Kampung Admiralty: Reimagining the traditional kampung
Pearl Chee, director at WOHA, the architect behind the award-winning Kampung Admiralty project, explains how the project has impacted Singapore’s unique public housing culture.
By Pearl Chee -
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The elevation view of Kampung Admiralty shows a tiered garden. Photo: Darren Soh
Pearl CheeDirector, WOHA Architects
Kampung Admiralty is an excellent example of a mixed-use development. It’s not just a place for seniors, but it has also invigorated the whole community through its amenities, and won accolades from locals and international organisations since its completion in 2018.
The design takes on a unique club sandwich approach by layering different programmes on top of each other. With this approach, Kampung Admiralty encompasses a variety of programmes within one building, including 104 flats for the elderly, a medical centre, a senior care facility, a preschool, retail outlets, and a 900-seat hawker centre.
HDB has already announced more projects similar to Kampung Admiralty for other parts of Singapore.
The development is a great example of how land can be used efficiently while providing a high quality of life for people and retaining space for nature and greenery.
Residents, businesses and users of the building have given us very positive feedback. Kampung Admiralty is a community that encourages its residents to lead healthy and active lives.
Since it caters to people of all ages, it draws people from all over the neighbourhood to run errands and bond. Students even come to the rooftop park to do their homework and enjoy being outside.
It is also gratifying to see how much the seniors have embraced living in the greenery - they enjoy tending to the plants, especially edible varieties. They have also started keeping plants in and around their apartments.
Kampung Admiralty is an excellent case study of how we can break out of the mould and create spaces that are biophilic and human-centred.
We hope to see many more friendly, biophilic community- focused public spaces in Singapore in the future.
Everyone deserves good design, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status. Those who live in a nicely designed space will feel at home and take good care
of it. Our society as a whole benefits from this.
Pearl Chee led the Kampung Admiralty project that won World Building of the Year at World Architecture Festival 2018 and Design of the Year at the President’s Design Award 2020. Visit www.woha.net and pda.designsingapore.org for more information.