WOHA is a Singaporean multinational architectural industrial design firm. First established in 1994 by Wong Mun Summ and Richard Hassell, its name is derived from the initial letters of the founders’ surnames. Based out of Singapore, the firm has built and designed dozens of projects throughout the Asia-Pacific , including residential towers, public housing estates, mass transit stations, hotels and cultural institutions.
31-630: The Float at Marina Bay , stylised as The Float@Marina Bay and also known as the Marina Bay Floating Platform , was a multi-purpose outdoor venue at the Downtown Core area of Marina Bay, Singapore . The venue consists of a 120 by 83 m (394 by 272 feet) steel platform in the Marina Reservoir , and a 27,000-seat grandstand along the shore. The floating platform can bear up to 1,070 tonnes , equivalent to
62-759: A building element. In 2007, they came to international attention when the Moulmein Rise Residential Building in Singapore was awarded the Aga Khan Award for Architecture , establishing their reputation as designers of sustainable, naturally ventilated skyscrapers for an urban tropical context. In addition to architectural practice, WOHA have also taught at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and both Hassell and Wong have lectured at universities around
93-424: A permanent venue known as NS Square —which will expand upon The Float with a capacity for 30,000 including a multi-purpose space for community activities, as well as a museum devoted to the national service of the country. Designed by the local WOHA Architects , demolition of The Float began in 2023, with completion of NS Square expected in 2027. As the former National Stadium at Kallang would be demolished to build
124-496: A publicly accessible park. Kampung Admiralty, the firm's most recent public housing project, is an integrated development that houses apartments for seniors, a rooftop park and urban farm, a medical center, child- and elder care, retail as well as food and beverage outlets under one roof. The project was named "World Building of the Year" at the 2018 World Architecture Festival. The scale of WOHA’s built and proposed housing projects
155-488: A similar floating structure but with more facilities and a museum devoted to the national service . It is slated to have a seating capacity of about 30,000. In the second quarter of 2020, it is estimated a design proposal will be chosen for implementation. The proposal is expected to include a field that can be converted into a performance area, a waterfront sports facility, and a space for common exercise consisting of an unenclosed hall and studio spaces. It will be designed by
186-697: Is held at the Padang (every five years beginning in 2010, and in 2019 for the bicentennial of the founding of modern Singapore), in 2016, when it was held at the new National Stadium , and in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The parade was last held on The Float in 2022, with its demolition beginning in March 2023. Downtown Core Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include
217-449: Is intended to respond to the population growth of Asian cities. It is also an outcome of Singapore’s constrained geographic area. Wong has stated that the goal of WOHA’s architecture is to create “comfortable garden suburb experience and then replicate it vertically through a megastructure for everyone to enjoy.” WOHA present their high-density housing designs as replicable models for urban development . However, critics have questioned
248-580: The National Day Parade (NDP). It formed part of the Marina Bay Street Circuit that hosts Formula One 's Singapore Grand Prix , and hosted the ceremonies of the inaugural 2010 Summer Youth Olympics . Since 2010, The Float has hosted the graduation parade for full-time National Servicemen who had completed their basic military training . The Float has also hosted New Year's Eve and Lunar New Year events. The Float
279-681: The 2010 International Highrise Award and 2011 RIBA Lubetkin Award. The building was characterized as an example of sustainable high-density development for tropical megacities. The RIBA jury noted that the building offered an alternative to glazed skyscrapers common in temperate climates and made clear “that an alternative strategy to the sleek air-conditioned box can work in the tropics and has implications everywhere.” WOHA have experimented with developing new types of green skyscraper. The Parkroyal on Pickering , completed in 2013, incorporates 15,000 square meters of elevated terraced gardens, which
310-746: The Marina Bay Floating Platform has hosted several major events, such the annual National Day Parade, New Year's Eve countdown event, 2010 Summer Youth Olympics and the FIA Formula One World Championship . The first major event that was held at the floating stadium is the National Day Parade in 2007. This was followed by the Singapore Fireworks Celebrations held on 17 and 18 August 2007. On 25 August 2007,
341-615: The NDP in the interim, it was determined by the government that the platform was a cost effective solution. In 2005, the organising committee worked with the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Singapore Sports Council on the design of the floating platform to be used for NDP and also other major events. In March 2006, Sembcorp Marine started construction of the floating platform after
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#1732783195883372-582: The New Year's fireworks at Marina Bay. From 2009 to 2015, the floating platform is used for countdown parties. In August 2010, The Float hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the inaugural 2010 Summer Youth Olympics . On 2 October 2010, the stadium became the first public venue for the graduation parade of the recruits from the Singapore Armed Forces Basic Military Training Centre . Previously,
403-486: The Singapore Sports Hub, a new venue for NDP was needed and it has to be in the central area of Singapore, it also decided to create a floating platform for the NDP and use Marina Bay as a venue. The floating platform would have the city skyline as a backdrop for the parade. As the new National Stadium and Singapore Sports Hub were planned to be constructed over eight years with the floating platform hosting
434-418: The architects refer to as “sky gardens”. The Oasia Hotel Downtown, completed in 2016, features a façade of aluminum mesh that supports 21 species of plants. The vertical landscaping of these structures is intended to reintroduce greenery to the built environment and encourage urban bio-diversity by attracting local birds and insects. The SkyVille @ Dawson public housing estate, completed in 2015, provided
465-492: The architects with an opportunity to realize many of their ideas about housing, which were first articulated with the Duxton Plains competition . According to the architects, SkyVille @ Dawson incorporates design strategies that are intended to promote community living. Communal terraces are provided every eleven stories in order to create groupings of 80 homes, referred to as “Sky Villages.” The building’s rooftop contains
496-585: The commission for the 1 Moulmein Rise condominium complex, the firm shifted its focus to public and commercial architecture. According to the firm, a defining moment in the development of their design approach came with the entry for the Duxton Plain Public Housing International Competition held by Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority in 2001. Although WOHA’s entry was not selected for construction, it
527-449: The design was approved. By April 2007, the platform and seating gallery were completed and officially opened by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong . However, it was the last stadium to be built under Lee Kuan Yew 's time. The Float was originally intended to operate through 2012, after which it was to be dismantled. In 2017, it was announced that The Float would be expanded and redeveloped as a permanent venue known as NS Square . It will be
558-562: The details below. Request from 172.68.168.236 via cp1112 cp1112, Varnish XID 944200021 Upstream caches: cp1112 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 08:39:56 GMT WOHA Their work incorporates sustainable design strategies as a response to climate change and widespread urbanization . They aim to integrate landscape, architecture and urbanism in high-rise buildings to improve quality of life for residents in high-density megacities . Their buildings are notable for their extensive use of natural vegetation as
589-705: The extensive use of planting to cool the structure through transpiration . It is an approach the architects have described as “breathing architecture”. Examples include the Newton Suites condominium complex in Singapore, completed in 2007, the Singapore School of the Arts and The Met residential tower in Bangkok, both completed in 2009. The Met raised the international profile of the firm outside of South-East Asia, winning international awards such as
620-575: The graduation parade was held on Pulau Tekong itself. Since then, the stadium has been a venue for the graduation parade, alternating with the National Stadium . On 23 November 2012, SM Entertainment artists including Kangta , BoA , TVXQ , Super Junior , Girls' Generation , Shinee , f(x) , and EXO performed to a crowd of 18,000 fans as part of their SM Town Live World Tour III concert. The Singapore National Day Parade (NDP) has been held at The Float since 2007, except in years it
651-477: The local WOHA Architects , with construction beginning in March 2022 and an expected completion in 2025. In 2022, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen announced that the original plans to construct NS Square was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The 2022 National Day Parade was also held at the Float. The facility will now be completed in 2027, with construction having begun in March 2024. The main considerations for
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#1732783195883682-400: The platform's chief planner and developer, Defence Science and Technology Agency , were the size of the platform, the load it could bear and also reconfigurability of the platform for various requirements of different events. The platform is made of small platforms of pontoons with each comprising hundreds of parts. Initial design requires 200 such pontoons but a system of connectors between
713-489: The pontoons reduced it to 15. The pontoons would interlock each other similar to a jigsaw puzzle . The connectors were designed to be light but strong. The platform took one month to be assembled. The platform's foundation consisted of six pylons fixed to the seabead to hold it in place while rubber rollers were used to stabilise the platform as the platform is affected by the tides and currents in Marina Bay. The platform
744-720: The stadium was used to launch the six-week-long Waterfest Singapore 2007, which showcases stunts and performances by a water ski team and wakeboard professionals. On 2 September 2007, the platform was the start and finish point for the Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore triathlon . From 15 September 2007 to 16 April 2008, The Float was closed for Formula One works in preparation for the Singapore Grand Prix in September 2008. In November 2008, The Singapore Cup final between SAFFC and Woodlands Wellington FC
775-526: The total weight of 9,000 people, 200 tonnes of stage props and three 30-tonne military vehicles . The Float was built in 2007 as an interim venue for events usually held at the National Stadium in Kallang while it was being rebuilt as part of the Singapore Sports Hub project—including sporting events (such as football ), concerts, arts and cultural performances, and festivities such as
806-571: The universal applicability of this model outside of Singapore’s communitarian political system and coordinated urban planning program . At the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale , WOHA launched a book called Garden City Mega City, written in collaboration with Patrick Bingham-Hall . The book outlines WOHA’s design strategies in the context of the threats posed by global warming and the pace of Asian urbanization. WOHA currently have buildings under construction in Singapore, Indonesia , Australia, Bangladesh , India and China. In August 2019, WOHA
837-458: The world. WOHA story began while both the founders (Wong and Hassell) met while employed at Kerry Hill Architects in Singapore before founding their own practice WOHA (Name Initials of its founding owners) in 1994. WOHA’s practice begun with small projects and private houses. Following their success in the open competitions for two Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations in Singapore in 2000 ( Bras Basah MRT station and Stadium MRT station ) and
868-563: Was awarded the Merit Prize and provided them with an opportunity to experiment with design strategies for environmentally and socially sustainable high-density developments that would inform their later work. WOHA subsequently completed a number of high-rise and large public buildings that were designed to be sustainable for tropical climates. These were open permeable buildings that encouraged natural ventilation to reduce reliance on mechanical cooling . They were also characterized by
899-465: Was connected to land by three linkways and there are special integrated joints for the linkways keep them from rocking. To fit in the city skyline as a backdrop of platform, the seating gallery's height was restricted. Due to existing buildings and the area's development plans, the number of seats for the gallery was capped at 27,000. The platform also has an internal drainage system, cabling structures and lightning rods . Since its completion in 2007,
930-471: Was initially intended as a temporary venue, but the NDP was only held at the new National Stadium once in 2016 and likely 2024—a decision that received mixed reception for its different atmosphere, and increased costs of the event over those held at The Float. In 2017, it was announced that The Float would remain the primary venue for the NDP (outside of those held at the Padang every five years), and that The Float will be demolished, reconstructed and renamed to
961-478: Was supposed to take place at the stadium. However, problems relating to the metal beams casting a shadow on the pitch forced the match to be played at the Jalan Besar Stadium instead. The first football match to be played on the platform was an ESPZEN Sunday League Division 1 match between Tuan Gemuk Athletic and VNNTU FC. In December 2007, URA considered letting the public access the gallery view