Singapore Architect

This submission proposed a bold reimagining of the cultural centre as a terraced architectural landscape. Drawing inspiration from the spatial logic of the Indian stepwell and garden traditions, the scheme organises programmes through a deliberate choreography of stepping up and stepping down, where enclosed rooms, courtyards, and generous stairways emerge as a continuous sequence of spatial thresholds. This stepped terrain embeds cultural, educational, and contemplative functions within a layered garden environment, producing a highly legible and experientially rich journey from arrival to inner spaces.

The jury recognised the project’s conceptual confidence and willingness to depart from conventional typologies. A clear geometric ordering system and strong primary axis provide orientation and calm, while the interweaving of landscape and architecture brings daylight and ventilation deep into the building. Communal roof gardens and courtyards operate simultaneously as social spaces and environmental moderators. While ambitious in its spatial proposition, the scheme demonstrates a rigorous underlying structure that supports its complexity, offering a distinctive and forward-looking interpretation of how landscape and architecture can be synthesised into a culturally resonant whole.