1. URA is pleased to announce the launch of the revised Architectural Heritage Awards (AHA) scheme.

2. In 2020, the scheme was paused for a comprehensive review as URA recognises that good conservation projects now involve more facets of skills and effort. It was opportune to see how the scheme could be improved to help push the industry to higher standards and enhance the intangible qualities of heritage buildings to create value for the community.

3. The review process involved extensive engagement with industry professionals from academic institutions and private sector, as well as URA’s AHA Assessment Committee who shared useful insights and feedback that helped to sharpen our revised assessment criteria.

4. The revised scheme aims to:
   
   
   • Make AHA more inclusive and relevant to the wider public;
   • Accord recognition to more areas of expertise and variety of stakeholders;
   • Consider not just technical excellence, but expand emphasis on the intangible outcomes of creating long-term value for the community;
   • Encourage sustained efforts in the upkeep and management of heritage buildings.

Changes to Eligibility and Assessment

5. Outstanding conservation projects go beyond technical achievements. They create long-term value for the community. The AHA will expand its remit to also recognise the intangible aspects, such as ‘heritage interpretation’ and impact on its surrounding, community and industry. These will now be added on as part of key considerations in the assessment.

6. In order to better assess both the durability of the physical restoration and the impact of the intangible outcomes, buildings must now have at least one year of operation post-Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP)/Certificate of Statutory Completion (CSC) clearance before they can be submitted for the AHA assessment.

7. Conservation Specialists, in addition to Architects, can now make submissions for AHA. We recognise that in some projects, they may play an equal or more significant role.

8. The Awards will also now give recognition to more stakeholders and allied professionals (e.g. master carpenter, glass restorer, landscape architect etc.), in addition to Building Owner, Architect, C&S Engineer, Contractor and Conservation Specialist.

9. A new submission template will be introduced to facilitate applicants in their submission. The call for submissions will happen in March/April 2022.

Changes to Frequency and Awards

10. In order to allow more time for teams to put together a comprehensive submission, and for projects to incubate to better demonstrate impact, the frequency for the award will be changed to every other year, starting from 2022.

11. In Singapore, most heritage building projects are more than just a physical restoration back to its original architectural form. They often go on a ‘conservation’ journey – a holistic process that encompasses both physical restoration and adaptation to evolving social needs. In recognition of this, the name of the award categories will now be changed from ‘Restoration’ to ‘Conservation’ to reflect this more accurately.

12. We acknowledge that projects are diverse in terms of scale, complexity etc. and may result in varying levels of outcome. An additional mark of Distinction will be accorded to a project awarded if it excels in all the assessment criteria. This will help cast a spotlight on exemplary projects that have gone beyond the requirements and achieved excellence in all aspects.

13. The scheme will now be also open to projects with ‘partial restoration’. Deserving projects will be conferred a Special Mention.

14. A new award will be introduced i.e. “Architectural Heritage Legacy Award” for past AHA winners who have maintained their award-winning buildings well through the years. This will only be open to past AHA winners with at least 10 years of post-award good standing.

Additional Information

15. Please find more details of the revised scheme at https://www.ura.gov.sg/AHAsg. Do keep a look out for the release of more information and the official call for 2022 submissions.

16. I would appreciate it if you could convey the contents of this circular to relevant members of your organisation. If you or your members have any queries concerning this circular, please do not hesitate to call Mr Kelvin Ang, Director (Conservation Management) at Tel: 6321 8191 or email him at Kelvin_Ang@ura.gov.sg.

18. For other information on the master plan, urban design guidelines, private property use and approval, car park locations and availability, private residential property transactions, and conservation areas and buildings, use URA SPACE (Service Portal and Community e-Services). This is an online portal packed with useful data and visualisation to help building professionals, business operators and the general public in their decision-making. It consolidates detailed information on land use and private property into a one-stop platform presented on geospatial maps. For feedback or enquiries on this circular, please email us.

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