A stunning state-of-the-art broadcasting centre in Singapore began life as a competition entry from a talented international team of innovators including Web Structures.
The practice collaborated with two leading architecture practices – DP Architects and Maki and Associates – on the design and concept of the ‘broadcasting campus’ for media giant MediaCorp.
The result is an 850,000 sq ft campus, including a purpose-built 12-storey headquarters building that today has a central role in the Mediapolis media hub in Buona Vista. MediaCorp is Singapore’s leading media company.
MediaCorp’s Mediapolis development includes three large studios, post-production facilities, news-gathering and broadcasting facilities, a 1,600-seat theatre, and office space designed to provide maximum interaction between staff and encourage creativity.
The “fenceless campus” is open to the public, and visitors are able watch a drama or news broadcast and visit cafes, restaurants and gift shops.
DP Architects from Singapore in collaboration with Maki and Associates of Tokyo were appointed architects following the competition.
And Web Structures’ enthusiasm, innovation and willingness to take on the projects challenges have won praise from key members of that architectural team.
Dr Hossein Rezai, Web Structures group director, said: “We were involved in detailed design work, meeting the challenges of creating buildings designed to be the best possible for broadcasting.
“Structurally the architect set us the challenge of supporting one end of the four level office component on a single structural core, leading to cantilevers on three sides of over 20 metres in three directions.
“Due to the demanding architectural intent and resulting structural design, creative use of materials is essential to minimise the environmental impact of the building’s structural frame.”
Web Structures and its sister company Web Earth used all their experience to also reduce the carbon footprint of the new broadcasting centre.
Dr Rezai added: “The embodied carbon emissions associated with the structure were kept to minimum by using high quantities of recycled cement and aggregates as well as innovative void-forming techniques, which help to speed up construction as well as reducing the materials required.”
Web Structures has also worked with DP Architects on a number of high-profile competition entries for challenging and innovative projects across Asia.
They include the creation of a new headquarters for car giant Hyundai in Seoul, South Korea, and the development of a rail corridor in Singapore.
DP Architects is the largest architecture practice in Singapore and has more than 1,200 staff and 15 offices across the globe.
Its work includes The Dubai Mall as well as landmarks in Singapore such as the People’s Park complex and the multiple award-winning Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Resorts World Sentosa and Singapore Sports Hub.
CEO Angelene Chan says getting the right team together is vital both for competitions and collaborative work, and she enjoys working with Web Structures.
She says: “Design competitions require intense, extremely focused and productive ideation processes.
“Decisions need to be made quickly in order to meet the challenging timelines of competitions, and yet at the same time, ideas need to be explored with sufficient rigour.
“It is critical during this period to be able to count on the brain trust of the right team who work well together. Ideally, teaming up with people we have had good experiences with and with those whom we have built trust along the years is a major factor.
“Competitions are also a great way of fostering team dynamics and learning about your own strengths and weaknesses.
“When the team chemistry is right, magic happens during competitions. Obstacles turn into opportunities, the work of all disciplines come together beautifully, and the whole becomes more than a sum of its parts.”
She adds: “DP Architects and Web Structures have fostered a great working relationship built on respect and unwavering trust in each other’s ability to deliver and to resolve challenges.
“We both share the same passion in innovating and pushing the boundaries in our respective fields, which was what really made our collaboration a highly successful one.
“The team at Web Structures are quick on their feet, welcome difficult challenges and will innovate at every available chance.
“It is exactly this attitude which never fails to give assurance and confidence to the quality outcome and project.
“During the Hyundai HQ competition, Web Structures offered new dimensions to the design with their out-of-the-box thinking. These dimensions not only made the challenging tower design feasible, but also enriched the overall design story of the project.
“The MediaCorp project is a design collaboration between DP Architects and Maki and Associates, which is a highly challenging project in terms of design and innovation, programming and scheduling.
“Web Structures provided expert and creative structural solutions for the massive building form with its wide spanning structures.
“This was one of the keys to achieving the vision of MediaCorp’s collaborative workspace brief and the architectural aspiration.
“Web Structures has been on the project from design to construction. Throughout the three years to date, its team has never failed to provide valuable and timely support to the dynamic nature of the construction.”