Profile

TAN CHENG SIONG

Chairman, Archurban Group; Principal, Archurban Architects Planners Pte Ltd;  F(L)SIA; FSIP, Heading several design and development companies in China.

Born 1937.  A serial trailblazer in Singapore’s architecture, urban planning and landscape design over the last 50 years. His seminal works are Pearlbank, Pandan Valley, Condominiums, the design and planning of  DGPs – Jurong East (1991) and Pasir  Ris  21 (1997).  He was Advisor to the Shenzhen Planning Committee in the 80s and early 90s, and in the 90s he introduced condominium housing to China.

In recent years, he promoted Skyland, championed Voluntary Conservation, suggested plans to revitalise Kallang River and transformation of Singapore’s existing waterways into “River Front Homes”. Then came Creative Conservation postulating 3 ʻgold miness’ amalgamated into a distinct creative urban district.  Advocating Owner Development Plan (ODP) for existing condominium communities to prosper and be provided them with updated facilities, amenities and spaces.  In his recent feedback, he proposed to DMP 2019 to include Community Connectors and Owner Development Plan for condominiums.

In 2012, he received the President’s Design Award, the prestigious SIA Gold Medal in 2013 and the Pioneer Architect Award in 2015.

Through the Association for the Betterment of Condominiums, he hopes to share his rich experience in creating greater Value Enhancement for the 3,000 Condominiums in Singapore.

In 1970, DBS Bank assigned Mr Tan and his firm the task of proposing the design for arguably the 1st Condo in Singapore to attract the rising talents of the population and to demonstrate that Condos is a viable alternative to terrace and semi-detached houses.  The design had also to set the criterias and standards for the then Planning Authority to evaluate.

 

His thesis that Condos will be the architectural typology of the future, also promoted Community Living charged with collective responsibility to care for the common areas.  A full range of communal facilities and amenities were proposed for the residents.  Unlike housing estates which are criss-cross by roads and vehicles, Condos are set in garden landscape and children playgrounds and conserving trees. Subsequent developments were overrun by economic exigencies and property speculators, resulting in neglect and decay of the meaning of homes in neighbourhood.  En-bloc became the “way out” fever as unaffordable maintenance, repair and upkeep costs mount.  This stress drains away the Condos spirit.  Value system shifted to ‘cashing out’ instead of enhancing asset growth.  The last straw was the ‘land scarcity’ stigma that to recover land demolishing good buildings is justified.  The ultimate despair is the rule that 100% consent is needed to keep while 80% only is enough to tear down memory and heritage.  That was the guillotine that severed all hope for Voluntary Conservation. Nevertheless, for Mr Tan’s undaunted spirit there is a more valuable, better and creative option called ODP (Owner Development Plan) which he now champions. 

Yang Pow Sing

Arch 1976. Did NS then work for RDC Architects till 1982 and set up own practice until now. Works include residential, factory, offices, interiors, landscaping and special effects. General approach to design is simplicity, practicality and engaging nature as the main force of design. Believe in prudence and emphasising less on man-made materials but more on space, space flow, natural lighting and ventilation as well as making use of external factors to generate design and endorsing that waste is a reflection of man’s lack/inadequacy.

Chan Seng Kee

Chan Seng Kee started work as a draftsman since the age of 17 in year 1957.  With the support of the employer Seng Kee (or better known as SK) attended the part-time Diploma of Architecture Course at the Singapore Polytechnic.  Upon graduation and completing the registration examination of the Board of Architects SK set up his own architectural firm since 1967.

Since registration with the Singapore Board Of Architects in 1967, Seng Kee has managed different types of projects ranging from Hi-tech Industrial, Commercial, Hotel, and Residential to educational / institutional projects for tertiary educations, including the first semi-conductor factory with clean-room facilities in Singapore for a French Italian Conglomerate,

The clients in the tertiary / education institutions include NTU, NUS, ITE, SMU, Singapore Polytechnic, Hwa Chong JC, Assumption Pathway School, and many MOE Schools.

Besides educational / institutional and healthcare projects, Seng Kee also has designed and managed Hotel Project (the Carlton Hotel at Victoria Street), Hi-Tech / Sub-micron / Specialized Industrial Projects (STMicroelectronics for their various facilities including those with clean room in Singapore, Malaysia and China), Residential (various HDB MUP, IUP, LUP and NRP projects) and the Medical / Healthcare facilities for the MOH / IMH Nursing Home at Buangkok Green Medical Park.

As a firm believer of life-long learning, Seng Kee obtained his MSc in International Construction Management (NTU) in 1997 and PhD Engineering from the MIE University, Japan in 2007

Other Professional Membership:-

–               Fellow Member – Singapore Institute of Architects

–               Fellow Member – Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (Since 2011)

–               Associate – The Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (June 1995)

–               Member – Society of Interior Designers (Sept 1995)

–               Member – Society of Project Managers (Nov 1995)

–               Corporate Member – Royal Institute of British Architects (Jan 1999)

–               Founding Member – World Association of Chinese Architects (Apr 2004)

–               Full Member – Interior design Confederation (Singapore) (Apr 2008 – Mar 2009)

–               Council Member – Singapore Institute of Architects (2004/2005)

–               Council Member – Singapore Institute of Architects (2011/2019)

–               Member – General Architectural Institute of Japan (2012)

The host of varied clienteles and his association with foreign fellow Architects and the many associated consultants speaks much of his professional skills and competences in the Architectural fraternity.

Also, with his acquaintances within the Architectural and the related disciplines, SK set up a host of property and project management companies since the 1980s.  For example, Ke-Cho Pte Ltd (Singapore & Malaysia) for property development & management, Zo-Deg Consultancies (Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong) for providing project consultancy, Thong Chai Ke-Yip Pte Ltd (Singapore) for the redevelopment of Thong Chai Medical Building, a National Monument with over 110 years in 1990s.   With his experience, it will be valuable to extend the reach of the organization to both the governmental and private sectors, and both locally and to the region.