Page 114 - Built Expressions - Online Construction Magazine - November 2014 Issue

theultimateroundtripdotcom International Projects The project continues WOHA’s explorations on tropical building designs. Ar. Wong says the studio has been able to pursue in Singapore because of the government’s active promotion of design and the city’s reputation as an effective and effcient business port helping WOHA win projects both in Singapore and overseas. He also adds that city gives the studio the chance to work with a pool of good designers and talents from around the world. It is these features that make Singapore the leading city in the tropical belt says Ar. Wong creating an ideal place to incubate test and explore innovation, sustainability and design. “Designing is about continuity and does not stop with one project. Each project we undertake is the test bed for one or more ideas about how to live more sustainably in the future but always framed in the context of architecture providing daily delight to the end-user.” WOHA has also been recognised at every President’s Design Award since the frst edition was held in 2006. It was the recipient of Design of the Year for its generous ground level felds. However Church of St Mary of the Angels, No. 1 Moulmein Rise, The Met, Genexis Theatre SOTA is situated in the city where and Stadium MRT station. In 2008, it was also awarded the Designer of the Year. there is more traffc, noise and dust and also less social spaces and play Advice for Emerging Designers areas. WOHA’s design solution was to ‘You need to work in a frm, company, or environment that believes in doing create the building as a “Machine for well when you are starting a career. Do not be wrapped up over your salary and the Wind”. remuneration in your early years. Your very frst job will set your career path for “SOTA demonstrated the possibility you. You need drive passion and perseverance — without these, you are not suited of creating a sustainable design that to a design career.’ meets the challenges and objectives of the brief through passive design Not a Child’s Play strategies, vertical greenery and a Setting the stage to thrill and inspire their audience’s performing arts venues are simple palette of materials,” says all buildings informed by performance. The technically challenging structures are Ar. Wong. “These results in a robust unlike in terms of their design requirements and are certainly no child’s play. aesthetics that at the same time is cost-effective and requires minimal maintenance, he adds” The design of SOTA came about through WOHA’s regular feedback sessions with the school’s principal and the various Heads of Department. Besides focus group sessions at the initial stages to fgure out the needs to accumulate their classes and infrastructure. WOHA also got its client to attend on-site viewings of visual mock-ups, samples and prototypes. The client gave the preferences on colours and textures as well as comments on safety and general maintenance. Wong says it helped us to give the client a greater sense of involvement, appreciation, worldarchitecturefestival.com and ownership of the decision-making process gone into the design and construction of SOTA. PG 114 Built Expressions Vol: 3 Issue: 11 November 2014