An exhibition tracing DP Architects’ 50 years design journey opens 11 August

The exhibition celebrating DP Architects’ 50 years of design journey has been officially opened this evening by guest of honour, Minister of National Development Mr Lawrence Wong.

The seven-week exhibition, titled A Common Line | One Global Studio, traces DP’s architecture journey over the last five decades within the context of Singapore’s architectural history as well as the firm’s global projects. The firm’s works are presented through over 2,000 never-before-seen architectural drawings displayed in chronological order, showcasing the breadth of DP’s portfolio; 37 reconstructed models, some larger than typical building models, investigating the practice’s design methodology by typology; a specially commissioned wall-sized illustration, titled Building Blocks by local illustrator, Lee Xin Li; and an interactive visual display that customises Augmented Reality technology to allow visitors to reimagine the future through an immersive visual experience of two key urbanscapes, Orchard Road and Marina Bay.

Held at the URA Centre, the launch was attended by over 300 invited guests including members of the architecture, building, construction and real estate industries, as well as members of government agencies and planning bodies that inspire and regulate the development of the built environment.

On the exhibition, DP Architects’ senior associate director and head of exhibition Ng San Son said, “This exhibition was over a year in the making and it is a retrospective of our design journey over the past five decades. We hope that visitors to the exhibition will not only query the function of architecture and urbanism, rethink conventions, but also encourage conversations as they relate their memories of the spaces they have interacted with, in one way or another.”

On DP’s 50 years journey, Ministry of National Development Mr Lawrence Wong said, “I want to thank everyone in DP Architects for your contributions over the last 50 years, starting with the pioneers of the firm – Mr Koh Seow Chuan, Mr William Lim and Mr Tay Kheng Soon who founded Design Partnership in 1967, and were later joined by Mr Gan Eng Oon and Mr Chan Sui Him. These pioneers have handed over the torch to subsequent leadership teams, including the current CEO Ms Angelene Chan. And through it all, the firm has continued to expand, and grow from strength to strength. Today, DP is the largest architectural firm locally, and also the tenth-largest worldwide. For Singapore to have the tenth-largest firm in the world, it’s quite something. DP Architect is truly a remarkable home-grown success story that all of us can take pride in.”

The exhibition opens from 12 August to 29 September 2017, 9am to 5pm (closed on Sundays) at The URA Centre. A half-hour architect-guided tour is offered on selected Saturdays at 11am.