The Interlace, the latest residential offering by OMA / Ole Scheeren for CapitaLand Singapore, is not only one of the largest developments of its kind on the Asian island, but is also one of its most ambitious too, promoting a radical new approach to modern housing. The innovative design has just been selected by the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) in Chicago as the winner of the inaugural worldwide Urban Habitat Award for its 'groundbreaking contribution to the urban realm and social sustainability'.
This is tall architecture - but not as you know it. The design addresses issues of density and outdoor space in a residential setting with a unique twist. Standing at a relatively modest 24 storeys tall, the development spans an impressive 170,000 sq m of built floor area. This is achieved by a tactical design decision; the architects created a gradual, 'stepping' effect in the complex's overall form, eschewing the more conventional slender and tall skyscraper shape.
An elegant composition of 31 apartment blocks spanning six floors each, The Interlace allows for plenty of openings and green communal outdoor space in between that strategically break up its volume. Offering contemporary living in an enviable address - Singapore's leafy Southern Ridge - the structure contains over 1,000 condominium units of varying sizes. The architects liken the interlocking volumes to a 'vertical village', which also includes a selection of public amenities, such as a clubhouse, games rooms and a theatre, that aim to promote a sense of community.
Environmental sustainability was also high on the team's agenda. Water bodies, for example, have been strategically placed within the project's wind corridors, which allow the vapour to cool down local air temperatures naturally. This makes the outdoor spaces in the sweltering city more comfortable for the residents to use.
Sitting within a 9km green belt of parks and recreational facilities, the Interlace offers wide views of its verdant surroundings, while all its levels are bathed in abundant natural light. Even the basement parking space remains bright and airy, thanks to carefully planned open-air voids on the ground level's landscaping.
