A total of 26 HDB Design, Construction and Engineering Awards will be presented this year to architectural and engineering consultants, as well as building contractors for public housing projects that have demonstrated excellent design, engineering and construction. For the second year in a row, all four winning projects of the HDB Construction Award under the Housing Category also attained the CONQUAS Star, the highest CONQUAS rating conferred upon projects with scores above 95 for quality workmanship. Minister for National Development Mr Desmond Lee will present the awards to the winners at the HDB Awards ceremony on 16 October 2023. The full list of this year’s winners is in the Annex.

2 HDB’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Tan Meng Dui said, “Amidst challenging times for the construction industry, our building partners have worked hard to deliver quality projects, while demonstrating excellence in design and engineering. We congratulate them on their achievements and thank them for putting their best foot forward. The slate of winning projects exemplifies our commitment to provide attractive public housing developments that meet the needs and aspirations of Singaporeans. It is also encouraging to see many of our industry partners adopting greater use of technology to increase productivity while maintaining high construction standards and safety. With the steady recovery of the construction industry, we will continue to work in close partnership with our industry partners, as we catch up on construction delays and deliver more homes to Singaporeans.”

Raising the Bar for Construction Excellence

3 This year, eight projects bagged the HDB Construction Award for their innovative construction solutions to overcome site-specific challenges while upholding the quality of the project and safety of the workers. Of these, five projects are from the Housing Category, while the remaining three are from the Upgrading Category.

4 For the second year in a row, all four winning projects under the Housing Category attained the CONQUAS Star, the highest CONQUAS rating conferred upon projects with scores above 95 for quality workmanship. This is testament to the high benchmark set by public housing projects in construction excellence.

Clementi Peaks

5 Among the award-winning projects is Clementi Peaks, undertaken by construction firm Welltech Construction Pte Ltd. Located in a densely built-up area in Clementi town and next to an existing MRT Line, the project comprises 1,104 dwelling units in four residential blocks ranging in height from 15 to 40 storeys. Despite major site constraints, it received high CONQUAS Star scores for quality workmanship at 97.8.

Centrally located in Clementi town, Clementi Peaks offers high-rise living with a lush roof garden and ample facilities. [Photo credit: Welltech Construction Pte Ltd]

6 From the outset, Welltech identified key project challenges and implemented innovative solutions to manage them. To raise construction productivity, the project team leveraged collaborative technological platforms such as the Building Information Modelling (BIM), an advanced 3D modelling tool, and Virtual Design & Construction (VDC), a 3D building visualisation tool, to virtually simulate the construction activities, allowing refinement to be done before construction started. For instance, to construct the three 40-storey high blocks in time for delivery, plans were made in advance to deploy additional tower cranes and material hoists, so that the transportation of building materials could be optimised.

7 Working in a site surrounded by existing live services also posed challenges. For example, Welltech had to construct a detention tank in between an existing PUB water pipe and power cables. A sheltered bus stop linking to the development along Clementi Avenue 1 also had to be shifted and reconstructed. With round-the-clock supervision of the excavation works and careful diversion of the water pipe, the team was able to complete the works on schedule without disrupting live services.

8 For this project, Welltech also collaborated with HDB and the National University of Singapore (NUS) in a joint research project to pilot the use of computer visioning to monitor the progress of construction on site. Together with video footage from closed-circuit televisions mounted on tower cranes, this enabled the project team to detect potential safety hazards and take prompt corrective action. For example, safety personnel would receive a notification on their mobile devices when workers moved too close to an open edge or stood under a lifted load. With the alert, site supervisors would then quickly check and correct any potentially unsafe situations.

9 The project team also made use of mobile applications to tag and track defective items during construction. By analysing the data generated and continuously improving their processes, the team was able to deliver quality workmanship.

Alkaff Oasis

10 Also receiving the HDB Construction Award is CES Engineering & Construction Pte Ltd, the appointed contractor for Alkaff Oasis. Comprising 16 residential blocks with 1,594 dwelling units, it is one of the largest BTO projects to date.

11 The project is sited on six hectares of land located on higher ground, with a steep slope facing the surrounding landed houses and schools. Right from the start, CES put in place earth control measures, including the construction of an integrated temporary retaining wall cum holding tank, to prevent any potential flooding from the site to the adjacent low-lying areas.

12 A key feature of Alkaff Oasis is the massive crescent-shaped bridge measuring 18 metres tall and spanning up to 36 metres. The bridge connects two residential blocks to a large roof garden that straddles two multi-storey carparks. CES skilfully constructed the massive and heavy falsework (temporary framework structures used to support a building during construction) which allowed vehicular flow to support the transportation of materials during construction. Hoisting racks were used to overcome the difficulties of installing curved railings on the bridge. The racks helped to improve safety, as workers did not have to stand too close to the edge to install the railings. Fewer workers were also needed to carry out the installation, thus increasing productivity.

Tight site conditions did not hamper CES Engineering & Construction’s ability to construct a massive crescent-shaped bridge providing direct access from residential blocks to the roof garden. [Photo credit: CES Engineering & Construction Pte Ltd]

Pushing the Frontiers of Design Excellence

SkyResidence @ Dawson

13 Of the 12 projects that clinched the Design Award, SkyResidence @ Dawson by Surbana Jurong Consultants Pte Ltd stands out for its distinctive architectural design. Bounded by Margaret Drive and Commonwealth Avenue, the project sits on the site of the old Queenstown Town Centre and the Commonwealth Avenue Wet Market.

14 In conceptualising the design of this project, Surbana Jurong Consultants sought to integrate the new high-rise blocks with the surrounding developments and greenery, and retain the site’s heritage as a landmark area. To create an interesting skyline, the eight residential blocks are designed in curvilinear form, with staggered heights ranging from 27 to 47 storeys. The curved blocks encircle a central plaza where six mature Angsana trees have been conserved. Within the plaza, the former Commonwealth Avenue Wet Market at Blk 38 has also been conserved and converted for commercial use.

15 Heritage elements have been incorporated into the design of the project, in tribute to the iconic historical buildings in the area. For instance, heritage walls reminiscent of the old market building have been recreated. On the ground floor and at lookout points, heritage markers showcasing old photos of cherished landmarks such as the former Venus and Golden City Theatres, and the former Queenstown swimming pool, have been installed as a reminder of where they used to stand.

(Left) SkyResidence @ Dawson comprises two 27-storey blocks and six 47-storey blocks. The curvilinear design creates an interesting skyline. (Right) Blocks circle around the existing Angsana trees and the conserved Commonwealth Avenue Wet Market at Blk 38
[Photo credit: Surbana Jurong Consultants Pte Ltd]

16 A key feature of SkyResidence @ Dawson is the provision of abundant greenery, which brings to life the ‘Housing-in-a-Park’ vision for Dawson estate. The project features a generous 1.7ha of green space, equivalent to more than half of the entire project’s land area.

17 The residential blocks have been designed with landscaping at various levels. A ‘green ribbon’, comprising a 500-metre-long landscaped deck, connects all eight residential blocks from the ground floor to the eighth floor, while two sky terraces adorn the 27th storey, providing good views of the surrounding area. Fitted out with seating nooks, multi-generational play areas and fitness corners, these spaces not only bring greenery closer to residents’ doorstep, but also provide opportunities for residents to interact and bond over activities.

A unique feature of the project, the 500m long meandering Green Ribbon runs from the ground to the 8th storey of the blocks, thus intensifying the green density of the development. [Surbana Jurong Consultants Pte Ltd]

Celebrating Engineering Innovation and Excellence

18 On the engineering front, six consultant teams will be conferred the Engineering Award, in recognition of their innovative engineering solutions in the development of their building projects.

Woodleigh Village

19 Among the winning teams is KTP Consultants Pte Ltd, who clinched the Engineering Award (Design) for their innovative engineering solutions to address the tight site conditions at Woodleigh Village.

20 Designed as an integrated transport, residential, and commercial hub, Woodleigh Village provides direct connectivity to a mall, hawker centre, as well as the Woodleigh MRT station and a basement bus interchange. With each structural component having its unique design requirements, the project presented significant engineering design challenges.

21 As the bus interchange had to be constructed at the basement, KTP devised an engineering solution that would allow for its ceiling to be laid out in a safe and contiguous manner. The aim was to reduce the number of supporting columns, and to provide greater flexibility for the interior layout of the bus interchange and driving lanes. This was achieved through the use of a flat plate system, a reinforced concrete frame supported on minimal columns and load bearing walls, as well as post-tensioned slabs which are thin yet strong.

22 With an active MRT line located near the development site, an Automated Tunnel Monitoring System (ATMS) had to be installed to monitor any movements caused by construction activities and prevent damage to the rail infrastructure. The consultants procured and installed the system early in the development, and this enabled construction within the protected rail zones to commence as quickly as possible.

23 KTP implemented a hybrid construction approach to ensure minimal construction impact to the MRT structures and services. This innovative construction concept combines top-down and bottom-up techniques for the integrated structure, which includes a basement bus interchange, Pneumatic Waste Conveyance System (PWCS) terminal at the first storey, environmental deck at the third storey, and residential blocks. While the traditional bottom-up construction method was carefully applied to the PWCS terminal area, involving sequential construction from the foundation upward, the top-down method adopted in other areas involves constructing the first-storey permanent structures first while simultaneously excavating to the lower basement level for concurrent construction. This holistic engineering approach ensured the timely completion of the PWCS terminal while safeguarding the MRT structures and services.

Located in Bidadari estate, the integrated development Woodleigh Village comprises residential units, a hawker centre and bus interchange. The project is equipped with the PWCS, thus making waste disposal more hygienic and less labour-intensive. [Photo credit: KTP Consultants Pte Ltd]

Staying the Course with our Industry Partners

24 The Covid-induced disruptions to the construction industry over the last three years underscore the importance of innovation, collaboration and resilience in overcoming the unprecedented challenges. The winning contractors and consultants have persevered and adapted to the challenges and constraints by innovating and pushing boundaries, to deliver quality homes safely. With the steady recovery of the construction industry, HDB will continue to work closely with and support our industry partners to deliver homes to Singaporeans.

26 Projects Recognised for Excellence in Design, Construction and Engineering at HDB Awards 2023