Singapore Architect

This scheme articulates a strong narrative of the cultural centre as a disciplined inward journey, translating Swami Vivekananda’s philosophy into an architecture shaped by movement, light, and stillness. Rather than asserting itself as an object, the building recedes into the landscape, with a gently sloping green roof extending the public ground plane across the site. The primary organising geometry is a pure circle - which anchors the scheme symbolically and spatially, allowing programmes to radiate outward from a singular spiritual core.

The jury noted the clarity and restraint of the sectional strategy. A continuous descending ramp draws visitors gradually inward, functioning as a spatial ritual in which sound is softened, light is controlled, and movement is slowed. At the heart of the project, a circular, domed meditation hall is embedded within the earth and illuminated by a single oculus. The jury appreciated the intentionality of the scheme which sought to translate inner awareness into collective engagement in a poetic and controlled manner.