8 Buildings In Singapore You Might Not Know Were Designed By World-Famous Architects

Did you know that the architect who designed The Gateway also conceived the Louvre pyramid in Paris?

Photos: The Straits Times, Shin Min and CMG

By Shermin Ng - published 8 Aug 2024

Singapore is known for its food and drink culture, cleanliness, multicultural society, and plenty of greenery. There’s some amazing architecture to boot—some of which you may not know were designed by world-famous architects. From unconventional buildings to futuristic wonders, we round up some of the most spectacular architectural gems in Singapore you should be taking a closer look at.

1. Sky Habitat by Moshe Safdie, 2015

Throughout the course of his highly-regarded career, Moshe Safdie has received many awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award by The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat in 2020, and the Wolf Prize in Architecture in 2019. While most Singaporeans might be aware that Safdie designed the iconic Marina Bay Sands and Jewel Changi Airport, the world-renowned architect also envisioned Sky Habitat, a matrix of apartments complete with terraces, balconies, and communal gardens in a stepped form. Featuring multiple orientations to natural elements, the condominium complex—an architectural landmark in its own right—is porous and open, allowing for abundant daylight, natural ventilation and expansive views.

Sky Habitat is located at 7 Bishan Street 15, Singapore 573908.

2. Reflections at Keppel Bay by Daniel Libeskind, 2011

Daniel Libeskind’s deconstructed designs—his awe-inspiring works include the Jewish Museum Berlin and the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto—have won him numerous architectural awards. He was the first architect to receive the prestigious Dresden International Peace Prize, among other accolades. Unsurprisingly, his first residential development in Asia is luxury waterfront living done right. Reflections by Keppel Bay comprises six curved towers and fan-shaped villa apartment blocks that form an artful composition of differing orientations and heights, allowing breathtaking views of the sea and city skyline as well as a glittering interplay of changing light planes and reflecting angles.

Reflections by Keppel Bay is located at Keppel Bay View, Singapore 098417.

3. The Hive by Thomas Heatherwick, 2015

The Hive (also known as Learning Hub South) at Nanyang Technological University was designed by famed British designer Thomas Heatherwick, whose inspiring projects include the UK pavilion at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai and the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in South Africa. Heatherwick was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to the design industry. This educational facility is composed of 12 interconnected eight-storey towers that resemble stacked dim sum baskets arranged around a public atrium. Awarded the Green Mark Platinum Star Champion by the Building and Construction Authority in 2013, the eco-friendly hub also boasts a unique ventilation system that removes hot air via convection, doing away with the need for air conditioning.

The Hive is located at 52 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639816.

4. D’Leedon by Zaha Hadid, 2014

D’Leedon was one of the last projects to be delivered by Iraqi-born British architect, Zaha Hadid, who passed away after suffering a heart attack in 2016. Hadid was the first woman to be individually awarded the Royal Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects that same year. In 2012, she was made a Dame for her services to architecture; she was also the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004, among the many awards and accolades to her name. The condominium complex highlights her signature brand of fluid, sweeping lines in the form of seven towers positioned to minimise sun exposure, semi-detached villas, and a wide array of facilities including swimming pools and tennis courts. Other iconic works of Hadid’s include the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan and Vitra Fire Station in Germany.

D’Leedon is located at 7 Leedon Heights, D’leedon,Singapore 267953.

5. DUO Singapore by Ole Scheeren, 2018

German architect Ole Scheeren won the CTBUH Urban Habitat Award 2021 for his innovative design for DUO, and it’s easy to see why. The mixed development integrates the surrounding context with its diverse mix of functions around a public plaza, incorporating environmental strategies through passive and active energy efficient design as well as naturally ventilated spaces. Two expressive sculptural towers with curved facades featuring an intricate honeycomb shading system carves a series of circular urban spaces, landscaped gardens, walkways, cafes and restaurants. The acclaimed architect also designed the eye-catching CCTV Headquarters in Beijing and The Interlace in Singapore, which was awarded World Building of the Year in 2015.

DUO Residences is located at 1 Fraser Street, Singapore 189350; DUO Tower is located at 3 Fraser Street, Singapore 189352.

6. The Gateway by I.M. Pei, 1990

Best known for the glass pyramid he designed for the Louvre in Paris, I.M. Pei was one of the most renowned architects of the 20th century. The Chinese-American architect was notably awarded the Pritzker Prize in 1983, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom by then-President George H. W. Bush in 1992. Pei’s buildings can be identified through the use of geometric shapes and clean lines—The Gateway is no exception. He envisioned his design as a “gateway to Singapore,” symbolically inviting and welcoming visitors from all over the world. Thanks to its trapezoidal design that creates a striking optical illusion. The stunning landmark, set against the Singapore skyline, appears like a sheet of glass from certain angles but is actually two 37-storey office buildings, each standing at 150 metres tall.

The Gateway is located at 150 Beach Road, Singapore 189720.

7. The Colonnade by Paul Rudolph, 1986

Originally intended as a set of prefabricated units hoisted onto a structural frame, The Colonnade was developed from American architect Paul Rudolph’s earlier but unbuilt Graphic Arts Center of Manhattan. The clever interplay of solids and voids meant that cantilevered units allowed for shading from the sun, a thoughtful design consideration for the hot and humid Singapore. While his monolithic concrete works fell out of favour in the United States during the 1970s, Rudolph found success with his high-rise projects in Asia, such as the Lippo Center in Hong Kong and The Concourse office tower in Singapore.

The Colonnade is located at 82 Grange Road, Singapore 249587.

8. The Crest by Toyo Ito, 2017

Offering a harmonious blend of nature and urban sophistication, The Crest is the brainchild of famed Japanese architect and Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Toyo Ito, known for his inventive designs and lack of reliance on a signature style. His notable works include the Sendai Mediatheque and Tod’s Omotesando building in Japan. The condominium, comprising high and low-rise residential buildings, includes a basement carpark, swimming pool, landscape deck and communal facilities. Each tower is aligned to create wind tunnels that naturally cool the development while sky planters introduce vertical greenery.

The Crest is located at 103 Prince Charles Crescent, Singapore 159018.