Green Expectations

Biophilic architecture has been shown to improve our wellbeing, while creating benefits for the entire ecosystem and paving the way to a sustainable future with nature

- Luo Jingmei

When the Covid-19 pandemic struck and cities and industrial activity came to a standstill, smog-free mountain vistas and renewed biodiversity in rivers sent an astoundingly clear confirmation of mankind’s destructive methods. But in mending this broken thread, pushing for energy-efficient building is not enough. To be truly sustainable, urban planners, engineers and architects alike have to integrate our man-made structures as part of the larger ecosystem, which will allow us to create environments that are symbiotic with nature. The following design practitioners show us how we can build and live in more naturalistic and passive ways, in Singapore and abroad.

Back to Basics

WOW Architects believes that creating truly effective biophilic spaces stems from a genuine interest in nature

“From earliest memory, I’ve had a strong affinity for trees, flowers and the geology of our surroundings,” says Maria Warner Wong. The Australia-born architect met her husband Wong Chiu Man while studying architecture at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles; the couple founded their namesake firms Warner Wong Design and WOW Architects in 2000. The co-founders’ nomadic history contributes to an acute appreciation for context—their projects embody sensory encounters while being rooted in culture, memory and place.