Architecture

UK designer Thomas Heatherwick applied his signature curves to his first Singapore project: an education facility at Nanyang Technological University, which opened in 2015. The building (known colloquially as “The Hive”) comprises 12 cylindrical concrete cones of eight floors that house 56 circular classrooms. “With no obvious front, back or corners, the tutorial rooms were designed to break free from the conventional hierarchy of professor and student relationships,” says Heatherwick. The spiral design also facilitates air flow, which in turn eliminates the need for air conditioning.

The “streets in the air” that stretch across Asia’s first mixed-use development have come to define this 1970s modernist landmark. It still commands attention today with its bold green paint job and the gigantic Chinese characters down its exterior. The well-planned communal vibe of the development is also still felt by occupiers and visitors thanks to the mix of retail and residential spaces inside.

Reflecting the Straits-born Chinese’s love for bright colours and intricate design, colonial Peranakan terraced shophouses mesh European, Chinese and Malay architectural influences and can be found across the city. 

The façades of the buildings along Koon Seng Road are exemplary demonstrations of this vibrant style and well worth a visit (as is the interior of the traditional Peranakan home at the nearby Katong Antique House). With ornate carvings on pillars, walls and window panels, these buildings display the wealth of their original owners and form a unique architectural vernacular.