Residential

Issue
VOLUME 2
Number 1
2011
Singapore

THE TRILLIUM Design In Print

Wall Edition
www.dpa.com.sg
MICA (P) 150/10/2010

A Play on Space and Light

ORION A New Star in the Heart of the City DPA is a Leader in

Environmental Sustainability
JARDIN A Garden Home in the Sky ... and more
 Volume 2 Number 1, 2011, Singapore

Contents
Letter from our Guest Editor
Dear Readers,
The latest happenings in DP
Welcome to the second issue of Design in Print, the newsletter of the DP group Design In Print Wall Edition
of companies. We trust you enjoyed reading the first issue featuring our recent DP Engineers Pte Ltd
notable projects in Singapore. On-Site ‘Lessons’ for NUS Students

Issue Two spotlights our residential design projects in Singapore. Housing

has always been one of DP Architects’ primary design focuses in land-scarce
Short takes on new & notable projects
Singapore. As the population continues to grow, and with Singapore’s rise 01 Thomson MRT Line
in affluence to be one of the top cities of the world, so too has the demand 02 Wisma Atria
for new and innovative concepts in housing. To date, DP Architects has 03 Singapore University of Technology and Design
completed more than 41,000 residential units worldwide, with that number 04 OUE Bayfront
increasing every year. With our many decades of experience designing high 05 Kasara
density housing, we continually aspire to improve and refine our expertise 06 Hotel Fort Canning
07 Dolphin Plaza
in providing excellence in housing with a strong inclination towards space
08 myVillage at Serangoon Garden
planning and a tropical design that addresses issues of climate control, site 09 Sky Gardens
integration, sustainable design and an awareness of the human scale. Indeed 10 Centennia Suites
this attention to design allows us to apply and further develop our field of
residential design, not only in Singapore but overseas.
Featured projects
For this issue, we are highlighting three of our recent projects that define different Jardin: A Garden Home in the Sky
aspects of urban living. Jardin creates a refreshing concept of garden homes in Orion: A New Star in the Heart of the City
the sky, while the recently completed Orion has a twin-unit floorplan that allows
for distinct façade articulation. For our “In Detail” section, we explore The Trillium
which has 270 degree views from within the unit, and a unique and thoughtful Design solutions
screen design that is not only functional but creates a tropical aesthetic of shape, The Trillium: A Play on Space and Light
shade, screens and shadows. While all three projects have unique expressions,
they all share DP Architects’ commitment to achieve design excellence. We take
this opportunity to thank our respective clients for their close collaboration with Awards & events
us to realise these designs. 2010 Asia Shopping Center Awards
Angelene Chan speaks at SUTD Forum
We hope you will enjoy this residential issue whilst we gather more new and DPA is a Leader in Environmental Sustainability
exciting projects to showcase in the upcoming issues. Do look out for them. International Property Awards 2010
Singapore HEALTH Award 2010

Wu Tzu Chiang, Director, DP Architects Pte Ltd

DP personalities
Interview with Toh Sze Chong & Ho Shok Wan

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Editorial

Writing

Graphics

Celebration of past projects

House at Coronation Road West, 1980

Chan Hui Min

Nartano Lim
Kyle Fulton Loh Yew Cheng
Toh Bee Ping Fu Ting Ting
Edwin Yong
Cover photo: The Trillium
Design In Print Team Additional contributors:
Gerard James, Jeremy Wong
 | The latest happenings in DP

infrastructure
Design In Print
Wall Edition
Goes International
By popular request, the wall edition of Design in Print will | Short takes on new & notable projects

01 Thomson MRT Line

be making regular appearances in DP offices in Beijing,
Guangzhou, Mumbai and Bangalore. This ‘exhibition’
changes every 3 months with the launch of subsequent
issues of the print and e-version of the newsletter.
Singapore
DP Architects, together with engineering consultant T.Y. Lin, has been
New addition to the DP awarded the largest of the four packages in the Thomson MRT project.
group of companies The proposed Thomson Line, to be completed in 2018, runs along the
north-south corridor of about 30 km and will have a total of 23 stations.
The DP group of companies has a new addition -
DPA’s contract covers eight stations, two of which are interchanges, and
DP Engineers Pte Ltd (DPE). DPE is a multi-disciplinary
a route length of about 14.5 km. DPA’s recent MRT projects include the
practice providing a team approach to all aspects of
completed Promenade station (above), the upcoming Beauty World station
engineering - including mechanical, electrical, fire, hydraulics,
civil and structural – delivered seamlessly with other DP and Tuas Depot.
services. Interfacing the requirements of all disciplines, DPE

02
ensures that solutions are fully integrated and holistic.

Wisma Atria
Singapore
retail

On-site ‘lessons’ for DP Architects - the designer of Wisma Atria from its inception in

NUS Students
DP Architects played host to NUS architecture students,
taking them from lessons in the classroom to practical
‘tutorials’ on site. Fifty-five students were given a tour of
the RWS Maritime Experiential Museum construction site in
January; it was the first time on a building site for many of
these Year 3 students. DPA also participated in the inaugural
The Architecture Society Open Office Tour. Held during recess
week in February, the students visited DPA’s office, followed
by a tour of the recently completed Fullerton Bay Hotel, giving
them a first-hand understanding of the job of an architect.
1984 to the recent facelift in 2004 - continues to transform this
iconic Orchard Road mall in a proposed radical make-over. The
redevelopment will feature a dynamic crystalline façade framing newly
created double and triple-volume storefronts to optimise the visual
impact. The façade enhancement is in line with URA’s on-going effort
to enhance pedestrian connectivity, attractiveness and vibrancy in
the Orchard Planning Area. In addition to the new façade, the mall
has been lifted onto a pedestal. The creation of grand steps and
strategically located ramps will enhance pedestrian accessibility and
draw shoppers from the Orchard Road sidewalk.
DP 01
 | Short takes on new & notable projects

03 Singapore University of

commercial
Technology and Design
Singapore
institutional

04 OUE
Bayfront
Singapore
The former Overseas Union House is being
redeveloped into OUE Bayfront –
an 18-storey office tower with a rooftop
restaurant. The wide frontage and controlled
height of the development differentiate it
from the CBD’s typical vertical towers. Its
uniqueness is reinforced by the cleverly
DP Architects, in collaboration with UNStudio, Amsterdam, is the architect for Singapore articulated façade featuring two different
University of Technology and Design’s East Coast campus. Among stiff competition from characters facing the sea and the city, two
internationally renowned architects, DPA and UNStudio’s design scheme stood out as recessed pockets for public recreational use
best reflecting SUTD’s model of inter-disciplinary, collaborative and project-based learning. and horizontal fins that act as a sun-shading
The non-linear approach in the campus design physicalises this pedagogic model. The device. The office interiors are spacious
institution’s four academic pillars are connected through a seamless network of organised and of optimum depth to obtain sufficient
spaces and paths, facilitating multi-disciplinary collaboration and incidental interaction. With daylight. The office tower is lifted 12 m from
boundaries blurred and perceived hierarchy diminished, the campus architecture is a catalyst the ground to create view corridors from
for communication and innovation. Classrooms and laboratories are highly adaptable to the street to the sea; services are located in
different arrangements, meeting the evolving curricular requirements of the school. the basement to make way for pedestrian
spaces and a public plaza for events.

05 Courtesy of Hotel Fort Canning

06
residential

hospitality

Hotel Fort
Kasara
Singapore

Canning
Singapore

Kasara is situated in the northern precinct of Sentosa Cove,
Singapore’s only gated marina community where foreigners can
own landed properties. Kasara is the only residential development
in Singapore with exclusive views of a lake framed by the lush
greenery of the Serapong golf course and the city skyline beyond.
A stone’s throw away is Resorts World Sentosa, One°15 Marina
Club, the Serapong and Tanjong golf courses, iconic recreational
attractions and a 3.2 km stretch of palm-lined beach.
Transformed from a colonial military building to the boutique hotel it is now,
Hotel Fort Canning celebrates the building’s rich heritage by stripping away the
claddings of yesteryears to reveal its original architectural elements such as the
façade, the porte-cochere and verandahs. The colours and materials of the
interiors were chosen to evoke subtle elegance, creating a contrast with the
heritage of the building as well as the greenery of the park. The Archaeological
Pits, filled with artefacts unearthed at Fort Canning Park, is a celebration of the
history of the park and of Singapore.
 07 Dolphin Plaza
Vietnam

retail
Situated near the new expressway serving the Hanoi international
airport, Dolphin Plaza comprises two 25-storey residential towers
atop a three-storey retail podium. The towers are framed with
dramatic shear walls, giving the development a strong linear
character while framing the views of the city and providing shade
from the sun. The apartment units begin at 35 m above ground,
allowing spectacular views of the city from all units. Elevated sky
gardens at each tower promote a green setting, while pockets of
outdoor spaces are created for alfresco dining at ground level to
infuse vibrancy within the development.

08 myVillage at
residential

Serangoon Garden
Singapore
Designed as a gardenesque shopping paradise, the main architectural
strategy of myVillage at Serangoon Garden is to include natural elements
to evoke the feeling “coming home to your courtyard”. The fusion of
architecture and landscape into the living environment is the distinctive
architectural expression of this shopping mall. Situated among low-
rise private residential houses and shophouses, sensitivity is key to the
mall’s presence. myVillage has a modern glass exterior, water cascade,
landscaped roof terrace and a sunken garden, allowing the diffusion of
natural light and bringing the surroundings into the interiors.

09 Sky Gardens 10 Centennia Suites

India
Dubbed “Bungalows in the Sky”, the 19-storey
Singapore
Rising tall from the edge of the
Sky Gardens in Bangalore features two luxurious Singapore River promenade,
apartments of about 5,000 sq ft on each floor, with Centennia Suites is a 36-storey

residential
lifts opening onto a private lobby. The key design iconic residential tower inspired
intent is to integrate landscape with the built form. by the intricate patterns of
Alternated on every floor to create a double-volume flowing water. The vertical rippling
outdoor space that dominates the façade, each architectural façade is kept
apartment has a sizeable private garden terrace simple and uncluttered. This is
with enough soil depth to allow rich landscaping. complemented by the ordered
horizontal articulation of generous
balconies designed for every
unit. The tower comprises three
units per floor, making up a total
residential

of 97 luxurious apartment units

including two penthouses. All
units offer unimpeded views of
the surroundings. A terrace on the
second floor houses the common
facilities just above the pool deck
area with a feature gym overlooking
the Singapore River.

DP 03
 | Featured projects

The project team

A Garden The two key design concepts can be discerned in

Jardin
Home its name Jardin - namely the idea of garden and
the French notion of quality and tasteful living.
In Jardin, where architecture and
landscape merge into a living
environment, an innovative concept of
in the Sky modern living is introduced. The two key
By Seah Chee Huang design concepts can be discerned in its
name Jardin - namely the idea of garden
and the French notion of quality and
Project Team: tasteful living.
Seah Chee Huang
Eric Yau Jardin allows the simple pleasures of
Gregory Low
living in a garden to be materialised
Ng Ting Yu
in a high-rise environment, by literally
Nur Alina bte Mohamed Ali
Rathika Florence Davamoni bringing gardens right into the sky.
Vivien Ho Through the creative employment
of URA’s guidelines for sky terraces,
Jardin’s integration of extensive
softscape and hardscape, vertically and
horizontally, renews the notion of high-
rise green living.
Garden terraces connecting the various
levels act as multiple ground floors,
bringing the greenery close to the living
spaces despite the high-rise conditions.
These “sky-gardens” enhance the
streetscape of Dunearn Road and
reinforce Jardin’s identity in the locale as
a unique development.
 Year: 2011 | Area: 17,900 sq m

The architectural outlook of Jardin is Above: Green plantings

and gardens are
defined by a dramatic face of green.
featured on both
The concept of high-rise greenery is vertical and horizontal
manifested in various scale and effects, surfaces of the façade.
maximising the green effect.
Right: The landscaped
ground-plane berm
The experience of Jardin’s garden
disguises the drop-off
setting begins at the point of entry. lobby and creates
Upon arrival, visitors are greeted by a visually seamless
a landscaped berm that raises the continuation of green
building dramatically, providing a buffer surfaces.

from the main road. The building is also

set back by terraces of green, filtering
away the noise and view of the main
road fronting it.

Various vertical spaces, such as

communal lift lobby walls and columns

DP 05
 | Featured projects
are cladded with vertical green to
enhance the garden-like quality. At
each alternate level, an extensive
garden projects out from the
loft units to serve as communal
green balconies, providing shade
as well as connecting the units’
living spaces, offering numerous
possibilities for socialising.
A different garden theme is
conceived on each level. Along
the sky garden edges and
planter boxes, similar tree and
plant types are proposed to
achieve a consistent look. The
different themes, such as flower
Above: The double garden, fern garden and rock garden,
height garden balconies are expressed in the plans and the
connect the lofts’
selection of plants, creating a differential
living spaces, offering
numerous possibilities experience of sky-rise greenery. With a
for socialising. ten-storey height limit on the site, the
roof top has been fully utilised to create
an extensive club and recreation garden
with a series of event pavilions and great
views of the surrounding context.
Various landscaping techniques
inspired by the art of garden design are
employed. One of which is the serial
vision technique, where a sequence
of landscape features is unravelled as
one moves through the development.
Elements such as vertical green and
feature walls serve as focal points of
various areas as well as useful forms
of orientation. Natural lighting from
light shafts dramatises the sense
of arrival. This sensory journey is
further extended through glazed lift
cars that allow views towards the
neighbouring landscape as residents
ascend to their units.
Shakkei, or “borrowed scenery”,
a Japanese technique that makes
a small garden appear larger, has
also been utilised. The balconies of
residential units are organised with
planters, borrowing views of the
adjacent setting and maximising
 Left: The Typical Plan
shows that each loft
apartment has access to
a garden balcony.

Below: The concept

sketch shows the
large amount of space
dedicated to the garden
balcony and reinforces
Jardin’s ethos to provide
high-rise greenery.

Bottom: The visual

experience from within
Jardin’s living quarters
is enhanced beyond its
0m 24m physical confinement.

the lush landscape and pool view of
neighbouring condominium Garden
Vista. In this way, the visual experience
from within Jardin’s living quarters
is further enhanced beyond its
physical confinement.
appropriate plant species that grow well
in the local tropical climate. Furthermore
a series of auto-irrigation and drainage
systems has been integrated with the
various planting zones.

At each alternate level, an extensive garden projects

out from the loft units ... connecting the units’ living
spaces, offering numerous possibilities for socialising.
In enhancing the design concept of The combination of these garden-living
Jardin, there is a conscious attempt design strategies epitomises this
to develop a sustainable maintenance exciting residential development, where
strategy. This begins with the selection of the possibilities of vertical greenery is
fully expounded.

Client: YHS Dunearn Pte Ltd

Contractor: Rich Construction Company Pte Ltd
Structural Engineer: KTP Consultants Pte Ltd
M&E Engineer: J Roger Preston (S) Pte Ltd

DP 07
| Featured projects
 Year: 2008 | Area: 7,140 sq m

Orion
A New star in the heart of the city
By Cheang Mei Ling & Wang Tse Lip

Project Team:
Ti Lian Seng
Wang Tse Lip
Cheang Mei Ling
Elsie Ong
William Medina
Lau Ming Heong

The project team

Above: Landscaped Standing tall at 27 storeys with two basements

garden on the ground
level.
Above right: The
view down Orange
Grove Road, one of
Singapore’s most
exclusive residential
areas.
Facing page: The
curve form creates
a longer façade
that maximises the
Integrated
greenery view across
façade element the site and also
creates interesting
internal living spaces.
Concrete wall
Glass curtain wall
and a unit mix of 3, 3+1, 4, 4+1-bedrooms and
two penthouses, Orion resides in Grange Grove
Road, one of Singapore’s most elite residential
districts. With two lifts serving two units per floor, the
condominium offers residents exclusivity and privacy.
The prime design element consists of an
undulating skin wrapping around the front façade,
exuding a rolling effect across the main road
frontage. The curve form creates a longer façade
that maximises the greenery view across the
site and also creates interesting internal living
spaces. This rhythmic expression is coupled with
an ascending top ridge, culminating at a curled
half-circle apex three storeys above the last floor.
Complementing this skin is an additional layer of
glass drape that incorporates the bay windows,
punctuated by a series of balconies.

Façade layering Balconies and planters

The plan and window height take full advantage
of the prime views, while leveraging on cross
ventilation and natural daylight. High on the
fourteenth storey is the landscaped sky deck
which holds the sky gym, jacuzzi and other
communal niches, with unobstructed views
Client: Sime Darby
Properties Pte Ltd attained through the elimination of enclosures and
Contractor: Wee Hur a six-metre high ceiling.
Construction Pte Ltd
Structural Engineer: The rippling curve shape sets Orion apart from its
SCE Consultants neighbours and is reminiscent of the sea waves
(Pte) Ltd
Typical floor plan 0m 9m surrounding the island of Singapore.
M&E Engineer: J Roger
Preston (S) Pte Ltd

DP 09
 | Design solutions

The
Trillium
A Play on Space and Light This exclusive site inspired the
architectural team to re-evaluate the
concept of city living and question
what contemporary urban dwellers
require of their home.
By Kyle Fulton

DP Architects’ latest condominium, aptly named The Trillium, is located

on Kim Seng Road in the heart of the city. Close to both the CBD and
Orchard Road, this exclusive site inspired the architectural team to
re-evaluate the concept of city living and question what contemporary
urban dwellers require of their home.

To many Singaporeans the most important requirement for a home

is space; yet, as we know, space is an extremely rare commodity in
Singapore. How then can you create a feeling of space while providing
an efficient plan?

To fully explore this question and to understand some of the issues

underpinning the design of The Trillium we must first define what
constitutes space. To this end, we may separate space into three
The project team:
Wu Tzu Chiang
categories - physical, visual and conceptual - and consider the design
Dadi Surya of The Trillium through this framework.
CN Suneeth
Rida Sobana The physical space offered for the construction of The Trillium was a
Vincentius H.
long, slender site and as such was not suited to a typical slab block
Seow Lee Koon
Ucen Hong N.
design. This would have resulted in circulation problems; it being such
Tan Swat Tin a deep plot. By splitting the mass into three separate towers, the site
Chia Wee Hou density is maintained and, at the same time, allows a large proportion
Siddiq Bin Abdul Sani of the area to be devoted to landscaping. The resulting communal green
Tan Chun Keong
space – designed for recreational activities - in effect increases the
Ding Hao The project team
Irene Ho
habitable space of every resident.

Right: Splitting the

mass into three
separate blocks
allowed site density
to be maintained
while devoting a large
proportion of the site
area to open
green space.
Year: 2010 | Area: 41,400 sq m

DP 11
| Design solutions

Left & centre: The brise

soleil, coupled with
lattice screens to shade
the expansive windows,
minimise solar heat gain
and reduce the need for
air-conditioning.

Left bottom: The clover

leaf plan separates each
unit into its own petal
with 270 degree views of
Singapore’s skyline.

The Trillium’s clover leaf plan may appear counter

intuitive, considering the need to maximise
space, but it is actually astute planning on the
part of the architects. By arranging bedrooms
and bathrooms along the flat façade of each
‘petal’ they can be regularly shaped in order to
accommodate furniture, while open communal
spaces fill in the areas towards the curved
façades. The resulting plan is highly functional
and creates wide angle views across the city
from its curving windows and balconies.

The Trillium delivers a

feeling of spaciousness
that far exceeds its
physical boundaries.
This leads us to the second categorisation
of space: visual space. In areas of dense
urbanisation such as Singapore it is important to
Type B
expand our perception of space, albeit visually. By
providing unimpeded views towards the horizon –
each of The Trillium’s 231 units enjoys 270 degree
views of Singapore - a feeling of spaciousness
is actualised which greatly exceeds the physical
boundaries of the apartment. The extensive use of
glass reduces structure to a minimum in favour of
light and views. With the separation between the
interior and the exterior seemingly dissolved, the
space of visual habitation is greatly extended.

Interesting to consider is the third and final

category, conceptual space. It is so called
Type A Type C
because it refers to an intangible idea of space
which is constructed experientially. For example,
a room that is hot and stuffy may feel cramped
and uncomfortable.
0m 15m
The apartments were designed to be as
comfortable as possible to facilitate a
feeling of space, with passive environmental
controls acting to stabilise internal
conditions. The building’s brise soleil act
as visors to the expansive windows and
minimises solar heat gain, reducing the need
for air-conditioning.
The effectiveness of the brise soleil was
improved with the addition of a latticed “veil
screen” which further shields the internal
spaces from the sun and also any possible
onlookers. For the lattice pattern to flow
seamlessly up the building’s vertical axis,
each screen panel spans the full floor-to-
floor height and was secured to the air-con
ledges with pin joints. The screen not only
hides the air-con ledge but adds drama to
the building’s façade.
Above: The communal
recreation area increases
the habitable space
of every resident and
provides a relaxing
escape from the fast
pace of the city.
Below: Beyond simply
shutting out daylight, the
patterned screens carve
light into exciting ever
changing displays.
Bottom: The “veil
screen” obscures the air-
conditioning ledge from
street view while
allowing natural cross
ventilation.
Roof
Storey
By providing unimpeded views towards the
horizon – each of The Trillium’s 231 units
enjoys 270 degree views of Singapore.
To further create a feeling of
space, the apartment’s layout was
choreographed to maximise privacy.
Besides a sense of exclusivity,
privacy adds to the inhabitants’
conceptual feeling of space.
The clover leaf plan separates each
of the apartments by 120 degrees;
not only does this ensure that the
neighbours cannot look in, there are
no shared walls. The vast reduction
in noise transference adds to the
feeling of privacy and personal space.
29th
This ‘exclusive’ feeling is further
accentuated by private lifts that open
to each individual unit.
The study of how we experience
space informed the design process
of The Trillium. Application of
this knowledge resulted in a
condominium with an abundance
of light, privacy, and unimpeded
city views. More than this, The
Trillium delivers a feeling of
spaciousness that far exceeds its
physical boundaries.
Client: Lippo Land
Corporation
Contractor: Poh Lian
Construction Pte Ltd
Structural Engineer: KTP
Consultants Pte Ltd
M&E Engineer: Beca
Carter Hollings & Ferner
(S.E.Asia) Pte Ltd
DP 13
 | Awards & events
2010 Asia Shopping Center Awards
The Dubai Mall
Strikes Gold
Angelene Chan speaks at
SUTD Forum
Director Angelene Chan was one of six
guest speakers at the Singapore University
of Technology and Design’s Women in
Technology and Design forum held on 17
January 2011. The main purpose of the forum
was to encourage women to take up studies
in the fields of Engineering and Architecture
where they have traditionally been under
represented. Angelene spoke on the field
Above: Angelene
answering questions by
pre-university school girls
after her presentation.
The Dubai Mall, UAE, was awarded Gold at the 2010
Asia Shopping Center Awards. DP Architects, the design
and production architect of The Dubai Mall, received
professional recognition in the Innovative Design and
Development of a New Retail Project category. The
International Council for Shopping Centers (ICSC)
announced the winners during a ceremony held at
ICSC’s RECon Asia Convention in Beijing, China on 8
November 2010.
of Architecture and shared her own student and professional
experiences with a mostly female audience of prospective
students from local junior colleges and polytechnics. After the
talk, Angelene met with the students to field their questions
about an education and future in Architecture.
SUTD’s new East Coast campus, designed by DP Architects
in collaboration with UNStudio, is scheduled to be completed
in 2014.
 DP Architects is a Leader in
Environmental
Sustainability
DP Architects has been named one of the four leading architectural firms
with eight or more projects rated Green Mark GoldPlus or Platinum. The
Green Mark scheme, which incorporates internationally recognised best
practices in environmental design and performance, was launched in 2005
by the Building and Construction Authority to promote sustainability in the
built environment and raise environmental awareness among developers,
designers and builders.

DP Architects’ Green Mark Platinum Winners

2010 Zero Energy Building
2009 ITE College West
Far Left: Director Ti Lian
2006 Republic Polytechnic
Seng, DP Architects,
accepting the award in 2005 National Library Building
Beijing, China.
2005 Nanyang Polytechnic

Left: The Dubai Mall, the

largest shopping mall in ITE College West
the world, sets the bar
for scale and luxury.

International Property Awards 2010

Guoson Centre

DP Architects wins
Singapore HEALTH
Award 2010
DP Architects won a Silver
award at The Singapore
HEALTH Award 2010 for
commendable Workplace
Health Promotion programmes.
Guoson Centre has been named the Best Mixed-Use Development
This betters DPA’s previous
at the International Property Awards 2010, regarded as the world’s
achievement of Bronze in
most coveted award in the field of property development. This
2008. Presented by the Health
marks the first time a mixed-use project in China has won in an
Promotion Board, the award
International category in the award’s history. Designed by DP
honours companies that help
Architects, Guoson Centre – situated in Dongzhimen, Beijing –
employees lead healthy and
comprises a retail mall, a five-star luxury hotel, two office towers and
vibrant lives.
high-end residential apartments. Guoson Centre is the US$2 billion
flagship development of GuocoLand (China) Ltd, the property arm of
Malaysia’s Hong Leong Group.

DP 15
 | DP personalities

TOH
An interview with

SZE
CHONG
O
IN PERSON celebrates the firm’s diversity
by profiling members of the DP family. It is
SHOK
WAN
Toh Sze Chong

conducted as a casual conversation between

two individuals, one in a senior position in the
firm and one from the trenches.
Interview by Toh Bee Ping

Ho Shok Wan

From his sprightly gait and sporty Puma glasses, to his healthy choices at lunch,
Senior Associate Director Toh Sze Chong is every bit the fitness enthusiast he is said
to be. Associate Ho Shok Wan, in her fashionable outfit of cropped jacket and jodhpur
pants, gives off the impression of an energetic and plucky girl. Toh and Shok Wan are
seemingly different in every way - age, gender and dispositions. What they have in
common is immense work load and the ability to balance that with pursuits outside the
office. Design in Print chats with them over lunch about what makes them tick.

Tell us a little about yourself and your

experience at DP.
HSW: My association with DP began during my
student years as a temp during school vacations.
Upon my graduation in 2005, I joined our Beijing
office. After two years, I took sabbatical leave
to attend the University of Tokyo for a research
programme in Urban Planning and to learn the
Japanese language for a year and half. I now sit at
DP Green.
“Being relaxed and having mental clarity definitely helps
creative work” - Toh Sze Chong
TSC: I joined DP in late 1991. Before completing
the RWS Universal Studios theme park, I worked
on the Dubai Mall project, traveling frequently to
the Emirates for a stretch of two weeks to two
months each time. Things quieten down when
the Dubai economy took a turn for the worse.
The completion of The Dubai Mall also meant
less traveling for me. But things are getting hectic
again with the Doha mall project.
How do you spend your time outside of work?
HSW: It’s important for me to have creative
pursuits outside of work. Last year I took part in a
design competition in Japan. It was organised by
Dezeen, an online design magazine. My entry was
an art-installation featuring a vending machine that
dispenses luxury brand goods. It is my comment
on mass consumerism, a way of poking fun at
society. My design was chosen as one of the ten
winners of the competition.

TSC: Off work, I like to exercise, take part in sports

and spend time with my family. I run about three times
a week and participate in two marathons a year. I also
join a group of cycling enthusiasts for night-cycling
on Fridays and Saturdays. Running is something
I’ve been doing since my school days. I was a long
distance runner in Temasek Junior College and I’ve
never really stopped, except for three months last year
after my minor knee surgery. Spending quality time
with my family is also something I make a point to do.

“Everything you see, do and

experience outside of the
office helps you to design
better” - Ho Shok Wan
How does what you do outside the office help your
creativity at work?

TSC: The physically challenging activities clear my head

and prepare me for the demands at work. Being relaxed
and having mental clarity definitely helps creative work.
It’s hard to keep up the pace if you do not get away
and recharge. It’s not very difficult for me to switch off.
I would sometimes shut my phone off if necessary, like
when I’m on leave. It’s The Most Wonderful Time
HSW: Everything you see, do and experience outside
Of The Year!
of the office helps you to design better. It’s funny, It has always been a DP tradition to round up each year with a bang and last year was no
but after talking to the participants at the Dezeen exception. REC Club arranged a mouth-watering feast with roast turkey and other delicious
treats for the staff on 17 Dec. Lena Au and her merry bunch of carolers also helped to spread
competition, I found that 80 percent of them are festive joy with their voices.
architects! And some of the designs they came up
with were quite bizarre! We are all so stressed at work The happy occasion also marked the launch of Design in Print and The Bluebook. The former
is the inaugural issue of our revamped company newsletter, while The Bluebook is a handy
that we need to do crazy things as a relief. notebook designed to reinforce the positive messages of the Blueprint company event.

Tell us something about yourself that few people Amidst the revelry, the less fortunate ones were not forgotten. DPians showed their generosity
by fulfilling all of the 65 wishes of the kids at Child at Street 11, a non-profit organisation
know about. dedicated to helping children from low income and dysfunctional families.

TSC: Believe it or not, I actually shout at contractors.
I don’t usually get rattled and have never raised my
voice at my colleagues, so they probably don’t think
I’m capable of it. I also dabbled in ceramics and
painting before I had kids, and I play the guitar.
HSW: I can whip up Hainanese chicken rice from
scratch! But don’t ask me for secret recipe as I do not
follow any myself. It all started when I invited some
friends over to my tiny Tokyo apartment for a meal of
chicken rice. When I realised the pre-packed paste
had expired, I had to cook the dish from scratch based
on my intuition. It is now a dish that I can be proud of.
Also, I am a Sudoku freak. I am such a Maths geek.
DPians also topped up the coffers of Action for Singapore Dogs by $1,168 in two hours
during the dinner.
All in all, a splendid time was had by all!
All Rights Reserved. No material may be reproduced without prior permission.
DP Architects accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions or resultant consequences
including any loss or damage arising from reliance on information in Design in Print. Any opinions in
Design in Print are solely those of the named authors of the article in which they appear. Unless named
as author, DP Architects, Editorial Panel and other Contributors do not endorse any such views and
disclaim all liability from their publication. Copyright © DP Architects Pte Ltd
Printed by A&D Printhub Pte Ltd L025/02/2010
MICA (P) 150/10/2010
Published by DP Architects Pte Ltd
6 Raffles Boulevard, #04-100 Marina Square, Singapore 039594
Tel: (65) 6338 3988
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Photo Contributors: Wu Tzu Chiang, Suneeth CN, Rida Sobana,

Wellington Kuswanto, Relan Masato, Yan Son

All photos are credited to the mentioned photographers unless otherwise stated.

DP 17
 One of DP Architects’ earliest residential works, the House at Coronation Road West
represents our unique take on space planning for a single-family bungalow. The two-storey
house has an internal courtyard space which the main housing programmes rotate around.

Featuring an orthogonal plan with a figural volume intersecting at an angle, the house
is a study of modernist space-planning and details mixed together with a localised
understanding and consideration specific to tropical living.

House at Coronation Road West

1980