Prose Architects

What a year. We are in the final lap of the almost 5000sqm Hakka Dabu Association Mixed-Use construction in collaboration with WeCreate Studio. We have completed design documentation of the just over 20,000sqm site area indoor vegetable farm with a visitor centre, restaurant and ancillary offices). We are starting on the second design documentation phase of an extension interior A&A to an existing healthcare development, after completing the first phase of compliance audit. We wrapped up a slightly over 45,000sqm industrial new build - our scope was only up to Development Control (DC) stage including working with the Project Manager for the Design & Build Tender. We pulled it off by collaborating with peers who are more experienced in industrial work than we are. It was a great team. In between, we took part in (and didn't win, but it's ok) the Raffles Park Competition, we completed and started some interior and house projects, we did some feasibility studies (we were paid for our work). So with this, we wish all our clients of on-going, past completed and maybe future projects, our collaborators, our fellow consultants - Civil & Structural, Mechanical & Electrical, Quantity Surveyors, Landscape Designers, Interior Designers, Fire Engineers, Accoustic Consultants, Design for Safety Professionals, Greenmark Consultants, Engagement Consultants (the list goes on), our sounding boards, and also those who were looking at us for a free meal but didn't get it, a very Happy New 2025 Year! As with the 'tradition' for the last 2 years of our 4.5-year existence (the first 2 years with the onset of COVID-19 were rather lean), here's a little e-card to look at and have fun with! If you are interested to know what were the e-cards of 2022, and 2023, dig back on our past posts. Or just email us. Enjoy! The current team of Prose Architects - Alvin Liau Dawn Ng Adlin Fakhrudin Joel (萧凯) Kenneth Tay Prani Patton and our amazing interns from Singapore Polytechnic - Si Ying Tham Ee Jin Ang #prosearchitects #claritythroughdesign #hello2025

Finally we did it. We’ve successfully bidded for another office #04-82 space 2 units down the corridor from our current #04-86. For the clients and consultants who had meetings at our current office, we’re sure you’ll find it a bit too cosy and (depending on where you sit at the meeting table) a wee bit uncomfortable. We would like to say it’s a conscious tactic we deploy to keep meetings short and concise, but even so, a line has to be drawn as the work we do gets more complicated, as the team working on it get bigger. Most importantly, the open concept of our current meeting space has outlived its effectiveness. The robust discussions and occasional roar of laughter had been affecting those of us who do not attend the meetings. The new #04-82 will be our new meeting room and co-working desks. We will consolidate our materials and books library there as well. Our current #04-86 will be fully for production and internal meetings. This gives us more space for future expansion. Critically, our staff can work in a more conducive environment without being disturbed by meetings. Stay tuned for more developments! #prosearchitects #claritythroughdesign #expansion

Congratulations to the winners of the recently concluded Raffles Place Park Design Competition! The submissions set a high standard and we really look forward to the winning entry's implementation, it will be transformative. Our own entry was titled 'On point'. We focused on a singular starting idea, or to be more specific, a game - Plinko. In Plinko, pegs are arranged on a vertical board and a ball is dropped down from a fixed point above. Through chance (and gravity), the ball will negotiate its way between the pegs down to a final resting slot. The Plinko game emerged out of our site observations on how the public negotiates the various obstacles at the existing Raffle Place Park. There are some who take the most direct route (over the raised planters) and there are others who preferred the less straineous, but longer, route. Stategically, we removed all the existing raised planters, but similar to surveyor work, we 'pegged' the points outlining the removed obstacles, maintaining a small nod to the past, even if we plan out the future of the park. We subsequently overlaid the currently under developed aspects of planning - the view corridors, the direct circulation routes from destination to destination - over the pegs. The emergent pockets of spaces are subsequently developed into programmatic zones such as a water playground, sheltered rest stops, and a central events space. To design a city park based on a game, with overlays of various site context studies, is a challenging endeavour. We didn't win the competition, but the experience was invaluable. We further sharpened our design discipline, learnt how to question assumptions always. Competition Overall Lead: Kenneth Tay Team members: Adlin Fakhrudin Prani Patton Joel (萧凯) Alvin Liau Ee Jin Ang (basically almost the whole Prose Architects) Consultant team: Siura Studio headed by Anton Siura (landscape), WYN (South East Asia) Lte Ltd (M&E and C&S), D+J Consultants Pte Ltd (QS) Some details of the design competition below: https://sia.org.sg/rpp/ Based on Singapore Institute of Architects website, "National Parks Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore (URA) launched a single stage Design Competition near end June 2024 to, seeking fresh and innovative design ideas that can transform the Raffles Place Park into a signature urban park and prominent public space that will promote social life, engender a sense of belonging and lovability in the CBD community."

Intimacy. Why do we occasionally take on private house projects? The direct contact with the owners gives the act of designing a house an intimacy that is not common in the larger commercial projects we work on. It is a counter to the big picture approach of the latter kind of projects. This intimacy can be trying at times with its ups and downs, but it always reminds us of one of the fundamental roles of architecture - to provide shelter. Through this act of putting it all together, we serentipitiously discover, tease out and nurture little delights in design which elevates a shelter into a home. Photos document the post TOP stage of the house. Interior items such as custom carpentry backing for sofa set, custom wall storage carpentry etc are in. Architecture led by Kenneth Tay Interior Design and coordination led by Adlin Fakhrudin (Both their work scopes are interchangeable between themselves as the project progressed) Carpentry by @craftby3 Too much talking by Alvin Liau #prosearchitects #claritythroughdesign #occasionalhousedesigners #interiordesign

The landed houses that we have a chance to design are great little counter balances to the other larger non-residential projects we work on. Houses give us the opportunity, by virtue of their intimate scale, to dwell on what really matters in a space for living in. Sometimes it’s really a just a simple gesture to allow for the sunlight filtering through the trellis at the roof that can be transformative for the house interior. Such considerations which would otherwise be lost amidst the myriad other considerations of our larger projects. #prosearchitects #claritythroughdesign #focus Photo by Adlin Fakhrudin for a semi-detached additions & alterations at Lorong Marzuki.

Looking for opportunities. A single solution to a single identified issue if what all of us typically instinctively stop at. What if we question this? Can we provide more value - more possibilities of use - that we may not be aware of at the start, if we trust the process, rather than stop at a pre-determined end? In the photo, steps for a person to move from one level to another. In this case, from the driveway of a house to the raised side garden. What if we made the steps of different sizes but maintain the equal height of each step so that they are visually a part of the landscape rather than serving just a purely functional requirement? What if we extend out one of the steps so they also can be used - if needed - as a seat or low ledge to place groceries temporarily? We create opportunities. We avoid prescription beyond what is necessary. This is what we do. #prosearchitects #claritythroughdesign #process #openmind

The long development process of architecture and all the related coordination of a project. (There’s blood and sweat behind all the pretty completed pictures) The structural steel truss at the top of this multi purpose hall (you just make it out in the second photo) is one of a pair that allows the space to be free of columns. This helps with flexibility of holding events, or to put simply, “so that everyone can see the stage”. We developed this functional requirement into a ceiling feature. This process takes time and by and large, is not visible to the general public. Photos show the process of constructing the blend of function and aesthetics into a (we hope!) pleasant space that is fit for purpose. Third photo shows the lighting tests that’s on going now. Architecture overall coordination: WeCreate Studio and Prose Architects Structure: Web Structures, now part of Ramboll M&E: UPC interior Design: Studio Neko #claritythroughdesign #collaborativework #team #designprocess

Keep all the bones, keep some of the flesh, upgrade most of the skin. This additions and alterations to a semi detached house we are working on is approaching completion. The new look and feel is coming through now, short of the main gate installation. The constraints that come with keeping parts of the existing can be challenging with the occasional curved ball. This challenge is necessary on multiple fronts. 1) It demands a mindset change in our work that tearing down completely and rebuilding may not be the default direction anymore. We have to embrace sustainable construction - to reuse where possible, 2) constantly hone our creative problem-solving acumen, to be on alert for on site deviations from what we think was correct based on available drawings and, 3) continue to be mindful of the owner’s expectations of a manageable construction budget. We hope the effort pays off in the finished product, that all stakeholders will be satisfied and happy with their contributions, given the constraints faced. Let’s also not forget the process and learning journey, which is arguably equally important. Architecture scope by Chai Kai Wen at the concept design stage, subsequently led by Kenneth Tay to current near-completion. Interior Design scope led by Adlin Fakhrudin #prosearchitects #claritythroughdesign #additonsandalterations #constructionw

A first glimpse of the perforated screen panels that are currently being set up on site for mock up review. This is for the Char Yong (Dabu) Association development in Lor 18 Geylang, done in collaboration with WeCreate Studio. This process started a couple of months ago, when we reviewed the individual small samples off site to check on the size of the different cut outs on the panel. Now the panels cut to actual size are being fixed on site. It is envisioned that these panels will contribute to reducing the heat gain and glare from the late afternoon sun due to the nature of the site, which inevitably will have a west facing facade. This is very much a work in progress at the moment. Nevertheless, we can wait to see it in totality! #constructionprocess #prosearchitects #claritythroughdesign #teameffort

Sharing a small Additions and Alterations (A&A) semi-detached house project that’s been flying quite under the radar. Our scope includes architectural and interior design services. This project has a quiet understatedness about it. We have tried our best to find an equilibrium where decent architectural detailing, good provision of natural light and ventilation throughout the house, and client’s requirements can come together in harmony. We are in a good position, but there is always room for improvement. We are now in the final steps of the project. Hopefully the construction pace continues to be good and the TOP application is smooth sailing. #prosearchitects #claritythroughdesign #construction