She counts success in her career as being able to convince fearful clients to consider alternative design approaches and when she witnesses her work striking an emotional connection with people. But this does not come easy. “Practicing architecture can feel like we are beating our head against a brick wall sometimes, pun intended,” she shares, on the roadblocks to successful design. 

“I used to be bothered by them, especially at the initial phase of my own practice. But moving forward, I decided that I had to change my mindset to maintain some healthy level of optimism,” Lim shares. Now, she reminds herself that setbacks are part and parcel of achieving experimental work.    

On advice to younger architects, she says to try to truly understand the value that design quality brings not only to individual clients but also to the common man. “In short, you have to search for a strong reason why you are in this field, how to find meaning in the work you do, and discover what you are advocating for in the built environment,” she says. “That is the fuel that can sustain you in this industry.” 

Aside from materials and form, architect Christina Thean feels that the intangible aspects of architecture—elements that can inspire “unexpected delight”—are equally important. “One of the greatest things you can achieve in architecture is to have your spaces engage with and impact users on an emotional level, to instil that sense of wonder and joy that goes beyond practicality and aesthetics.” This comes across in many of her works for the firm where she has worked for 22 years since graduating from the University of Adelaide. 

Noteworthy projects include the reimagining of a tile shop, Hafary Gallery, into an immersive journey lined with elements of fantasy and surrealism, as well as a bevy of houses that feature striking architecture and interesting ways of dealing with issues such as multi-generational living. The job suits her well, as Thean relishes in the intense pressure of a creative studio environment: “the type that leads to deep focus, creativity and innovative ideas. That drives and energises me.” 

Her design ethos aligns with the firm’s belief that architecture is a partnership. “Architects often get labelled as having big egos. I am a firm believer that good design is a collaboration with your client and various stakeholders, as opposed to something you impose onto others.”

She also extols architecture’s ability to empower the people around us—be it the users of the spaces or colleagues in the design industry—but advocates a sense of humility to encourage fellow architects to question and re-examine conventions, and learn from their work and experience in order to raise the bar across the industry.    

One of the ways to become a better architect is to broaden one’s perspectives so that he or she can come up with non-traditional ideas and approaches. “So read and explore widely. Architecture is not just about [buildings] but also about society, history, and culture,” she advises younger architects. Perseverance and learning how to manage expectations are also good traits to hone, as the difficulties are many; these can range from stressful deadlines to the realities of working in a male-dominated industry.  

As one of the founding directors of Spark Architects, Lim Wenhui has been responsible for the conception of many of the firm’s award-winning projects, such as the Starhill Gallery in Kuala Lumpur and CapitaLand’s Raffles City Ningbo in China. Her optimistic approach to architecture is palpable in the projects’ dynamic forms and liberal use of colour. “It involves bringing the elements of art, graphic design, film and other creative disciplines that I enjoy and love into the spaces that I create, regardless of their scale and program,” she says. 

She particularly finds working on urban regeneration and retrofitting projects fulfilling – be it a pedestrian bridge in a riverfront regeneration project in Shanghai, the conversion of a residential home in Project Moving House, or the retrofit of GR.ID Singapore (the former Paradiz Centre and PoMo Mall in Selegie) into an energising youth hub with an attractive orange facade.  

Lim credits leaders who recognised her contributions and constantly challenged her to handle difficult situations that make her who she is now. Over the years, she has also learned that making mistakes is not a bad thing. “While I made embarrassing mistakes, both inside and outside the firm, I now realise they were necessary for my growth. Empathy for my leaders and maintaining a positive mind set for mutual support helped me move on,” she contemplates.

As with many who forge untested paths, Lim’s path to success was riled with self-doubt. “The biggest obstacle I had to overcome was myself. I have struggled to conform to how things were supposed to be done according to everyone else’s and held back from expressing myself. Imposter syndrome was a significant hurdle to overcome, but I recently learned that we are lifelong students and that not knowing everything does not make me an imposter. Architecture is a collaborative effort, and mutual support is essential.”

Success to her is not defined by wealth but by the freedom of self-expression. “As architects and designers, we often find ourselves in positions where we feel we have little or no choice. Making the decision to step out of those limiting beliefs can be liberating, and lead to greater personal and professional growth.”

Wu Yen Yen enjoys architecture for its combination of creativity and analytical thinking. “Design is a multi-modal approach to cognition, visual interest, tactility, and the sensorial. I enjoy the comprehensiveness of these engagements, which, to me, represents a microcosm of all things that are important in life and means never a dull moment.”

Aside from running her own practice, Wu is also the second vice president of the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA), serving to represent the local architectural fraternity’s interests and improving the standards of local architecture in various ways. Wu’s interesting ways of interpreting tropical dwellings and components reflect her ethos that “invention and innovation through design are necessary to express individuality, different ways of living and how to live well.” 

An example that embodies this is a residence for multi-generational living, where a specific way of space planning results in several living typologies—a flat living space for the grandmother, double-storey loft spaces for children, and a living-dining space nestled among the trees—all within one plot of land. 

On what defines success for her, Wu cites having her past clients return for recurring collaboration. She also appreciates the opportunity to have worked on heritage projects, where storytelling becomes a powerful tool to create public memories. 

Wu admits that setting up and running a practice as a female architect and sole founding director is not a walk in the park. “I am often the only representative of that demographic in a room of decision-makers and even peers. There are very few female principal architects setting up their own practice. I have benefitted from champions who believed I could deliver what I said I could, and so I work hard to prove myself and them right,” she says.

On advice for younger architects, she says, “be authentic to yourself and to others. As there is no one ‘correct’ type of architect, the pursuit of authenticity and expending effort to be good at what one does will be a quality that is palpable to everyone. There are different kinds of architects: some are luxury designers, some excel at complex infrastructures, and some are experimental while others are great at interpreting commercial requirements. Run your own race.” 

For Gwen Tan, practicing architecture not only allows her to combine her interest in both the arts and sciences. “Architecture also enables you to look at the world through a whole new lens and enables me to create a positive impact in the built environment,” she says.

She joined Formwerkz Architects in 2004 as one of four partners, another of whom is her husband Berlin Lee. In 2015, she started Studio iF to focus on residential and hospitality interior projects and in 2017, joined The Afternaut, which is an arm of Formwerkz Architects working with emerging disciplines. Tan, who was one of the youngest to be selected for ’20 under 45’: The Next Generation by AUDE (Architecture and Urban Design Excellence) in 2010, is also a mother. 

Architecture is a tough profession, regardless of gender. But she admits it is particularly challenging for women. “In the male-dominant construction industry where a woman needs to play a leading role, one needs to be mentally strong, clear-headed and be prepared to put in extra hard work to earn that respect. It is important to arm yourself with humility and to know there’s always something you can learn, even in mistakes and no matter how experienced you are,” she contemplates. 

In fact, projects with the toughest challenges have pushed her to produce some of her most innovative and interesting projects. One of these is the design of the interiors of a luxury superyacht built from scratch in the UK. Others include the first house she worked on with Formwerkz, the Alleyway House that won many awards for approaching tropical design in an original way, an award-winning spa in the park—the first of its kind in Singapore then—the interpretation of a Chinese siheyuan (courtyard house) in Beijing, as well as her own home, which received the Building of the Year Award in 2016 at the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) Architectural Design Awards.

“I see success as not just something for myself, but also defined through positive impact to the clients and users,” she says. “The architect has the ability to weave in new meanings and ways to touch the lives of the people the buildings are created for. I believe we should always build with the future in mind, be it at home or a public space.”