Ambassador Thomas Kupfer took part in the visit of the construction site of the nearly completed “Punggol Waterway Terraces” complex, organized by the Swiss Business Association (SBA) in October. This impressive project opens a new window into the social housing development of HDB in Singapore. It corresponds to HDB’s request to develop researches for new iconic buildings in term of public housing, a challenge that led group8asia to create a new architectural benchmark. The design concept for these 1’876 units, covering an area of 70’000m2, was inspired by the terraced rice fields of Asia, giving the project a unique identity. Within the frame of the many regulations governing public housing, group8asia managed to follow a “Swiss process” – technical excellence, attention to details from the master plan to architecture and landscape – and innovate on the social public housing typologies. Moreover, corresponding to their approach, but also to meet their client’s requirement, they’ve built sustainable buildings, green-mark platinum approved, making them some of the greenest buildings in Singapore.

Last year, taking advantage of this first experience of “Punggol Waterway Terraces”, group8asia has been awarded another competition consisting of 2’000 apartments in Tampines North.

Since then, they have expanded their presence in Asia by opening an office in Singapore, which is today the headquarters of group8asia.