WHEN BELONGING BECOMES ARCHITECTURE SEAH CHEE HUANG IMAGINES A SINGAPORE BUILT ON COURAGE, MEMORY, AND COMMUNITY A CITY CONSTANTLY EVOLVING YET DEEPLY ROOTED

IN THE OFFICE OF DP ARCHITECTS, WHERE MASTER PLANS MEET THE RESTLESS IMAGINATION OF A CITY CONSTANTLY REMAKING ITSELF,

- text Zat Astha

Seah Chee Huang carries himself with the composure of someone accustomed to thinking in layers of decades, not quarters. As CEO, he leads one of the largest architecture firms in the region, a practice that has shaped Singapore's built environment for more than half a century. From the Esplanade to Our Tampines Hub, DP's fingerprints are woven into the city's fabric.

"It's difficult to single out one specific built space because we are such a pluralistic society," Seah says, when asked what best preserves Singapore's cultural and historical identity. "The diversity and complexity — whether it's our culture, history, or identity — they are all embedded within the built environment and various institutions." He lists the shophouses of Chinatown and Kampong Glam, where colonial planning meets Peranakan flourishes, and civic monuments like the old City Hall or religious anchors like the Sri Mariamman Temple and Sultan Mosque. Each is a reminder that buildings do not stand alone; they hold the stories of communities.

The question, of course, is what happens when these stories are erased. In Singapore, the demolition of the old National Library remains a scar. "For me, the old redbrick façade — you remember, the front porch and the stairs, the courtyard, and verandahs — these were spaces, if not actual places, cherished by generations of Singaporeans, myself included," Seah reflects. "When the debate about its demolition and conservation began, I was an architectural student, and it left quite a deep impression. One major takeaway for me was how well-intended decisions can sometimes carry unintended cultural consequences."

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