Building A Resilient City Post-COVID

Co-organised by the Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) and the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Housing, Urban-Rural Development and Management (MCHURDHM), the 2nd Singapore-Shanghai High Level Dialogue on Urban Governance brought together representatives from the public sector, academia and professionals in the urban planning, architecture and real estate sectors from the two metropolises. In a webinar titled “Building a Resilient City Post-COVID” Ms Angelene Chan, chief executive officer (CEO) of DP Architects, was among the distinguished speakers who were invited to share insights on the shifting norms of urban planning for a more resilient built environment.

In her presentation, Angelene explained that DPA’s adaptation in these unprecedented times began the re-examination of our everyday spaces and conventional design models. To do so, the firm leveraged the strength of its typology research groups to evaluate the effects brought about by the pandemic and assess how new design pathways can be navigated. The preliminary design thinking is encapsulated in Design in Print 11.2: COVID-19 and The Next Norm and gives a glimpse into how DPA is reconsidering the planning, designing, building and maintaining of the built environment.

Angelene also highlighted that it is imperative in today’s context to consider health as a linchpin of design and that wellbeing principles should be applied across building typologies in a calculated and meaningful way. She emphasised the importance of the industry as a whole to deepen its commitment and collaboration to put in place the best sustainable practices and implementation mechanisms for all building projects.

The live webinar was held on 31 October 2020 and was attended by industry experts and government representatives from Singapore and Shanghai.