Singapore – A total of 22 HDB Design, Construction and Engineering Awards were presented in 2022 to architectural and engineering consultants, as well as building contractors for projects that have demonstrated excellent design, engineering and construction. Among them, all winning projects of the HDB Construction Award under the Housing Category also attained the CONQUAS Star, the highest CONQUAS rating conferred upon projects with scores above 95 for quality workmanship. This marks the first time that all projects under the Housing Category have attained CONQUAS Star, and is testament to the significant strides in the construction quality of HDB flats over the years. Minister for National Development Mr Desmond Lee presented the awards to the winners at the HDB Awards ceremony on 11 October 2022.
HDB’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Tan Meng Dui said, “Congratulations to our award winners for pushing new frontiers in providing well-designed and quality homes. This has enabled us to continually raise the bar for construction quality, as well as design and engineering excellence in public housing, even amidst the ramp-up in HDB’s building programme and the challenges brought about by Covid-19 over the past two years. With the steady recovery of the construction industry, we will continue to work in close partnership with our industry partners, as we catch up on construction delays and deliver more homes to Singaporeans.”
Among the 12 HDB Design Award recipients, Northshore StraitsView by CESMA International Pte Ltd, an entity of Surbana Jurong, stands out for its strong design identity and distinctive architectural features. Situated in Northshore district, Punggol’s seafront housing district, Northshore StraitsView was designed to capitalise on its waterfront location to provide residents with resort-style homes. Drawing inspiration from the picturesque sceneries found in Chinese landscape paintings, the consultants designed the 26-storey blocks to emulate undulating mountains embracing an urban oasis.
To optimise sea views from the units, the blocks have been carefully angled and arranged rhythmically in a stepped-down manner. This helps to create a more inviting promenade and welcoming entrance to the development. The colour palette comprising soft, natural blues paired with white, as well as the use of “wave-like” design elements in its common spaces and outdoor decks, further add to the precinct’s nautical theme.
Lush greenery is weaved throughout the development, including its central green, roof gardens and sky terraces. In the heart of the precinct above a central carpark is a multi-tiered environmental deck equipped with fitness corners and playgrounds. Hidden from view along the promenade, it creates an intimate communal enclave overlooking the waterfront, where residents can enjoy outdoor activities in privacy.
Also clinching the HDB Design Award for its innovative and all-encompassing design approach is the mixed integrated development at Northshore Residences I & II and Waterfront I & II @ Northshore, HDB’s first smart and sustainable precincts. Designed by HDB’s in-house team of planners, architects, and engineers, the development comprises some 3,100 dwelling units in four residential projects (Northshore Residences I & II and Waterfront I & II @ Northshore), and is integrated with a neighbourhood centre (Northshore Plaza I & II). The development incorporates sustainable solutions, smart technologies and biophilic strategies to bring about a better living environment for its residents.
The residential blocks are characterised by their staggered building heights and sky gardens, creating a distinctive variegated skyline while maximising sea views for residents from their units. Each residential block features a double volume void on the ground floor that allows for better wind flow and ventilation.
A community spine – a two-storey walkway that interlinks all the blocks and runs seamlessly from the Samudera LRT station to the Coastal Promenade – provides residents with convenient and sheltered access to the waterfront and amenities within the neighbourhood centre. From this community spine, landscaped decks with facilities such as large common greens, children’s playgrounds, and fitness corners, spread out into the residential precincts. These shared spaces offer opportunities for community bonding, enabling residents to enjoy a holistic living experience with seamless connectivity to a plethora of social and communal amenities and nature at their doorstep.
Commenting on the designs of the housing projects that have garnered the HDB Design Award, Ar. Look Boon Gee, Managing Director of LOOK Architects Pte Ltd and Jury member for this year’s HDB awards said, “The projects showcase a broad variety of design approaches, and employ different types of innovation in incorporating greenery and sustainability, as well as social integration. This is commendable, and I encourage architectural consultants to continue to push the frontiers in public housing design.
