DP Architects

DP Architects Pte Ltd is one of the largest architectural practices in Singapore. It started as Design Partnership in 1967 and was incorporated as a private limited company in 1993. It is a multi-disciplinary design consultancy.^[2]

The work of DP Architects includes the The Dubai Mall.^[2][3][4] and landmarks in Singapore such as the People's Park Complex^[5] in the 1960s, Suntec City in the 1980s, and, more recently, the multiple award-winning Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay,^[6] Republic Polytechnic^[7] and Resorts World Sentosa.^[8][9] The firm was involved in the master planning of the Orchard Road shopping belt, the development of Marina Centre, as well as residential projects such as The Trillium^[10] and Southbank,^[11] DP Architects’ activity includes retail, hotel, resort, commercial office, residential, convention centre, technology parks, medical, religious, educational and civic institutions, and airport and aviation-related support facilities.^[2] The DP group - comprising DP Architects, DP Consultants, DP Design, DP Engineers, DP Green, DP Healthcare, DP Infrastructure and DP Sustainable Design - provides a range of services from architecture, urban planning, interior design, project management, sustainable design, landscape architecture, to engineering. It has over 1,200 staff with 12 offices worldwide.^[2][12]

History

The firm was started in 1967 with William Lim Siew Wai, Tay Kheng Soon,^[13] and Koh Seow Chuan^[14] when they left the Malayan Architects Co-Partnership^[15] and founded Design Partnership after its dissolution to start their own firm with an initial staff strength of 18.^[16] In 1972, Gan Eng Oon joined and became a partner^[16] followed by Chan Sui Him in 1973 and became a partner subsequently in 1974.^[16] In 1974, Tay Kheng Soon, who graduated from Singapore Polytechnic in 1963, retired and establish his own practice, Akitek Tenggara.^[16] A year later in 1975, Design Partnership was dissolved and reformed as DP Architects Pte (DPA).^[13] William Lim retired in 1981 and established his own practice.^[16][17][18]

The company expanded in 1982 with the establishment of subsidiary companies, 2 DP Design and DP Consultants.^[19] DP Architects was registered formerly as a private limited with 200 employees in Singapore.^[20] Leading the firm since its inception, Chan Sui Him was succeeded by Francis Lee Seng Wee in 2004 as the CEO while he was promoted to Chairman of the firm.^[16]

Notable projects

DPA is best known in Singapore for several architectural works of the late 1960s and early 1970s such as People's Park Complex, and Golden Mile Complex.

Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas said at a press conference when he visited Singapore in 2005: ‘These buildings (Golden Mile Complex and People's Park Complex) were not intended to be landmarks, but became landmarks.’ ^[21]

The firm is also known for its work on the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay,^[6] The Dubai Mall,^[3][4] Resorts World Sentosa,^[8][9] and Singapore Sports Hub.^[22]

Singapore

A view of Marina Centre. All the buildings visible are DPA's contributions to the Singapore skyline.

• Singapore Sports Hub (in collaboration with Arup Sport Venue Design)^[23]
• MediaCorp's new campus at Mediapolis@one-north (in collaboration with Maki and Associates) ^[24]
• Singapore University of Technology and Design (in collaboration with UNStudio)^[25]
• River Safari ^[26]
• Resorts World Sentosa (in collaboration with Michael Graves & Associates)^[8][9]
• NUS University Town
  • Master plan designed in collaboration with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
  • CREATE facility designed in collaboration with Perkins and Will
  • Design of Stephen Riady Centre and the four residential colleges (College of Alice & Peter Tan, Cinnamon College, Tembusu College, Residential College 4) by DP Architects
• The Fullerton Heritage (Clifford Pier, Customs House, The Fullerton Bay Hotel, The Fullerton Pavilion)^[27]
• Singapore Flyer (in collaboration with Kisho Kurokawa Architects & Associates)^[28]
• Republic Polytechnic (in collaboration with Maki and Associates)^[7]
• VivoCity (in collaboration with Toyo Ito Associates & Architects)
• Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay (initial concept was designed in collaboration with Michael Wilford & Partners but MWP left the project in May 1995) ^[29][30][31]
• Suntec City (in collaboration with Tsao & McKown Architects)
• Millenia Singapore (in collaboration with Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates, and Johnson/Burgee Architects), comprising Millenia Tower, Centennial Tower, Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, and Millenia Walk
• Marina Centre (in collaboration with John Portman & Associates), comprising Marina Square, Marina Mandarin Singapore, Mandarin Oriental Singapore, and The Pan Pacific Singapore
• Golden Mile Complex
• People's Park Complex

China

• Guangzhou Knowledge City Master Plan core area, Guangzhou^[32]
• Lippo Plaza, Beijing
• One Prime, Shanghai
• Palm Springs, Beijing

India

• Sky Gardens, Bangalore
• Select Citywalk, Delhi
• Crossroads Mall and CR2 (in collaboration with Kapadia & Associates), Mumbai^[33][34]

Indochina

• Bokor Mountain Master Plan, Cambodia
• The State House Hotel, Myanmar
• Crystal Tower and Residences @ Junction Square, Myanmar
• Junction City, Myanmar
• Dolphin Plaza, Vietnam

Indonesia

• Central Park
• Senayan City
• The Peak
• Wisma 46
• Ciputra World Surabaya

Malaysia

• Danga Heights Master Plan
• Berjaya Times Square^[35][36]

Middle East

• Seef Lusail, Qatar
• Doha Festival City, Qatar
• Emaar Square, Turkey
• Dilumnia Bahrain Health City Master Plan, Bahrain
• The Dubai Mall,^[4][37] Dubai
• Jazan Economic City Master Plan, Saudi Arabia

Notable awards

DP Architects has been named one of the top ten architecture firms in Singapore at the BCI Asia Top Ten Architect Awards since 2006.^[38]

• 2013 Skyrise Greenery Award for Double Bay Residences^[39]
• 2013 World Architecture Festival Award for Singapore Sports Hub^[40]
• 2013 FIABCI Prix d'Excellence Gold Award for Grand Park Orchard^[41]
• 2013 FIABCI Prix d'Excellence Gold Award for Novena Lifestyle and Medical Hub^[41]
• 2013 FIABCI Prix d'Excellence Gold Award for Sandy Island^[41]
• 2012 The Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Award, Green Good Design Awards for ITE College West^[42]
• 2012 The Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Award, Green Good Design Awards for Zero Energy Building^[42]
• 2012 FuturArc Green Leadership Award for 36BTrd^[43]
• 2011 International Council of Shopping Centres 2011 - Best of the Best - VIVA Award Honoree for The Dubai Mall^[44]
• 2011 URA Architectural Heritage Award for The Fullerton Heritage^[45]
• 2011 URA Architectural Heritage Award for Hotel Fort Canning^[45]
• 2011 URA Architectural Heritage Award for Wanderlust^[45]
• 2011 SIA-NParks Skyrise Greenery Awards Third Prize for myVillage^[46]
• 2011 SIA-NParks Skyrise Greenery Awards Merit for Universal Studios Singapore^[46]
• 2010 FIABCI Prix d'Excellence Award Winner for Central^[47]
• 2010 International Council of Shopping Centres - Asia Shopping Centre Awards Gold for The Dubai Mall^[48]
• 2009 Singapore Green Mark Platinum award for Republic Polytechnic^[7]
• 2009 BCA Universal Design Silver Award for VivoCity^[49]
• 2009 URA Architectural Heritage Award for 1 The Knolls, Sentosa Island(Capella Singapore)^[50]
• 2009 President's Design Award for Republic Polytechnic^[51]
• 2009 SIA-NParks Skyrise Greenery Awards First Prize for Orchard Central^[52]
• 2009 BCI-Asia Top 10 Green Design Award for Republic Polytechnic^[53]
• 2008 URA Architectural Heritage Award for 82 Jellicoe Road(Citylights)^[54]
• 2008 SIA-NParks Skyrise Greenery Award for Vivocity^[55]
• 2008 Land Transport Excellence Award - Best Design (Project) (Land Transport Integration) for The Central^[56]
• 2006 URA Architectural Heritage Award for St Andrew's Village^[57]
• 2006 URA Architectural Heritage Award for New Majestic Hotel^[58]
• 2006 President's Design Award for New Majestic Hotel^[59]
• 2006 President's Design Award for Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay^[60]
• 2006 Schindler Design Award for Mobility in Buildings for Square 2^[61]
• 2005 Royal Institute of British Architects(RIBA) Worldwide Award for Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay^[62]
• 1999 FIABCI Prix d'Excellence in Architecture Awards Commercial/Retail Category & Overall Winner for Suntec City^[62]

References

External links

• Official website of DP Architects Pte Ltd