Kampung Admiralty, designed by WOHA, has won the prestigious World Building of the Year 2018 award at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Amsterdam. The mixed-use building is “Singapore’s first integrated, public development that brings together a mix of public facilities and services under one roof” – as the architects explain.
Kampung Admiralty
The one-stop integrated complex maximises land use and is a prototype for meeting the needs of Singapore’s aging population. Located on a tight 0.9Ha site with a height limit of 45m, the scheme builds upon a layered ‘club sandwich’ approach, with a range of commercial, residential and health space, amid amenities and community services, topped by extensive green terraces adorning various elevated spaces.
This is the third time that a project from Singapore has claimed the top prize at the ‘Oscars of Architecture’, following Cooled Conservatories at Gardens by the Bay, designed by Wilkinson Eyre, Grant Associates, Atelier One and Atelier Ten winning in 2012; and The Interlace by OMA and Buro Ole Scheeren winning in 2015.
Paul Finch, programme director of the World Architecture Festival commented: “The judges admired the project for the way in which it dealt with the universal condition of longevity and health treatments, social housing provision, and commercial space, which enabled substantial public realm benefits. This hybrid building also incorporates a huge amount of greenery (more than 100% of its footprint) in a series of layered levels which have generated welcome biodiversity.”
The winner was selected by a ‘super-jury’ of four representatives of the global architectural community – comprising Li Xiadong (founder and professor – School of Architecture, Li Xiadong & Atelier Tsinghua); Nathalie de Vries (director and co-founder – MVRDV); Frederick Cooper Llosa (founder and senior partner – COOPER, GRANA, NICOLINI, Arquitectos) and Lesley Lokko (head of graduate school of architecture – University of Johannesburg).