BCA-SIA-SGBC International Tropical Architecture Design
Competition 2014 for Institutes of Higher Learning
What
The BCA-SIA-SGBC International Tropical Architecture Design Competition 2014 for
Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL) is a design competition which focuses on tropical green
architecture and sustainable building design solutions. It aims to raise the awareness of the
green building movement and initiatives amongst the younger generation and encourage
them to become future architects and green experts in tropical green designs.
The competition was first launched in 2011 and jointly organised by the Building and
Construction Authority (BCA), Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) and Singapore Green
Building Council (SGBC). This is the fourth time the competition has been organised.
Sponsors
This year’s competition is supported by CPG Consultants Pte Ltd.
Number of entries received/shortlisted
A total of 70 entries from 13 countries including Australia, Costa Rica, Germany, India,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Kenya and USA were received this year. Out of which, six
finalists were shortlisted.
Eligibility
Open to institutes of higher learning (IHLs) globally, either teams or individuals.
Criteria for entries
The theme for this year’s competition is “Our Urban Green Home”. The design entries are
expected to demonstrate the essentials and key constituents of a green residential building
in a metropolitan city. Entries should be applicable for the tropical climate and showcase
innovative and sustainable designs. They should also show how the proposed home will be
able to integrate with the surrounding environment and landscape.
Other requirements include:
• Incorporating both active and passive design strategies, renewable energy (if applicable)
and other ecological features
• Demonstrating how the design encompass energy efficient factors
• Ensuring that the design concept allows end-users to cultivate behaviours or actions that
will keep the home green in the tropical climate / incorporate design elements meant to
guide users towards self-selecting energy-efficient behaviours
• Presenting a practical, feasible direction for future residential buildings, based on
resources available in present day
• Incorporating the engineering feasibility of the design solutions proposed
• Using a green assessment tool of choice to validate their sustainable design concepts
(E.g. BCA Green Mark scheme)
Judging criteria and scoring
1 Design Concept & Creativity (20%)
2 Relevance to tropical context (20%)
3 Relevance to theme (20%)
4 Feasibility in current context (15%)
5 Design for behavioural change and social
capital (15%)
6 Presentation (5%)
7 Reference to green rating (5%)
Judging panel
Building and Construction Authority Mr Tan Tian Chong
Group Director (Technology Development)
Singapore Institute of Architects Mr Cheong Yew Kee
Council Member
Singapore Green Building Council Mr Ng Eng Kiong
President
CPG Corporation Mr Khew Sin Khoon
President & Chief Executive Officer
Housing and Development Board Mr Alan Tan
Building Research Institute Director (Environmental Sustainability Research)
Winners
Award Country School Project Title Prize
1st Australia University of Melbourne Water Smart Home $5,000
2nd Indonesia Parahyangan Catholic Green Modular Housing $3,000
University System
3rd Germany Bauhaus University Weimar Green Collectivism $2,000
Merit Singapore National University of The Mosaic $800
Singapore
Merit Malaysia National University of Small Farming, Home $800
Malaysia Farming
Merit Indonesia Parahyangan Catholic Kampong Pulo $800
University
1st Prize Award: Montague Precinct
Team: Van Anh Hoang
University of Melbourne, Australia
Montague precinct is planned by the Government as the new high density residential area for
the Extended Melbourne CBD. Since Melbourne’s population is expected to steadily grow to
more than 5 million by 2025 and 6.5 million by 2050, the Government opts for a density of 300
dwellings per hectare for the area. Within the 4ha site, the proposition creates a live-connect-
work urban community that addresses the challenge of creating higher and denser living
community while providing more desirable housing typologies that accommodate more outdoor
settings and open green spaces.
With an integrated public transportation system, the development permits higher use of existing
infrastructure. The concept also promotes the idea of a sustainable community through the
proposal of environmentally sustainable design strategies, both passive and active in the
consideration of energy efficiency, rain water harvesting and utilization of solar energy and wind
power. By “planting” buildings that function as trees in terms of management and energy self-
sufficiency, the design aims to “Greening” Melbourne into a forest, reverse negative effects of
urbanization and industrialization. In addition, it proposes to transform urban gardens into
‘micro-farms’ for vegetables and animals to produce food for residents’ needs.
2nd Prize Award: Green Modular Housing System
Team: Antonius Richard Rusli
Parahyangan Catholic University, Indonesia
The idea is to create a new urban housing concept in a metropolitan city. In this project, Jakarta,
an unmanaged developing metropolitan city, was chosen to be the target. The dwelling problem
in Jakarta appears to be a result of an inappropriate housing system. In order to achieve better
urban green homes, an effective, affordable, and eco-friendly method in designing was needed.
A new method was hence developed from a modular design system but with more specific
characteristics. Based on a modular system, everyone can become the architect of his own
home. It is also economically sustainable and allows users to customise their own house, by
adjusting their needs and budget.
The idea is to make a C-Module (a module of a certain size that is surrounded by massive walls
on three sides) that can provide space that can accommodate the house activities in everyday
life. With the dimension of 2.4 x 2.4 x 2.4 m³, a single block of C-module could provide spaces
for a bed room, living room, kitchen, dining room, or even vertical circulation. C-Modules can be
mass produced and even reused, just like containers.
3rd Prize Award: Green Collectivism
Team: Tran Hoai Phuong, Bui Xuan Duong
Bauhaus University Weimar, Germany
To build a green home in growing Hanoi, Vietnam needs to go beyond the conventional idea of
a mere dwelling. Once a highly water-based city, Hanoi is losing its connection and
appropriation with water in the way to become a metropolitan. The proposed house endeavours
to reconcile this bond, a development model for the whole city in order to become resilient to
flood and climate change.
The proposal creates new urban tissue in form of a sophisticated dyke, operating as both
infrastructural and landscape elements. It is the mediator between the river and the city,
providing more space for water, occasionally floodable mass and concentrating the urban
development to strategic location. Urban and landscape elements work together to establish a
self-sufficient water management system.
Merit Award: The Mosaic
Team: Ang Jie Min, Ang Yu Qian, Koe Choon Wei,
Lee Zhe Min
National University of Singapore, Singapore
The Mosaic is a new generation, green residential home for
metropolitan cities. It is the epitome of sustainable
metamorphic design. It aims to spearhead future residential
development by providing sustainable design with high
buildability and configurability, while simultaneously promotes
social interaction and consciousness. The design rests on
efforts to maintain an equilibrium between sustainable design,
construction practices and the needs of residents.
Inspired by Lego, The Mosaic utilises a modular concept
suitable for volumetric construction and/or off-sire pre-
fabrication. Each apartment unit represents a ‘detachable Lego
brick’ connected to the floor slab at every level. The bricks can
be assembled or rearranged and stacked at each platform,
supported by a strong core that runs in the middle of the
building. This allows for different stacking configurations to suit
the site context.
Merit Award: Small Farming, Home Farming (SFHF)
Team: Lee Hao Yan
National University of Malaysia (UKM), Malaysia
The main purpose of the SFHF Project is to provide a better living place for the poor
communities in Jakarta and eventually lower the unemployment and poverty rate, as well as to
encourage urban farming that is beneficial for a developing city like Jakarta.
The project is a combined housing and farming project, where the residents will live, farm and
work in the same building. Working and living within a building helps in saving money and
energy which is more economical. The SFHF Project also features a rainwater harvesting
system is in place which contributes to the energy efficiency of the building. The rainwater
collected at the roof will be channelled to a rainwater harvesting tank and distributed for the
farming irrigation and toilet flushing after treatment.
Merit Award: Kampong Pulo
Team: Jonathan Nathania, Raymond San, Laurensia Levina, Shinta Fangoria
Parahyangan Catholic University, Indonesia
Apartments, ‘superblocks’ and other integrated housing are developing rapidly across Jakarta,
Indonesia—alongside slums that continue to grow sporadically across the city. About 65 percent
of the people living in Jakarta are in slums. The project aims to create a new urban ecosystem
to boost the quality of social, physical and environmental spaces through creating a vibrant
community housing; building a green housing environment; and introducing a compact vertical
living space. It proposes two main types of housing in this new ecosystem: a Vertical Kampong
and an Urban Wetland. These housing types will feature sustainable strategies such as climate
responsive design and community-oriented design.
