Winner of this year’s Building of the Year award at the World Architecture Festival (WAF), Kampung Admiralty, is an integrated mixed-use development that unites a wealth of public facilities beneath one roof and brushes the Singapore skyline with a wash of abundant green.
Completed by Singapore-based architecture firm WOHA, Kampung Admiralty is a diverse vertical village comprised of three “strata” that skilfully negotiates the site’s tight boundaries and its height limit of just 45 metres.
Conceived as a “club sandwich”, the lower level of the building accommodates a community plaza, with a medical centre housed above. The uppermost storey features a community park with living accommodation for senior citizens. “The close proximity to healthcare, social, commercial and other amenities support intergenerational bonding and promote active ageing in place,” explains the architects.
“The traditional approach is for each government agency to carve out their own plot of land, resulting in several standalone buildings. This one-stop integrated complex, on the other hand, maximises land use, and is a prototype for meeting the needs of Singapore’s ageing population.”
Designed as a community living room, the ground floor plaza is capable of hosting a variety of events and programming. This outdoor space is shaded and sheltered by the storey above, meaning that activities can take place regardless of the weather or climatic conditions.
On the second level, the medical centre is filled with natural daylight due to the central courtyard arrangement. Perimeter windows also ensure that senior patients feel connected to nature and to other people.
The intimately scaled rooftop park encourages residents to come together to exercise, chat, or tend community farms. Complementary programs such as childcare and an active aging hub (including senior care) are located side by side, promoting multigenerational interaction.
A total of 104 apartments are provided in two 11-storey blocks for elderly singles or couples. Strategically positioned at shared entrances, “buddy benches” encourage seniors to come out of their homes and interact with their neighbours.
Images Patrick Bingham-hall