About ’20 under 45’ The ‘20 under 45’ series showcases the works of 20 promising architects registered in Singapore, under the age of 45.
An initiative under the Urban Redevelopment Authority, it aims to provide a platform for young architects to share their ideas and contributions in creating quality urban environments. It also serves to promote a vibrant professional architecture design community by giving recognition to talented young architects in Singapore.
’20 under 45: The Third Edition’ is the third instalment. The inaugural ’20 under 45’ exhibition, with its accompanying publication, was held in 2004, and the second edition in 2010.
Cooking together, sharing recipes and catching up with friends over meals are some of the activities that the elderly get to enjoy at GoodLife! Makan. What was once a void deck, has been re-purposed into the innovative open-concept kitchen. The design uses full-height glass doors instead of conventional gates. The result: an inviting communal space where seniors can prepare their meals and socialise. “GoodLife! Makan is an innovative space where stay-alone seniors can now not only gather to enjoy meals but also help out. Today on a daily basis, an average of 40 stay-alone seniors participate in the centre activities and we also see many contributing back by volunteering themselves in food preparation,” said Ms Han Yah Yee, Group Director of Montfort Care, which runs the centre. The space was designed by Mr Seah Chee Huang in consideration of how to draw the elderly into community. He, along with 19 other leading architects under the age of 45, have displayed a strong social consciousness in their designs, as showcased in the ‘20 under 45: The Third Edition’ exhibition and publication. Minister for National Development and Second Minister for Finance Mr Lawrence Wong launched the exhibition and publication showcasing the architectural works of these talented architects today. Curated by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and a panel of industry professionals and academics, the exhibition will be held from 1 December 2017 to 31 January 2018 at The URA Centre. The selection of architects and their projects was based on their overall achievements in architectural designs, ideas and dossier of works. See Annex A [PDF, 450kb] for the list of architects and their projects. See Annex B [PDF, 195kb] for the list of jury panel members.
These architects have contributed towards shaping a distinctive and highly liveable city. Their designs are set apart not only by their social consciousness and inclusivity, but also their green and sustainable approach. ITE Headquarters and ITE College Central at Ang Mo Kio, designed by Mr Lawrence Ler, is one such example. Students, teachers and the public can easily navigate across the campus and gather in pockets of public spaces as the school buildings are connected seamlessly by a central circulation spine. Combined with lush landscapes, extensive green walls and a continuous canopy, it provides a cool and conducive environment for interaction and learning. The integration of greenery, and natural light and ventilation to enhance people’s experiences and building performance, can also be seen in several other projects. For instance, Agape Village, designed by Mr Ho Tzu Yin, brings together various Catholic organisations and their services through its green terraces and pocket gardens on every level. These green spaces are accessible from the rooms, so activities can extend outdoors. Louvered windows maximise cross-ventilation while a series of skylights draw in natural light. The private residences designed by Mr Khairudin Saharom also embrace greenery. One of them, the family home ‘Maya’, includes a “landscape valley”, a carved-out feature that brings ventilation, natural light and lush vegetation to the basement. “These 20 architects have contributed towards our iconic architecture. Their sensitive environmental and community-centric approach to designing our built environment contributes towards our vision for a distinctive and liveable city. I look forward to seeing more creative works from them to inspire future generations of architects, and enhance our quality of life” said Mr Lim Eng Hwee, Chief Executive Officer of URA.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the architects will share their philosophies and works with the public in a series of talks. Please see Annex C [PDF, 265kb] for the schedule of talks and registration details. To further raise awareness of and appreciation for local architecture and design quality, a new Archi-Model Centre is also currently in the process of being set up. Open to the public, visitors will be able to browse the collection of local monographs and publications at the architecture library, while a dedicated gallery within the premise will exhibit works by small, medium and up-and-coming practices. The centre will be located at the ground level of the URA Centre and is slated to be ready by July 2018.