2017 National Architecture Awards: Australian Award for International Architecture

Jury citation

No building type needs more re-examination than affordable housing. This project for the Housing and Development Board in Singapore establishes a new typology. Located west of the Singapore city centre on the headwaters of the Singapore River, it adjoins a group of three older public/private highrise developments yet is distinctly different.

SkyVille prises the typical apartment block apart – resulting in pods of two one-unit-wide dwellings, giving effective cross-ventilation for every apartment. The structure achieves column- and beam-free plans, allowing flexibility and variation. Repetitive precast elements made construction of the forty-two- storey complex easier and every tenth floor is interconnected, creating open social and community spaces that capture views on alternate sides. Importantly, community spaces and rooftop terraces are open to the public. Apartments are organized into twelve villages with no internal corridors. Landscape is used throughout the sky villages and covers 50 percent of the roof surfaces in addition to 1.5 hectares of public garden.

SkyVille is wanted for its amenity and affordability. It was sold out immediately through a balloting system, selling for around half the price of a comparable private development. SkyVille demonstrates that through thoughtful and sustainable design it is possible to successfully reimagine affordable housing.