HKS Singapore Moves to New Office, Branded as Asia’s First BrainHealthy Office

Global architecture firm, HKS recently moved their Singapore office to a new location at The Quadrant at Cecil. Touted as “Asia’s first BrainHealthy office”, the new space is designed with five versatile zones, said to promote focus, collaboration, rest, ideation, and socialising. These zones are said to be designed to enhance employees’ cognitive, social, and physical well-being.

“Our brain needs rest, socialisation, art, creativity, and intellectual challenges to stay healthy.” Shared Angela Lee, Founding Director of HKS Singapore, emphasising the importance of these spaces.

“Our workplace is like a cognitive gym,” Angela added. “By promoting brain health, we foster a more innovative and resilient workforce equipped to tackle today’s most pressing challenges.”

HKS has collaborated with the Center for BrainHealth in the University of Texas at Dallas, to create a “BrainHealthy Workplace Audit,” designed to enhance workplaces for cognitive potential. This audit transforms offices into spaces that protect and nurture brain health, maximising employee performance.

Dr. Upali Nanda, HKS’ Partner and Global Sector Director for Innovation, described the firm’s Atlanta, London and Chicago offices as “living labs” where energy use, environmental quality, and spatial arrangements are tracked to monitor employee well-being. Reports from the Atlanta pilot have shown improvements in sleep quality, focus, and overall health. While the Singapore office follows the same BrainHealthy design philosophy, it has yet to collect this data. However, the design principles remain focused on enhancing employee well-being through neuroscience-driven architecture.

HKS Singapore is known for combining modern design with heritage. The new office at The Quadrant, a century-old colonial building in the heart of Singapore’s CBD, perfectly blends heritage with modernity. The building reflects a sense of community, while its eco-friendly features include a lobby decked with wood from sampans and interiors featuring Peranakan tiles.

A rooftop mural by local artist Chris Chai further connects the building with the community, symbolising the firm’s values of diversity, inclusion, and creative thinking.

HKS Singapore, which serves as the headquarters for APAC, has completed many iconic healthcare-related projects in the region, including the new Parkway Health Gleneagles Shanghai International Hospital, where biophilic design principles are used to aid recovery. In Singapore, HKS designed the Cura Day Surgery at Camden Medical, a calming space featuring natural elements and artworks.

Through their partnership with the Center for BrainHealth (Dallas), HKS has designed BrainHealthy workplaces globally, demonstrating measurable improvements in productivity and task completion.

This approach to workplace design has garnered international recognition, including a shortlist at the 2024 World Architecture Festival in Singapore. HKS has also won the 2024 AIA Architecture Award for the design of SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park in Los Angeles, which will host the 2028 Olympic Games.

With its new office, HKS Singapore is set to continue its research and development into BrainHealthy workspaces, applying the same innovative and wellness-driven design principles that have shaped their projects worldwide.