MASTER PLANNING CITIES OF THE FUTURE

PROJECT MANAGEMENTBALANCING CREATIVITY & CONTROL

MYVILLAGEA GARDEN RETAIL EXPERIENCE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF SERANGOON GARDEN

IN DEPTH

IN DEPTH

WORLD CITIES SUMMITDP’S COMMITMENT TO CREATING LIVEABLE AND SUSTAINABLE URBAN SPACES

IN FOCUS

THE WCS ISSUE

www.

dpa.

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.sg

VOLUME 3NUMBER 2

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CONTENTS

Architectural issues

World Cities Summit 2012

The Dubai Mall: Sand to Spectacle

DP Group of Companies - DP Architects- DP Engineers- DP Design- DP Consultants- DP Infrastructure- DP Green

Celebration of past projectsMarina Square, 1986

Volume 3 Number 2, 2012, Singapore

DESIGN IN PRINT TEAM

Ed

itoria

l

Writ

ing

Chan Hui MinNartano Lim Leong Wei Lin

Mandy TooToh Bee Ping

Collin Anderson

Gra

phi

cs

Lek NoonchooGowri Krunathan

Loh Yew Cheng

Fu Tingting

Additional contributors: Vivian Choy, Jackie Poh

Letter from the Guest Editor

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the latest issue of Design in Print. The launch of this issue coincides with the 2012 World Cities Summit where industry and community leaders come together on a global platform to discuss city challenges and share best practices on urban solutions.

In line with the summit’s theme of Liveable and Sustainable Cities, this issue highlights efforts of the DP group of companies in shaping social spaces. The companies – namely DP Architects, DP Consultants, DP Design, DP Engineers, DP Green and DP Infrastructure – cover the spectrum of professional services ranging from architecture and master-planning, project management, interior design, engineering, landscape consultancy to infrastructure developments.

In keeping with DP’s philosophy, we constantly strive towards creating architecture where the enrichment of the human experience and spirit is carried through in our city planning and buildings – this continuous pursuit of making our work relatable and inhabitable is what drives us forward.

The following pages showcase DP’s comprehensive ability for envisioning and bringing to life projects at varying scales and locations – in foreign countries such as the master plan for Seef Lusail in Qatar and locally at Serangoon Garden with the new commercial development, myVillage. We also demonstrate a sensitivity to existing site conditions in our retrofitting projects, such as Paragon Shopping Centre at Orchard Road where we enable indirect sunlight to filter through the mall interior. Our infrastructure arm is responsible for the design of numerous MRT stations, playing a part in the development of Singapore’s expanding transportation network; and along the way, our engineering and project management companies serve to support and manage our design endeavours to fruition.

We hope you will enjoy this issue where we share our efforts in contributing to the built environment beyond the mere construction of a building – by enriching the society that we live in.

Chan Sui Him, Chairman, DP Architects Pte Ltd

Cover sketch: Nartano Lim

DP GROUP OF COMPANIES

DP ARCHITECTS PTE LTD dparchitects@dpa.com.sg

DP CONSULTANTS PTE LTD dpconsultants@dpc.com.sg

DP DESIGN PTE LTDdpd@dpdesign.com.sg

DP ENGINEERS PTE LTD dpengineers@dpe.com.sg

DP GREEN PTE LTD dpgreen@dpg.com.sg

DP INFRASTRUCTURE PTE LTD dpi@dpinfrastructure.com.sg

6 Raffles Boulevard #04-100 Marina Square Singapore 039594Tel : +65 6338 3988 Fax : +65 6337 9989

www.dpa.com.sg

experts, landscape architects, arborists, interior designers, infrastructure experts and project managers to elaborate on the WCS theme. Recognising architecture’s social value and relevance in addressing evolving city challenges, DP, through its works, articulates its commitment to creating urban spaces that will enhance the quality of life of the community.

Great cities are the work of great teams. As DP builds upon the foundation of the firm’s history, the strengthening of the DP team exemplifies the firm’s aspiration to make greater contributions in shaping the urbanscape of its home city, Singapore, as well as those beyond its shores.

| Architectural issues

DP 02

Since its early founding years, DP Architects has subscribed to the philosophy that the physical environment has the power to shape the human experience and spirit. In the pursuit of creating architecture and planning work that can better the lives of people in cities, DP Architects has for the past 45 years explored through its projects various themes in urbanism. The theme of this year’s World Cities Summit, Liveable and Sustainable Cities – Integrated Urban Solutions, presents an opportunity for DP to not only revisit past work with new eyes, but also to generate discourse on ideas to take forward in its future work.

Continuing the firm’s initiative to share its design process, DP Architects is proud to announce the latest publication in a planned series of books exploring the design methodologies and thought processes of its notable built works. The Dubai Mall: Sand to Spectacle, written by DPians Nartano Lim and Widari Bahrin, delves into the firm’s journey in the design and construction of the world’s

DP at WCS Expo 2 - 4 July, Singapore Booth 201ASands Expo & Convention Center Marina Bay Sands

THE DUBAI MALL SAND TO SPECTACLE

In recent years, DP Architects has formed numerous subsidiary companies to provide the specialist consultancy services that cater to the increasing complexity of the projects that are undertaken by the firm. The emerging voices from this extended family have enriched the discourse on the firm’s work and philosophy by looking at the same issues from different aspects.

DP’s presentation pavilion at the World Cities Summit Expo aims to celebrate the firm’s work in the context of the multivalent ideas behind them. This accompanying WCS issue aims to give voice to the firm’s architects, urban planners, engineers, environmental

By Chan Hui Min

largest shopping centre. The publication frames The Dubai Mall in varying contexts through critical essays that explore historical, cultural and typological conditions and chronicles the mall from concept to completion. Interspersed throughout the publication are various scale comparisons that allow readers to understand the mall’s immensity and the incredible timeframe within which it was completed.

DP Architects’ Latest Publication

CELEBRATING ITS PAST WORK, DP REAFFIRMS ITS CONTINUOUS COMMITMENT TO CREATING LIVEABLE AND SUSTAINABLE URBAN SPACES THAT ENHANCE THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE

DP ARCHITECTSDP Architects (DPA), established in

1967, was one of the firms responsible

for the urban landscape of Singapore.

A leading architecture practice in Asia,

DPA has a long history in a wide variety

of projects with a particular expertise

in vast undertakings such as Suntec

City, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

and The Dubai Mall. Current landmark

projects include Resorts World Sentosa

and Singapore Sports Hub. The firm was

founded with a deep concern for the

built environment and the need to create

architecture of excellence that enriches

the human experience and spirit.

DPA-ESDGreen thinking is an integral part of DPA’s

practice. The firm’s Environmentally

Sustainable Design department

comprises architects, Green Mark

professionals, environmental engineers

and building scientists who work

closely with design architects and M&E

engineers to provide innovative green

solutions for an environmentally and

socially responsive built environment.

DP 04

CREATING CONTEXTUAL ENVIRONMENTS BOTH LOCAL AND GLOBAL

C I T I E S O F T H E F U T U R EMASTER PLANNING

By Leong Wei Lin

About one in every 20 people on Earth lives

in megacities. By 2025, this will increase to

about one in every 13 people1. City building

is a relentless cycle of development and

redevelopment. As globalisation continues

its inexorable spread across the world,

demographic and structural changes within

cities will place new demands on urban

development and the planning professions.

While iconic cityscapes and talking-point

architecture are still often seen as the emblem

of successful city planning, people are

increasingly placing a greater emphasis on

the quality of civic life and in turn designers

are tasked with a higher order of redefining

city spaces in a more dynamic, inhabitable

and sustainable manner. DP Architects’ (DPA)

urban design work exemplifies the firm’s strong

commitment towards enhancing cities with new

energy. DPA strives towards creating strong

social centres and opportunities for human

interaction. The aim is to create architecture

that is sensitive to the local climate and cultural

atmospheres; that is not foreign but rather

serves the specific needs of its inhabitants.

In the words of urban theorist Jane Jacobs,

“Cities have the capability of providing

something for everybody, only because, and

only when, they are created by everybody”2. This is the call to everyone from architects,

planners, policy makers and governments to

the common man to gather to fuel international

discourse on urban solutions. When working on

master-planning projects, DPA places a strong

emphasis on having an in-depth understanding

of local conditions and engaging in dialogue

with locals to better comprehend the needs of

the inhabitants. With this understanding, DPA

also makes a concerted effort to design in

context across its entire body of work.

DPA strongly believes that interaction and

exposure on the international platform will serve

to generate exportable solutions that are locally-

oriented, climatically responsive, economically

sustainable and socially cohesive regardless of

nationality or geographic boundaries. This will

equip the firm with the ability to plan for and

deliver a new generation of creative solutions in

constructing liveable and sustainable cities in the

face of the challenges ahead.

DP ARCHITECTS

1 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division: World Urbanization Prospects, the 2011 Revision: Highlights. New York, 2012. Released: 5 April 2012

2 Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, (New York: Random House, 1961)

Aerial view of Seef

Lusail, Qatar. The

master plan of this

all-season waterfront

destination

integrates with

key infrastructural

features that

enhance the

sustainability of its

buildings.

Located at Lusail, Qatar and occupying a land

area of 60ha, Seef Lusail is designed as an

all-season, mixed-use destination. Scheduled

for completion before World Cup 2022, the

development will feature an interactive 2.3km

waterfront promenade that will include multiple

world class attractions.

The design process of Seef Lusail takes into

account numerous environmentally sustainable

principles. The master plan integrates with

key infrastructural features that enhance the

sustainability of its buildings, such as district

cooling, pneumatic waste collection and park-

and-ride systems. Its deep integration with

public transportation is taken a step further with

a climate-controlled pedestrian network that

connects the buildings to the LRT stations and the

waterfront promenade. The design borrows from

climate-mitigation features in the local architectural

heritage. Rigorous environmental analysis will be

carried out to ensure that thermal comfort in the

pedestrian network can be achieved all year round

with minimal energy consumption.

From ancient records, the island of Bahrain, known as Dilmun, was a paradise garden where

death and disease were unknown. Drawing from this inspiration, Dilmunia Health Island describes

a master plan for a health and wellness island township themed around life-giving water.

Radiating from the centre in swirls of green landscape and blue waterways, this idyllic

development features a comprehensive range of healthcare facilities, including a wellness

hospital, a women’s and children’s hospital, and specialised medical centres.

Four themed hotels anchor the development, each offering specific spa treatments

complemented by restaurants offering healthy cuisines. The outer ring of the development

holds residences, ranging from SOHOs (Small Office Home Office) to pier side and

quayside townhouses, luxurious condominiums and elegant villas. Complementary

recreational amenities, entertainment facilities and lifestyle retail outlets complete this

health and wellness hub.

Seef LusailQatar01

Jazan Economic CitySaudi Arabia

Dilmunia Health IslandBahrain

04

03

DP ARCHITECTS

Located by the Red Sea, 725km south of Jeddah, the vision of Jazan

Economic City is based on the philosophy of symbiosis between its

master plan components. Its primary industrial anchors of energy, steel

and copper provide downstream economic opportunities as diverse as

pharmaceuticals, food processing and high value agritechnology. The

master plan components reflect the aspirations for industrial economic

development, human capital development and lifestyle elements to

attract talent to the region.

Covering an area of 103km2, the fully integrated and self-contained

development comprises industrial and non-industrial zones. The

Located next to Shanghai Hongqiao Regional Airport, the 157ha

development is targeted at the corporate headquarters of business

organisations.

The master plan introduces a ‘garden-style’ business park, capitalising on

the site’s proximity to the green belt along Suzhou River. The business park

consists of six zones – the evolution zone, the concentric arrangement zone,

the linear arrangement zone, the river park zone, the 2-storey office building

belt and the 3-storey office building zone – clustered in lushly landscaped

parcels to promote integration.

The central axis serves as a green connector that terminates at the river

park located at the northern end of the site fronting the Suzhou River. A

water transport system will be introduced along the river, dissipating into the

existing waterways in the business park. The 50m green buffer along the

Suzhou River will be designed as a leisure park catering to the community.

industrial zone represents more than two-thirds of the project and

will accommodate a port, an aluminium smelter, an oil refinery, metal

and mineral processing plants, as well as fisheries and an agro-based

industry. It will also include a power and desalination plant to support

the industries. The non-industrial zone will comprise the commercial

business district, a variety of residential areas, a marina and facilities for

education, hospitality and recreation.

To be developed over a period of 25 years, Jazan Economic City will be

the fourth economic city to be launched in Saudi Arabia after the economic

cities of King Abdullah, Prince Abdul Aziz bin Mousaed and Madinah.

DP 06

Hongqiao Linkong Business ParkChina

02

As part of a comprehensive design team,

DP Engineer’s (DPE) goal is to ensure that

a project reaches fruition while upholding

the overall architectural design intent and

striving for highly efficient structural and

system solutions by working hand-in-

hand with the Environmentally Sustainable

Design department.

Efficiency is a key driver for structural,

mechanical and electrical systems. Through

careful modelling and benchmarking, the

DPE team strives to combine environmental

responsibility and the design’s building

requirements. Structures are designed

with the goal of providing safe and resilient

support capability with minimal building

materials. The aim is to both shorten and

ease construction times while reducing the

amount of construction materials needed.

The environmental benefits are obvious

since construction is always a resource-

hungry endeavour – any reduction in

timeframe or materials is a key step towards

a more responsible construction process.

Similarly, mechanical and electrical systems

are designed with high efficiency in mind to

both reduce operational costs for the client

as well as the energy resources required. In

Singapore’s tropical climate, the complete

removal of air-conditioning is not always

realistic; however, where possible, natural and

mechanical ventilation are used alongside

air-conditioning to reduce cooling loads.

By ensuring the efficient delivery of power,

conditioned-air and water, DPE contributes

greatly to a building’s cost savings and

resource-effective operation in support of the

design team’s architectural goals.

In a finished project, much of DPE’s work

scope may not be readily apparent – a good

measure of a successful design that is both

efficient and seamless. By not imposing

over-designed systems, DPE is able to

support the architects while greatly reducing

a building’s environmental impact both in

construction and operation – a great benefit

to owners and operators.

FROM THE GROUND UPBUILDING SYSTEM DESIGN & ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY By Nartano Lim

DP ENGINEERS IS PART OF DP’S HOLISTIC APPROACH TO BUILDING DESIGN THAT ADDRESSES THE STRUCTURAL, MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL NEEDS OF A PROJECT FROM DESIGN CONCEPTION TO REALISATION

DP 08

DP ENGINEERS

The construction

site for the new

headquarters of

Sunray Woodcraft

Construction Pte

Ltd. Designed by

DPA with DPE as

the C&S and MEP

consultant.

DP ENGINEERS DP Engineers (DPE) provides civil and

structural engineering; mechanical,

electrical and plumbing engineering; fire

and hydraulics services. DPE performs

as an interface amongst all disciplines to

ensure fully coordinated design solutions.

Projects have a greater capacity to be conceived as an integrated whole when architects manage the design of both a building’s interior and exterior. The active participation of interior design architects with building architects helps to strengthen a visitor’s sense of identification with a building: the selection of materials, textures and finishes in coordination with lighting and spatial planning leads to interior conditions that are in tune with or help to establish a building’s overall character.

In some cases, shaping internal environments to ensure user comfort can also influence the long-term sustainability of a building – this is especially so when daylighting conditions and material choices are intended to minimise potential heat gain.

DP Design, DP’s interior design arm, serves its role in one of two ways, depending on its engagement in a building’s design process: Often working directly with the architects during building conception, DP Design helps to shape a building’s overall design to achieve particular internal conditions; for already-completed buildings, DP Design will re-work internal spaces to achieve a functionality and personality in line with the existing architecture. Two projects in particular have been shaped by DP Design to simultaneously increase user comfort and mitigate the buildings’ reliance on energy use:

DP DESIGNDP Design,

established in

1982, offers interior

design, space

planning and

branding strategy

services. DP

Design has been

commissioned for

projects including

Esplanade –

Theatres on the

Bay, Paragon

Shopping Centre,

Singapore Stock

Exchange and The

Dubai Mall.

DESIGNING SOCIAL COLLECTORSTHE MATERIALITY OF NATURAL LIGHTBy Collin Anderson

DP DESIGN

THE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF INTERIOR DESIGN ARCHITECTS WITH

BUILDING ARCHITECTS HELPS TO STRENGTHEN A VISITOR’S SENSE OF IDENTIFICATION WITH A BUILDING

PARAGON SHOPPING CENTRE, an upscale mall located at the midpoint of Singapore’s Orchard Road, has undergone three major renovations by DP Architects since 1999. The insertion of a central atrium in 2004 established a new focal point for the mall – its terraced profile and transparent glass balustrades expanded the main space upwards to a large span of clerestory windows, set back from the main space. DP Design’s involvement guided the design of these overhead conditions in place of the oft-used overhead skylight – the position of these bands of windows in coordination with an arched, white ceiling spanning the atrium floods the space with indirect, natural light throughout the day.

The result is an interior which requires minimal artificial lighting and, due to the set-back conditions of the windows, a lack of direct sunlight minimises internal heat gain to reduce energy usage. At the same time, the coupling of indirect sunlight with natural materials – stone and wood – in matte finishes molds an interior space that is comfortable on the eyes and more palatable to the senses of visitors. It is important to note that shopping spaces are commonly understood to be more lucrative when visitors are more at ease within them. The participation of DP Design in the renovation of this existing building influenced its qualities of internal visibility and, in concurrently, its reliance on energy.

Similar results were attained with DP Design’s involvement in THE DUBAI MALL, the 12million sq ft civic focal point of the new Dubai City and, at the time of completion, the world’s largest mall. As one of the largest buildings in the Middle East and

DP 10

The thoughtful

design of the

skylights and

clerestories flood

the internal spaces

with natural light,

minimising the

reliance on energy

while achieving

comfortable and

pleasing internal

conditions.

an air-conditioned building set in a desert environment, a critical balance between natural and artificial lighting was necessary to minimise energy costs and maximise user comfort.

The Dubai Mall’s numerous multi-storey atria and grand internal boulevards were shaped with the help of DP Design, a collaborator in the project from its conception. Over the building’s ice rink, for instance, a series of 26 skylights dot the 33m high ceiling to provide ample daylight and balance outdoor temperatures nearing 40°C with ground-ice temperatures of -5°C. In each of the building’s nine major atria, daylight and apertures were designed to provide a distinct look and feel for purposes of wayfinding and spatial identity: variations in lighting interplay with a range of surface materials to accommodate an array of volumes, and establish different moods and internal environments.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

B A L A N C I N G C R E AT I V I T Y & CONTROLBy David McLeod

Project management demands a careful balance: the project manager must

not stifle the creativity of the designers while providing guidance on aspects

of the project to encourage the use of materials, technology and detailing

that adopts labour-efficient construction methods – all done in a timely and

cost-effective manner. The end result must ultimately satisfy building stability,

functionality and serviceability.

Building sustainability is increasingly important in a world of depleting

resources and the construction industry must take the lead in applying new

technology, management methods and construction processes to manage

resources in a proper and responsible manner.

Project management methods can improve resource efficiency by implementing

the appropriate levels of control and making sure that a project programme

is closely adhered to. Similarly, a firm control on project costs during design

and construction phases – a critical part of value engineering – can minimise

abortive work and wasted resources.

DP CONSULTANTS DP Consultants (DPC), established

in 1981, offers project management

services from design through post-

construction phases. DPC specialises in

the management of urban planning and

architectural design projects worldwide,

such as the SGD6.5 billion Resorts World

Sentosa in Singapore. DPC comprises

a team of specialists with extensive

professional expertise in the construction

and building industries.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODS CAN IMPROVE RESOURCE EFFICIENCY BY IMPLEMENTING THE APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF CONTROL AND MAKING SURE THAT A PROJECT PROGRAMME IS CLOSELY ADHERED TO

DP CONSULTANTS

The experience of working on the construction

of small and large-scale projects in Southeast

Asia and the Middle East provided the key

members of DP Consultants (DPC) invaluable

exposure to both design and management

issues influencing sustainable practices.

These extended and varied experiences

have led to the development of established

management protocols which aim to utilise

resources efficiently.

Working from the same office allows DPC

and DPA to collaborate closely, reaping the

benefits of a shared-knowledge perspective.

This holistic approach improves the cross-

disciplinary capabilities of both teams, which

is optimised in projects where both teams are

appointed for; Resorts World Sentosa Central

Zone, DPC’s largest project to date, is a case

in point.

In the early stages, DPC worked closely

with the client, lead architect DPA and

other consultants to quickly establish the

design features and sustainable elements

to be incorporated into the master plan

and essential buildings. With a common

understanding and shared goals determined

early in the design process, all teams were

able to move forward cohesively, minimising

potential time loss.

Superior project planning for enhanced

productivity does not stop at the design

stage. During construction, DPC proactively

encouraged the contractor to review their

normal construction methods and look for

options that improved overall quality control,

particularly for mass-production components.

DPC and the main contractor also worked

closely to explore construction methods

that could actually allow fabrication prior to

the design being fully committed. There are

several examples where the materials used

for the building envelope, the interiors and

intermediate acoustic partitions were all part-

assembled off-site, reducing the construction

time considerably while maintaining a high

standard of quality control.

As a result of this proactive management,

all four hotels in Resorts World Sentosa

Central Zone – Crockfords Tower, Hotel

Michael, Hard Rock Hotel and Festive Hotel

– were completed within tight schedules

and awarded Green Mark GoldPlus status.

Resorts World Sentosa also won the honour

of being the first development to receive

Green Mark GoldPlus in the District category.

DP 12

Resorts World

Sentosa achieved

the first Green

Mark District

GoldPlus award for

its energy efficient

practices and careful

considerations of the

environment.

Transport infrastructure is the cornerstone

of urban development and urban mobility

assumes an important portion of the

liveability score of a city. Among other

indices like political stability, crime rate and

health care, how efficiently and effectively

the public transportation functions

determine how good a place is to live in.

Singapore places high as one of the most

liveable cities in Asia, and one of the

common praises sung of this high-density

city-state is its well-connected transport

system. The country’s transportation

infrastructure has been the subject of studies

by foreign governments interested to learn

how a densely populated city like Singapore

averted the crippling congestion faced by

neighbours like Bangkok and Jakarta.

Bishan Depot, completed in 1988, was the

first metro contract awarded by the Mass

THE MOVING DEMANDSRESPONSIBLE INFRASTRUCTURAL PLANNING FOR AN EXPANDING TRANSPORTATION NETWORK

DP INFRASTRUCTURE DP Infrastructure (DPI) focuses on

infrastructural projects such as

rail transport, roadways, airports,

telecommunications and special-purpose

industrial buildings. An early pioneer of

infrastructural works in Singapore, DPI

is skilled in a wide range of complex

projects and has rich experience with

specialised collaborators and wide

exposure to a broad range of contract

procurement models.

Rapid Transit Corporation of Singapore. It is

the first such facility in the Singapore metro

network, and one of the key early infrastructural

works of DP Architects, beginning with the

SingTel building in 1970 (then known as the

Singapore Telephone Board). Since then the

firm has worked on a multitude of infrastructural

developments locally and overseas – from

numerous MRT stations, Seletar Earth Station,

Sentosa Gateway Bridge and Singapore Cruise

Centre at HarbourFront (A&A) in Singapore; to

the design for the new Mumbai International

Airport in India and the underground bus station

in Wellington, Perth.

DP Infrastructure (DPI), the latest member

of the DP group of companies, was formally

set up last year to consolidate the members

who have been involved in DP’s infrastructure

projects and the expertise required to drive

the planning, architectural design and

management of infrastructure developments,

By Toh Bee Ping

OF A GROWING METROPOLIS

PROJECT LISTINGS

DEPOTS:

1988 | Bishan Depot

2009 | Kim Chuan Depot

2014 | Tuas West MRT Extension Depot

UNDERGROUND MRT STATIONS:

1987, 2007 | Orchard MRT Station and subsequent alterations

1987, 2007 | Somerset MRT Station and subsequent alterations

1988 | Tiong Bahru MRT Station

2002 | Outram Park MRT Station

(North-East Line)

2002 | Serangoon MRT Station

2002 | Woodleigh MRT Station

2009 | Promenade MRT Station

2015 | Beauty World MRT Station

2018 | Thomson MRT Line

DP 14

DP INFRASTRUCTURE

particularly in metro rail projects. The firm’s

metro transit experience includes elevated

and underground MRT stations; from entire

metro lines to complex city-centre stations

that integrate interchanges, civil defence

shelter requirements, and civic or commercial

structures. Current projects include Thomson

MRT Line – awarded the largest of the

four packages, DP’s contract covers eight

stations, two of which are interchanges – and

Hyderabad Metro Line 3 and Uppal Metro Rail

Depot in India.

With efficiency and ease of use as key

drivers for its work, DPI continues to

provide infrastructural facilities that support

the expanding transportation network – a

necessity to satisfy the pragmatic demands of

a growing metropolis, reduce the reliance on

automobiles and the accompanying carbon

footprint, while ensuring the architectural intent

enriches the built environment.

LEGENDS

MRT Stations

Depots

North South Line

East West Line

North East Line

Circle Line

Future Development

ELEVATED STATIONS:

1988 | Buona Vista

1988 | Commonwealth

1988 | Clementi

1988 | Queenstown

1988 | Redhill

MRT STATION ALTERATION:

2002 | Outram Park (East-West Line)

2005 | Raffles Place

2007 | City Hall

2007 | Tanjong Pagar INTEGRATION OF COMMERCIAL PROJECTS AND RAIL SYSTEM:

1994 | Bugis Junction

2000 | Novena Square

2002 | Compass Point

2006 | VivoCity

2007 | Central

A GARDEN RETAIL EXPERIENCE

By Mandy Too

FOR THE RESIDENTS

The recently completed myVillage – a two-storey, two-basement mall nestled in the low-rise private residential estate of Serangoon Garden – placed utmost importance on the concept of a liveable building. The client’s brief was to have a mall tailored to the needs of the residents. Hence, myVillage was conceptualised as a welcoming garden courtyard that the neighbouring residents could ‘come home’ to.

Sitting on the grounds where Paramount Theatre once stood, myVillage seeks to inject new life to the development. For a personal touch, the main Village signage of the mall even has the handwriting of some hundreds of residents (each of whom personally wrote the word ‘my’) inscribed on it as a permanent mark.

The architectural strategy was to use natural elements at every level of the mall to create a recreational haven and evoke homely sentiments. An immersive garden experience was designed with the intention of providing the residents with a cosy retail environment: there is a sunken courtyard in the basement; an open backyard on the first storey; a sky terrace on the second storey; and a spacious garden on

the rooftop.

FIRST STOREY & BASEMENTS: WELCOMING GREENERY

In conceptualising myVillage as a welcoming garden courtyard for the residents, it was an integral part of the strategy to assimilate with the surrounds. The planning constraints ensured that the height of the building would not impose on the low-rise nature of the surrounding context. Further to that, natural elements were consistently assimilated with the lush greenery of the surrounds.

DP GREENDP Green (DPG) is a multi-disciplinary

practice that comprises architects,

landscape architects and arborists,

whose firm belief is that architecture and

landscape are inextricably linked. Offering

full landscape and arborist consultancy

services, DPG creates landscape designs

that respond to a site’s natural genius loci.

FOR THE RESIDENTS OF SERANGOON GARDEN

DP GREEN

WITH A KEEN RESPECT OF THE HUMAN SCALE,

MYVILLAGE EMBODIES AN EVOLVED TYPOLOGY OF A NEIGHBOURHOOD RETAIL

OFFERING THAT OFFERS NUMEROUS AMENITIES

WITHOUT OVERWHELMING THE CONTEXT OF ITS

SURROUNDINGS

Above:

The contextual scale

of the building is

echoed in the soft,

low plantings at the

entry point.

Facing Page:

The integration

of landscape and

architecture were

initiated from the

earliest concept

sketches.

DP 16

The seamless

connection between

interior and exterior

influenced planting

choices and material

selection throughout

the project.

Geometrically arranged planter beds with abundant foliage of Terminalia Mollis trees surround the mall at ground level. The soft edge created by the planter beds along the periphery of the site composes an inviting frontage for the mall from each of the four roads along the boundary.

It was part of the landscaping strategy to ensure that the greenery on the exterior is allowed to permeate the mall. The mall incorporates thoughtful details which materialise into a continuous garden walk, bringing external space in. These include the pattern on the outdoor walkways which seamlessly continue into the interior floor;

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MICA (P) 008/10/2011

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Photo Contributors: Irfan Naqi, Jeremy San, Loh Yew Cheng, Ng San Son & Yong Hock Seng.All photos are credited to the mentioned photographers unless otherwise stated.

DP 18

DP GREEN

Above:

The rooftop terrace

becomes a garden for

the neighbourhood’s

enjoyment.

Left:

Natural light features

prominently and is often

filtered through a graphic

of leaves to invoke the

exterior environment.

the glass canopy at the main entrance which bears imprints of foliage which simulate the Angsana trees found nearby; the same motifs used on skylights to cast leafy shadows into the atriums; and the vertical greenery comprising flowering vines, Clerodendron Thomsoniae and Philodendron Scandens, which clad the wall along which one descends into the basement via escalators.

Natural light pours into the sunken courtyard in the basement which was designed to evoke feelings of warmth and comfort synonymous with being at home. Here, a stone-cladded water wall, timber-decked floors and décor of green plants add to the natural ambience for the enjoyment of alfresco diners.

SECOND STOREY & ROOFTOP: ELEVATED GARDENS

Shoppers on the second storey are given the opportunity to unwind on the sky terrace which wraps around the southwest corner of the mall, overlooking Farleigh Avenue and Sandown Place. On these two fronts, the elevated garden not only provides a green haven for shoppers on the inside; it also softens the façade by providing pockets of green on the exterior.

The continuous garden walk culminates on a vast rooftop garden where mall patrons can enjoy unobstructed views of the neighbourhood. One can walk on the concrete pavers, pebbles and grass interspersed among the vast timber-decked terrace while appreciating the peaceful view of the suburban landscape.

1986

The design of Marina Square’s retail structure is evidence of new explorations in mall typology

for the mid-1980s: while the design in many ways follows inward-looking trends of mall

architecture, it also externalises the programme in new ways. The design establishes its main

concourse one level above the streets to provide uninterrupted pedestrian circulation and link

all elements of the site. The T-shaped development of 300,000sqm is anchored by three hotels:

Marina Mandarin, Oriental Singapore, and Pan Pacific. These share a familial architectural

coherence driven by shared neutral finishes, pyramidal forms of receding balconies that fan out

symmetrically, and open corridor atria that extend the full height of each building.

Marina Square has been the headquarters of DP Architects since 1992.

Designed in collaboration with John Portman and Associates, USA.

Marina Square