Cover The three Architects on the Rise with Hafary directors
The three Architects on the Rise with Hafary directors
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In Collaboration With
Young Architects League, Hafary, Surface Project and Surface Stone
Organised in collaboration with the Young Architects League, Surface Project, and Surface Stone, we celebrate three young architects with robust residential portfolios at an awards soirée hosted at the Hafary Gallery
The Tatler Homes Design Awards 2024 crowned 14 Singaporean winners earlier this year at a gala themed “Green by Design” at the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore. The awards programme continues with the Architects on the Rise initiative.
In partnership with the Young Architects’ League—Singapore Institute of Architects’ (SIA) young architect platform, Surface Project, and Surface Stone, Architects on the Rise honours three architects who are SIA members under the age of 40 with notable residential portfolios. This initiative aims to recognise young architects for their contributions to Singapore’s exceptional residential sector.
A jury panel comprising esteemed architects Randy Chan (founder of Zarch Collaboratives), Guz Wilkinson (founder of Guz Architects), and Wong Ker How (founding partner of Asolidplan), along with Asih Jenie, Tatler Homes Singapore editor, deliberated on the entries collected by the Young Architects League. They selected the awardees based on aesthetic excellence, innovation in design, and functionality of their residential projects.
“It’s always good to give young architects a chance at some early form of recognition,” comments Wilkinson. “Especially if it helps with their professional networking,” he adds, noting that publication and word of mouth are effective ways to gain leads for residential projects in Singapore.
“The submissions for this inaugural award met strict criteria and showcased commendable quality. Each young architect demonstrated a strong foundation in design skills, often reflecting a clear lineage to their mentoring firms,” says Wong. “Among the winners, a notable consistency was evident in their works, a remarkable achievement considering their early career stages. The clarity of design intent in their spatial compositions promises a sustainable and impactful future.”
The three winners take home a specially designed trophy made from offcut natural stones from Hafary, in line with Tatler Homes Design Awards’ sustainability-focused “Green by Design” theme. They also each get a beautiful shophouse artwork by artist Deborah McKellar, founder of Talking Textiles.
Here are the three Architects on the Rise, in alphabetical order:
Ar Christopher Chow
Principal Architect of HEI Architects
Above Architect Christopher Chow
Architect Christopher Chow
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Christopher Chow is passionate about beautiful proportions, natural palettes, and tactile details. He prides himself on creating well-designed spaces through collaboration with his team and clients. Chow’s portfolio spans the full building cycle, with experience in residential housing, sports facilities, mixed developments, and intimate interiors for both residential and commercial spaces. He founded HEI Architects in late 2019.
Don’t miss: SIA Architectural Design Awards 2023: 7 Singapore architecture firms to know
A view of the exterior of the Lantern House by Christopher Chow of Hei Architects
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The Lantern House
This project explores the interlocking of volumes housing private spaces. Living areas are strategically carved out in response to the surrounding context and vistas. An elevated ground plane moderates the house’s scale and establishes zones of differing privacy levels. The elevated garden, cocooned by a screen providing privacy and filtering natural light and breezes, forms the centrepiece, offering a tranquil shelter and comfortable microclimate. Natural materials of varying textures add depth to the spatial articulation.
The layered wooden ‘amphitheatre’ steps
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Bournemouth House
Commissioned to revitalise a 20-year-old semi-detached house, this project radically reconfigures the ground floor layout to create a seamless flow from living areas to the front porch via mini ‘amphitheatre’ steps, ideal for hosting large gatherings. Exterior updates include simplifying the façade, recladding the roof, and using glazing to achieve a minimalist aesthetic. The interiors explore warm and dark ambiences, refined joinery details, and natural materials for balanced visual and tactile interest.
The living room incorporates cove lighting to elevate the ambience
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Balmoral Loft
An archetypal bachelor pad, this loft apartment epitomises sleek, streamlined design with sculptural elements. A dark colour palette, paired with a variety of materials like handmade brick, dark stone, and wood veneers, creates a refined yet raw masculine look. Innovative hidden storage solutions within the bespoke staircase maintain a neat, swanky living space, facilitating ease of hosting.
The use of sliding doors to maximise space within a 550 sq ft apartment
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‘Bigger Than’ House
This project demonstrates how design can enhance a compact home’s functionality, making it feel twice its size. Movable walls and pocket doors reconfigure the interior of this 550 sq ft apartment, transitioning between an open-plan living space and partitioned sanctums. Every inch is meticulously planned, incorporating space-saving features like a concealed Murphy bed/sofa, flip-down dining table, and study/vanity nooks.
Ar Nicholas Shane Oen Gomes
Director at HYLA Architects
Above Architect Nicholas Shane Oen Gomes
Architect Nicholas Shane Oen Gomes
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Gomes’ passion for architecture was sparked by chance. He believes good design should be simple, honest, and sensuous. Beyond architecture, he enjoys reading and experiencing new cultures.
Read more: Home tour: A minimalist Singapore house with amazing treetop views
The facade of the home
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Vanda Crescent
This house uses a cloister typology to provide a private outdoor courtyard for the living area. A tower block ringed by a single-storey structure creates a unique frontage, offering a refreshing alternative to typical housing forms in Singapore.
The facade of the Coronation Walk house
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Coronation Walk
This bungalow, flanked by built-up neighbours on three sides and fronting a canal, elevates its living areas to the second level, designed like a grand room in the villa tradition. A courtyard opposite offers privacy, light, and greenery.
View of the pool deck
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Tan Kim Cheng Road
This three-storey bungalow, with an archetypal hip-roofed form, steps back as it ascends, with deep recesses, verdant terraces, and aluminium shutters creating views and privacy. It’s a blend of tradition and tropical modernity.
Porous partition provides privacy and limited visual connection
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Goldhill View
Utilising screens and verandas, this project addresses heat and glare while maximising views. An intricate egg-crate screen crafted from aluminium plates allows maximum views and forms the dual-frontage bungalow’s face.
A view of the staircase of the house
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Greenfield Drive
Facing a public park, this project raises the main living area to the second level. A swimming pool becomes the intermediate space between the house and the park, with the double-volume living and dining room pulled back for privacy and unobstructed views of tree canopies.
Ar Zeeson Teoh Sau Wei
Partner at Red Bean Architects
Above Architect Zeeson Teoh Sau Wei
Architect Zeeson Teoh Sau Wei
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Zeeson Teoh Sau Wei is passionate about form exploration, building typologies, and material experimentation. Registered with the Singapore Board of Architects, he works in both architecture and interior design, managing projects from private residences to commercial and institutional buildings.
He earned his BA and Master’s in Architecture with distinction from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, where he was shortlisted for prestigious graduate prizes. Teoh believes design is a continuous dialogue between artistry and context, dedicating rigorous effort to each project to deliver thoughtful, well-crafted designs.
In case you missed it: SIA Architectural Design Awards 2023: 7 Singapore architecture firms to know
House X by Zeeson Teoh Sau Wei from Red Bean Architects LLP
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House X
House X sits atop a hill on a 25,000 sqft sloping site. The house is planned around two levels: the higher entrance level with breathtaking views and the lower level spilling out to terraces and gardens. Natural materials create an atmosphere of tranquillity and permanence.
Zeeson Teoh Sau Wei’s work on Crane House under Red Bean Architects LLP
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Crane House
Inspired by origami, Crane House integrates folded planes into its design. The façade, finished with terracotta tiles and off-form concrete, creates a rich interplay of texture and warmth. Elevating the floor by a metre at the rear unifies the first storey, creating expansive living and dining areas.
Framing the exterior of Red Bean Architects LLP’s Frame House, designed by Zeeson Teoh Sau Wei
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Frame House
Oriented towards the west, Frame House features a layered façade with recesses and greenery to shield from the afternoon sun. A breeze block wall ensures privacy for the living room facing the main road, while a lofty entrance space promotes natural ventilation.
The living area of Curtain Wall House, designed by Zeeson Teoh Sau Wei from Red Bean Architects LLP
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Curtain Wall House
This A&A project adds a new attic storey for entertainment, with a lightweight glass structure minimising the load on the existing building. A detailed curtain wall glass façade with double-glazed windows mitigates heat gain, while motorised curtains provide additional shading and privacy.
An intimate ambience characterises Sixty Casa, designed by Zeeson Teoh Sau Wei from Red Bean Architects LLP
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Sixty Casa
Sixty Casa harmonises with nature within a high-rise condominium. The design maximises natural ventilation, optimises sunlight, and creates open spaces for a semi-outdoor experience, blending internal and external spaces to reflect eco-conscious ideals.
Credits
Images: Courtesy of respective firms
