Two sketches of Singapore connect a designer’s personal and professional history with the theme of the Anthology ASEAN Architecture Festival: Shared Ground: Architecture, Care, Culture, and Collective Futures. Through the Golden Mile Complex and the Bugis/Bras Basah district, one reflects on architecture, urban development, and shared experiences that have shaped Southeast Asian cities.
A Hub of Southeast Asian Modernism
The first sketch is of the Golden Mile Complex along Beach Road. Completed in 1973, it was one of Singapore’s first modernist mega-buildings. The firm Design Partnership, formed by Kok Seow Chuan, Tay Kheng Soon, and William Lim, designed it and set its offices atop the structure. Both Tay and Lim later left to start independent practices, becoming key voices in Asian architecture and urbanism. One of them later became a professor in urban design at the National University of Singapore, and another was often met at book launches and events at Select Bookstore, a gathering place for architects.
In 1989, a designer established their first Singapore office, PDAA Design Pte Ltd, within the Golden Mile Complex. They lived in the building’s residential section and worked on a small floor below. This period coincided with the complex’s transformation into a hub for Thai businesses. The area became known as “Little Bangkok,” with Thai workers gathering and socializing after shifts. The designer moved both residence and office just a few blocks south to North Bridge Road in front of what would soon become Bugis Junction.
The Heart of a Regional Practice
The second sketch centers on the Bugis/Bras Basah district. The designer lived in an HDB flat on Queen Street and walked two blocks to their office. For over twelve years, they lived and worked in this central commercial and cultural hub. The area’s efficient public transport meant any client or project site on the island was reachable within half an hour. Regional destinations were a short flight from Changi Airport, itself only thirty minutes away.
Based in the 1990s, the designer’s practice grew to a twelve-person operation. They expanded their work to the region, taking on projects in Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Brunei. This regional expansion was curtailed by the 1999 Asian financial crisis, which forced the practice to downsize. This change provided the designer with the time and space to complete a master’s degree at NUS. The academic program’s non-American-centric curriculum offered a different perspective from their previous architecture studies, highlighting the shared ground Southeast Asian cities have in their colonial histories and the challenges of modernity.
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The adaptive reuse project was designed by building architects DP Architects. The Singapore National Library, designed by Malaysian architect Ken Yeang, sits in the background. This view is near Manila Street, one of several roads in the district named after Asian ports. The designer often visits the library to browse its extensive architecture and periodical sections, reminiscing over projects and articles from their time in the city.
The designer’s connection to the Golden Mile Complex remains a personal and professional touchstone. The complex was officially gazetted for conservation in 2021 by Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority. The current redevelopment project, once again led by DP Architects, aims to revitalize the building for future use. This effort reflects a growing understanding that sustainable and meaningful development must acknowledge the collective memory embedded in a structure.
The Bugis/Bras Basah district continues to be a source of inspiration. Its collection offers a tangible link to the past.
Spaces of Shared Culture
Meanwhile, the Anthology ASEAN Architecture Festival gathered over 4,000 delegates from across the Philippines and Southeast Asia. Co-founder of Dubai- and Tokyo-based studio waiwai, Al Awar brought over 22 years of experience to the event. The festival’s theme focused on how cities are designed and the collective futures they support.
These discussions consider the shared environments that support everyday life. At Yume at Riverpark, this includes individual homes and lots, extending to an 18-hectare residential development in General Trias, Cavite. It ultimately connects larger urban and cultural spaces.
