Surbana Jurong bags a total of eight awards in the recent HDB and SLA Awards!
HDB Awards
Surbana Jurong (SJ) has received two awards in this year’s Housing & Development Board (HDB) Awards under the Completed Projects (Housing) category. Held annually in Singapore, the HDB Awards are presented to architectural consultants and building contractors for projects which have demonstrated excellent design, quality and innovative construction.
The award-winning projects are:
Kallang Trivista – Certificate of Merit, Design
Keat Hong Pride – Certificate of Merit, Design
Award-winning projects: Kallang Trivista (top) and Keat Hong Pride (bottom).
Kallang Trivista capitalises on the panoramic river views with blocks configured to optimise views of Kallang River and the Marina skyline. Residents enjoy generous provisions and planning of amenities and community spaces catering to all age groups, as well as seamless connectivity between blocks, surrounding amenities, park connector network and external public transport nodes through accessible pathways at ground level.
Flanked by a neighbourhood park and a park connector along its eastern and southern edges, Keat Hong Pride features lush greenery, so residents can enjoy green links to nature outdoors. A central feature of this project is the vast roof garden above the car park, which houses a myriad of outdoor facilities such as playgrounds, precinct pavilions, shelters and fitness corners.
The awards were presented to winners on 6 September.
Singapore Land Architecture Awards
Surbana Jurong picked up six awards at this year’s Singapore Landscape Architecture Awards
Surbana Jurong won six awards in this year’s Singapore Landscape Architecture Awards. Organised by the Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects, the biennial Awards aim to honour the best landscape architects and promote landscape design in various design disciplines.
The award-winning projects are:
Project Name
Category
Award Received
Waterway Ridges @ Punggol
Residential
Outstanding Award of Excellence
One Canberra
Residential
Merit
Skies Miltonia
Residential
Merit
Singapore University of Technology & Design
Institution
Silver
SAFRA Punggol
Institution
Merit
Marine Cove @ East Coast Park
Parks and Public Spaces
Merit
The awards were presented to winners on 8 September.
Locating multi-storey fish farms on rooftops, in parks or even under viaducts could become a reality if infrastructure consultancy Surbana Jurong has its way. It has come up with a vertical system that needs less space than traditional farms, but can produce several times the amount of fish. Click here to read more
Elevated visitor / community spaces suspended above the integral blue-green spaces
Singapore, 4 September 2017 – Imagine rearing edible fish in farms dotted around the urban environment such as in parks, unused rooftops and other community spaces. This may become a reality soon. Surbana Jurong (SJ) has developed a high-intensity vertical farming concept, Floating Ponds, that can be applied to fish, vegetable or other agricultural products.
The proposed modular and scalable Floating Ponds comprises vertically stacked fish raceways to maximise production capacity of the available space. Such a concept means farms can be commercially productive even within limited land area and thus help ensure food security in land-scarce countries such as Singapore.
Make use of any available urban space
Being modular and scalable, Floating Ponds can be built and can function within any urban space available, ranging from a park space, to un-used roof space as well as community spaces within larger commercial developments. Having the entire fish farm ecosystem within the city will bring food production and processing closer to the residents and encourage them to take a proactive role in productive farming.
Done on a large-enough scale, vertical farming could significantly contribute to Singapore’s food requirement and enhance its food security.
Self-sustainable, closed-loop farm system
Floating Ponds is designed to be self-sustainable through a closed-loop ecosystem where the exchange and flow of water, nutrients and energy are integrated. This means that waste from one unit becomes input for another, reducing wastage and creating by-products of value. The spatial design and architecture of the farm works towards enabling these exchanges. The farm will also comprise a cold warehouse, processing and packing room, offices and R&D laboratories, integrating all farm processes into a singular facility. (Please refer to appended factsheet.)
Apollo Aquaculture Group’s three-storey fish farm prototype
SJ is ready to implement the Floating Ponds concept with partner Apollo Aquaculture Group (AAG). AAG successfully prototyped a three-storey fish farm using their closed-system water reticulation technology. The prototype currently holds about 100,000 fish and fry. SJ’s Floating Ponds concept can increase this to six storeys or more and potentially yield almost 5,000 tonnes of food-fish per year when in full operation.
This is six times more than conventional fish farm using the same amount of space.
“Surbana Jurong believes that innovative design and technology can play a significant role in agriculture and high-tech farming in land-scare Singapore. We are happy to partner Apollo Aquaculture Group in developing Floating Ponds, a concept that enables rapidly expanding high-density cities to build food resilience through creative and innovative usage of spaces. With such a vertical farming concept, Floating Ponds can maximise use of land and help make a small pocket of urban space significantly productive, enhance the surrounding ecology and generate a vibrant community hub with farming activities,” Mr Wong Heang Fine, Group CEO of Surbana Jurong said.
“The farming sector is vibrant in Singapore, but there are obvious space constraints here. We need to break away from the conventional mould and advocate new ways of farming. We are delighted to collaborate with Surbana Jurong in developing Floating Ponds and look forward to modernising fish farming and bringing the aquaculture industry to new heights,” Mr Eric Ng, Group CEO of Apollo Aquaculture Group said.
Surbana Jurong Private Limited (SJ) is one of the largest Asia-based urban, industrial and infrastructure consulting firms. Leveraging technology and creativity, SJ provides one-stop consultancy solutions across the entire value chain of the urbanisation, industrialisation and infrastructure domains.
Headquartered in Singapore, the SJ Group has a global workforce of 13,000 employees in 113 offices across 44 countries in Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas, and an annual turnover of around S$1.3 billion.
SJ has a track record of over 50 years, and has built more than a million homes in Singapore, crafted master plans for more than 30 countries and developed over 50 industrial parks globally.
SJ’s motto ‘Building Cities, Shaping Lives’ reflects its belief that development is more than just steel and concrete. SJ creates spaces and infrastructure services where people live, work and play, shaping cities into homes with sustainable jobs where communities and businesses can flourish.
WDR simulation indicates the extent of inundation of any open space due to rain droplets carried by the wind. The red areas of Woodlands Health Campus are inundated by wind-driven rain, thus design solutions to counter this would be necessary
Do you sometimes forget to close the windows at home and after a sudden downpour, you find parts of your apartment ruined by rain? This is an example of Wind-Driven Rain (WDR), an important environmental factor that can significantly affect the durability of buildings.
The Sustainability team has developed its capabilities in WDR simulation, enabling it to demonstrate the effects of rain, carried by wind, into interior spaces that are either naturally-ventilated or with openings. Having successfully performed WDR simulation at the Woodlands Health Campus and Jurong Regional Line MRT Stations, SJ is currently working with the Institute of High Performance Computing to develop more advanced algorithms to further upgrade its capabilities.
The Sustainability team will extend its WDR simulation capabilities as part of its suite of services for Singapore projects. WDR simulation currently is a bonus for Green Mark version 5, (a green rating system from Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority to evaluate a building for its environmental performance and design) but as more and more projects achieve Green Mark Platinum, it could well be a prerequisite requirement in future. WDR is already compulsory for all upcoming Ministry of Health projects.
Tan Szue Hann, Head of Sustainability, said, “This will also be a value-add to significant projects. We are also looking at algorithms that can apply for countries outside of Singapore, based on their climate and wind data. Our team’s in-house understanding of the architectural and engineering needs of the projects will cut down a lot of back-and-forth work. And while our projects have been buildings, this can be performed for overland infrastructure projects as well.”
The WDR simulations taskforce in the Sustainability team is driven by Rajesh Balachander, Praveen Hassan and Amanda Yeo.
Kang Mi (far right) feels lucky to have a team of supportive colleagues
In Part Two of this feature, we catch up with Kang Mi, an engineer from SJ. She had just completed her Master of Science (Geotechnical Engineering) programme at the National University of Singapore and was awarded the prestigious L & M Geotechnic Medal and Book Prize, as the best graduate student in her class. Let’s see how Kang Mi juggle both work and studies.
Q1. Congratulations on winning the L & M Geotechnic Medal and Book Prize! How does it feel?
Kang Mi: I feel a strong sense of achievement! I am very grateful to my professors, my supervisor and colleagues, as I could not have obtained the award or even made it through the course, without their help and support.
Q2. What were some of the challenges you faced during your Master’s programme?
Kang Mi: It was quite tough pursuing this course, since I needed to find some balance between studies and work. During these two years, I had to work during daytime and go for classes at night. Most of my weekends were spent on finishing assignments and module projects.
Q3. How do you feel about your work at SJ? What is the one thing you like most about your job?
Kang Mi: I feel the work at SJ is very enriching. I joined SJ as a fresh graduate and since then, I have gained a lot of skills, practical experiences and professional knowledge from this job! The one thing I like most about my work is my colleagues. We share, and they guide me along on the job. I also have a good supervisor, who has provided me extensive guidance and help. My department head is also very supportive of professional training and upgrading.
Q4. Please share with us something outside work. What are your likes and dislikes?
Kang Mi: I enjoy swimming, reading novels and discovering nice food. As for my main dislikes, it will be noisy places.
Kang Mi, Engineer, Civil and Structural Engineering Division
Aik Loong (right), with Aaron Foong (centre), KTP Director and Gan Jinn Hao, at the BCA Design Safety and Awards event, for the award-winning Scotts Tower project
It is never easy to juggle both work and studies, but that is precisely what two of our engineers have done, for the past two years. On top of this, they have excelled in their course, passing the exams with flying colours. In this two-part feature, we showcase some of our best and brightest talents in the Surbana Jurong (SJ) family. They are Chew Aik Loong and Kang Mi, who have just completed their Masters programme, at the National University of Singapore.
In Part One of this feature, we catch up with Aik Loong, Principal Engineer from KTP Consultants, who graduated top of his class with the T Y Lin Medal and Book Prize award, as the best graduate student in structural engineering. He was on the BCA-KTP Postgraduate Sponsorship programme for the Master of Science (Civil Engineering) course.
Q1. Could you please provide a quick overview of your role at KTP Consultants?
Aik Loong: My role is that of a civil and structural engineer. My main responsibilities include the running and delivering of a project, coordinating with the various parties to ensure the deliverables are met on time, and civil and structural design work. I have worked at KTP for about five and a half years.
Q2. Congratulations on topping your class and winning the T Y Lin Medal and Book Prize Award! How does it feel?
Aik Loong: I feel happy and satisfied! I recall there are times when people told me that we do not really need to be too “serious” in post-graduate studies, as academic results are no longer relevant to us (since we are already working). However, to me, embarking on post-graduate studies was more like an opportunity to upgrade my skills and knowledge, rather than to strive for academic excellence.
Q3. Was it tough juggling both work and studies?
Aik Loong: There were challenges, especially whenever there was a heavy assignment workload. During the not-so-busy period of my studies, I would try to work overtime at the office a little more, to clear all my tasks. Hence, when the busy academic period started, I would have a lesser workload at the office. Aside from that, I am also lucky and am grateful, to have the understanding and support of both my reporting supervisor and colleagues.
Q4. How do you feel about your work at KTP? What is the one thing you most like about your job?
Aik Loong: For the five and a half years that I have been with KTP, I feel absolutely happy and blessed. I like my job; I have a sense of satisfaction and pride whenever a project is completed, especially those challenging ones. I also feel happy, as I can play a part in building cities and shaping lives.
Q5. How are your colleagues and bosses?
Aik Loong: My boss, Aaron Foong, typically ask us not to address him as “boss”! So I guess I will just address him as a reporting supervisor instead. He is a knowledgeable leader and a good mentor. I feel thankful and am indebted to him, for the mentorship and opportunities provided in my career path. I also have a team of colleagues, who are friendly, understanding and knowledgeable.
Q6. How do you handle stress at work?
Aik Loong: For me, I believe sports help me to release stress. I love swimming and badminton. I particularly like the state of being mentally free when I am swimming. I enjoy concentrating on my overall body’s movement and breathing rhythm, to just swim in the pool, without anything on my mind. To me, this is a kind of meditation, allowing my mind to relax and recharge.
Q7. Please share with us something outside work, such as your likes and dislikes. Any hobbies?
Aik Loong: I like to travel, and indulge in good food, like KFC. I normally hunt for good hawker food during weekends; one of my favourites is the seafood stall at Newton Circus.
I also enjoy surfing the net. My hobbies are badminton and swimming. After work and during weekends, I like to indulge in some sporting activities, surf online and watch TV.
Q8. Any favourite movie and book? And what is your dream holiday destination?
Aik Loong: I seldom watch movies. But a movie that immediately comes to mind, which could be my favourite, is Queen of Katwe. This is a biographical film about the life of Phiona Mutesi, a Ugandan girl living in a slum in Katwe, who participated at the World Chess Olympiads. I actually caught this movie on a plane. It is a very inspirational movie, so you should watch it one day! As for books, I love reading but due to my tight schedule, I have not read any for some time. Currently, I do not have any favourite book in mind.
As for my dream holiday destination, I would like to visit Italy one day, and have a tour of Florence, Venice, Rome and the Vatican City. This is because, I am a big fan of Dan Brown, who wrote Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code. His books have inspired me to visit Italy!
Q9. One last question. Could you please share with our readers your life mantra or favourite quote?
Aik Loong: It is a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
Mr Yeo Choon Chong (right), Deputy CEO of Urban Development 1, receives a token of appreciation from Dr Djeng Shih Kien, Chairman of Singapore Institute of Advanced Medicine Holdings, at the groundbreaking ceremony
Surbana Jurong’s (SJ) Healthcare and Life Sciences team from Urban Development 1, Singapore, recently celebrated a project milestone with the groundbreaking ceremony of Singapore Institute of Advanced Medicine Holdings’ (SAM) new oncology centre. Based in Biopolis, the international biomedical research hub of Singapore, the new Advanced Medicine Oncology Centre will provide world-class imaging, treatment delivery and clinical informatics technologies. The new centre will be a significant step taken to address the region’s fast-growing number of people confronted with cancer.
Revit 3-D view of the compact proton therapy facility, nested into an existing building
Upon completion, the oncology centre will be the first in Singapore to offer non-invasive cancer radiation treatment, such as proton therapy. Through proton therapy (a type of radiation treatment that uses protons or positively charged particles), patients will be able to receive painless radiation treatment through the skin from a machine outside the body. Hence, the centre is an important development in Singapore’s healthcare sector, which is set to benefit thousands of patients in the future.
SJ is providing multidisciplinary consultancy services for this project, including architecture, civil and structural, mechanical and engineering, quantity surveying, as well as project management. The project is targeted for completion by December 2018.
The challenges faced by the SJ team are in the planning and design of the extremely compact proton therapy equipment facilities. In addition, the team must also work together with both the equipment vendor and the contractors, to plan and design the move-in path for the heavy and sensitive equipment. Equally challenging is the design and construction of the heavy radiation shielding bunker, to be incorporated into an existing building that had no prior structural provisions.
Singapore’s first World Heritage Site, the Botanic Gardens, unveiled at the event
What do Surbana Jurong (SJ) and LEGO users have in common? You guessed it; both create, requiring a certain level of innovation. Like SJ, more sophisticated LEGO creations also entail planning and design expertise.
That is why SJ is partnering with UNESCO and LEGO to bring the Piece of Peace World Tour to Singapore. The world tour, originated from Japan in 2003, is a UNESCO World Heritage art exhibition featuring creations built with LEGO bricks. In conjunction with the event, SJ is also joining hands with The Salvation Army to organise an outing for a group of underprivileged children to visit the exhibition.
An interesting exhibit at the Piece of Peace World Tour: the SJ logo, made of LEGO bricks.
The highlight of the present exhibition in Singapore is the 43 reconstructed UNESCO World Heritage Sites from 34 countries, of which nine are from ASEAN member states to commemorate its 50th anniversary. Exhibits on display include LEGO replicas of Heritage Sites, such as the Taj Mahal in India, the Great Wall of China, Sydney Opera House and Singapore’s very own Botanic Gardens (amongst many others). Singapore is the first ASEAN country to host the world tour, held from 27 July to 3 September at the Fort Canning Arts Centre.
The Piece of Peace World Tour was opened by Singapore’s Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Ms Grace Fu (right). The exhibition will run until 3 September at the Fort Canning Arts Centre, Singapore.
SJ is proud to be the first Gold Sponsor of the exhibition, as it is in line with the company’s philosophy of building for tomorrow, whilst respecting heritage and recognising the importance of creativity and design. SJ Group Chief Executive Officer, Wong Heang Fine said, “Surbana Jurong has been building cities and shaping lives for over 50 years locally and globally. The innovative buildings and cities of tomorrow which we design and engineered are very much like the many wondrous LEGO creations in this exhibition. We recognise the importance of nurturing creativity and respecting our heritage, and are therefore delighted to partner with LEGO in this inspiring event.”
According to organisers of the exhibition, the Piece of Peace World Tour was a charity project started to support UNESCO’s World Heritage activities as well as to promote peace, and has since attracted 2.9 million visitors.
Wong Heang Fine, group chief executive officer of Surbana Jurong Private Limited, is keeping a tight schedule, and it is not difficult to see why. Mr Wong is busy deploying the Singapore consultancy’s expertise in urban, industrial and infrastructure projects across the wold. In two years since the company was formed after the merger of Surbana Jurong has transformed into an industry giant. Click here to read more.
Artist’s impressions of the enhanced bus stops which will provide barrier-free accessibility for less mobile commuters and other improved features
Surbana Jurong has been awarded a contract by Singapore’s Land Transport Authority to provide architectural and engineering services to enhance the infrastructure of 415 existing bus stops countrywide.
The project includes creating barrier-free accessibility for less mobile commuters,the replacement of bus stops, safety bollards, seats, bus information panels, rain screen, drains, as well as the provision of green features, cycling paths and covered linkways to adjacent buildings.
The types of services provided are as follows:
Architecture
Civil and Structural
M&E
Traffic Scheme
“This project is challenging due to the large number of bus stops involved. Therefore, careful planning and allocation of manpower will be key to its successful and timely completion. We are glad to be able to contribute to the public transport system and hope to make daily commuting more pleasant for public transport users,” says Yong Wei Lee, Deputy Director, Architecture (Urban Development 1).
