Park + Associates Architects, Singapore
Interview with Christina Thean,
Director at Park + Associates Architects in Singapore
A Singapore Original, born and raised in the vivid Asian metropolis, Christina is one of the designers of this architectural capital. After studying in Adelaide, Australia and accomplishing degrees in design as well as architecture, she went back to her hometown and has been working for Park + Associates Architects for more than 15 years now. As one of the directors in the company and a member of the professional institutes board of architects, Christina plays an essential role in the architectural scene in Singapore.
I had the chance to meet and talk with Christina to get her opinion on architecture in Singapore, the work of her office and personal thoughts about the life and career as an architect.
According to you, what are the main differences between Western and Asian architecture? Can you remember any differences to the approach at the university in Australia?
In Singapore we focus a lot on tropical architecture. So there is a major use of cross ventilation to get a grip on the heat and furthermore overhangs for creating shade, as we obviously have a lot of sunlight here. So I think the climate is what creates the biggest differences. When I studied in Australia it was more about how to keep the heat in and the cold out but in Singapore of course we focus on how to keep it as cool as possible inside the buildings.
Would you describe Singapore as an architecture-friendly and -open city?
Yes, I think so. We start to become more of a design centre in a sense that we care about the product. So it is not just a square box and we try to do something that responses better to the users and the context. There are actually a lot of programmes on-going in Singapore supported by the government that try to promote design and how it can affect our lives on a daily basis.
Was that always the case as long as you remember?
Maybe like ten years ago, Singapore tried to bring in a lot of foreign architects. And because they set up the level in architecture, the local practitioners started to feel more pressurised to try and do something different. So I think that helped to up design and techniques.
So it was not a problem to bring in a lot of foreign architects? Or are there any complications working with them because of different approaches?
No, I think everyone was happy, as it was a learning process for us. So I guess that was good. Many of the foreign architects are hired for bigger projects. For example a lot of Japanese architects come in for commercial buildings and those are not too different here to the ones in Japan, so it works rather well.
With all the modern architecture in Singapore, do you believe a city can be overflown with architecture?
In my opinion, every new project adds to the diversity. Singapore and also here in the office, we try to work and build as diverse as possible and I think it comes true in the way we live and therefore also in the architecture that is created.
What is your personal favourite project in Singapore? Which one would you recommend to take a closer look at?
That is a really hard question as there are a lot of great buildings in Singapore. But one that I always recommend is the Parkroyal on Pickering, a hotel done by WOHA architects. If I recall right, Bali and its rice fields inspired them when they did the project.
How many projects do you work on during a year or what is your annual volume of sales?
We try to keep a volume of about 8 million SGD (approx. 5,3 million Euro) constantly. But as we do all kinds of projects the number of buildings a year can vary a lot.
So your office does not have a preferred or specialised type of building?
No, not at all. We take in a very diverse range of projects, as we do not feel constrained that we can only do for example hospitality or residential. Any clients who appreciate design and if we feel like that we can do something different for them, we will take on the project.
Does the office follow a specific design approach or have a typical handwriting?
I think we never really had that. Our style is to do something new with each project that comes in. Definitely our working process is always the same, starting with brainstorming, trying to come up with something from a different angle, but the output then does not have a signature style. You will not be able to tell from driving around like “Oh, that’s their project.”
But do you have a leading concept in the office?
Design and function definitely go hand in hand. And like most offices we try to build as sustainable as possible, even when we do projects in areas where we are not constrained by any government regulations, we still make sure to plan clever and ecological.
On your website you have a whole section with Theme Park projects you worked on. How did you get into that specific but unusual field and what are your main tasks within these projects?
It was in 2008 when there was kind of a recession in Singapore and we did not have a lot of projects. So this theme park developer approached us to do the coordination for his latest project and we decided to help him out. And we got a good working relationship so we worked together a bit more and finally even set up a separate department for that.
Does Social Media, especially Instagram and Facebook play a role in your office, in presenting your work or even approaching possible customers?
We have a Facebook page but that mainly helps to reach out for people who want to apply for jobs or internships at our office but definitely not to get clients. I feel like the group of clients that we are looking for, are not really looking for or get to know about us on Facebook or Instagram.
Do you think that social media will play a bigger role for marketing of architecture and offices in the future?
I guess it will, because the younger generations are all using channels like Facebook and Instagram. Do I think it is the best? I am not a big fan of them, as I feel like that architecture is a lot about spaces and it is really hard to present a space in photos, no matter how well they are taken. I love photos, it just seems that it does not capture the essence of the space. When you only have a three seconds insight via an image on Instagram it is maybe a bit of a waste as the architect put so much thought in many different details.
About the career and life as an architect
What was your motivation for your career choice? Were there alternatives or other career aspirations?
I was going to do dentistry. But when I was at boarding school in Australia I was quite close to my science lecturer and he asked me why I wanted to do dentistry and why I did not consider architecture as I was quite good at science. So I came back to Singapore and I spoke to my mum’s friend who was an architect and also kind of a mentor to me. He explained to me how it is like, how intense it can be but how much you enjoy the output after a lot of work. So then I decided to try architecture.
Why do we need architects?
Architects create spaces that make our lives better. Not just better but I think the space that we live and work in affects us on how we behave and how we feel. A really good example for that is our workplace [design done by Park + Associates Architects themselves]. When we moved here from our old office you could tell that it inspired the people working at the new one. I can feel that they are happier. They are not just stuck in a studio. We have a lot of space to hang out, they are free to move around, to chat, to have a coffee. We encourage them, if they get tired of their workplace, to take their laptop and bring it out into the kitchen area and just chill out. Ever since we moved here the turnover of employees is lower and people only leave us when they maybe want to go back home to their families as we have a lot of foreign architects. So I think that spaces really affect people and that is why architecture is important.
Do you get rich as an architect?
No [laughs]. If you want to get rich, I think that is the absolute wrong profession. Then maybe dentistry would have been better. But you definitely get happy.
Why do so many architects wear black? Does that apply to you? [wearing black]
On weekdays I wear black but that is because I got problems matching colours, so black is just the easiest solution. I guess for some it is style, maybe it just looks cooler.
Do you, as an architect, plan your own house or apartment?
For the current apartment I live in I just redid the interior design, but when I was starting working as an architect, my parents wanted to build a house and I was living with them by that time, so I built the house with them and that was really nice.
Are you ever satisfied with your work? Do you ever stop thinking of new or different ideas for a project?
I would say you should never stop thinking of how to improve your work. Even though you may not be able to change something in your past projects, you can always apply your new ideas on future plans. It is all about the process of learning and opening your mind.
Describe yourself with a specific material.
Probably I would go with timber. I just cannot imagine how to be a timber [laughs].
