DP Architects

In 2021, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its comprehensive Sixth Assessment Report. It alarmingly details the impacts of greater and greater global warming. The state of climate crisis that we are in, is something that we can no longer ignore and the 2030 deadline for climate positive change is fast encroaching. Are we too late? Is humanity’s future set for a doom’s day scenario? Or is there hope yet for a liveable future? Perhaps, there is; but a reset needs to take place now and FUTURE(SET) is our call for climate action. Back for its 5th edition, DesignFUTURE Conference convenes thought leaders - Dr. Winston Chow, professor of Urban Climate and Lee Kong Chian Research Fellow, College of Integrative Studies at Singapore Management University & Co-Chair of the IPCC Working Group II; Dr. Sam Conrad Joyce, associate professor (joint appointment) of Architecture & Sustainable Design and Design & AI, and head of Meta Design Lab Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD); Dr. Bin Tean Teh, Deputy CEO (Research), National Cancer Centre Singapore, Founding Director at SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Biodiversity Medicine and Professor at Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore; Chan Hui Min, director at DP Architects and head of its Smart Sustainability Unit; and, Ar. Ker-Shing Ong, co-founder of Lekker Architects and associate professor (practice), Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore. Together our guest speakers and moderator will explore responses for shaping a better-than-sustainable future where communities are more connected, cities are safer and stronger, and our planet healthier for all.

Meet Our #DesignFUTURE Conference Speaker: Dr Winston Chow Dr Chow is the first Singaporean elected to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as co-chair of Working Group II on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. He will also co-lead IPCC’s Special Report on Climate Change and Cities. An expert in the field of climate impact on urban infrastructure, he is the co-lead principal investigator for the Cooling Singapore initiative, a major multidisciplinary and multi-institute research project dedicated to developing solutions to address Singapore’s urban heat challenges since 2017. He also advises Singaporean and international #urbanclimateresilience projects, and teaches courses on climate change and #urbansustainabilitysolutions at the Singapore Management University’s (SMU) College of Integrative Studies. The Professor of Urban Climate and Lee Kong Chian Research Fellow is also the research pillar lead for urban infrastructure at SMU’s Urban Institute. Read more about DesignFUTURE Conference here: https://lnkd.in/geRqexQT Register for the event here: https://lnkd.in/gUHC_5s8

Our biennial office-wide award programme, DP Inspire Awards is back for its 4th cycle. Today’s award showcase saw strong entries across typologies from our architecture and architecture-related teams; each demonstrating diverse and dynamic design strategies to deliver social, environmental and economic value, and realise a #betterthansustainable #urbanfabric and future. It was a full day of presentations and judging characterised by friendly competition, laughter, as well as valuable design crit and insights from our esteemed guest jurors. A big shoutout of thanks to Ar. Belinda Huang and Ar. Peng Beng Khoo, directors and co-founders of ARC Studio Architecture + Urbanism and winners of the President*s Designer of the Year 2020; Jeff Hou, Provost’s chair professor and head of the Department of Architecture at the National University of Singapore; and, Chantal Sajan, senior correspondent for design and architecture in The Straits Times for being a part of DP Inspire Awards 2024, and contributing to our journey of #learning and #designexcellence at DP. Thank you to all DPians across our global offices and specialist companies who participated and attended, making this award cycle possible. We wait with bated breaths for the final results! Winning projects will be announced at our biennial DesignFUTURE Conference on 22nd November.

It is almost 15 years ago that DP Architects helped with the reconfiguration of key spaces within Dover Park Hospice (DPH) to accommodate its growing need for single-bed rooms for their patients. The design work was led by chairman of DPA, Ar. Angelene Chan, who served as a council member of Dover Park Hospice from 2009 to 2016. She and her team re-programmed the spaces, including the office areas and nurses’ accommodation, and freed up areas to accommodate 10 private rooms.   “We understood what it meant for families to be able to have that space and privacy with their loved ones, right up to the last hour,” says Ar. Chan. “And to be able to offer that to them – to contribute – in this small way through design, is something that we are grateful for and hold dear to our hearts; we firmly believe that architects have a #socialresponsibility to the communities and the people who use the space. We hold #agency to effect #positivechange and help raise the #qualityoflife.”   DPA wishes DPH the very best in this next chapter. We believe that the relocation to TTSH Integrated Care Hub will allow greater synergies in medical care and services, enabling DPH to continue its good work in championing and providing advance palliative care for those in need.

DP Architects and its #SmartSustainabilityUnit (SSU) has developed a #GenAI #spaceplanning solution for residential projects over the course of the AI Trailblazer 2.0 programme (initiated by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information, Digital Industry Singapore (DISG) and Google Cloud to drive GenAI adoption in Singapore). Trained on actual residential unit designs, sid (Spatial Intelligence for Design) can intelligently translate development requirements into residential block designs and dynamically modify apartment layouts according to users’ instructions. The #AIsolution helps designers optimise #liveability while maximising development land area. “We are truly excited by the birth of sid, a GenAI that understands and augments space. It can potentially transform the way architects work, empowering designers to configure space at scale, on demand and with precision,” says Ar. Seah Chee Huang, ceo of DP Architects. “sid also brings a fresh approach to expanding and developing our talent pool to drive transformation in the Built Environment industry.” sid took home the Transformation Award at the the graduation of the first 4 cohorts of AI Trailblazer 2.0. Early movers in machine learning for spatial design, the success thus far, is encouraging and DPA intends to extend the capability of sid with the help of strategic partners. This push towards design tech and innovation is part of DPA’s #GreenWellTech thrust and commitment to #betterthansustainable outcomes in both its practice and projects.

DP Architects (DPA) is pleased to announce the signing of a MoU with Keppel’s Real Estate Division for strategic collaboration on #AssetEnhancementInitiatives (AEI) and #AdaptiveReuse projects in Asia Pacific. The MoU is forged on both organizations’ shared goals of creating a more resilient and #betterthansustainable urban future. DPA recognises the immense value that #AEI and adaptive reuse projects deliver for #urbanrejuvenation. In alignment with DPA’s broader #GreenWellTech thrust, the strategic partnership will create opportunities for innovation and advancements in asset enhancement and sustainable development. The design practice brings a wealth of experience in urban revitalisation from Bugis Junction, Far East Square to the regeneration of the Paya Lebar precinct, which includes assets such as Paya Lebar Square, Paya Lebar Quarter, Singpost Centre and the upcoming Paya Lebar Green. DPA was also involved in the Orchard Road Master Plan to invigorate the famous shopping strip as an active streetscape, coupled with the renewal of key retail malls including Wisma Atria, Paragon Shopping Centre and Mandarin Gallery. More recently, it completed the AEI of Lazada One and is currently working on the rejuvenation of Comcentre and the iconic Golden Mile Complex.

Two of our projects have emerged as Project of the Year Award (formerly known as the BCA Built Environment Transformation Award) winners of their respective categories at the 2024 #BCAAwards. They are: 1.      The Greenhouse at Dulwich College (Singapore) under the Institutional category The project boldly features an eco-envelope comprised of BIPV Panels and is the first building of its type to attain Green Mark’s (GM) Platinum Zero Energy certification under the revised GM:2021.   2.      The Woodleigh Residences & The Woodleigh Mall under the Residential category Built using #PPVC modules, the project was a unique opportunity and exercise in #DfMA and #constructionproductivity as well as minimizing impact on its natural environment. The recognition accorded to our projects by the Building and Construction Authority is testament of not only DPA’s commitment to positive change and transformation but also of our capabilities to achieve impactful outcomes in our projects and within our practice. It has also further inspired our design practice to continue to push for innovation in sustainable design and excellence in our design and delivery through our #GreenWellTech thrust. The award ceremony was held on 6th September at the annual International Built Environment Week (IBEW). It celebrates outstanding projects and achievements within the #BuiltEnvironmentsector, recognizing those who have embraced and demonstrated transformation at both project and enterprise level to positively impact their value-chain partners. #BCAAwards2024 #BCA #industrytransformation #IBEW2024 #IBEWSG #IBEWConference 

For real impact and progress towards a #climatepositive future, 1) transformation in practice and projects is necessary; 2) the buy-in from and collaboration with stakeholders are crucial; and importantly, 3) #regenerativedesign must be place-based to achieve meaningful outcomes. These formed some of the key points in Ar. Seah Chee Huang, ceo of DP Architects’ extensive keynote session, Regenerative Architecture in a Rapidly Urbanising World, at the 2024 International Built Environment Week (IBEW) on 5th September. Using Our Tampines Hub and Bukit Canberra as comparative case studies, he presented strategies that DPA has been applying and developing for #betterthansustainable outcomes towards a #regenerativefuture. In this pursuit to attain #netzeroemissions by 2030, he holds that “we must be fully committed to regenerative practices at the local level, employing strategies that applies to the local cultural, social and political context of a place or community; supported by #localengagement with stakeholders and people who are directly connected to the place.” #regenerativearchitecture #greenwelltech #placebaseddesign #IBEW2024 #IBEW #IBEWSG2024 #IBEWConference2024 #BCA #BuildSG #BuiltEnvironmentIndustry Images courtesy of International Built Environment Week (IBEW)

Very proud of our colleagues from DP Green for the beautifully and purposefully designed #urbaninstallation, ‘WoWdering Wonders’, and for representing the Northeast District of Singapore. ‘WoWdering Wonders’ was one of five displays in the #SingaporeGardenersCup segment at the 2024 #SingaporeGardenFestival (SGF) and delivered a delightful experience that invited exploration between the boundaries of nature and urban environments while inspiring contemplation on the potential for harmony between humans and nature. #SGF2024 #landscapedesign #CityinNature

Award-winning projects Bukit Canberra, SAFRA Choa Chu Kang Clubhouse and The Greenhouse at Dulwich College (Singapore) are unveiled as winners of the Green Good Design Sustainability Awards 2024. Organised by The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and The Chicago Athenaeum Museum for Architecture and Design, the award celebrates #futurethinking projects that inspire progress towards a #sustainable built environment. Harnessing DP’s #multidisciplinary capabilities, the three projects are a showcase of the practice’s expertise in delivering projects that achieve #betterthansustainable outcomes under its #GreenWellTech thrust. This achievement reaffirms DP’s commitment towards #purposedriven design innovations that enrich the long-term socio-economic and environmental #resiliency of cities.