Singapore Institute of Architects Honours Industry’s Best on Awards Night – WOHA Architects and Ar. Melvin Keng Emerge as Big Winners

WOHA Architects and Ar. Melvin Keng of Kaizen Architecture Emerge as Big Winners Bagging the Design of the Year and the Inaugural SIA-Young Architects Award Respectively

Architectural firm WOHA Architects Pte Ltd took home the coveted Design of the Year award, while Ar. Melvin Keng of Kaizen Architecture was crowned the inaugural winner of the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA)-Young Architects Award during the SIA Annual Dinner at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre on Thursday, May 16, 2024.

The Design of the Year award is part of the SIA Architectural Design Awards and celebrates architectural excellence and breakthroughs. It spotlights architectural brilliance with projects that push creative boundaries. A total of 19 awards were given out as part of the Design Awards, consisting of seven award winners, 11 merit winners, and the Design of the Year.

WOHA’s design of the 21 Carpenter heritage boutique hotel – sited at the gateway to the historical Chinatown district – extends four conserved shophouses from 1936 whilst incorporating history, art, and sustainability in its design. The SIA Architectural Design Awards 2024 jury panel “appreciates the contributions of this adaptive reuse project to the skyline, characterised by its moderate scale but highly complex volumetric composition. The architects create delightful spaces through the juxtaposition between old and new, allowing for fresh readings of the conserved building.”

“We are thrilled that 21 Carpenter has been awarded ‘Design of the Year’ at this year’s SIA Architectural Design Awards. We let our research into the building’s history guide our design process, and the design became a medium for sharing human stories and interesting discoveries. It is lovely that this approach resonated with the jury. The design was a collaborative effort by the entire team led by our clients at 8M Real Estate and Heritage Hospitality – and we would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who worked so hard over Covid to achieve the vision.” Said Richard Hassell, co-Founding Director of WOHA Architects.

The 24th edition of the SIA Architectural Design Awards saw a 65 percent increase in submissions received compared to previous years, with a total of 128 entries from firms in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.

“This year, the SIA Architectural Design Awards took on a new format with the recognition of finalists, in addition to the categories for Design Award and Merit. Our awards this year saw over a 65 percent increase in submissions, totaling almost 130 entries, and the quality of entries was of the typically high standards we have seen over the years. The jury had lively deliberations and are very pleased with the projects that have received recognition. We congratulate the winners and celebrate with them as they add liveability to the lives of their inhabitants.” Added SIA President Ar. Melvin Tan.

Conservation and Adaptive Reuse Projects Gain Recognition

Apart from 21 Carpenter, several projects with a focus on conservation and the adaptive reuse of spaces also gained recognition. Kay Ngee Tan Architects was recognized for its restoration of the Bukit Timah Railway Station under the Public Place Making category. The project restores the former Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) railway line, which was used to connect Singapore and Malaysia before 2011, and spans up to 4.3 hectares. It includes the development of a heritage gallery, waiting area, and gathering base for community activities, while the Staff Quarters where the Station Masters used to stay is adaptively reused as an informal cafe and a community gallery.

Kaizen Architecture, founded by Ar. Keng, recipient of the SIA-Young Architects Award, was also recognized for its work on the “Rumah Kechik” project. The project was a conservation and adaptive reuse intervention within three 200-year-old shophouses in Malacca, extending from an existing hotel to house a restaurant, function rooms, and gym. “Rumah Kechik,” translating to “small house” in Malay, was conceived through insertion and subtraction, seamlessly accommodating programmatic requirements while paying homage to its rich history.

Inaugural SIA-Young Architect Award

SIA also introduced a new award this year, the SIA-Young Architect Award, to recognise and honour emerging talent in the field of architecture. The award serves as a platform to acknowledge the achievements, leadership, and contributions of individuals who have made a significant impact early in their careers. It is open to registered architects with the Board of Architects of Singapore (BOA) who are under 40 years old and working in various sectors, including companies, public agencies, or Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL). A total of 25 nominees were in the running.

“It is still a surreal feeling to be the first to receive the inaugural Young Architects Award, organized by SIA-YAL. It was already an honor to share the stage with these very outstanding nominees who excel in the many segments of the built environment industry. Their body of work and achievements make them outstanding advertisements for the architecture industry and this augurs well for the future of the profession in Singapore. Architecture is never a solo endeavor, and I have to thank my mentors, family, peers, and especially my office, Kaizen Architecture, for being part of my journey.” Shared an elated Ar. Keng, recipient of the SIA-Young Architect Award.