In Depth

Rewriting the narrative

While he is no architect, Ee Soon Wei is no stranger to the practice of adaptive reuse. In 2012, the 36-year-old spearheaded the transformation of The Royal Press, his family’s printing press business in Melaka, in a bid to preserve the family legacy and revive the dying art of the letterpress.

The case for adaptive reuse

Standing at the corner of Leith Street in George Town, Penang is the iconic indigo blue-walled Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion.

The homes of tomorrow

Imagine living in a neighbourhood that generates its own electricity, where public areas have 24-hour camera surveillance and residents are encouraged to get around by electric car-sharing services provided by the township.

Designing for wellness

WHAT do hospitals of the future look like? Drawing from his experience of designing the award-winning Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) in Yishun, Singapore, Jerry Ong, senior vice-president of architecture of the healthcare division at Singapore-based CPG Consultants, envisions hospitals as “centres of wellness for everyone” instead of “repair shops to treat sick patients”.

Looming challenges in property development

Technology, low birth rates and an aging population are among the trends that will disrupt or affect the property development industry in the future, according to Varangkana Artkarasatapon, vice-president of business development and new business (high-rise) of Sansiri Public Company Ltd (Thailand) — one of Thailand’s most prominent luxury property developers.

Understanding people to predict trends

TA Global Bhd, as its name suggests, has a global presence as a property developer with projects in various countries including Malaysia, Australia and Canada.

Building with purpose

When thinking about architectural design and ecosystems of the future, Japanese architect Paul Tange and his colleagues at Tange Associates constantly challenge themselves with this question —“How do we create a comfortable environment for people?”

A value proposition

Location and convenience may be a top priority for property buyers as they shop for a new home, but value is key to the future of the property market.