.<br />

West Zone is designed to blend with its natural surroundings while<br />

acting as a complementary programme to the existing resort. It<br />

joins Universal Studios Singapore to the east and Central Zone<br />

with a host of accommodation and entertainment facilities. West<br />

Zone’s unique take on leisure is to create a wholly aquatic-themed<br />

experience. It presents both wet and dry leisure facilities, including<br />

the Marine Life Park which comprises a waterpark and the world’s<br />

largest aquarium, and is connected to the Maritime Experiential<br />

Museum and two distinctive hotels.<br />

Meandering walks divide West Zone, extending from the open spaces<br />

of Central Zone and ending where the Beach Villas and ESPA at Resorts<br />

World Sentosa are located. One of the planning strategies is to condense<br />

the more public entertainment activities towards the more accessible<br />

areas of the site; this is why Maritime Experiential Museum is located just<br />

off the shoreline and adjacent to The Bull Ring in Central Zone.<br />

DP 19


|<br />

Featured projects<br />

1<br />

2<br />

3<br />

6<br />

7<br />

9<br />

Previous page: Maritime<br />

Experiential Museum.<br />

1,4 & 10: S.E.A. Aquarium,<br />

the world’s largest aquarium<br />

with more than 800 species of<br />

marine animals.<br />

2 & 7: Maritime Experiential<br />

Museum houses a theatre,<br />

gallery, open exhibits, shopping<br />

areas, museum café and souk.<br />

10<br />

6: ESPA, a wellness sanctuary<br />

located in a private corner<br />

away from the bustle of the<br />

main resort.<br />

11


3, 9 & 11: Adventure<br />

Cove Waterpark, a<br />

fun and educational<br />

attraction that offers<br />

thrilling rides and a<br />

chance to learn about<br />

marine life.<br />

5, 8 & 13: Equarius<br />

Hotel, a 172-room<br />

property that offers<br />

stunning views of the<br />

surroundings.<br />

12: Beach Villas, an<br />

idyllic retreat located<br />

at the western end of<br />

Resorts World Sentosa.<br />

4<br />

5<br />

8<br />

RESORTS WORLD SENTOSA’S<br />

AQUATIC-THEMED WEST<br />

ZONE, THE FINAL PHASE OF<br />

THE INTEGRATED RESORT,<br />

ENCOMPASSES THE LATEST<br />

ATTRACTIONS ON SENTOSA<br />

12<br />

13<br />

Team Members:<br />

Francis Lee,<br />

Angelene Chan,<br />

Tai Chooi Mee,<br />

David Liauw,<br />

David McLeod,<br />

Leo Mauricio,<br />

Goh Yong Ping,<br />

Tan Yew Chai &<br />

Chan Shelt Tsong.<br />

Adrian Cheong,<br />

Allan Wang,<br />

Andy Tan,<br />

Ariel Yambao,<br />

Bernard L Tapang,<br />

Chai Ming Kuang,<br />

Charmaine Gamboa,<br />

Christian Tjan,<br />

Chow Kok Pan,<br />

Harvey Lukman,<br />

Jimmy Apolonio,<br />

Joe Koh,<br />

John Tan,<br />

Joy Bautista,<br />

Koh Chua Lian,<br />

Kwek Soo Hwee,<br />

Lau Sze Yee,<br />

Leonard Cheok,<br />

Lisa Hui,<br />

Maggie Tan,<br />

Maureen Chan,<br />

Mercedes Saldana,<br />

Michael Manlapaz,<br />

Nestor P Tiangco,<br />

Oliver Venegas,<br />

Pauline Lau,<br />

Rajendran Vembalagu,<br />

Selvarajan Pandian,<br />

Shirley Tan,<br />

Stefanie Pangestu &<br />

Teo Shuh Shin.<br />

DP 21


|<br />

Featured projects<br />

1<br />

2<br />

WEST ZONE<br />

3<br />

4<br />

5<br />

0 50 100m<br />

LEGENDS:<br />

1. Beach Villas<br />

2. ESPA<br />

3. Marina Life Park including Adventure<br />

Cove Waterpark and S.E.A. Aquarium<br />

4. Equarius Hotel<br />

5. TreeTop Lofts<br />

6. Maritime Experiential Museum


6<br />

Beach Villas and ESPA are carefully situated<br />

on the western end, being the most private<br />

tip of the site to ensure that the tranquility of<br />

the retreat would not be affected by the influx<br />

of visitors from the other attractions. The<br />

second strategy is to incorporate a number<br />

of sandy beaches on the site. The beaches<br />

create a series of soft boundaries that allow<br />

people to pass through freely while reinforcing<br />

the natural assets of the island. <strong>In</strong> this way,<br />

the planning allows for a multiplicity of activities<br />

instead of restricting them, and encourages<br />

spontaneous and intuitive exploration.<br />

CENTRAL ZONE<br />

Marine Life Park offers two key attractions at<br />

its ‘wet experience’ and ‘dry experience’. The<br />

former is Adventure Cove Waterpark which<br />

is both an educational and leisure attraction.<br />

The Adventure River lets visitors float<br />

down a meandering river through fourteen<br />

different settings including a tropical garden,<br />

a mysterious grotto and an underwater<br />

tunnel. This 620m-long river is one of the<br />

longest man-made adventure rivers. Besides<br />

a wave pool and water slides, including<br />

Riptide Rocket which is the region’s first<br />

hydromagnetic coaster, the waterpark also<br />

incorporates several attractions for viewing<br />

and interacting with sea animals, such as<br />

Rainbow Reef where guests can snorkel with<br />

coral fishes, and immersive programmes at<br />

the Ray Bay where guests can feed more than<br />

a hundred rays, as well as get up-close with<br />

sharks at Shark Encounter.<br />

Above: Zoning and<br />

circulation sketch.<br />

Much of the planning is<br />

centrally located for VIPs<br />

and attractions. Public<br />

circulation is limited to<br />

the ends.<br />

For visitors in search of entertainment, variety<br />

is essential. Maritime Experiential Museum<br />

provides a variety of experiences with a<br />

multi-sensory theatre for interactive learning.<br />

It presents Asia’s rich maritime history and<br />

tells the story of the ancient Maritime Silk<br />

Route. One of the key exhibits chronicles the<br />

journey of one of the great Chinese explorers,<br />

Admiral Zheng He. The exhibit includes a<br />

full-sized replica of the bow of his treasure<br />

ship. It also recreates the sounds and scents<br />

of the bustling bazaars of the Maritime Silk<br />

Route where Zheng He traded. Responding<br />

to the site’s close proximity to water, an ellipse<br />

creates the museum’s footprint and evokes<br />

the symbol of a boat. At a maximum span of<br />

65m and a height of 20m, the building form<br />

itself is highly unique and resembles a hull<br />

with visible ribs painted red. <strong>In</strong>direct daylight<br />

elevates modest materials of steel, aluminium<br />

and glass.<br />

DP 23


|<br />

Featured projects<br />

WEST ZONE IS<br />

DESIGNED TO BLEND<br />

WITH ITS NATURAL<br />

SURROUNDINGS<br />

WHILE ACTING AS A<br />

COMPLEMENTARY<br />

PROGRAMME TO THE<br />

EXISTING RESORT<br />

The large, open-span area inside the hull is a<br />

collection of different spaces – theatre, gallery,<br />

open exhibits, shopping areas, museum<br />

café and souk – and highly developed as a<br />

community space. The different exhibits and<br />

gallery open to a common concourse to ensure<br />

a smooth flow. At night, the interior glows like<br />

a lantern through the hull form and acts as a<br />

beacon to the adjacent shoreline. The museum<br />

is connected to the water by way of a 10m-wide<br />

waterfront promenade which provides visitors a<br />

view of the ocean. This promenade also serves<br />

Apart from the numerous attractions, West<br />

Zone also offers unique hospitality amenities.<br />

The Equarius Hotel has 172 guestrooms that<br />

overlook Marine Life Park to the north and<br />

Sentosa’s natural tropical forest to the south.<br />

One of the key attractions of the hotel is the<br />

restaurant Forest 森 which boasts a canopy<br />

of intertwined branches and leaves supported<br />

by four columns at the centre of the room.<br />

They mimic massive trees influenced by the<br />

abundant rainforests of Sentosa.<br />

The Beach Villas hotel comprises 11 unique<br />

Ocean Suites that take advantage of their<br />

adjacency to the Open Ocean habitat of the<br />

S.E.A. Aquarium. The upper level of these<br />

double-storey suites consists of an open-plan<br />

living area which opens to an outdoor patio,<br />

while the lower level offers one of the most<br />

unique design features of the entire resort –<br />

guests are afforded a private, underwater<br />

view into the massive habitat and its 50,000<br />

marine animals.<br />

Top: The form of<br />

Maritime Experiential<br />

Museum resembles<br />

a hull.<br />

Above: S.E.A.<br />

Aquarium has the<br />

world’s largest acrylic<br />

viewing panel.<br />

as a passage from the Festive Walk in Central<br />

Zone to West Zone. Attached to Maritime<br />

Experiential Museum, the underwater journey of<br />

S.E.A. Aquarium follows the oceans and seas<br />

along the Maritime Silk Route. S.E.A. Aquarium<br />

serves as the largest showcase for ocean<br />

creatures in the world. It is officially the world’s<br />

largest aquarium with more than 800 species of<br />

marine animals and aims to educate and enrich<br />

the understanding of the oceans.<br />

Another unique hospitality offering is the<br />

TreeTop Lofts. Nestled in a canopy of heritage<br />

trees, two exclusive loft suites are perched on<br />

top of four thick columns, standing at a height<br />

of seven and twelve metres above the ground.<br />

The lofts disappear into the surrounding<br />

foliage and offer a truly unique experience of<br />

being fully immersed in nature while having the<br />

luxurious comforts of a top resort. The lofts<br />

feature large terraced decks with views of<br />

Mount Faber to the north and a backdrop of<br />

dense trees to the south.<br />

Along the site’s western coastline, ESPA is a<br />

wellness sanctuary in a private corner away<br />

from the bustle of the main resort. The existing<br />

landscape with lush trees inspired the architect<br />

to create a modern tropical design that suits<br />

Singapore’s climate. Discreetly planned around


a man-made ‘eco-pond’, the relaxation lounge<br />

of the villas, spas and café sit directly at the<br />

water’s edge to create a true oasis for rest<br />

and calming rejuvenation. All treatment rooms<br />

offer views of the pond or the heritage forest<br />

adjacent to the site. <strong>In</strong>ternal garden courts with<br />

filtered natural light represent the semi-private<br />

areas for this village-like complex. The sloping<br />

roof, the reflecting pool and the verandahs<br />

reflect the tropical style. Natural materials such<br />

as wood, clay tiles and stone; warm colours;<br />

and subtle patterns and textures complement<br />

the landscape setting. Local materials such as<br />

bamboo, grasscloth, driftwood and shells are<br />

employed to reinforce the sense of place.<br />

The glass façades combined with the timber<br />

verandahs give the impression that the entire<br />

structure is floating on water with a serene,<br />

minimalist aesthetic. Bamboo is used in its<br />

natural form in flooring and ceiling coves in<br />

the treatment rooms. Nature-inspired artefacts<br />

such as twisted roots are installed in a display<br />

niche in the treatment rooms celebrating its<br />

natural beauty. A relaxing environment of<br />

reflecting pools and dense tropical greenery<br />

create a contrast to the excitement of the<br />

attractions which are conveniently near, but<br />

sufficiently separated to ensure exclusivity<br />

and privacy.<br />

As the final stage of the Resorts World Sentosa<br />

development, West Zone offers an amplification<br />

of what makes the integrated resort so exciting<br />

– a wide range of family-friendly leisure and<br />

entertainment options that are truly unique in<br />

Singapore. While the existing Central Zone and<br />

Universal Studios Singapore bring world-class<br />

amenities and attractions, West Zone’s aquatic<br />

theme brings a combination of edu-tainment,<br />

leisure, hospitality and resort-style amenities<br />

to what is already one of Singapore’s most<br />

exciting and diverse attractions.<br />

West Zone’s numerous<br />

and unique hospitality<br />

amenities include<br />

(clockwise from<br />

top) Equarius Hotel,<br />

TreeTop Lofts,<br />

ESPA and Forest 森<br />

restaurant at Equarius<br />

Hotel.<br />

DP 25


|<br />

Awards & events<br />

Winning insights<br />

BIM<br />

Strategies<br />

DP Architects was invited to share<br />

its BIM experiences with the<br />

industry at a session organised<br />

by the Singapore <strong>In</strong>stitute of<br />

Architects (SIA). Representing the<br />

firm, senior associate Ms Laura<br />

Smagin explained DPA’s winning<br />

strategies in the past Singapore<br />

BIM Competitions organised by the<br />

Building and Construction Authority.<br />

She also discussed DPA’s journey to<br />

integrate BIM in its design process,<br />

including the implementation of Revit<br />

training programme for staff, the<br />

lessons learnt, key success factors<br />

and upcoming challenges. The Are<br />

You Ready for BIM Competition<br />

2013 session was held at the SIA<br />

building on 22 May 2013.<br />

DPA clinches four<br />

Asia Pacific Property<br />

Awards 2013<br />

At this year’s Asia Pacific Property<br />

Awards, four projects designed by<br />

DP Architects were awarded for their<br />

design excellence in a combination<br />

of categories. OUE Bayfront won<br />

a Five-Star award for ‘Best Office<br />

Development’ and earned a Highly<br />

Commended accolade in the<br />

‘Commercial High-rise Development’<br />

category. <strong>In</strong> addition, Twin Peaks<br />

and Orchard Central bagged Highly<br />

Commended accolades in the<br />

‘Residential High-rise Development’<br />

and ‘Retail Architecture’ categories,<br />

respectively. The awards ceremony was<br />

held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala<br />

Lumpur on 10 May 2013. The awards<br />

are part of the <strong>In</strong>ternational Property<br />

Awards, and the winning projects were<br />

judged on their concept, finishing,<br />

sustainability, innovation and location.<br />

Clockwise from top<br />

left: Orchard Central,<br />

OUE Bayfront and<br />

Twin Peaks.<br />

| Sustainable <strong>Design</strong> These two conditions imposed some challenges<br />

<strong>Design</strong> Optimisation<br />

By Lee Boon Woei<br />

BUSINESS-AS-USUAL<br />

BUILDING ENERGY<br />

SYSTEM DESIGN<br />

RESOURCES<br />

NEEDED TO<br />

OPERATE THE<br />

BUILDING<br />

ESD<br />

PROCESS<br />

OPTIMISED<br />

DESIGN<br />

within the boundary conditions and constraints.<br />

The certification process is certainly not a mere<br />

documentation process. Green certification<br />

benchmarks environmental performance and is<br />

the product of the sustainable design process<br />

rather than the process itself.<br />

If we were to use a leaking barrel as an analogy of<br />

a design that is suboptimal, the design optimisation<br />

process is to eliminate potential inefficiencies within<br />

the system – plug the leakages; work within the<br />

constraints of the project – produce a similar barrel<br />

but at an ideal size; and achieve a lower running<br />

cost – a smaller tap with slower flow.<br />

Our current Green Mark Office <strong>In</strong>terior certification<br />

process revealed a few interesting learning points.<br />

Unlike Green Mark for new Non-Residential<br />

Buildings which has a total point allocation of 190,<br />

Green Mark Office <strong>In</strong>terior only has 115. This<br />

implies that the ‘opportunities’ to score Green<br />

Mark points have greatly reduced. On top of this,<br />

Office <strong>In</strong>terior requires a Green Mark point of 95 to<br />

secure the highest rating of Platinum while Non-<br />

Residential Buildings only require 90 points.<br />

to the team in the certification process. A SWOT<br />

analysis of the ‘environmental friendliness’<br />

of the office was conducted, and tangible<br />

improvements to achieve our Green Mark<br />

objectives were identified and implemented.<br />

This exercise has deepened our appreciation that<br />

sustainable design is a process that optimises<br />

the environmental performance of a design<br />

The optimisation process is now made possible<br />

with the availability of powerful computers and<br />

simulation software that provide designers<br />

accurate information on the interactions of the<br />

physical geographic conditions encountered by<br />

the site, identifying the site’s inherent strengths<br />

and weaknesses, so that designers could<br />

fully explore the passive design potentials of a<br />

development and generate an environmentally<br />

sensitive and responsive design that will help<br />

mitigate its carbon footprint.<br />

The columnist is the director of DP ESD, a<br />

subsidiary firm of DP Architects that specialises<br />

in environmentally sustainable design.


DPA wins 12<br />

BCA Awards 2013<br />

DP Architects has garnered 11 awards at the 2013 Building and Construction<br />

Authority (BCA) Awards which honour building excellence in the areas of safety,<br />

quality, sustainability and user-friendliness. <strong>In</strong> addition, associate Ms Jaye Tan was<br />

conferred the Green Building <strong>In</strong>dividual Award for her outstanding contribution in<br />

shaping a sustainable built environment. The ceremony took place on 16 May 2013<br />

at the Resorts World Sentosa Convention Centre.<br />

Clockwise from top left:<br />

H 2 O Residences,<br />

CREATE and<br />

MediaCorp’s new<br />

campus.<br />

Green Mark Platinum:<br />

- MediaCorp’s new campus at<br />

Mediapolis@one-north<br />

- Ngee Ann Polytechnic Blocks 51 and 58<br />

- Singapore <strong>In</strong>stitute of Technology at<br />

Ngee Ann Polytechnic<br />

Universal <strong>Design</strong> Mark Award:<br />

- H 2 O Residences<br />

- 368 Thomson<br />

Green Mark GoldPlus:<br />

- Paya Lebar Square<br />

- VivoCity<br />

- Century Square<br />

Construction Excellence Award:<br />

- The Fullerton Bay Hotel<br />

- Campus for Research Excellence and<br />

Technological Enterprise (CREATE)<br />

Vietnam National Architecture Award<br />

Dolphin Plaza Wins<br />

First Prize<br />

Dolphin Plaza, located in Hanoi’s outlying district of Tu Liem, beat 140 entries<br />

to win first prize in the 2012 Vietnam National Architecture Awards, marking<br />

the first victory by a luxury residential project. The jury praised the design<br />

for its originality and environmentally friendly design, and referred to it as<br />

‘the focal point of new Hanoi’. The biennial awards, held on 26 April 2013,<br />

was organised by the Vietnam Association of Architects, the Ministry of<br />

Construction, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to honour<br />

outstanding architects and architectural works throughout the country.<br />

Director Mr Jeremy Tan (right) receiving the Top Ten Architects Award on behalf of DP Architects.<br />

DPA is Top Ten Firm<br />

for eighth year running<br />

Associate director Mr Tan Jiann Woei (left) receiving the award in Hanoi.<br />

DP Architects has been named one of the top ten architecture<br />

firms in Singapore for the eighth year running at the BCI Asia<br />

Top Ten Architect Awards. The award recognises the most<br />

commercially significant architecture firms in Hong Kong SAR,<br />

<strong>In</strong>donesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and<br />

Vietnam. The awards ceremony took place at Conrad Contennial<br />

Singapore on 14 June 2013.<br />

Professional expertise to help conserve<br />

Yangon’s Architectural<br />

Heritage<br />

At a press conference held on 30 April 2013 in Myanmar, DP <strong>Design</strong> director<br />

Mr Mike Lim gave a presentation on The State House Hotel, an adaptive<br />

re-use project of a prominent colonial building in Yangon. Mr Lim shared<br />

DPA’s award-winning experiences in architecture conservation with the<br />

100-strong audience. He also presented the schematic design for The<br />

State House Hotel, which incorporates design elements inspired by motifs,<br />

materials and handicrafts unique to the Myanmar people.<br />

DP <strong>Design</strong> director Mr Mike Lim interviewed by the Yangon media.<br />

Courtesy of Flying Tiger Engineering.<br />

DP 27


|<br />

DP personalities<br />

An interview with<br />

David<br />

San Son<br />

&<br />

IN PERSON celebrates the firm’s diversity<br />

by profiling members of the DP family.<br />

The interview is conducted as a casual<br />

conversation between individuals.<br />

Meet associate directors David Liauw<br />

and Ng San Son, respective designers<br />

of Resorts World Sentosa West Zone<br />

which includes the Marine Life Park,<br />

and river-themed wildlife attraction River<br />

Safari. They tell <strong>Design</strong> in <strong>Print</strong> about<br />

designing theme parks.<br />

<strong>In</strong>terview by Toh Bee Ping<br />

Where do you draw your theme park design inspirations?<br />

D: We made a study trip to Cancun, Mexico to visit several theme parks<br />

by Grupo Via Delphi where we got a lot of ideas for natural landscaping<br />

and designing within a natural marine environment. I had my first swim<br />

with dolphins there.<br />

<strong>Design</strong>ing a theme park is basically telling a story, and that needs time to<br />

develop. Fortunately, West Zone was the last in Resorts World Sentosa<br />

to be built, after Central Zone and Universal Studios, so we had a good<br />

amount of time for design development. Many highly-talented people<br />

like Kevin Barbee and Steve Ryan, who are both very experienced in this<br />

field and have worked on Universal Studios Singapore, put in the ‘magic’<br />

in terms of creating a story as well as the fancy theming; we helped to<br />

bring the story to life in its built forms.<br />

SS: We discarded all pre-conceived notions about theme park design<br />

and let the environment inform the design. I remember visiting the<br />

forested site before the design process began; the sun was setting and<br />

there were beautiful golden sparkles on the reservoir. The team stood<br />

mesmerised by the landscape, and looked towards where the entrance<br />

plaza would be and visualised in our minds what that would look like.<br />

There were dead trees in the water that, to us, formed beautiful<br />

sculptures and indirectly inspired the look of the entrance plaza. The<br />

twisting and tilted structure supporting the entrance plaza appears to<br />

emerge from the undergrowth. The entrance plaza is the most important<br />

design element in a nature park as it is the start and end of the journey.<br />

“For Marine Life Park, the process<br />

of working with sea life was a steep<br />

learning curve. There were a lot of firsts,<br />

for example, designing hotel suites that<br />

offer underwater views of the world’s<br />

largest aquarium from within.”<br />

- David<br />

How different was the experience of designing<br />

theme parks?<br />

D: Especially for Marine Life Park, the process of working with sea life<br />

was a steep learning curve. Before this, the office had not designed an<br />

integrated theme park of this scale and complexity. There were a lot of<br />

firsts, for example, designing hotel suites that offer underwater views of<br />

the world’s largest aquarium from within.<br />

Like any development, theme parks must meet building codes and<br />

comply with public safety regulations. <strong>In</strong> the case of Marine Life<br />

Park, another dimension in the form of international standards and<br />

certification to ensure the well-being of the sea life, such as water<br />

quality, must be engaged. Working with Aquatic Environmental Systems<br />

(AES) based in Queensland, Australia, who is in charge of the Life<br />

Support System, was also an eye-opening experience.


Additionally the Resorts World development is overseen by the<br />

government-appointed <strong>In</strong>tegrated Resort Working Group which has a<br />

strong hand in controlling what we could or could not do.<br />

SS: To be honest, it was a struggle initially. I found myself asking, how is<br />

this architecture design? Very often, theme parks are about iconographic<br />

designs and ostentatious theming. I found it an interesting juggle,<br />

working with the theming consultant and balancing the simulated visuals<br />

with pure architectural intent.<br />

If you compare with, say, designing a mall where it is about the culture<br />

of constant consumption, we design for people to be integrated in the<br />

experience. Zoo exhibits, even in the most naturalistic environment, are<br />

essentially separated. When designing River Safari, we had to create an<br />

immersive experience while keeping people and animals separate. For<br />

the non-exhibit spaces, such as the entrance plaza and the boardwalk<br />

of the panda enclosure, we provided the architectural experience via<br />

structures, architectonics and detailing.<br />

Another crucial element was the circulation planning to provide a<br />

seamless journey. We worked closely with curators to orchestrate the<br />

visitor’s journey to create vivid serial visions and drama. The other<br />

challenge was to integrate the wildlife park with the landscape of Upper<br />

Seletar Reservoir. We left the rest to the theming consultant to wow<br />

visitors with the thematic visuals.<br />

What do you do for fun?<br />

D: I collect things. I have a good collection of porcelain produced during<br />

the Chinese Cultural Revolution, from 1966-76. I hope to one day<br />

donate the collection to an art museum. This way I enable the future<br />

generations to enjoy these pieces and learn about the history of the<br />

period. I also collect stamps from the same era. I collect watches too.<br />

SS: I enjoy running. It calms me and helps me think better. When I’m<br />

running, I think of problems. Things get clearer after a run and I find<br />

better solutions. Another fun activity is having supper with my students.<br />

I teach part-time at NUS and many of my students are now my friends.<br />

It’s refreshing to hear their perspectives and sometimes naïve points of<br />

view. Plus I feel young when I hang out with them!<br />

Tell us something about yourself that few people<br />

know about.<br />

D: I cried when I watched Ah Boys to Men Part 2. I’m not a Singaporean<br />

and hence was never in the army; but the movie hit many right notes,<br />

underlining a lot of the values that I hold dear including love of country,<br />

loyalty and friendship.<br />

SS: People think that I socialise and talk a lot, but I’m actually a shy<br />

person. I dislike talking for the sake of talking. I’m emotionally involved<br />

with people I work with; it affects me personally when they feel unhappy.<br />

Also, I cannot sleep for more than seven hours a day. If I do, I get a bad<br />

headache and backache.<br />

“For the non-exhibit spaces of River<br />

Safari such as the entrance plaza<br />

and the panda enclosure boardwalk,<br />

we provided the architectural<br />

experience via structures,<br />

architectonics and detailing.”<br />

- San Son<br />

All Rights Reserved. No material may be reproduced without prior permission.<br />

DP Architects accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions or resultant<br />

consequences including any loss or damage arising from reliance on information in<br />

<strong>Design</strong> in <strong>Print</strong>. Any opinions in <strong>Design</strong> in <strong>Print</strong> are solely those of the named authors<br />

of the article in which they appear. Unless named as author, DP Architects, Editorial<br />

Panel and other Contributors do not endorse any such views and disclaim all liability<br />

from their publication.<br />

Copyright © DP Architects Pte Ltd<br />

MICA (P) 012/10/2012<br />

<strong>Print</strong>ed by SC (Sang Choy) <strong>In</strong>ternational Pte Ltd<br />

L028/03/2012<br />

Published by DP Architects Pte Ltd<br />

6 Raffles Boulevard #04-100<br />

Marina Square Singapore 039594<br />

T: +65 6338 3988 F: +65 6337 9989<br />

E: ask_corpcomm@dpa.com.sg<br />

W: www.dpa.com.sg<br />

Photo Contributors:<br />

Chan Min Kang, Dessy Budhianto, Jeremy San, Loh Hai Yew,<br />

Loh Yew Cheng, Pocholo Mauricio, Rory Daniel, Sai Phone Htoo,<br />

Sean Lee and Wellington Kuswanto.<br />

All photos are credited to the mentioned photographers<br />

unless otherwise stated.<br />

DP 29


The 120ha site at East Coast Parkway accommodates a 27-hole golf course, a clubhouse and 40<br />

chalets for the use of SAFRA members. The clubhouse is designed in a distinctive regional style.<br />

Modular lattice work and tile patterns were derived from the designs of traditional basket weavings.<br />

The materials used were predominately sandstone, timber and clay. The open verandahs and<br />

lobbies, punctuated by water features, create an atmosphere of a tropical resort.<br />

Project Team: Gan Eng Oon, Lydia Fong, Yeong Weng Fai, Filemon Tutay and Zaiton Bte Khairon.<br />

SAFRA Resort & Country Club<br />

1994

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