Property owners shift to mixed-use designs

Clients want buildings that are integrated and human-centric.

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Property owners are abandoning single-purpose projects in favor of buildings that function well and enhance how people experience them. “There is increasing demand for mixed-use developments, integrated transit-oriented projects, and community-centric spaces that respond to evolving urban lifestyles,” David Chim, executive director at Aedas Architects, told Singapore Business Review in an exclusive interview.

‘Human-centric’ designs

Clients are seeking buildings that are “integrated” and “human-centric,” said Ng Meng Hui, managing director at RSP Architects Planners & Engineers.

Projects are expected to be porous, biophilic, and closely linked to their surroundings. “There is a strong trend towards dissolving walls between a building and its surroundings, blurring boundaries for greater community engagement,” he said.