Foster + Partners’ Singapore office is located within a historic conservation neighbourhood and is within walking distance of the city’s riverfront. The practice refurbished a row of conservation shophouses on North Canal Road to create the office space. Situated on the second floor and surrounded by lush green tree canopies, three low-rise neighbouring buildings are interconnected to form a large singular volume.
Embracing the sustainable ethos of building reuse, the generous, light-filled spaces follow a model of development that works with the tropical climate. Large openable windows, ceiling fans and Venetian timber shutters allow for the space to be naturally ventilated through part of the day, while moderating levels of natural light to suit our work.
Members of the team regularly undertake research projects on the history of tropical design, which range in scale from the macro to the micro, across several different climates. Insights are recorded, shared with the office, and greatly inform the practice’s work in the region.
Foster + Partners has completed a range of projects in Singapore, including the Supreme Court, a major judicial centre conceived in response to a rapidly growing population and the limited facilities of the old Supreme Court building; the South Beach development, a mixed-use and energy efficient new urban quarter in downtown Singapore; Capella Resort, a luxury six-star destination that brings together old and new in a tropical context; Apple Orchard Road, the flagship store which creates a new social focus while working with nature; and Apple Marina Bay Sands, a contemporary interpretation of the geodesic dome and a distinctive presence on the water.
