Design in Print 16.3 | A Year of Shared Purpose

SYNTHESIS & SYNERGY: INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION

DRIVING DESIGN EXCELLENCE

ADVOCATING SUSTAINABILITY & INNOVATION

CELEBRATING OUR PEOPLE

ISSUE 16.3

A YEAR OF SHARED PURPOSE

PHOTOGRAPHERS

DESIGN IN PRINT TEAM

CONTENTS

INDUSTRY

DRIVING DESIGN EXCELLENCE

08 Bukit Canberra and Chengnan Riverfront Urban Complex Wins International Architecture Awards 2025

09 Paya Lebar Green Accorded for Excellence in its Sustainable Design Strategies |

SAFRA Choa Chu Kang Clubhouse Wows Juror with its Innovation in Design for a Greener and Healthier Built Environment

11 DP Architects Bags Multiple Wins at the 18th Edition of Re-Thinking The Future Awards

12 Two of Our Healthcare Projects Recognised at the MOH Holdings Infrastructure Excellence Awards 2025

13 DP Architects Takes Home Two Gold and A Merit | Shenzhen Dapeng Eastern International Tourism Zone Takes Gold

14 Central Manpower Base Awarded BCA Project of the Year 2025 | 15 Excelling in our Urban Designs

17 Advancing Liveability and Sustainability: Exceptional Designs by our Teams in DPA China and DPA India Recognised at World Design Awards 2025

18 Our Adaptive Reuse of House of Tan Yeok Nee Impresses at Architecture MasterPrize 2025

19 Singapore Island Country Club Wins BLT Built Design Awards 2025 with its Nature-Led Design

20 The Standard, Singapore: A Multi-Award Winning Hospitality Design

21 DP Architects and its group of companies Impress at The Golden Pin Design Award 2025

23 Design Firm of the Year: DP Design’s Unwavering Commitment to Design Excellence Recognised

24 Three Award Wins, Including Gold For Plantation Village and Plantation Farmway at the Singapore Landscape Architecture Awards 2025

25 Rainforest Wild ASIA Clinches World Landscape Architecture Award—A First for DP Architects and DP Green

IN BRIEF

OUR RECENT PROJECTS

29 Therme Singapore | 31 Klimt Cairnhill | 33 Plantation Village | 35 Thomson Community Club

37 Odeon 333 | 39 House of Tan Yeok Nee | 41 Comcentre Redevelopment Project | 43 Rainforest Wild ASIA

45 Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Green Innovation Park | 47 Life Hub @ Bund Central | 49 RMZ Nexity

51 Lego Manufacturing Vietnam | 53 The Opera Residence | 54 Shenzhen Dapeng Eastern International Tourism Zone

55 The Cathay | AVANI Hotel Singapore | 56 My Home 99

57 Capitol Bistro. Bar. Patisserie | Singapore Management University Offices Level 12

INDUSTRY

ADVOCATING SUSTAINABILITY & INNOVATION

61 Advancing Beyond Sustainability in a Changing World

66 Synthesis & Synergy: Architecture for Community Book Launch

67 DP Architects Deepens Partnership with Nanyang Polytechnic with MoU | DP Signs MoU with Montfort Care

68 Singapore Pavilion, Expo 2025, Osaka: It’s a Wrap

69 House of Tan Yeok Nee Opens | Pencils by the Water by DPG Delights Residents of Punggol and Park-Goers

70 DPA group Awarded ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Certification

71 DPA Projects Featured in Summer Island Short Film

73 Green Movement 2.0

CELEBRATING OUR PEOPLE

76 Executive Chairman Ar. Angelene Chan Accorded AWiCS-SIA Woman Architect of the Year

77 Associate Director Ar. Ng Ching Hsiung Recognised as One of the Leading Architects at URA’s 20 Under 45 2025

78 DP Design Directors IDr. Mike Lim and IDr. Allan Wang Listed Top 30 Singapore Interior Designers

79 DP Green’s Director LAr. Yvonne Tan Appointed President of The Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects Council

80 Young Architects Recognised at Perspective 40 Under 40 2025

81 Growing Talent, Strengthening The Profession: Our Newly Registered Architects

82 DPians Listed Among SBR’s 20 Most Notable Architecture Professionals Under 40 | DP Academy Celebrates DPA’s Top 10 Learners

83 DP Architects and its group of companies Welcome 7 Newly Accredited Professionals

85 Better Together

DESIGN. CULTURE. VALUES.

Dear Readers,

As we step into a new year, this issue of Design in Print looks beyond reflection towards shared intention. In an era of accelerating environmental, technological and social change, architecture must do more than respond—it must help shape the future with clarity and purpose. Here in DP, we believe such form of leadership emerges through synergy, where design, values and culture come together to build resilient, inclusive and forward-looking cities.

DESIGN SYNERGY

2025 marks Singapore’s 60th year. The SG60 theme, “Building Our Singapore Together,” celebrates our journey and challenges us to envision what lies ahead, together. As a homegrown, proudly Singaporean practice, DP has grown alongside the nation, contributing to its evolving urban landscape while projecting Singapore’s design ethos globally.

This year, we represented Singapore at the World Expo in Osaka, showcasing how design catalyses innovation, sustainability and resilience. At home, projects such as Central Manpower Base, Plantation Village at Tengah, Rainforest Wild ASIA, and House of Tan Yeok Nee demonstrate integration—nature and city, heritage and progress, infrastructure and community life.

Internationally, our works—from the LEGO carbon-neutral factory in Vietnam to Life Hub @ Bund Central in Shanghai, Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Green Innovation Park, and RMZ Nexity in Hyderabad—illustrate how synergy transcends borders, cultures and disciplines. These projects reaffirm that design excellence arises when local insight, global knowledge and collaborative partnerships intersect.

PROPELLED BY VALUES

Values are no longer abstract ideals, they actively guide design decisions. Committed to architecture that is environmentally responsive, socially responsible and enduring in impact, we strive to be better-than-sustainable through our actions and interventions, pursuing regenerative, adaptable and meaningful design outcomes.

One such instance – our voluntary Sustainability Report, second year in its making, is an act of accountability and reflection, guided by our APD matrix – Attributes of Purposeful Design. It continues to help us assess how design decisions influence environmental performance, social outcomes and resilience. Values provide the framework that drives both innovation and responsibility.

Another articulation of value system was through our latest publication, Synthesis and Synergy: Architecture for Community It demonstrates how values-driven design strengthens everyday life and nurtures the bond between people and place. Values act as both compass and catalyst for meaningful design impact.

PARTNERS & PEOPLE AT THE CORE

DP’s future is shaped not by buildings alone, but by the collective creativity, commitment and talent of our people and partners. In a rapidly evolving profession, our teams have demonstrated adaptability, resilience and leadership, reflecting a culture of collaboration, mentorship and shared authorship.

Continuity is not about preserving the past, but enabling what can be. Collaboration across generations and disciplines ensures experience and emerging perspectives work in synergy, shaping both our practice and the communities we serve.

Paraphrasing Aristotle, excellence is cultivated through habit and deliberate action. As we look ahead, we remain committed to practising architecture and design with rigour, imagination and purpose, synthesising craft with conscience, and innovation with responsibility.

On behalf of DP Architects, I wish all our partners and friends a joyful year-end. As we move into 2026, may we advance with confidence and intent, designing not only for today, but building our shared futures for tomorrow together.

Ar. Seah Chee Huang CEO of DP Architects

DRIVING DESIGN EXCELLENCE

CELEBRATING OUR YEAR OF DESIGN PURSUIT – SHAPED BY COLLABORATION, AFFIRMED BY RECOGNITION AND DRIVEN BY PURPOSE.

BUKIT CANBERRA AND CHENGNAN RIVERFRONT URBAN COMPLEX WINS

INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE AWARDS 2025

Our pursuit of design excellence is firmly grounded in our belief in the transformative power of design to foster positive change through the built environment. Securing two wins and two honourable mentions— namely, GET SPACE (China) in the Commercial Building category and the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Green Innovation Park in the Urban Planning category—at this year’s International Architecture Awards reaffirms our dedication to excellence.

Bukit Canberra (Singapore), a community, sports and lifestyle hub, is celebrated for its innovative approach to the existing landscape, built heritage and community needs, and for its keen sensitivity to the interconnectedness of social, ecological and wellbeing factors. Envisioned as a ‘living building’, our architectural scheme regards the environment as an equal stakeholder. It capitalises on the existing forest ecology to establish harmony between social and ecological systems for long-term resilience, development and growth. The outcome is a better-than-sustainable project that progresses towards a regenerative urban ecology, where the built and natural environments seamlessly blend. Bukit Canberra was among 11 winning projects under the Sports and Recreation category.

Recognised in the Mixed-Use Buildings category, Chengnan Riverfront Urban Complex is awarded for its site-sensitive yet bold urban interventions. The design strategies capitalised on the site’s potential, unifying the two plots to create a cohesive, dynamic development and leveraging the riverfront as a key asset for placemaking and the creation of community-focused spaces. What was once an underutilised and unfriendly site has since been transformed into a vibrant destination for live, work and play.

The International Architecture Award, organised by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies, is dedicated to recognising excellence in architecture and urbanism.

For its design strategies towards a better-than-sustainable built environment, Bukit Canberra is a multi-award-winning project.

This year, it also received Gold in the Social Public Project –Community Centre category at CREDAward 2025 and Special Mention at Architizer A+ in the Unbuilt Sports and Recreation category. At the recently concluded Golden Pin Design Award, the project was awarded a Mark Winner in the Spatial Design: Architecture category.

In 2024, it was awarded the prestigious Architecture MasterPrize Award – Conceptual Architecture, Winner; the SGBC-BCA Leadership in Sustainability Awards – Community Engagement, Winner; World Green Building Council: APAC Leadership Awards in Green Building – Leadership in Sustainable Design and Performance Award (Institutional Project), Highly Commended; the Chicago Athenaeum: Green GOOD DESIGN Award – Green Architecture Winner; and a finalist at the World Architecture Festival Award in the Future Projects – Civic category.

The final phase of Bukit Canberra, which includes the adaptive reuse of the conserved Canberra House, is slated for completion in 2026.

GREEN GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2025 PAYA LEBAR GREEN ACCORDED FOR EXCELLENCE IN ITS SUSTAINABLE DESIGN STRATEGIES

Paya Lebar Green, the newest Grade-A office development at Paya Lebar Central, involved retrofitting an existing office block (Paya Lebar Green North) and constructing an adjacent new block (Paya Lebar Green South). Designed for Certis and Lendlease, it is poised to be one of the greenest, smartest and healthiest workplaces in Singapore.

The architectural scheme pulled the focus on human and planetary health by employing innovative sustainable design strategies that champion community, workplace wellbeing and low-carbon outcomes. These included a whole-life carbon assessment to minimise upfront embodied carbon in the South building, a low-demolition approach for the North building, and extensive envelope upgrades to decrease thermal transfer. Additionally, green and energy-efficient technologies were integrated throughout the development to ensure low operational carbon emissions. A communal park and extensive landscaping incorporate greenery into the project, creating enjoyable spaces that foster a stronger workplace community and collaboration.

Paya Lebar Green has been awarded in the Green Architecture category. The Green GOOD DESIGN Award, organised by The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design, recognises outstanding designs worldwide that demonstrate exceptional thinking, promote sustainable design, and inspire progress towards a greener planet.

ULI ASIA

PACIFIC AWARDS 2025

SAFRA CHOA CHU KANG CLUBHOUSE WOWS JUROR WITH ITS INNOVATION

IN DESIGN FOR A GREENER AND HEALTHIER BUILT ENVIRONMENT

The first SAFRA clubhouse located within a park, SAFRA Choa Chu Kang serves as a condenser and activator for the community with core themes of nature and active living. Aligning with DPA’s Green-WellTech (GWT) thrust, SAFRA Choa Chu Kang Clubhouse seeks to elevate physical and mental health and promote social resilience while contributing to a greener built environment through wellbeing design and sustainable design strategies that respond to the surrounding natural and social context.

SAFRA Choa Chu Kang Clubhouse has been recognised as one of the 14 winners from seven countries at the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Asia Pacific Awards for Excellence. The award celebrates exceptional developments in the Asia Pacific region, emphasising excellence across various fields and their impact on the environment and communities; a testament to the design practice’s dedication to creating a more liveable, better-than-sustainable future.

DP ARCHITECTS BAGS MULTIPLE

WINS AT THE 18 TH EDITION OF RE-THINKING THE FUTURE

AWARDS

Five of our projects have been recognised across multiple categories in this cycle of Rethinking the Future (RTF) Awards. Each stands as a testament to our pursuit of design excellence, characterised by purposeful and innovative solutions that aim to create a better-than-sustainable built environment.

Held annually, the RTF Awards celebrate design strategies that respond to global challenges, highlighting the best of such projects to inspire the next generation.

1. SINGAPORE PAVILION, EXPO 2025, OSAKA, KANSAI, JAPAN

Winner in Pop-ups and Temporary – Built category

Conceived in line with Expo 2025 Osaka’s theme, Designing Future Society for Our Lives, the Singapore Pavilion was a unique experiential vessel that invited the world to experience Singapore’s journey and share in our aspirations for a better tomorrow. Its design and construction were based on the 4Rs of sustainability: Renew, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle for a more circular and low-carbon outcome. This included cladding with approximately 17,000 aluminium discs made from 70% post-consumer recycled content and the installation of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) on the roof, which generated around 15,000kwh of renewable energy during the Expo.

The Singapore Pavilion, Expo 2025, Osaka, was realised through DP’s interdisciplinary approach, in conjunction with the Singapore Tourism Board and collaborators, Kingsmen Exhibits and KR+D, along with multimedia partners Finding Pictures, Milla & Partner GmbH and creative consultant Presplay.

2. GOODLIFE STUDIO (BUKIT PURMEI), SINGAPORE

Winner in Interiors – Healthcare/Wellness category

The project was recognised for its innovative approach to the senior care centre typology in Singapore, exemplifying the transformative power of design to bring about positive societal change by reshaping our environment. Situated at a residential void deck, it is thoughtfully designed with a carpentry studio at its core and utilises craft-related programmes to encourage interaction and foster social support among elderly residents.

3. LIFE HUB @ BUND CENTRAL, SHANGHAI, CHINA Runner Up in Urban Design – Built category

A mixed-use complex comprising a retail mall and a 180-metre-tall office tower, the Life Hub @ Bund Central is part of a broader master plan to revitalise the heritage site in Shanghai’s Hongkou District. Programmatically, the design aims to respond to and reframe the urban relationship between Shanghai’s rapid development and its conserved in-situ shiku-men neighbourhoods through a network of pathways and activated plazas that create visual sightlines between adjacencies. Architecturally, the textured striations of grey ceramic and aluminium panels on the façade, together with the terracing of the retail podium, establish a respectful yet theatrical dialogue between new and old.

4. CHINA-SINGAPORE GUANGZHOU KNOWLEDGE CITY –KNOWLEDGE TOWER, GUANGZHOU, CHINA

Runner Up in Mixed Use – Concept category

Located on the north bank of Jiulong Lake, the Knowledge Tower presents an unconventional architectural design for super-tall office buildings. It features a clover-shaped plan and a three-tower structure linked by a central “life-spine” of stacked atriums. This multi-core configuration based on a modular cluster aims to maximise operational and programmatic flexibility while integrating five unique communal atriums to realise the vertical village concept.

5. LUNENG SANYA BAY MEILICHENG, HAINAN, CHINA

Runner Up in Hospitality – Concept category

Situated in the prime site in Sanya Bay—bounded by a plaza to the northeast, a forthcoming cultural commercial zone to the west and Xincheng Road to the south—the scheme seeks harmony among humans, nature and architecture through abstracted motifs of terraced fields, mountain ranges, crystals and seawater that unfold as sky gardens, rooftop landscapes, cantilevered volumes and aerial walkways. Façade voids stagger into breezy sky gardens while double-layer vertical grilles temper the sun, generating rhythmic patterns that marry passive climate control with a dynamic, energy-efficient aesthetic.

For their design strategies and innovative approach towards better-than-sustainable outcomes, two of our projects were further recognised in notable award programmes.

Life Hub @ Bund Central was named one of 17 Mark Winners in the Spatial Design: Architecture category at the 2025 Golden Pin Design Award; clinched a win in the Mixed-Use (Built) category at the World Design Awards 2025; and, received Honorable Mention in the Architectural Design: Commercial category at the BLT Built Design Awards 2025.

The Singapore Pavilion won People’s Choice at the World Expo Awards 2025, Osaka and was accorded the Grand Award at the iSMART Design Awards 2025 in the Public Space category. In the recently concluded Architecture MasterPrize Award and World Architecture Festival (WAF) Awards 2025, the pavilion received Honorable Mention and was among the finalists in the Small Architecture and Completed Buildings: Display categories, respectively.

TWO OF OUR HEALTHCARE PROJECTS RECOGNISED AT THE MOH HOLDINGS INFRASTRUCTURE EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2025

Awarded for design excellence, Alexandra Integrated General Hospital (AIGH) and the Elective Care Centre & National Dental Centre Singapore (ECC & NDCS) were celebrated for demonstrating sitesensitive, sustainable design solutions that contribute to Singapore’s development of future-ready infrastructure and integrated solutions that support a resilient public healthcare system.

AIGH received the prestigious Gold Award for its well-thought-out, patient-centric, and wellbeing-focused design and planning strategies to reinvigorate the hospital’s existing heritage buildings and infrastructure, improve its connectivity to adjacent communities and transport nodes, and enhance its accessibility to and integration with green spaces. The redevelopment plans were conceived in alignment with and to support Alexandra Hospital’s Integrated General Hospital care model and multidisciplinary programme, which will enable patients to receive acute and rehabilitative care from the same care team at a single location.

ECC & NDCS earned the Merit Award for its strategic design that supports future expansion of the new Singapore General Hospital while prioritising operability, scalability, adaptability and flexibility within the reimagined Outram Medical Campus.

The MOHH Infrastructure Excellence Awards programme is organised by MOHH’s Healthcare Infrastructure and Projects Division. Held in tandem with the annual MOHH Appreciation Dinner, it honours the exemplary contributions of our healthcare infrastructure and industry partners, whose dedication and innovation continue to shape Singapore’s public healthcare landscape.

CREDAWARD 2025 DP ARCHITECTS

TAKES

HOME TWO GOLD AND A MERIT

Three of our projects emerged victorious at this year’s CREDAwards, with Pullman Singapore Hill Street and Bukit Canberra obtaining Gold in the Comprehensive Project – Brand Hotel and Social Public Project – Community Centre categories, respectively, and GET SPACE clinching Merit in the Comprehensive Project – Mixed-Use category. The two Gold accolades are a first for DPA at CREDAwards.

The architecture and design scheme for Pullman Singapore Hill Street impressed with its creative abstraction of the Pullman brand heritage into a unique and immersive hospitality experience that transports guests to a charming era of vintage locomotives and luxurious train journeys amidst modern comforts and delights. Bukit Canberra, on the other hand, was outstanding for its adoption of regenerative design principles and employment of environmentally sensitive and people-focused design strategies and construction methodologies, delivering an integrated hub that progresses towards better-thansustainable outcomes. Last but not least, GET SPACE was recognised for its creative approach to land value maximisation and bold introduction of the first mixed-use, transit-oriented development within the core area of Guangzhou Science City. Its community-forward design strategies and flexible programming delivered a development that generates social and economic value, appealing to both businesses and visitors alike.

URBAN DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE

DESIGN AWARDS 2025

SHENZHEN DAPENG EASTERN INTERNATIONAL TOURISM ZONE TAKES GOLD

In response to the brief to revitalise the Dapeng area, our master plan for the Shenzhen Dapeng Eastern International Tourism Zone was developed with keen sensitivity to the rich biodiversity and natural resources of the Dapeng Peninsula. It re-envisions the 240 square kilometres plot as a world-class eco-tourism destination, centred on outcomes for economic resiliency, environmental sustainability and cultural continuity. This is achieved through a multi-way approach and the application of Eco-Oriented Development (EOD) principles in which ecological conservation and environmental governance are prioritised and carefully integrated with comprehensive regional planning and industry operations.

For its strategies to uplift the social and economic vitality of the Dapeng Peninsula without eroding its natural and cultural heritage, the master plan has been awarded Gold in the Urban Planning category. The Urban Design and Architecture Design Awards aim to celebrate design and projects that demonstrate thoughtfulness in their response to and relationship with the natural surroundings, the community and the city.

CENTRAL MANPOWER BASE AWARDED BCA PROJECT OF THE YEAR 2025

The new Central Manpower Base (CMPB) is a one-stop hub that consolidates a wide array of national servicerelated administrative functions, from medical screenings to kit replacements, serving the needs of pre-enlistees and national servicemen within a single, streamlined facility. Collaboratively designed by DPA and its multidisciplinary team comprising DP Design, DP Façade, DP Sustainable Design (DPSD), DP Green and DP Lighting, it was named Project of the Year (Institutional) for its strong architectural design language, seamlessly integrated sustainable design strategies, thoughtful use of building materials, and innovative building and construction methods.

Present to receive the award from the Minister of National Development, Mr Chee Hong Tat, were the architecture design lead for CMPB and DPA director, Ar. Ng San Son, senior associate director Lim Sheau Miin, and DPSD director, Er. Yong Siew Onn. They took to the stage alongside the CEO of Building & Construction Authority (BCA), Mr Kelvin Wong; CEO and executive director of Tiong Seng Holdings, Mr Pek Lian Guan; director of Building and Infrastructure at DSTA, Mr Tan Tze Leng; Group CEO at Meinhardt Group, Mr Omar Shahzad; executive director at Tiong Seng Holdings, Mr Pek Zhi Kai; chairman and independent director at Tiong Seng,

Dr Teo Ho Pin; programme director (CMPB) at DSTA, Mr Pang Lu Kit; and, executive director at AECOM Cost Consulting & Project Management (Singapore), Ms Hyacinth Tan.

The BCA Awards ceremony was held on the evening of 3rd September at Marina Bay Sands, in conjunction with International Built Environment Week (IBEW). BCA organises the Project of the Year award and aims to recognise exceptional projects and firms that have shown remarkable dedication and effort in driving industry transformation within the Built Environment sector.

Scan the QR code for more insights on the design and sustainability strategies behind the Central Manpower Base:

SIP PLANNING AWARDS 2025

EXCELLING IN OUR URBAN DESIGNS

Shenzhen Dapeng Eastern International Tourism Zone, One Punggol, Lam Dong Master Plan 2030 with Vision to 2050, and Khuon Than Resort City Master Plan are urban planning projects that have demonstrated innovation in their design and programmatic strategies to advance social resilience and economic vibrancy while contributing to environmental wellbeing.

Re-examining land-sea potential, the master plan for Shenzhen Dapeng Eastern International Tourism Zone implements a multidimensional ecological protection system that enhances the site’s biodiversity while empowering residents as co-creators of the area’s transformation for greater economic vitality and improved human wellbeing. This manifests in three key strategies—integrated land-sea utilisation, resilience spines as systemic connectors and an operational foundation as an Eco-Oriented Development (EOD). Conceived by our team at DPA China, the master plan was awarded Gold under Excellence in Planning for Environmental Resiliency.

The Khuon Than Resort City Master Plan in Vietnam, developed by our team of urban planners at DP Urban, similarly seeks to harness the site’s natural resources and rich cultural heritage to support a thriving tourism sector while safeguarding long-term environmental

health. With nature as the blueprint, the master plan works with its surrounding natural terrain, maintaining green or low-impact developments over half of the site. The project received Bronze Award under Excellence in Planning > 500ha & Up to 5000ha.

Lam Dong Master Plan 2030, with a Vision to 2050 in Vietnam, proposes a bold shift from an economy reliant on tourism and agriculture to a sustainable, innovation-driven urban future through high-value sectors. The project’s long-term strategy integrates urban planning, economic growth, sustainability and equity within a single framework, promoting the province’s development without compromising its environmental or cultural identity; it has earned a Silver Award for Excellence in Planning > 5000ha.

An integrated town hub in Singapore that carefully co-locates public services and healthcare facilities, One Punggol is a Silver Award winner under the Joint Award by SIP & PDD of HKIS for Excellence in Integrated Urban Development. Accessibility, connectivity and togetherness form its main architectural language, creating an inclusive development that fosters movement, community building and bonding.

ADVANCING LIVEABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY: EXCEPTIONAL

DESIGNS BY OUR TEAMS IN DPA CHINA AND DPA INDIA RECOGNISED AT WORLD DESIGN AWARDS 2025

Six projects emerged as winners across multiple categories at the 2025 World Design Awards, organised by The Architecture Community (TAC); each was awarded for strong design schemes that creatively responded to site and context while addressing climate change and advancing socio-economic agendas for a better urban future.

Dedicated to celebrating design excellence, the recognition by the World Design Awards affirms our commitment to creating architecture that enriches lives, strengthens communities, and contributes to economic and climate resilience.

1. DANZHOU BAY HUB, HAINAN, CHINA

Public Building (Built)

Designed and developed to enhance the tourist experience in Danzhou city, the building integrates vacationing, retail, leisure and entertainment in an open-plan design. This allows the urban hall to serve as a versatile and vibrant venue for commercial activities and cultural events. Poised to play a demonstrative role in green and low-carbon architecture, the architectural scheme incorporates active and passive design strategies, including photovoltaics for power supply, overhangs, vegetation and natural ventilation.

2. LUNENG DALIAN JINSHITAN MEILIHUI, HAINAN, CHINA

Mixed-Use (Built)

The architectural design was conceived in response to and with respect for its coastal environment, articulated in four core strategies: Embracing the Sea, Integrating with the City, Linking Landscapes and Coexisting Harmoniously. In form, the outcome is an outstanding development featuring an elongated, curvilinear form on the northern side, extending its ocean-view corridors, and pearl-like buildings in staggered layouts on the southern side, creating visual pathways to the seascapes. In purpose, the project elevates Dalian’s status as an international coastal tourism hub.

3. SINO-SINGAPORE TIANJIN ECO-CITY GREEN INNOVATION PARK, TIANJIN, CHINA Urban Design (Under Construction)

In response to the “Dual Carbon” policies in China, the master planning of the Eco-City Centre aims to pioneer a sustainable development model, guided by Eco-City’s planning framework and Singapore’s sustainability experiences, through futureproofing and systematic approaches.

The design scheme envisions a continuously expanding urban landscape, anchored by a Central Activity Belt that links Sino-Singapore Friendship Park in the North to Z4 Light Rail station in the South of the city centre. The Belt consists of public spaces and incorporates innovative infrastructure integrated with the latest sustainability technologies, such as Eco-Atrium, an enclosed indoor public space with passive cooling and energy-efficient smart controls, or the Eco-Veranda and Eco-Canopy, sheltered walkways and event spaces fitted with Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) glazing to harvest solar energy and rainwater.

4. MY HOME 99, HYDERABAD, INDIA

Residential (Built)

My Home 99 redefines residential excellence in India. Designed as a multi-generational waterfront community, the residential tower of 99 premium units blends sophistication with luxury to offer an elevated standard of living. A defining feature of the design is the use of Jaali (traditional Indian screens), which not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also provides practical benefits in terms of comfort and privacy. World-class amenities are thoughtfully integrated into the building’s lower levels, carefully shielded from Hyderabad’s intense climate.

5.

NOVOTEL GOA PANJIM, GOA, INDIA

Hospitality (Built)

Accor Group’s third establishment in the region, Novotel Goa Panjim sets itself apart from its counterparts with an upscale urban resort design concept. The architectural scheme was drafted in response to site constraints and characteristics—adjacency to the main roadway, strict height limitations and a lack of natural vistas. These circumstances informed an inward-looking environment while maximising usable programmatic space, resulting in an elegant city hotel with a luscious oasis and the relaxed ambience of a resort.

6.

RMZ NEXITY, HYDERABAD, INDIA

Commercial (Built)

Comprising three 22-storey high-rise towers with lush courtyards and boulevards, RMZ Nexity was conceived in response to its site and changing business trends. Connectivity and community are central design themes, especially in its public spaces, achieved through the integration of green, pedestrian-friendly areas like courtyards and boulevards. These create a peaceful atmosphere, providing end-users with a space to relax during the workday or to socialise with colleagues, thereby enhancing their sense of wellbeing and productivity (Read more on page 49).

For their forward-thinking design strategies to advance socioeconomic vibrancy within their locale and a greener built environment, RMZ Nexity and Luneng Dalian Jinshitan Meilihui clinched Bronze at the International Design Awards 2025. The office development in Hyderabad, India won in the Commercial Architecture: High Rise Offices/Skyscrapers category while the mixed-use development in Luneng, China was awarded in the Architecture Project Development: Commercial category.

OUR ADAPTIVE REUSE OF HOUSE OF TAN YEOK NEE IMPRESSES AT ARCHITECTURE MASTERPRIZE 2025

As the only remaining traditional Chinese mansion architecture in Singapore, our adaptive reuse of the House of Tan Yeok Nee was a design exercise in restoring and revitalising an underused historic house as a valued piece of urban heritage. This involved a significant change of use from a private school into a family office with a heritage gallery, a café and an omakase restaurant that will be opened to the public.

The multiple changes in ownership guided our conservation approach and extent of architectural interventions and interior designs, while a careful study of its genius loci informed its programmatic changes. In-depth exchanges with Chinese craftsmen from Chaosan, Guangdong, allowed the team to discern various aesthetic and construction processes aimed at restoring with historical and visual coherence (修旧如旧) rather than contemporary visual juxtaposition (修旧如新). Sensitively restored and thoughtfully adapted, House of Tan Yeok Nee is one of 13 winners in the Architectural Design – Restoration & Renovation category at the Architecture Masterprize (AMP) Award 2025 (Read more about the project on page 39).

To date, the project has also received Honorable Mention at the 2025 BLT Built Design Awards in the Architectural Design: Restoration and Renovation category and was among the finalists in the Completed Buildings: Retrofit category at WAF Awards 2025.

This cycle of AMP also saw six of our projects receive Honorable Mentions. They are:

The Standard, Singapore in the Hospitality Architecture category

• Odeon 333 (Singapore) in the Mixed Use Architecture category

• Singapore Pavilion, Expo 2025, Osaka (Osaka, Japan) in the Small Architecture category

• The Opera Residence (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) in the Residential Architecture – Multi Unit category

• RMZ Nexity (Hyderabad, India) in the Commercial Architecture category

• Singapore Island Country Club in the Recreational Architecture category

SINGAPORE ISLAND COUNTRY CLUB WINS BLT BUILT DESIGN AWARDS 2025 WITH ITS NATURE-LED DESIGN

Taking cues from the existing topography, the design scheme for Singapore Island Country Club prioritised the preservation of the site’s ecological integrity and the long-term sustainability of the clubhouse development. This resulted in an architectural programming that sensitively establishes three key scales of connection to the natural environment – simulation rooms on level one in conjunction with the forest floor, open-air allday dining on the second floor, which levels with the canopy layer, and the business centre, café and lounge on the third floor with the emergent layer of the rainforest. Its nature-led design scheme saw the project emerge as one of three winners in the Architectural Design: Recreational category, alongside Bukit Canberra.

This cycle of the BLT Built Design Awards also recognised The Standard, Singapore in the Architectural Design: Hospitality category, along with three other projects awarded Honourable Mentions. These are RMZ Nexity, a large-scale office development in India (read more on page 49), House of Tan Yeok Nee, an adaptive reuse project in Singapore, and Life Hub @ Bund Central

(read more on page 47) in the Architectural Design: Commercial, Restoration & Renovation and Mixed-Use Building categories, respectively.

The BLT Built Design Awards is an annual awards programme that aims to identify and promote outstanding projects in the building industry.

Testament to Singapore Island Country Club’s outstanding design, the project is also the recipient of an Honorable Mention at the 2025 Architecture MasterPrize Award and among the finalists in this year’s Singapore Institute of Architects’ Design Awards (SIADA).

THE STANDARD, SINGAPORE: A MULTI-AWARD WINNING HOSPITALITY DESIGN

The Standard, Singapore, designed by DP Architects in collaboration with our specialists—DP Green, DP Façade and DP Engineers—won in the Hospitality (Built) and Landscape Design (Built) categories at the recently concluded World Design Awards. This brings the project’s accolades to six, a testament to DP’s creative concept and multidisciplinary approach in hospitality architecture and design.

A bold design vision, achieved through carefully calibrated massing and spatial configuration, belies its seemingly simple architectural form. Schematically, it draws on the brand’s unconventional, quirky nature and, in harking back to its origins, takes inspiration from the American billboard. This culminates in a lenticular façade that is static yet expressive. Simultaneously, its architecture seeks to represent the site’s duality. Located in proximity to the energy and vibrancy of Orchard Road and the tranquillity of Nassim estate and Botanic Gardens, it seamlessly weaves Nature and Urban together, creating a lush, whimsical sunken courtyard. Seamlessly integrated, each element stands in playful complement and lively contrast,

offering guests an intimate, jazzy sanctuary of sensory delight unique to its sense of place and The Standard brand experience.

Other accolades that The Standard, Singapore has received this year include the BLT Built Design Awards in the Architectural Design: Hospitality category; the Golden Pin Design Award in the Spatial Design: Architecture category; and, an honorable mention at the Architecture MasterPrize Award in the Hospitality Architecture category. Its landscape architecture was also recently recognised at the Singapore Landscape Architecture Award, where it clinched Silver in the Hotel & Landscape category.

DP ARCHITECTS AND ITS GROUP OF COMPANIES IMPRESS AT THE GOLDEN PIN DESIGN AWARD 2025

Across architecture, interior design and landscape architecture, our projects have been named Mark Winners in multiple categories, underscoring the design practice’s multidisciplinary capabilities, expertise across different typologies and commitment to design excellence. DP Architects’ (DPA) Bukit Canberra, Life Hub @ Bund Central (see page 47), and The Standard, Singapore were recognised as Mark Winners in the Spatial Design: Architecture category.

In addition, three projects by our specialist companies, DP Design and DP Green, have been named Mark Winners. Punggol Green by DP Green, our specialist in landscape architecture, was not only recognised as a Mark Winner in the Spatial Design: Public Space category. It was also among the projects that received the Special Annual Awards in Social Design for its remarkable reclamation of an underutilised 1.2-hectare plot beneath an LRT viaduct, transforming it from a disamenity into a delightful social spine and recreational nook for residents and visitors alike.

From DP Design, our specialist in interior design and spatial planning, Odeon 331 was awarded in the Spatial Design: Office Space category for its bold reimagination of the conventional office lobby as a vibrant third space where work and leisure intersect. In contrast, the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge at Perth International Airport was awarded in the Spatial Design: Dining Space category for its elegant brand refresh with its ‘home away from home’ concept that prioritised passenger wellbeing while establishing the Singapore Airlines brand experience.

The Golden Pin Design Award, first established in Taiwan in 1981, is an international award with the mission of recognising outstanding designs and, through professional recognition, encouraging greater exchanges and adaptation in design thinking, processes and research & development within the industry.

DESIGN FIRM OF THE YEAR: DP DESIGN’S UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO DESIGN EXCELLENCE RECOGNISED

Design excellence for our specialist arm in interior design and spatial planning extends beyond aesthetics. It is, instead, concerned with harnessing the power of design through cross-disciplinary expertise and innovation to create environments that foster social resilience, enhance wellbeing, promote cultural dynamism and boost economic vibrancy.

Notable examples include Odeon 331 (Singapore), which boldly transformed the traditional, enclosed office lobby into an engaging third space that interacts with its surrounding urban environment and connects end-users to its locality; the SilverKris Lounge at Perth International Airport (Australia), which presented a refreshed interpretation of Singapore Airlines’ signature ‘home-away-from-home’ experience by blending context-sensitive materials with intuitive space planning; Conrad Singapore Orchard (Singapore), which offered a timeless interpretation of the hotel’s rebranding; YOTEL Tokyo Ginza (Japan), which boldly adopted a site-sensitive, human-centric approach to a tech-forward hospitality brand; the HDB Workplace Transformation (Singapore), which creatively drew inspiration from the essence of void decks in HDB estates to deliver an open and collaborative environment that strengthens office culture and enhances client experience; and The Portico Lounge (Singapore), a hospitality-inspired office concept shaped by the elegance of traditional Chinese courtyards and anchored in the central themes of connection and flow.

Each has become a meaningful place for the community it was designed for and has received notable accolades, culminating in the prestigious title of Design Firm of the Year by the Society of Interior Designers Singapore (SIDS) at the 2025 Singapore Interior Design Awards.

GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2025 (JAPAN G MARK)

• Odeon 331, Spatial Design, Winner

GOLDEN PIN DESIGN AWARD 2025

• Odeon 331, Spatial Design – Office Space, Mark Winner

Singapore Airlines Perth SilverKris Lounge, Spatial Design –Dining Space, Mark Winner

IIDA BEST OF ASIA PACIFIC DESIGN AWARDS 2025

• The Portico Lounge, Corporate Space Small (under 1,000sqm), Winner

MUSE HOTEL AWARDS 2025: SEASON 2

• Conrad Singapore Orchard, Interior Design – Lobby Interior Design, Gold Winner

YOTEL Tokyo Ginza, Interior Design – Compact & Capsule Hotel Interiors, Platinum Winner

SINGAPORE GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2025 (SG MARK)

• Odeon 331, Spatial Design, Winner

SINGAPORE INTERIOR DESIGN AWARDS 2025

• Odeon 331, Best in Public Space Design, Honourable Mention

• The Exchange TRX, Best in Retail Design (Mall Communal Spaces), Gold and Luminary Winner

Housing & Development Board (HDB) Workplace Transformation, Best in Workspace Design (Floor Area ≥ 501sqm), Gold and Luminary Winner

WORLD ARCHITECTURE FESTIVAL (WAF) 2025

• HDB Workplace Transformation, WAF Interiors –Workplace (Large), Shortlist

Attending the Singapore Interior Design Awards ceremony, DP Design’s director and principal designer IDr. Mike Lim, received the award on behalf of the firm from Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for National Development and Mr Tung Ching Yew, President of SIDS.

This recognition by the Singapore design industry and the fraternity marks a significant milestone in our journey. “It affirms our commitment to reaching higher, venturing further and designing better while staying true to our purpose of creating sustainable and human-centred outcomes,” shared IDr. Mike. “It is also a milestone we could not have achieved without the faith and support of our clients and partners. So, a big and heartfelt thank you to all of them.”

“We also thank the Society of Interior Designers Singapore (SIDS) for this award. SIDS has been working to elevate the interior design profession through accreditation and collaboration with agencies as well as others, and among their good works is the SIDA. The award programme, which champions design excellence, has inspired and encouraged the industry to pursue higher standards of design and innovation.”

THREE AWARD WINS, INCLUDING GOLD FOR PLANTATION VILLAGE AND PLANTATION FARMWAY AT THE SINGAPORE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AWARDS 2025

DP Green (DPG) excelled at the 14th edition of the Singapore Landscape Architecture Awards (SLAA), which, for the first time, was held together with the NParks Landscape Excellence Assessment Framework (LEAF).

The Plantation Village and Plantation Farmway project was awarded Gold in the Residential Landscape category. Situated in the heartlands of Tengah’s Plantation District, it was a design exercise in placemaking and community living through a richly nature-integrated development. Throughout, communal courtyards, sky gardens and landscaped walkways surround residents with nature, while retail streets and recreational amenities, thoughtfully incorporated, encourage residents to venture out and foster opportunities for activity and connection.

Rainforest Wild ASIA was also among the winning projects, securing Gold in the Parks & Recreational Landscape category and earning its second award to date. Its landscape architectural scheme is

impressive, not only for the immersive, one-of-a-kind experience it provides but also for the knowledge-based approach to creating authentic habitats for wildlife. Additionally, it employs strategies to preserve and protect Mandai’s natural heritage, which led to Rainforest Wild ASIA receiving LEAF Platinum.

Last but not least is The Standard, Singapore. The sunken courtyard, designed by DP Green in collaboration with DP Architects, is one of the hotel’s best-kept secrets. Built on The Standard’s brand identity, DPG crafted a whimsical wonderland, characterised by both fantasy and function, revealed in layers that offer moments of pause and play. It was awarded Silver in the Hotel & Landscape category.

The SLAA is an annual awards programme organised by the Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects. Celebrating the work of recognised landscape architecture firms in Singapore, it aims to honour and set new benchmarks in landscape architecture design and best practices.

RAINFOREST WILD ASIA CLINCHES WORLD LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AWARD—A FIRST FOR DP ARCHITECTS AND DP GREEN

Rainforest Wild ASIA , officially opened to the public in March 2025, has not only captured the hearts of its visitors but also impressed the jurors at this year’s World Landscape Architecture (WLA) Awards. Following a rigorous evaluation, the project beat over 300 entries from 30 countries to clinch the Outstanding Award in the Built Hospitality Landscape Design category. The accolade attests to the excellence in DP Green’s (our specialist arm in landscape architecture) site-sensitive and context-driven strategies, which were conceived with deep respect for Mandai’s natural heritage and supported by research-based knowledge to create authentic habitats for wildlife at Singapore’s 5th zoological park (Read more on page 43).

“Our landscape architecture design team collaborated closely with the teams at Mandai Wildlife Reserve, Mandai Park Development, China Jingye Engineering and DP Architects to realise the vision of a 13-hectare, first-of-its-kind adventure-based zoological park in Asia,” shares LAr. Yvonne Tan, DP Green (DPG) director and lead landscape architect for the project. “Throughout our design

process, we leveraged careful research and utilised advanced digital tools to ensure accuracy at every stage. This extends from preserving natural terrain and existing flora to curating plant species tailored to diverse animal habitats and ecological connectivity with the Central Catchment Reserve and nearby biodiverse parks.”

As the appointed landscape architects under a Design & Build contract, DPG evolved and advanced the initial landscape scheme by Grant Associates, pushing it into a fully integrated, buildable and immersive landscape experience and destination where people and nature connect meaningfully. Rainforest Wild ASIA is among DPG’s most notable projects to date and was undertaken with DP Architects as the project architect.

The WLA Awards were established to showcase projects that push the boundaries of design, demonstrate exceptional environmental stewardship, foster vibrant communities and address critical global challenges through landscape-led solutions.

OUR LATEST ENDEAVOURS, EXPERIMENTATIONS AND EXPLORATIONS OF MEANINGFUL DESIGN OUTCOMES.

HOSPITALITY

THERME SINGAPORE

Therme Singapore is a landmark wellness development within the Marina South development. Awarded by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to the Therme Group, the development is envisioned as Singapore’s first dedicated wellness attraction and represents a significant new civic-scale typology within the region.

Occupying a four-hectare waterfront site adjacent to Marina Barrage and Gardens by the Bay, the design positions the development as a distinctly Singaporean expression of wellness. An homage to Singapore’s national flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquim, the architecture is conceived as an elegant interplay of glass, greenery and light. Layered façades and generous transparency invite daylight deep into the building, while an undulating roofline echoes the fluid contours of orchid petals. Long associated with diplomacy and cultural exchange, the orchid becomes both metaphor and form, embodying welcome, connection and shared experience.

The design reflects the firm’s long-standing expertise in largescale, people-centric developments that function simultaneously as civic infrastructure and experiential architecture. Conceived around the idea of wellness as an inclusive, everyday ritual rather than a secluded retreat, the development unfolds as a series of layered spatial experiences. Open public gardens transition into more intimate thermal pools, saunas and steam

rooms, with water-based attractions interwoven seamlessly with botanical landscapes and social spaces.

Responding sensitively to its dual orientation towards city and sea, the porous three dimensional form safeguards key view corridors while maintaining a scale attuned to its waterfront context. Extending beyond the building, a new public park strengthens pedestrian continuity along Singapore’s southern waterfront. Scheduled to open by 2030, Therme Singapore sets a new benchmark for urban wellness, where architecture, nature and community converge to support collective wellbeing.

DP ARCHITECTS

Angelene Chan, Chua Zi Jun, Shawn Teo, Eldon Ng, Nichole Ho

DP ENGINEERS

(C&S) Tan Chin Hock (M&E) Goh Yong Ping, Renee Cheong

DP FAÇADE

Mathieu Meur, Gan Chee Yaw

DP GREEN

Yvonne Tan, Liu Wenjia, Law Han Wen

DP SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Yong Siew Onn, Nhu Pham

KLIMT CAIRNHILL

Designing Klimt Cairnhill, our architectural scheme marries architecture, art, heritage and technology to deliver a one-of-a-kind residential development.

Conceptually, it takes inspiration from Gustav Klimt’s celebrated ‘The Kiss’ and abstracts it into a prominent, gold-hued façade of curvilinear form and triangular motifs that reflect the painting’s interplay of geometry, colours and patterns. Programmatically, it draws on the painting’s exploration of male-female duality and dynamics, thoughtfully balancing areas for quietness and relaxation with spaces for activity and community.

This flow of spaces and balance of functionality also informed the organisational principle in the unit layout. Designed for luxurious modern urban living, the circulation within each residence is kept simple to make daily movement effortless. It features a defined yet open floor plan, with the living, dining and dry kitchen areas seamlessly integrated to create a larger living space. The bedrooms are located away from the living spaces and yet command the frontal view. For selected units, private lifts bring homeowners and their visitors straight into the interior comfort of their abodes.

Our architectural scheme for the 36-storey development also thoughtfully considered the integration of the conserved 1900s bungalow on the adjacent plot. Working in collaboration

with Studio Lapis to restore its Anglo-Malayan style, we effectively strengthened the existing building structure and, by repurposing it as a clubhouse for Klimt Cairnhill, revived its relevance.

In construction, extensive use of prefabricated components, such as windows, bathrooms and columns, was employed to achieve greater building accuracy and efficiency, and lowvolatile organic compounds in the paint and furnishings were utilised for end-user health and wellbeing. The outcome is an outstanding residential development of quality workmanship and facilities, providing residents with a living environment and lifestyle of their dreams.

DP ARCHITECTS

(Design) Ti Lian Seng, Lee Shee Koeng, Lee Wey Jiun, Cheang Pooi San (Codes) Karen Yeo, Hong Siew Foong

DP ENGINEERS

(C&S) Tan Yew Chai, Romy Tjuar, Toby Kuang (M&E) Renee Cheong, Eric Kow

PLANTATION VILLAGE

Transforming Tengah into Singapore’s first smart and sustainable town, the design of Plantation Village integrates urban green under the Housing Development Board’s (HDB) Biophilic Town Framework to create a nature-centric neighbourhood while retaining the core priority of facilitating social bonding within the housing precinct. Articulated through a series of communal courtyards, the development features wide open spaces, including the Precinct Heart, the Common Green and elevated quadrangles with landscaped decks and provision of benches, trellises and facilities for social activities.

Functioning as a recreational corridor, the Common Green offers an expansive network of tree-lined, universally accessible pedestrian pathways and connects to the adjacent districts within the Tengah Master Plan. Paying tribute to Tengah’s agricultural heritage, the design of Plantation Village incorporates urban farming and references to plantations within the development’s spaces, including the Third Zone featuring gardens with fruit trees and spices, and the Play Zone with plantation-themed playgrounds. Designed with deep tropical eaves, free-flowing spaces and breezeways on every floor, the Neighbourhood Centre offers high visual porosity to the Common Green and seeks to foster the kampong spirit by providing spaces for events within its community plaza, extending into the communal lawn. Strategically located and programmed, these open spaces immerse residents in nature

while functioning as effective breakout spaces that invite crossinteraction and communal bonding.

Integrated with environmentally sensitive systems, the building design seeks to optimise energy and resource management while contributing to the wider sustainability effort. These systems include solar-ready roofs that harness renewable energy; a centralised water-cooled system that is more energy-efficient than its air-cooled counterpart; a pneumatic waste conveyance system which lowers carbon footprint with its centralised waste collection point; and an urban water harvesting system for irrigation and cleaning of common areas. Complemented with strategic programming and design, these strategies come together to realise a sustainable and inclusive housing estate model.

DP ARCHITECTS

Chin Thoe Chong, Foo Chai Yee, Ang Guo Zi, Ahmad Iskandar Bin Abdullah, Elim Lau, Emydiati Binti Mohd Agos, Khor Wan Xuan, Pax Heralex

DP GREEN

Yvonne Tan, Shiela Carelnina, Iffa Abu Jalal, Fikri Mahmood, Akif Azaman, He Ye

DP SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Yong Siew Onn, Helen Yan

COMMUNITY CENTRES

THOMSON COMMUNITY CLUB

Thomson Community Club (CC) serves a key role in the locale’s social connectivity, enlivening the social landscape and enriching the community spirit through dynamic exchanges and active social interactions. Following the conversion of the existing four-storey building into a three-storey structure, the CC now hosts a wide range of flexible programming, including a culinary studio, multipurpose hall, basketball court and dance studios. Part of the original structure is retained, with spaces reconfigured to create a porous, borderless space, complemented with sheltered connections to adjacent residential housing, a food market and a bus stop.

Inspired by the surrounding green heritage and existing urban fabric, the building’s façade translates the surrounding shophouse streetscape into an architectural expression, continuing the urban landscape through articulated framed and portal windows.

Relocating the existing basketball court from the first storey to the third storey, a new sheltered drop-off plaza is introduced, accommodating larger-scale events such as performances or ceremonies. The basketball court, with the addition of

a new roof, allows all-weather protection while its perforated façade brings in daylight and natural cross-ventilation into the playing court.

New courtyards are introduced between programmatic functions to create daylit spaces, adding a sense of openness and transparency. Intermediate gathering spaces with lush greenery offer residents areas of respite and the opportunities to engage with nature while on communal decks. Blending nature within social spaces, the design seeks to foster visitors’ wellbeing while creating a shared community environment for the residents.

DP ARCHITECTS

Seah Chee Huang, Chin Li Nah, Gwee Tong Mui, Jehan Nair, Chirag Hablani, Aileen Koh, Ken Ng, Lilia Theresa Buenaventura

DP GREEN

Yvonne Tan, Yeong Weng Fai, Tan Yi Wei, Ong Siew Leng, Akif Azaman, He Ye

DP SUSTAINABLE DESIGN Foo Kai Ting

ODEON 333

Odeon 333 sits alongside its sibling, Odeon 331, within one of Singapore’s most historically layered and intensely urbanised civic precincts. More than an addition to a commercial portfolio, the project was conceived as an urban proposition—one that redefines continuity, connectivity and public life through architecture. Rather than treating the site as an isolated development, the design positions Odeon 333 as a catalyst that mediates between past and present, leveraging regulatory frameworks to generate a shared, civic-minded public realm.

This ambition is articulated through a carefully modulated massing strategy that responds to the scale, cadence and urban grain of its surroundings. In particular, the material language of Odeon 331 informed the choice of glass typologies, textures and tonalities for Odeon 333, establishing a deliberate dialogue between the two buildings. This calibrated continuity allows the old and new to coexist with mutual respect— presenting a cohesive and dignified frontage while retaining distinct architectural identities. The shared palette reinforces urban legibility and coherence, demonstrating how material strategy can serve as a bridge between heritage continuity and contemporary expression.

Constrained by zoning controls to seven storeys, Odeon 333 exemplifies how spatial limitations can be transformed into architectural opportunity. Non-GFA provisions are elevated from peripheral allowances to primary design drivers, shaping the building’s form, programmatic layering and public engagement. At grade, the project harnesses URA’s PrivatelyOwned Public Spaces (POPS) framework to create a generous, fully sheltered urban forecourt. Bold red interventions— sculpted mounds, seating, swings, planters and playful details such as red birds—activate the space, encouraging interaction, rest and delight within the dense city fabric. Conceived as a pause in the urban rhythm, the POPS offers pedestrians a moment to linger, gather or simply observe. Deep overhangs, calibrated shading and clear sightlines ensure comfort, legibility and safety, reinforcing the space’s openness and inclusivity.

This forecourt extends seamlessly into what is conceived as an active urban living room—open, porous and publicly accessible. In an unprecedented intervention, the existing lobbies of Odeon 331 were reimagined as naturally ventilated civic spaces. Glass enclosures and air-conditioning were removed, allowing cross-ventilation to flow through and transforming one of Singapore’s first office lift lobbies into a genuine extension of the public realm. This gesture challenges conventional notions of transition spaces—typically sealed, private and residual— recasting them instead as dynamic, shared urban interiors.

Ascending the building, each floor of Odeon 333 is articulated with garden terraces that reconceive circulation corridors as outdoor, naturally ventilated landscapes. These terraces form a vertical strata of greenery woven into the façade, offering shade, encouraging biodiversity and providing informal breakout spaces for tenants. Far from being incidental balconies, these gardens are deliberately programmed communal “breathing rooms”, blurring the boundary between interior and exterior while enhancing environmental comfort and social exchange at every level.

Through the orchestration of these urban design strategies— the POPS at ground level, the reimagined civic lift lobby and the vertically layered garden terraces—Odeon 333 demonstrates how regulatory frameworks can be harnessed with clarity and ingenuity. The project amplifies human experience while delivering meaningful civic impact, offering a compelling model for how contemporary architecture can contribute to the public life of the city.

DP ARCHITECTS

(Design) Angelene Chan, Yew Ze Neng, Foo Wei Min (Project) Leonard Cheok (Code) Chong Mei Yan

DP GREEN

Yvonne Tan, Iffa Abu Jalal

PROPOSED PROGRAMMES FOR THE RETROFITTED REAR HALL

ADAPTIVE REUSE & CONSERVATION

HOUSE OF TAN YEOK NEE

SINGAPORE | YEAR 2025 | GFA 2,100SQM

As Singapore’s last remaining traditional Teochew-style mansion, the conservation of the House of Tan Yeok Nee takes a sensitive approach in restoring its original architectural details while introducing new programmatic functions to the spaces. Guided by the evolution of the house and anchored in the Chinese conservation philosophy, ‘to restore the old as old’, authenticity and coherence are key priorities in this conservation exercise, carefully executed with the implementation of feasibility studies, wall treatments, repairs and reinstatement of historic elements.

Working with the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Preservation of Sites and Monuments, the conservation carefully addresses the tension between preservation and adaptive reuse. To ensure the longevity of the structure, traditional craftsmanship—with the help of craftsmen from Chaoshan, Guangdong—is combined with contemporary technical methods, balancing authenticity with modern requirements to ensure functionality, safety and comfort.

Given the house’s history of use, major modifications had previously been made to the building. To restore the original architecture, non-historic elements and materials introduced

during the building’s earlier use were replaced with appropriate roof, ceiling soffit tiles, handmade terracotta, as well as timber screen doors from Chaoshan. Glass enclosures that were previously added around the courtyard have now been removed to facilitate natural ventilation and reduce carbon emissions.

Integrating sustainability in its conservation strategy, the exercise emphasises resource efficiency and where possible, original materials including timber and tiles were retained and repaired, reducing the need for replacement and minimising embodied carbon. Complemented with daylighting and natural ventilation strategies, the House of Tan Yeok Nee advances both environmental responsibility and cultural stewardship, restoring the building’s relevance amidst Singapore’s urban fabric.

DP ARCHITECTS

Chua Zi Jun, Angelene Chan, Shawn Teo, Jiang Wenhuan, Leonard Cheok, Chong Mei Yan

COMCENTRE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT

Situated within the Orchard Planning Area and Somerset Planning Subzone, Comcentre Redevelopment repositions Singtel’s global headquarters as a new benchmark for integrated workplace and urban sustainability. In collaboration with design architect Kohn Pederson Fox Associates, the mixed-use development—occupying a prominent trapezoidal site framed by lush greenery and conserved shophouses— is conceived as a porous campus that engages with its surrounding context, extending the urban life of Orchard Road into and through its spaces while offering retail and lifestyle options to rejuvenate the precinct.

At its base, the architectural scheme introduces a large, sheltered arcade and a series of vibrant urban spaces that connect the development’s internal programmes with the adjacent neighbourhoods. Prioritising pedestrian connectivity, climatic comfort and visual porosity, the design features a highly permeable ground plane that serves as a generous civic interface to support both everyday use and programmed community activities. Above, two 20-storey towers deliver approximately 82,000 square metres of Grade A office space designed to meet international standards of workplace performance, flexibility, wellness and operational efficiency.

Deploying landscape as a primary architectural and environmental strategy, the development features a “Botanic Ribbon” weaving vertically through the development and

connecting various themed gardens, leading to sky gardens at the towers’ uppermost levels. Comcentre Redevelopment is envisioned as Singapore’s and Asia’s first end-to-end carbonneutral commercial development, addressing sustainability throughout its design, construction and operational phases by using low-carbon concrete and steel, as well as recovered crushed concrete waste from existing structures to promote circular construction.

Collectively, these strategies position Comcentre Redevelopment as a model for high-density and climateresponsive office campuses in Asian megacities. By uniting carbon neutrality, technology and a richly layered public realm, Comcentre Redevelopment leverages smart building infrastructure and thoughtful environmental strategies, such as the use of Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) panels, smart lighting systems and high-efficiency lifts to create an open, resilient and human-centric urban environment that contributes meaningfully to the broader urban fabric.

DP ARCHITECTS

Tan Chee Kiang, Zic Chen, Lew Chin Kwan, Elsie Ong, Chong Mei Yan, Refano Puspita, Aidil Afham, Sartika, Lardizabal Serrano, Karen Teo, Ye Ganghua, Wong Jian Feng, Wong Khuin Lok, Alvin Foo Fang Yao

RECREATIONAL

RAINFOREST WILD ASIA

Rainforest Wild ASIA is the first adventure-based zoological park in Asia. Inspired by treks in the rainforest, the 13-hectare open-concept wildlife park invites guests to embark on journeys of discovery tailored to their appetite for adventure, whether through universally designed walkways or forest trails and guided harnessed adventures. Visitors will experience the tropical rainforest’s diverse layers, from the verdant tree canopies to a subterranean labyrinth of walk-through cave chambers, where animal encounters are delightful surprises.

Building on Mandai Wildlife Group’s initial master plan and concept, Rainforest Wild ASIA harmoniously blends immersive nature experiences and outdoor adventure elements with carefully planned architecture that used the existing forest layers to recreate a rainforest journey. Advanced digital tools and systems were employed to design and deliver immersive and safe experiences as well as universally-accessible spaces with minimal environmental impact.

A standout feature of the park, which opened to public in March 2025, is a 2.2-kilometre-long elevated walkway that offers panoramic views of the surrounding habitats. Designed with inclusivity in mind, this universally accessible path allows visitors of all abilities to enjoy the rainforest canopy. Groundlevel trails offer visitors seeking a bolder experience a more adventurous journey through the forest floor—complete with natural crossings over streams via logs and boulders. Along the rainforest treks, visitors can explore and spot various wildlife from a safe vantage point.

Among the park’s key habitats are the Cavern and the Karsts, which feature cave formations and jagged rock formations, respectively. Both were fabricated and installed using detailed and geologically accurate scanned models created from the

Mulu Caves in Sarawak. 3D scans of the existing rainforest trees on the site were used to coordinate the layout of the elevated walkways, ensuring that structural interventions respected the natural setting and preserving as many existing on-site trees as possible.

The park’s forestscape was carefully designed in harmony with its natural surroundings. Over 300 mature trees were retained, and additional plant species native to Singapore were planted to enhance the site and support local biodiversity. Animal habitats were also designed in consideration of each species’ natural habitat, incorporating key landscape elements that encourage natural behaviours like climbing or foraging.

The design of thematic spaces like the Cavern Restaurant and Rainforest Wild Shop required a careful balance in design vision execution with code compliance, resulting in a sophisticated experience that seamlessly integrates with the park’s overall narrative.

ATTRACTIONS DESIGNER

Mandai Wildlife Group

DP ARCHITECTS, EXECUTIVE ARCHITECT & QP

Toh Sze Chong, Roslinah Ahmad, Grace Tan

DP ENGINEERS, PE

(C&S – Cavern steel structure/interface works) Tan Yew Chai, Tan Chin Hock, Rufino Carisma, Edmon Yabut, Joel Bunyi

DP GREEN

Yvonne Tan, Law Han Wen, He Ye

DP SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Yong Siew Onn, Nhu Pham, Sein Yin Mar

SINO-SINGAPORE

TIANJIN ECO-CITY GREEN INNOVATION PARK

In 2022, the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City (SSTEC) embarked on the master plan for the Green Innovation Park (GIP), envisioned as the civic and commercial heart of the Eco-City. Conceived in alignment with China’s growing commitment to its “Dual Carbon” objectives, the master plan sets out to articulate a future forward model of sustainable urban development, symbolising the deepening collaboration between Singapore and China. Guided by the Eco-City’s planning framework and Singapore’s strong legacy in sustainability and liveability, the design establishes a vibrant, mixed-use and environmentally attuned central activity zone.

A defining feature of the master plan is the Eco-Boulevard, a dynamic central spine linking the Sino-Singapore Friendship Park in the North to the Z4 Light Rail station in the South. Inspired by Singapore’s arcade-style urbanism, this evolving public realm is framed by active frontages, pocket spaces and adaptable community areas, enhancing pedestrian experience and urban vitality. Low-carbon measures previously dispersed across the site are consolidated into visual and interactive nodes such as the Eco-Verandah and Eco-Atrium, allowing residents to directly engage with sustainable technologies.

The master plan is organised into three interconnected clusters. Adjacent to the rail station, the Green Innovation Zone drives new commercial growth, led by Innova Green, a 65,000sqm mixed-use pilot development currently under construction. The Green Lifestyle District offers a cosmopolitan residential environment with smart systems and high-quality amenities, while the Green Enterprise Zone, located by the park and waterfront, is envisioned as the city’s emerging cultural and tourism destination.

Through its hierarchy of permeable public spaces, integrated green infrastructure and innovative, climate-responsive design, enhanced by DP’s biophilic expertise adapted to Tianjin’s seasonal extremes, the master plan establishes a strong foundation for a world-class, sustainable city of the future. Once completed, the Green Innovation Park will stimulate low-carbon economic activity and provide an enhanced “Eco-City experience” for Tianjin and beyond.

DP ARCHITECTS

Tan Chee Yong, Tang Jun Hao, Chen Shu, Ma Xinzheng, Yang Jiayin, Zhang Xiao, Song Tong, Pan Peisong

MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT

LIFE HUB @ BUND CENTRAL

SHANGHAI, CHINA | YEAR 2024 | GFA 166,700SQM

Situated within a heritage-rich locale, Life Hub @ Bund Central is a mixed-use development consisting of a retail mall and a 180m tall office tower, existing as the key insertion within the urban regeneration of the larger Hongkou Lot 18 in Shanghai. The project is located at the junction of two prominent roads— North Sichuan Road and Haining Road; while the northern edge is defined by the Heritage Zone that comprises stretches of two- and three-storey conserved buildings with park spaces nestled throughout. Addressing the site conditions, the massing is focused along the south, gently stepping down into a terraced Garden Walk that seamlessly connects with the adjacent series of heritage buildings.

Anchoring the south, the office tower is composed of large, interlocking volumes, featuring open balconies that open up towards the Shanghai skyline. Alongside the tower, the podium serves as a City Gallery consisting of programmatic boxes and outdoor decks, accented by the City Window offering outdoor dining that faces The Bund.

The concrete and steel frame structure is fluidly sculpted and the development’s façade spotlights textured striations of grey stone and aluminium panels, referencing the tonality of existing urban fabric while echoing historical masonry constructions. This intentional horizontality of the façade both responds to the city’s main thoroughfare and further breaks down the scale of the development.

Along the north face, these fluid layers descend into progressive waves of terraces and green walls, converging with the conserved buildings to reveal a dynamic dialogue between the new and the old. From the Festive Plazas on the ground level, the Garden Walk animates the mall’s northern façade by weaving organically up past shopfronts, living green walls and outdoor terraces. Linking into the mall at every level and culminating at the sixth-floor Sky Theatre, it opens up spectacular views over the Heritage Zone.

With a strategic system of pathways and activated plazas, Life Hub @ Bund Central connects with both cultural and retail clusters, carving out visual sightlines and reframing relationships between programmatic adjacencies.

DP ARCHITECTS

Angelene Chan, Niew Pey Ran, Goh Yong Qin, Wang Jian, Tao Jia, Wang Xiao-en, Cassandra Ho, Fan Hua, Zhu Yuelin, Dong Su-hong, Leng Yu-han, Liu Chen, Peng Zijun, Wang Zhen, Wu Xiao-Jun, Yin Zhen-qin, Yu-fang Ruo-di, Zhong Xiaohui, Zuo Jiali, Lu Jiaping, Wang Liyi, Jia Jun

DP GREEN

Ong Siew Leng, Thun Kong Sub, Matanand Sripan

DP LIGHTING

Kevin Sturrock, Christine Chan, Tong Su Ling, Morcant Lim

SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION

OFFICE

RMZ NEXITY

RMZ Nexity, situated within High-Tech Knowledge City near Hyderabad’s Central Business District, is a pioneering development that enhances the city’s skyline. It sets a new standard for sustainable urban design, integrating biophilic principles with advanced technology. Featuring three 22-storey towers, the development blends dynamic architecture with sustainable design. Prioritising environmental stewardship and occupants’ wellbeing, it incorporates expansive greenery, lake views and eco-conscious features such as solar panels, permeable surfaces and water-efficient landscaping to minimise its environmental footprint while enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors.

The site is divided into four key zones, which include The Loft, Tower 10, Tower 20 and Tower 30. The Loft serves as a vibrant hub for dining, retail, fitness and culture, while the office towers blend work and leisure in a mixed-use environment. The design prioritises pedestrian safety with separate walkways and the central plaza features cooling water bodies and shaded buildings, reducing reliance on artificial systems.

At its core lies the Knowledge Plaza, a multi-functional space that promotes learning, collaboration and community engagement. Green courtyards, pedestrian boulevards, alfresco dining and an open-air theatre offer settings that foster social interaction and wellbeing. Biophilic elements—

for instance, cooling water bodies, sculpted garden and a gateway-shaped façade—elevate both the arrival experience and the development’s identity, while natural ventilation optimises thermal comfort. Complementing these are energyefficient strategies, including vertical sun-shading elements on the façade, which enhances sustainability through an environmentally responsible design.

RMZ Nexity redefines urban living by integrating green spaces, advanced technologies and collaborative environments, setting a new standard for sustainable, people-centric cities.

DP ARCHITECTS

Vikas M Gore, Charles Chandra Putera, Smruti Pednekar, Pramod C Gangolli, Rajesh Punnoose, Saravanan Mohan, Bala Kaleeswaran, Kalish Raja

DP FAÇADE

Mathieu Meur, Mac Tan, Chaw Su Kyi, Gan Chee Yaw, Mitchell Napenas

DP GREEN

Yvonne Tan, Yeong Weng Fai, Robert Sunga, Herman Cruzado, He Ye, Jason Ho

DP SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Sein Yin Mar, Ling Ban Ling

INDUSTRIAL

LEGO MANUFACTURING VIETNAM

Located in Binh Duong province, LEGO Manufacturing Vietnam spans 44 hectares and includes office complexes, energy centres, production zones, and automated warehouses. It is expected to create employment for more than 4,000 local people over the next 15 years.

Envisioned as a “Future Factory Workplace,” the state-of-the-art facility incorporates eco-friendly workspaces, wellness zones, recreational areas and wheelchair-accessible features, all aimed at fostering a safe, inclusive and supportive environment.

LEGO Manufacturing Vietnam is built to ensure sustainable, long-term operational efficiency and growth, advancing LEGO Group’s sustainability goals through a coordinated approach that combines on-site renewable energy, responsibly selected materials and high-efficiency building systems that contribute to its LEED certifications while enabling carbon-neutral operations.

The project’s sustainability strategy is guided by a comprehensive life-cycle approach that considers carbon, energy, water, materials, biodiversity and user wellbeing as interconnected priorities. Through on-site waste segregation and recovery during construction, more than 90 per cent of construction waste were diverted from landfills. Material selection also focused on reducing embodied carbon using lowcarbon alternatives and products supported by Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).

A combined approach of renewable energy generation and demand reduction enables carbon-neutral operations at the facility. A 7.34MWp rooftop photovoltaic system supplies on-site renewable electricity, supplemented by a renewable energy purchase agreement and solar-powered electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Detailed energy modelling, a high-performance envelope, efficient Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems and heat recovery measures further enhance building performance. These systems are continuously monitored and fine-tuned through energy metering and optimisation processes to minimise energy consumption.

The landscape strategy also reinforces ecological resilience through native and climate-resilient vegetation. Bioswales and rain gardens improve stormwater management across more than half of the site, while the Miyawaki reforestation method further enhances biodiversity. Beyond the factory grounds, the planting of 50,000 native trees in nearby communities extends the project’s environmental impact. Collectively, these strategies position LEGO Manufacturing Vietnam as the most environmentally sustainable factory to date and a scalable model for sustainable industrial development across future phases of the site.

DP ARCHITECTS

THE OPERA RESIDENCE

As the architectural successor to the Galleria Residence and an extension of the Metropole Thu Thiem Master Plan, The Opera Residence marks the next chapter in Thu Thiem’s emerging urban narrative. Fronting the Saigon River, The Opera Residence is situated adjacent to the future Opera House, within one of the district’s most prominent locations. A luxury development spanning 24 storeys, The Opera Residence stands as a sculptural landmark bridging cultural prestige and contemporary living.

The design of The Opera Residence draws inspiration from the fluid movements of music and the dynamism of the river, expressing its identity through a refined façade of angled balconies and flowing geometries that maximise views while creating a distinctive visual rhythm. Complementing the twin-tower arrangement which enhances openness and river frontage, the podium establishes a seamless transition to the civic plaza that will front the new Opera House.

Landscape design forms an integral part of the development, with generous greenery woven throughout terraces and

communal areas to create a serene counterpoint to the surrounding urban energy. Sustainable strategies—ranging from passive shading and high-performance glazing to waterefficient systems—further reinforce the project’s commitment to long-term environmental resilience and resident wellbeing.

Through its thoughtful interplay of architecture, setting and lifestyle, The Opera Residence embodies a refined urban way of living while contributing meaningfully to the identity of Thu Thiem as Ho Chi Minh City’s new cultural and commercial heart.

DP ARCHITECTS

Tan Jiann Woei, Davin Lim, Nopnida Vera-Archakul, Chanan Jaionom, Phongpanod Choohchuaysawat

DP FAÇADE

Mathieu Meur, Mac Tan, Wayne Woo

SHENZHEN DAPENG EASTERN INTERNATIONAL TOURISM ZONE

SHENZHEN, CHINA

Sited in Dapeng Peninsula, Shenzhen Dapeng Eastern International Tourism Zone is centred on an environmental resilience framework that re-examines land-sea potential while respecting ecological thresholds. This framework manifests through three transformative strategies—integrated land-sea utilisation, resilience spines as systematic connectors and an operational foundation as an EcoOriented Development (EOD). Assigning designated usages to sea areas, the master plan actively integrates marine space as a functional zone. Additionally, the 18-kilometre Green Ridge Corridor and Active Bayfront Promenade form a continuous ecological and experiential spine that deviates from conventional siloed approaches

by enabling seamless transitions between land-based amenities and curated marine experiences, creating a unified recreational domain.

These environmentally sensitive strategies are complemented with community-inclusive approaches, creating a shared economy between residents and visitors while promoting active community involvement, allowing residents to play a pivotal role in planning and development. Leveraging the site’s natural features, the master plan implements a multidimensional ecological protection system that enhances biodiversity and simultaneously empowers residents as co-creators of the area’s transformation.

THE CATHAY

SINGAPORE COMPLETED

The addition and alteration (A&A) works to The Cathay involved transforming one of Singapore’s most iconic pre-war Art Deco monuments. Opened in 1939, The Cathay was the tallest building in Southeast Asia at the time and the first skyscraper in Singapore.

In response to evolving retail trends and consumer behaviours, the design focused on revitalising the retail podium, removing the existing cinema halls. The space was enhanced while adhering to stringent conservation requirements and the residential tower above remained fully operational throughout the process.

The design of the retail podium draws inspiration from The Cathay’s historical connection to Singapore’s film industry, with a grand atrium featuring an amphitheatre and a three-storey LED wall. In addition, the conserved building houses a heritage gallery that showcases The Cathay’s history through curated multimedia exhibits and artefacts. The renewal bridges heritage and modernity, reaffirming The Cathay as a vibrant urban destination.

AVANI HOTEL SINGAPORE

SINGAPORE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Rising along 24 Peck Seah Street, the upcoming AVANI Hotel

Singapore is conceived as a contemporary take on the urban grain and climatic mediation of Singapore’s historic shophouses. Drawing inspiration from the inherent modularity of the shophouse typology that is represented by repetitive bays, finely calibrated proportions and a rhythmic façade order, this structured order is softened by horizontal screening elements inspired by traditional bamboo shades that have been long deployed in tropical architecture for its ability to filter light, encourage natural ventilation and create gentle gradations between indoor and outdoor spaces.

From the façade to the interior, the colour palette of AVANI Singapore is composed in quiet dialogue with its surroundings, echoing the warm earthy tones and understated materiality of the neighbourhood while contributing to a refreshed yet contextually grounded presence on the streetscape. A sky terrace that matches the roof datum of the neighbouring shophouse introduce lush layers of planting, extending the landscape vertically and framing elevated pockets of respite for guests and visitors. The rooftop will feature a vibrant F&B destination, envisioned to be the social club of Tanjong Pagar that offers fantastic views over Duxton and Kreta Ayer. DP Architects is honoured to design the first AVANI Hotel in Singapore together with Kajima Development and Minor International, in a true celebration of cultural collaboration in hospitality.

MY HOME 99

Nestled in the serene location of Kokapet, Hyderabad, My Home 99 is an exclusive residential tower that, true to its name, comprises 99 premium units that offer an elevated standard of living. Designed as a multi-generational lake-facing community, My Home 99, with its distinctive architectural design and world-class amenities at the lower levels, effectively blends sophistication with luxury. A key design feature is the use of traditional Indian jail screens, which lend the design a distinctive character while enhancing comfort in Hyderabad’s intense climate and privacy.

Rising above the amenity spaces are 50 levels of residential units, with each floor housing two units designed to provide maximum comfort and style. The 99 exclusive units boast breathtaking views

of a tranquil lake that provide residents with a perfect blend of nature and luxury. Each unit features expansive balconies that seamlessly extend the living space, fostering a sense of openness and connection with the surroundings.

The sense of exclusivity is elevated further through premium amenities on the terrace floors, including a helipad crowning the tower, making the tower stand at an impressive height of 226m.

A pinnacle of luxury living, My Home 99 stands as an iconic landmark in Hyderabad.

CAPITOL BISTRO. BAR. PATISSERIE

SINGAPORE COMPLETED

Refurbishing the Capitol Bistro. Bar. Patisserie: the design scheme re-envisioned the restaurant as a tropical oasis, creating an environment that invites diners to relax into a casual dining experience. The concept draws from Singapore’s ‘City in Nature’ narrative without neglecting its heritage setting within The Capitol Kempinski Hotel and harnesses the access to generous daylighting and spatial volume to deliver the perfect alfresco-like atmosphere. Embraced by lush landscaping amidst a vintage-inspired coffee-house aesthetic, the vibe of Capitol Bistro. Bar. Patisserie is charmingly contemporary and delightfully nostalgic.

The spatial layout, true to the restaurant’s name, is thoughtfully planned to include three distinct zones while providing a complete dining experience for all. The bar has been designed for smooth movement and maximum interaction among friends and other patrons, while the patisserie provides quick, easy access for customers seeking a bite on the go. With its semi-alfresco setting, the bistro is designed to maximise comfort and encourage diners to linger. Porous yet intimate, the spaces are carefully crafted for shared gatherings and cosy celebrations alike.

ONGOING

SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY OFFICE LEVEL 12

SINGAPORE

The vision for Singapore Management University (SMU) Administration Building is to redefine the traditional office environment into a biophilic environment that nurtures connection, collaboration and wellbeing. Anchored in biophilic design principles, the building draws nature into its architectural fabric through vertical gardens, courtyards and the seamless integration of natural light, cultivating an atmosphere that mirrors the tranquillity of the outdoors.

The design orchestrates a vertical journey from the urban landscape at ground level to elevated greenhouses and garden terraces, symbolising the fusion of city and nature. Internally, open-plan workspaces and flexible activity-based zones foster interaction and creativity, while a central communal pantry serves as the building’s social heart.

Designed with sustainability in mind, the office spaces feature daylight harvesting and automated controls to optimise sun glare and thermal comfort. Targeting BCA Green Mark Super Low Energy certification, the building combines energy-efficient systems and solar power to advance SMU’s environmental stewardship and holistic wellbeing goals.

ADVOCATING SUSTAINABILITY & INNOVATION

WE SHAPE A BETTER-THAN-SUSTAINABLE URBAN FUTURE THROUGH ADVOCACY AND ACTIONS, ACROSS OUR PROJECTS, PRACTICE AND PARTNERSHIPS.

ADVANCING BEYOND SUSTAINABILITY IN A CHANGING WORLD

By Ar. Frederick Low, Green-Well-Tech Leader

As climate risks intensify and environmental limits become increasingly visible, the built environment is facing heightened and sustained scrutiny, not only for its impact but also for its potential to drive systemic and transformative change. Recent scientific assessments, such as updates to the planetary boundaries framework, highlight that human activity has pushed several Earth systems beyond their safe operating thresholds, including climate change, biosphere integrity, land system change and freshwater use.

These findings arrive at a critical moment for Singapore, as the nation commits to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 while charting its longer-term aspirations towards SG85, envisioning a resilient, inclusive and liveable city for future generations. Together, they underscore the need for a step-change in how sustainability is conceived, delivered and evaluated within the built environment.

At the same time, the climate crisis and the accelerating loss of biodiversity are now widely recognised as interconnected and mutually reinforcing challenges. Rather than parallel concerns, they represent a coupled risk to planetary and human systems, sharing common drivers and therefore demanding shared solutions. For the built environment, this means that reducing carbon emissions alone is

no longer sufficient. Buildings, infrastructure and cities shape land use, material and energy flows, ecological connectivity and human interaction with nature, placing design firmly at the centre of the response. Design decisions therefore carry agency, playing a direct role in either exacerbating pressures on climate and ecological systems or helping to alleviate them through more thoughtful, integrated and regenerative responses.

In this context, sustainability today is no longer defined solely by regulation or certification. It is increasingly shaped by how organisations measure, disclose and act on their environmental impacts. Transparency, accountability and intent have become equally important markers of credibility. Within the built environment, this shift has prompted a broader evolution in thinking, moving from minimising harm towards regenerative design approaches that seek to restore ecological systems, strengthen social value and contribute positively over time.

For DP Architects, this evolving context has provided an important lens through which our past year’s sustainability efforts have been both evaluated and recalibrated. It has informed how sustainability is understood and applied across our practice, shaping our approach to design, project delivery and operations, while also influencing how we continue to build capability and ambition over time. The year has been one of consolidation, learning and deliberate advancement, laying the groundwork for achieving outcomes that are genuinely transformative.

BUILDING ACCOUNTABILITY INTO OUR PRACTICE

With expectations around climate performance, disclosure and professional responsibility continuing to rise, practices across the globe are being challenged to strengthen the foundations of sustainability within their own operations. For our practice, this has involved a more structured and intentional commitment to voluntary sustainability reporting, alongside enhanced monitoring of Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions over the past year.

Our latest sustainability report marks an important milestone in this journey, offering a consolidated view of impacts across practice, projects and people, and establishing a baseline for future action. It reflects our belief that credible climate action must be datadriven, evidence-based and measurable. In this context, reporting is understood as a tool for reflection and learning, rather than disclosure alone.

THE FOURTH ITERATION OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF PURPOSEFUL DESIGN (APD)

At an organisational level, this commitment is structured through Green-Well-Tech (GWT), a core thrust within the firm that governs and guides how sustainability is embedded, implemented and continually reviewed across the organisation.

This structure is further strengthened through the fourth iteration of our Attributes of Purposeful Design (APD) framework. APD 4.0 represents a significant evolution, expanding and sharpening how impact is quantified and framed across multiple, interrelated sustainability focus areas including environmental performance, resource efficiency, wellbeing, resilience and social value. By integrating these considerations from the earliest stages of design, APD 4.0 ensures that sustainability is not treated as an overlay or downstream requirement, but as a foundational driver of architectural intent and decision-making.

The refinement of APD over time reflects DP’s recognition that sustainability frameworks must remain adaptive, responding to emerging science, evolving societal expectations and lessons learned through practice.

DELIVERING IMPACT THROUGH OUR PROJECTS

Alongside growing expectations of accountability, definitions of design quality and project performance have also evolved. Projects are no longer judged solely on their ability to minimise harm or meet baseline standards, but increasingly on how they contribute positively to climate resilience, ecological health and social wellbeing. This shift aligns closely with regenerative design thinking, which recognises buildings, landscapes and cities as active participants within broader environmental and social systems.

For DP, our projects remain the primary vehicle through which our sustainability ambition is translated into tangible outcomes. The past year has reaffirmed that the greatest impact is achieved when environmental and social objectives are embedded early and developed in parallel with architectural intent. When considerations such as carbon, energy, façade performance, material efficiency, water systems, ecology, wellbeing and climate responsiveness are addressed holistically, they are better able to influence not only performance metrics, but also spatial quality, user experience and long-term value.

DESIGN DECISIONS THEREFORE CARRY AGENCY, PLAYING A DIRECT ROLE IN EITHER EXACERBATING PRESSURES ON CLIMATE AND ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS OR HELPING TO ALLEVIATE THEM THROUGH

MORE THOUGHTFUL, INTEGRATED AND REGENERATIVE RESPONSES.

Across contexts, typologies and scales, this integrated approach enables projects to respond simultaneously to climate and biodiversity objectives. From civic buildings and infrastructure to landscape-led developments, design can reduce emissions, enhance ecological function, improve microclimates and support community wellbeing within a single, coherent framework.

Our recently completed works offer concrete examples of how these principles are being tested and applied in practice. The Singapore Pavilion for the Osaka Expo 2025 demonstrates how sustainability can be embedded through narrative, material strategy and fabrication methodology. Guided by circular economy principles, the pavilion’s 4Rs approach—Reduce, Reuse, Renew and Recycle—informed material selection, detailing, assembly and disassembly, demonstrating how environmental responsibility can be communicated as an integral part of national representation rather than an adjunct performance claim.

Similarly, large-scale public developments such as the Central Manpower Base, alongside other projects documented in our latest sustainability report, illustrate how sustainability ambitions are negotiated and realised through complex delivery conditions. These projects show how sustainability principles articulated at a framework level can be translated into building and operational outcomes.

In parallel with new developments, our practice has increasingly viewed asset enhancement as a necessary response to a carbonconstrained future. Engaging with existing buildings, such as the adaptive reuse of Golden Mile Complex and House of Tan Yeok Nee, reflects our belief that sustainability must also involve working with what already exists. In these projects, adaptation and reuse are treated not only as strategies to reduce environmental impact, but as deliberate acts of stewardship to preserve architectural heritage and cultural memory, while allowing existing buildings to remain relevant within a rapidly changing city.

15,400kWh (12.5%) of energy renewed via rooftop BIPV, throughout the duration of the Expo (6 months). This can power up to 77 electric vehicles for 1,000km each, or approximately twice the distance from Osaka to Tokyo. TOWARDS 4RS & CIRCULARITY IN DESIGN

REUSE

Modular and standardised components designed for assembly & disassembly.

Embracing circular design principles, the architecture and interior components are purposefully designed with opportunities for reuse post-Expo.

REDUCE

Use of drip irrigation, a more efficient and responsible system, reduces 60% of water used for irrigation of landscape. This is equivalent to approximately 2,800 500ml bottles of water saved daily.

RECYCLE

Façade is enveloped by 17,000 aluminium discs with 70% post-consumer recycled content. This helps to reduce CO2 emissions by 70tCO2, which would have to be offset by 2,500 trees annually.

… ADAPTATION AND REUSE ARE TREATED NOT ONLY AS STRATEGIES TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, BUT AS DELIBERATE ACTS OF STEWARDSHIP TO RETAIN ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE AND CULTURAL MEMORY, WHILE ALLOWING EXISTING BUILDINGS

TO REMAIN RELEVANT...

Within this broader body of work, Bukit Canberra stands out as an opportunity to explore nature-positive and regenerative ideas at scale. Rather than focusing solely on meeting performance targets, the project encouraged a broader consideration of how a public development might return value to its context ecologically, socially and spatially. Landscape systems, community programmes and civic spaces were integrated to support biodiversity, everyday social life and neighbourhood identity. While no single project can resolve the scale of today’s climate and biodiversity challenges, Bukit Canberra reflects our growing confidence in engaging with regenerative ambition through real-world constraints.

Supporting this project-led approach is the continued development of our own in-house digital tools such as EzCarbon and NimbleFaçade. Embedded within selected project workflows, these tools enable design options to be tested and compared at early stages, strengthening carbon-informed design and façade optimisation, and helping to bridge sustainability intent with deliverable outcomes.

EMPOWERING OUR PEOPLE TO DRIVE CHANGE

While frameworks, tools and methodologies are essential, it is ultimately our people who shape how sustainability is interpreted and applied in practice. As sustainability challenges grow in scale and complexity, DP continues to invest in building internal capability through training, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and creating space for critical dialogue. This emphasis reflects our understanding that sustainability is as much a cultural transformation as it is a technical one. How teams question assumptions, share knowledge, and learn from both successes and limitations plays a decisive role in embedding environmental and social priorities into everyday design practice.

Learning within the practice is closely linked to engagement beyond it. DP continues to contribute to wider discourse through participation in industry and academic platforms, including forums such as the International Built Environment Week (IBEW) and the Union Internationale des Architectes (UIA) International Forum. These platforms provide opportunities to test ideas, share reflections and engage with peers on people-centred and nature-responsive design, regenerative approaches within dense urban contexts, and the role of place-based projects in supporting resilience, biodiversity and social inclusion.

This outward engagement is complemented by a commitment to applying design expertise in ways that directly support communities in which we operate. Through our corporate social responsibility (CSR) and community-focused commissions, we extend our capabilities beyond commercial delivery, working with community partners, public institutions and non-profit organisations to address social needs and support everyday wellbeing. These projects reinforce the view that design has a civic role to play, contributing to social resilience and inclusion as part of a broader, practice-wide approach to sustainability.

Alongside professional and community engagement, our practice also contributes to research and knowledge-building efforts. This includes participation as industry respondents in the Defining Regenerative Cities study led by CLC–SUTD, as well as our contribution of an opinion piece (https://www.worldscientific.com/ doi/10.1142/S2972426023710022) on regenerative urban ecologies to

the International Journal on Smart and Sustainable Cities. Together, these engagements support a reciprocal learning process, allowing insights from practice to inform research, while emerging thinking helps to sharpen and challenge our practice’s ongoing approach to sustainability.

LOOKING AHEAD

The efforts described throughout this article are captured in our Sustainability Report 2025, which reflects how sustainability has been embedded across practice, projects and people over the past year. The report documents progress in emissions monitoring, project delivery, capability-building and external engagement, while also identifying areas where further improvement and focus are required. Insights gained through delivery, reflection and discourse continue to inform how our practice evolves its approach to sustainability, shaping both design outcomes and organisational decision-making.

Looking ahead, our practice remains focused on areas where we can exercise meaningful influence. These include advancing pathways towards decarbonisation, deepening nature-positive and regenerative design approaches, and refining in-house tools and methodologies that support more informed, integrated decisions. Voluntary reporting will continue to play an important role, providing a mechanism for transparency, reflection and continual improvement.

Equally important is a sustained commitment to collaboration and shared learning. Engaging with partners across industry, academia and the wider community remains essential in responding to the challenges we all face. As we at DP continue our journey, our ambition remains clear—to design for regenerative, resilient and socially meaningful outcomes for a rapidly changing world.

To explore DP’s approach, progress, and priorities in more detail, read our Sustainability Report 2025 here:

SYNTHESIS AND SYNERGY: ARCHITECTURE FOR COMMUNITY BOOK LAUNCH

On 26th June 2025, DP Architects (DPA) launched its sixth publication, Synthesis and Synergy: Architecture for Community, at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre in conjunction with Archifest 2025. The event, which welcomed approximately 500 guests, marked more than a celebratory gathering. It signified a key milestone in DPA’s continued advancement of complex integrated lifestyle hubs and new models of recreation clubs in Singapore. The publication reinforces DPA’s belief in architecture’s generative potential to shape thriving and inclusive communities. Through essays by thought leaders and a reflection on DPA’s projects, practice and research, the book contributes to the wider discourse on designing vibrant and resilient cities for a better-thansustainable future.

The evening was graced by former Deputy Prime Minister Mr Heng Swee Keat and attended by DPA’s clients, partners, fellow practitioners and DPians. Opening the event, DPA CEO and the book’s editor-in-chief, Ar. Seah Chee Huang reflected on the importance of designing with and for the community, underscoring architecture’s role in strengthening social resilience and shaping shared urban futures.

In his Opening Address, Mr Heng highlighted the crucial role of public spaces in fostering community wellbeing, particularly within Singapore’s compact urban context. Drawing upon his experience serving the Tampines community, he cited the bold vision behind Our Tampines Hub (OTH), today a vibrant civic and lifestyle node that

welcomes around 14.5 million visitors annually. He commended DPA’s community-centric design approach, evident in OTH and across many of the firm’s projects, and expressed confidence that the book would inspire future architects and planners to continue advancing peopleoriented design.

A central highlight of the launch was a panel discussion moderated by Ar. Seah, featuring six of the book’s contributing essayists and fellow thought leaders. The panel explored interconnected themes such as participatory design, urban governance, and the social and spatial dimensions of inclusive environments. Their perspectives provided deeper insight into DPA’s evolving practice in community-focused architecture and the challenges and opportunities that shape its commitment to designing for connection, care and collective wellbeing.

The development of Synthesis and Synergy: Architecture for Community has been a meaningful process of reflection for DPA, consolidating decades of knowledge across projects, research and practice. It underscores how collaboration and interdisciplinary thinking can yield outcomes greater than the sum of their parts. DPA remains steadfast in its mission to address global challenges while responding thoughtfully to the climate crisis. With a commitment to regenerative and community-forward design, the practice continues to pursue architecture that enriches lives and supports a more resilient, inclusive and liveable built environment for generations to come.

DP ARCHITECTS DEEPENS PARTNERSHIP WITH NANYANG POLYTECHNIC

WITH MOU

DP Architects (DPA) entered an exciting chapter in its partnership journey with Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP), with the signing of an MoU on 16th September 2025 that marked an important milestone in their collaboration.

Under the MoU, DPA will deepen its collaboration with NYP across the co-creation and co-delivering of curriculum, internships and industry attachments, upskilling courses, as well as innovation and sustainability projects.

“This MoU is not only a testament to the strong relationship that we have built over time. It is also a reflection of a shared vision and values, and more importantly, what we can do more and better together,”

Ar. Seah Chee Huang, CEO of DP Architects, said at the signing. “Like Nanyang Polytechnic, DPA is deeply committed to nurturing and empowering the next generation of design thinkers and leaders.”

As both parties embark on this new journey together, DPA looks forward to an enduring partnership that is purposeful, impactful and inspiring for generations to come.

The MoU signing ceremony took place as part of the exhibition “Designing Impactful Experiences for the Future” by NYP’s School of Design & Media, held in conjunction with Singapore Design Week 2025.

DP

SIGNS MOU WITH MONTFORT CARE

United by one common purpose to bring about positive change to our community, DP Architects signed an MoU with Montfort Care on 25th September 2025, marking a decade of meaningful partnership and co-creation in reimagining community spaces that promote empowerment and inspire belonging among seniors.

Volunteers from DPA will now make twice-weekly visits to Goodlife Studios—cheerfully designed recreational facilities by DPA—to support seniors in their activities and past times, strengthening the shared mission of revitalising the seniors’ physical and mental wellbeing.

At the MoU signing, Ar. Seah Chee Huang, CEO of DPA and a key driver in fostering a culture of Corporate Social Responsibility within the practice, said: “With this MoU, DP is excited to take our partnership [with Montfort Care] further, deepen meaning—not just through design, but also by rallying more DPians to volunteer and give their time. Time, after all, is one of the most precious things we can share.”

SINGAPORE PAVILION, EXPO 2025, OSAKA: IT’S A WRAP

Celebrating over two years of collaboration and effort, the Singapore Pavilion was officially unveiled at Expo 2025 Osaka in April earlier this year, graced by Princess Aiko, daughter of Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako. Conceived in collaboration with Singapore Tourism Board and Kingsmen Creatives Ltd, along with multimedia partners Finding Pictures, Milla & Partner and creative consultant Presplay, the design is led by DP Architects CEO Ar. Seah Chee Huang and realised through an interdisciplinary approach involving the firm’s specialist companies DP Design, DP Engineers, DP Façade, DP Green, DP Lighting and DP Sustainable Design.

Anchored in the Expo’s theme, ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives’, the Pavilion is envisioned as a global call for a more sustainable and liveable future. Also called the Dream Sphere ‘Where Dreams take Shape’, the Singapore Pavilion aims to invite visitors to explore the infinite possibilities of dreams, inspiring individuals to make a positive impact in the world and shape a better tomorrow.

Inspired by the ‘Little Red Dot’, the genesis of the design is a physical manifestation of this term of endearment, embodied in a larger-thanlife experiential sphere nestled in a dream-like cloudscape. Covered with approximately 17,000 red discs, the façade took cues from the

well-known seigaiha wave motif to create an overlapping design. Made up of 70% post-consumer recycled content, these red discs contributed to a reduction of more than 70 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Additionally, the project incorporates modular and standardised components, leveraging computational design through advanced tools like Rhino and Grasshopper to optimise the project’s design.

Representatives from the multidisciplinary team—Mathieu Meur, director of DP Façade, as well as DP Architects associate Law Kai Xiang and DP Design associate Drishti Kulshreshtha— were also invited to the 2025 ZAK World of Façades conference, sharing insights on the façade design and engineering of the Singapore Pavilion. In detailing the design journey of the striking 17-metre-high Dream Sphere, the team delved into the design strategies that embraced circular philosophy, pushing for environmental stewardship with sustainable design principles— Renew, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle—at the heart of the design.

Presented as a beacon of collective aspiration where we invite the global community on a multisensorial journey, the Singapore Pavilion is more than just a symbol—it celebrates the power of collective dreaming and commitment to building a more hopeful, inclusive and better-than-sustainable future.

HOUSE OF TAN YEOK NEE OPENS

The House of Tan Yeok Nee—Singapore’s last surviving traditional Chinese mansion—officially opened its doors to the public on 1st November 2025.

Built in 1882, the House of Tan Yeok Nee was once the private residence of wealthy Teochew businessman Tan Yeok Nee, which later served as St Mary’s Home and the headquarters of the Salvation Army. Led by DP Architects in collaboration with associate professor Yeo Kang Shua and skilled craftsmen from Chaoshan, Teochew, the conservation project reinforces the significance of both cultural and environmental continuity, demonstrating that heritage buildings can embody sustainable practices through longevity, adaptability and materials efficiency.

Now under the care of the Karim Family Foundation, the House of Tan Yeok Nee has been reintroduced to the public as a heritage space and lifestyle hub, featuring dining, cultural and event spaces alongside family offices.

The grand opening was officiated by Guest of Honour Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, with Ar. Chua Zi Jun, director of DP Architects, leading the architectural tour at the event.

PENCILS BY THE WATER BY DP GREEN DELIGHTS

RESIDENTS OF PUNGGOL

AND PARK-GOERS

Pencils by the Water is a playful public art installation, selected as one of the winning submissions for Play at Punggol, organised by URA and supported by the National Parks Board and JTC Corporation. Inspired by the spirit of a young and evolving town, the installation reimagines the familiar colour pencil as a symbolic landmark representing creativity, learning and the collective act of shaping the future together. Arranged in a grid that references the area’s agricultural past, each element reflects a different layer of Punggol’s evolving identity.

The form draws on shared memories of drawing and learning, bringing a gentle sense of nostalgia across generations. Integrated chalkboards and subtle interpretive panels invite spontaneous sketching and interaction, encouraging people of all ages to pause, play and connect with their surroundings. Crafted from salvaged logs with natural grain and imperfections left visible, sustainability underpins the installation’s lifecycle, with reclaimed timber reused and minimal processing employed. Through an everyday object reimagined in scale, Pencils by the Water shows how simple gestures can create meaningful and engaging public spaces.

DPA GROUP AWARDED ISO/IEC 27001:2022 CERTIFICATION

We are proud to announce that DP Architects and its group of companies have successfully achieved the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification, an internationally recognised standard for information security management. This significant milestone underscores our unwavering commitment to safeguarding information assets, managing cybersecurity risks proactively and upholding the highest standards of data protection, confidentiality and integrity across all areas of our operations.

To mark this achievement, an award presentation ceremony was held on 1st December 2025 at the DP Headquarters. Mr Baljit Singh, Assistant Vice President of Certification at internationally recognised certification body GICG, formally presented the certificates of registration to Ar. Seah Chee Huang, CEO of DP Architects, in recognition of the firm’s commitment to information security excellence.

DPA PROJECTS FEATURED IN SUMMER ISLAND SHORT FILM

DP Architects is a sponsor of Summer Island, a short film by Shiya Creative Studio that presents a quiet, observational journey through Singapore. Inspired by Takeshi Kitano’s Kikujiro (1999), the film presents Singapore as an eternal summer island where nostalgia and new ideas coexist within a constantly evolving urban environment.

The film features several projects by DP Architects—including Plantation Village, House of Tan Yeok Nee and Singapore Pavilion, Expo 2025, Osaka —forming part of its spatial and narrative progression. DP Architects’ involvement in Summer Island also includes participation by DPians, senior associate director Ang Guo Zi, senior associate Shawn Teo, associate Drishti Kulshreshtha, associate Law Kai Xiang

and associate Jiang Wenhuan, whose involvement supports the film’s engagement with Singapore’s architectural and cultural context.

The film follows Naomi, a seven-year-old visiting Singapore, and her uncle Tanaka, a Japanese expatriate living in the city, over the course of three days. Through architecture, art and everyday moments, their journey offers a reflective view of Singapore’s evolving urban identity, as they navigate both familiar and emerging places across the island.

Summer Island is supported by multiple sponsors, including the Japan Chamber of Commerce & Industry Singapore Foundation, Liu & Wo Architects, WOHA, Woodlands Health and DP Architects

GREEN MOVEMENT 2.0

Cultivating mindful habits for sustainability.

DP Architects’ second wave of the Green Movement by Green-Well-Tech was officially launched on 8th August 2025 by CEO Ar. Seah Chee Huang and director Ms Chan Hui Min, Head of Green-Well-Tech. The launch event saw a great turnout from the office, with DPians coming together to support the initiative. Centred on energy conservation and waste management, this year’s campaign seeks to nurture a groundup culture of sustainability. A series of targeted educational and engagement programmes have been introduced to empower DPians to take collective action towards a greener workplace.

Three key challenges were unveiled during the launch: Paper Recycling, Data Shedding and Turn It Off. These initiatives ran from 11th August to 26th September across the office, with regular progress updates shared via email to encourage greater participation, keeping everyone engaged and motivated to contribute their part.

The Paper Recycling Challenge aimed to recycle 50% of all paper used, with staff encouraged to identify stray sheets and place them in recycling bins located near printers. The Data Shedding Challenge sought to reduce duplicate, obsolete and redundant data by 1%, with participants deleting unnecessary files, archiving old documents and clearing downloads and emails. The Singapore office currently holds around 240TB of duplicate live data, or 400GB per person, excluding emails. Finally, the Turn It Off Challenge aimed to reduce the number

of PCs running for over 16 hours daily by 50%. DPians were urged to power down computers after work, on weekends and during leave. At the start of the challenge, 65% of PCs in the Singapore office ran for more than 16 hours daily, with the longest recorded runtime reaching 12 days, 14 hours and 59 minutes, equivalent to five trips around the world. To motivate participation, DPians who helped achieve the collective goals stood a chance to win DP Climate Vouchers.

On 7th November, Green-Well-Tech and DP Life held a spring cleaning in the office as part of the ongoing Green Movement initiative. This year’s spring cleaning took a dual approach, combining both virtual and physical efforts to promote sustainability. The Virtual Spring Cleaning encouraged staff to review their project folders and emails, identifying and deleting any duplicate or obsolete files that were no longer needed. Meanwhile, the Physical Spring Cleaning involved employees tidying their workstations and areas, wiping down desks and actively seeking out unwanted waste, particularly paper. All collected paper waste was then brought to designated recycling points to ensure proper recycling.

Through the Green Movement, Green-Well-Tech continues to embody DP Architects’ commitment to purposeful innovation, uniting sustainability with design excellence to advance the practice towards better-than-sustainable outcomes.

CELEBRATING OUR PEOPLE

UNITED BY SHARED VALUES OF GROWTH, COLLABORATION AND A DEDICATION TO EXCELLENCE, OUR PEOPLE AND PARTNERS REMAIN AT THE HEART OF WHO WE ARE AND ALL WE DO.

EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN AR. ANGELENE CHAN ACCORDED AW iCS-SIA WOMAN ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR

On 7th October, Ar. Angelene Chan, Executive Chairman of DP Architects, received the AWiCS-SIA Women Architect of the Year award, presented by Second Minister for Finance and National Development, Ms Indranee Rajah. The inaugural AWiCS-SIA awards, organised by the Association of Women in Construction (Singapore), honour the exceptional achievements and contributions of women in the built environment industry, featuring individuals who have demonstrated bold creativity, innovative thinking and design leadership.

Named as a global force for sustainable, human-centric design, Angelene remains grounded in her conviction that architecture unites aesthetics with social purpose. The human experience is central to her work, which focuses on emotional quality, social potential and sense of place, simultaneously coming together to create a space that speaks to the individual and the larger community as a whole.

Leadership, to Angelene, is about enabling others and cultivating a culture of openness, creativity and shared purpose. As a leader, she believes it is crucial to create inclusive environments where all voices are heard, talent is nurtured and individuals feel empowered to grow, lead and make a difference. Supporting the role of women in architecture and the built environment, Angelene holds that women bring diverse and valuable perspectives to the work of architecture. It is thus critical that we continue to break down barriers and open doors to improve the depth and diversity of the cities we shape.

At its core, architecture is about people. Angelene seeks to advance architecture with the needs of people in mind, creating places that elevate the human spirit and honouring the world we all share.

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR AR. NG CHING HSIUNG RECOGNISED AS ONE OF THE LEADING ARCHITECTS AT URA’S 20 UNDER 45 2025

Spotlighted as one of the emerging architects whose works have displayed depth in design thinking and breadth of capabilities, Ar. Ng Ching Hsiung has been recognised in the fourth edition of the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s ’20 Under 45’. Launched in 2004, ’20 Under 45’ celebrates young and outstanding architects in Singapore, and featured architects will have the opportunity to showcase their works, contributions and reflections in a book, an exhibition and a series of talks in 2026.

With a wide-ranging portfolio spanning the River Safari to HomeTeamNS Khatib Clubhouse and the Downtown East redevelopment, Ching Hsiung remains deeply inquisitive of the intersection of design, craft and construction technology. In particular, he has continued to refine his expertise in designing recreation and play—an area now central to DP’s collective pursuit of wellness and quality of life. By exploring new methods and materials, he actively advances sensitive dialogue between tectonic honesty and human experience. For Ching Hsiung, it is important for the design intent to

be anchored in values and meaning that reflect our local way of life, by which the study of everyday life and the seemingly mundane moments is key to the creation of architecture that invites participation, thereby engendering meaningful interactions and connections.

Central to Ching Hsiung’s work are three pillars—communicate, co-create and contextualise. Human connection constitutes a common element across these pillars: communication serves as the basis of understanding and collaboration between stakeholders to arrive at a common ground and achieve a collective objective; co-creation necessitates participation from various groups, championing stewardship and meaningful solutions together; and contextualisation foregrounds the end-users and local community to instill a sense of place and identity in the space, transforming it into a social connector. Over the years, Ching Hsiung’s works have demonstrated the possibility of leisure and community-centric architecture to transcend their conventional image of amenity to become a form of social and everyday infrastructure.

DP DESIGN DIRECTORS IDR. MIKE LIM AND IDR. ALLAN WANG

LISTED TOP 30 SINGAPORE INTERIOR DESIGNERS

DP Design marked a momentous occasion as directors IDr. Mike Lim and IDr. Allan Wang was recognised as two of Singapore’s 30 Influential Spatial/Interior Designers. Organised by the Society of Interior Designers Singapore (SIDS), the award celebrates leading professionals who are shaping Singapore’s design landscape and beyond.

Recognised for his humanist approach, Mike’s leadership has brought DP Design to the global stage. Beyond aesthetics, he is a strong advocate of socially responsible design—elevating how people experience space and inspiring a strong sense of community. This is evident across his diverse portfolio of works, including the award-winning Penn Color Technology Center, YOTEL Singapore and Cinemaxx Junior in Jakarta as well as the Dubai Mall in the UAE, Emaar Square Mall in Istanbul, Turkey, the Grand Hi Lai Hotel in Taipei, Taiwan and The Exchange TRX in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Similarly, the award also testifies to Allan’s unwavering pursuit of design excellence. Applying a cross-disciplinary, people-centric approach, his designs are characterised by strategic yet sensitive planning and thoughtful detailing that resonates with end-users. Specialising in the workplace typology, his notable works include A Verdant Workplace, The Work Suite and The Portico Lounge—a category winner at this year’s IIDA Best of Asia Pacific Design Awards. Allan was also accorded the Designer of the Year as well as Young Designer of the Year at the Singapore Interior Design Awards (SIDA) earlier in November this year in recognition of his design excellence.

DP GREEN’S DIRECTOR LAR. YVONNE TAN APPOINTED PRESIDENT OF THE SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS COUNCIL

DP Green’s director, LAr. Yvonne Tan, was appointed as the President of the Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects (SILA) Council for the 2025–2027 term, marking a significant leadership milestone for both her practice and the profession in Singapore.

An Accredited Landscape Architect and Certified Planner, Yvonne is passionate about shaping joyful, resilient places where people and nature thrive together. Her work focuses on wellbeing, regenerative design and placemaking, with an emphasis on transforming urban environments into biophilic and inclusive destinations for community life. Through close collaboration with government agencies, industry partners and local communities, she has contributed to projects that enhance ecology, strengthen climate resilience and celebrate local identity.

Yvonne has also been actively involved in advancing urban greenery initiatives and professional discourse, sharing Singapore’s approach to vertical greening and nature-based solutions across different development typologies. Her work reflects a strong commitment to regulatory compliance, safety and long-term sustainability, aligning design excellence with practical implementation within dense urban contexts. Together with the council members, she aims to steer SILA towards an advanced and people-centred landscape architecture practice.

Founded in 1976, SILA is the national professional body representing landscape architects in Singapore, dedicated to advancing professional standards, education and advocacy in shaping liveable and sustainable environments.

YOUNG ARCHITECTS RECOGNISED AT

Two of our talented young architects have been selected as winners for the PERSPECTIVE 40 Under 40 Awards 2025, marking the fourth consecutive year in which our DPians have been awarded since 2022.

Recognised for their dedication and contribution to the built environment, senior associates Ar. Shawn Teo and Ar. Tan Wen Jun have demonstrated a deep commitment to creating meaningful spaces, from the conservation of heritage buildings to the integration of advanced digital tools in the design of inclusive and sustainable architecture.

Believing that research and the continuous pursuit of knowledge will help to advance purposeful, forward-looking and better-than-

PERSPECTIVE 40 UNDER 40 2025

sustainable designs, both Shawn and Wen Jun are active contributors in the industry’s academic space. Earlier this year, Shawn’s longstanding research, “Ornamentation and Deed”, was also published in Material Cultures in Southeast Asia: Objects in Context by Routledge. Today, both Shawn and Wen Jun are involved in the firm’s typology and education research groups.

Organised annually, PERSPECTIVE 40 Under 40 celebrates outstanding young professionals in the fields of architecture, interior design and product design, recognising individuals whose excellent works and passion are driving the future of our built environment.

AR. JACQUELINE TJEN ASSOCIATE

DP ARCHITECTS

AR. HOGEN SALIM HUANG ASSOCIATE

DP ARCHITECTS

AR. CHITIPAT CHATREE

ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATE

DP ARCHITECTS (THAILAND)

AR. KHOR WANXUAN ASSOCIATE

DP ARCHITECTS

AR. JACELYN PAU ARCHITECT

DP ARCHITECTS

AR. KACHAMAS WIWATHRUNGSON ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATE

DP ARCHITECTS (THAILAND)

AR. RATTAGARN PRASITTINAWA ARCHITECTURAL EXECUTIVE

DP ARCHITECTS (THAILAND)

AR. TIMOTHY OU ASSOCIATE

DP ARCHITECTS

AR. NEELAKSH PANDYA ASSISTANT DESIGNER

DP ARCHITECTS (INDIA)

AR. WARISARA DACHATASK ARCHITECTURAL EXECUTIVE

DP ARCHITECTS (THAILAND)

KTS. NGUYEN THI THANH LINH SENIOR ARCHITECT

DP ARCHITECTS (VIETNAM)

GROWING TALENT, STRENGTHENING THE PROFESSION:

OUR NEWLY REGISTERED ARCHITECTS

This year, DP Architects welcomes 11 newly registered architects, with five individuals from the Singapore headquarters—Ar. Jacqueline Tjen, Ar. Khor Wanxuan, Ar. Timothy Ou, Ar. Hogen Salim Huang and Ar. Jacelyn Pau.

Across our global offices, the newly registered architects are KTS. Nguyen Thi Thanh Linh from Vietnam; Ar. Neelaksh Pandya from India;

as well as Ar. Kachamas Wiwathrungson, Ar. Rattagarn Prasittinawa, Ar. Warisara Dachatask and Ar. Chitipat Chatree from Thailand.

DP Architects remains committed to nurturing talent and fostering professional growth for our DPians within the industry, empowering individuals to contribute their diverse perspectives and knowledge for the advancement of the global built environment.

DPIANS LISTED AMONG SBR’S 20 MOST NOTABLE ARCHITECTURE PROFESSIONALS UNDER 40

The list of 20 Most Notable Architecture Professionals Under 40 released by Singapore Business Review (SBR) has recognised six of our young professionals, establishing DP Architects as the firm with the greatest number of young architects in the list.

The six DPians who made the list include Ar. Frederick Low, Ar. Chen Yili, Ar. Khor Wanxuan, Ar. David Ardiansyah, Ar. Timothy Ou and Ar. Wu Wenwei. Selected for their exceptional work, strategic insight and dedication to advancing the built environment, these young architects demonstrate a keen sense of sensitivity while addressing the needs of today’s world through innovative, sustainable and community-focused design.

DP ACADEMY CELEBRATES DPA’S TOP 10 LEARNERS

Committed to fostering the professional development, continuous upskilling and training of all staff, DP Academy has announced the Top 10 Learners for the year 2025. This year, the Top 10 Learners include eight staff from the Singapore office and two from our Vietnam office.

Spanning courses on technical skills and knowledge to trade talks and personal development programmes, DP Academy offers a wide range of resources for upskilling and professional development. Accumulating the highest number of credit points acquired through the completion of courses conducted within the DPA headquarters, these DPians are: Tan Thiam Guan, Indhumathi Thirumavalavan, Zareeq Azmil, Yin Yue, Donny Teng, Margaret Lau, Trang Nguyen, Rowell Mendoza, Leong Siew Leng and Tuyen Tran.

This recognition underscores our commitment to a culture of lifelong learning, demonstrating a proactive approach to personal and collective growth. Exemplifying the values of professional excellence, it serves to further encourage the ongoing pursuit of knowledge, supporting the advancement of innovation in design and architecture.

ER. YONG SIEW ONN

DIRECTOR

DP SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

STELLA LOO

SENIOR ESD ANALYST

DP SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

ADELINA JAYA

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

DP SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

WAN MENGCHENG

ESD ANALYST EXECUTIVE

DP SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

PHAM

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

DP ARCHITECTS AND ITS GROUP OF COMPANIES

WELCOME 7 NEWLY ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS

DP Architects and its group of companies are pleased to announce the addition of seven green Accredited Professionals (AP).

From DP Sustainable Design, director Er. Yong Siew Onn, along with Adelina Jaya and Wan Mengcheng, are accredited as EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) Experts. Adelina Jaya is also recognised as a Green Mark Advanced Accredited Professional (GMAAP); Wan Mengcheng and Loo Yi Ning Stella are both certified as Green Mark Accredited Professionals (GMAP); and Phuong Nhu Pham is

conferred LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) AP. From DP Green, both Law Han Wen and Gu Liyuan have obtained SILA (Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects) accreditation.

These accomplishments across diverse accreditation programmes demonstrate DP’s continuous pursuit of excellence, actively maintaining relevance with global benchmarks. This also reflects our commitment to the Green-Well-Tech thrust, an ethos that remains key to DP’s sustainability journey towards a better-than-sustainable future.

BETTER TOGETHER

Celebrating culture, building community, fostering collective identity.

At the heart of all that DP does are our people, collective strength and spirit driving the firm forward. The celebration of cultural diversity through thoughtfully curated events is one way we honour and uplift our DPians, creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels seen, respected and deeply connected. Central to these efforts is DP Life, a committee led and managed by young DPians, dedicated to fostering a healthy, inclusive and vibrant workplace culture.

More than just marking dates on the calendar, these cultural festivities are meaningful opportunities to build connections, deepen understanding and celebrate the rich tapestry of backgrounds that define DP. Throughout the year, DPians came together to celebrate Lunar New Year, Hari Raya and Deepavali, culminating in a joyous year-end celebration with the first-ever DP Family Fiesta, held in conjunction with the Christmas party.

Spanning from afternoon into the evening, DP Family Fiesta welcomed DPians and their families into the workplace, transforming the entire office into a vibrant and immersive festive playground. Every corner was activated with thoughtfully curated activities designed for all ages, from a lively photo booth capturing cherished moments, to Bricktopia, where families and children got

hands-on building imaginative creations with LEGO bricks. Creative energy continued with a Build-Your-Own Gingerbread House activity, while a cosy movie screening ran concurrently, complete with popcorn galore outside the screening area. The festive atmosphere was further elevated by performances from the DP Choir, filling the office with familiar Christmas carols and cheerful melodies. A special highlight of the evening was a surprise solo performance by director Ar. Suneeth Changaroth, whose angelic voice revealed a hidden talent and brought the celebration to an unforgettable crescendo, made even more memorable with moments of shared excitement through lucky draws and festive surprises. Adding to the spirit of creativity and sustainability, this year’s Christmas celebration also featured a “Decorate Your Bay” Design Competition, centred around a White Christmas theme. DPians showcased remarkable ingenuity by crafting intricate decorations using reused paper and materials, reflecting both sustainable values and artistic flair. The whole office was adorned with beautifully handcrafted displays, with enthusiastic participation evident across every bay.

Together, the DP Family Fiesta embodied the true spirit of Christmas. Bringing people together, celebrating creativity and strengthening bonds across families and colleagues alike, it marks a heartfelt and memorable celebration for the entire DP family.

DECORATE YOUR BAY COMPETITION

UNLEASHING CREATIVITY THROUGH HANDCRAFTED BRICK ART.

INTERIOR DESIGN & SPATIAL PLANNING

ENGINEERING & BUILDING SERVICES DESIGN

BUILDING

LIGHTING

Sustainable Design

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NATIONAL DAY PARADE, SINGAPORE SPORTS HUB

A photograph capturing performers and the breathtaking Sky City display at the National Day Parade 2016, showcasing a beautiful vision of Singapore in 2065.

This year, as Singapore celebrates SG60—”Building Our Singapore Together”—we are reminded that our journey as a home-grown architecture firm has always been intertwined with the nation’s growth.

Entering the new year, we move ahead with a culture of collaboration, adaptability, and resilience—values mirrored in Singapore’s story—to create meaningful spaces that will enrich the human experience and spirit.