The idea is to be the beacon, an anchor point in orchard road. A haven for the crafts and specialized goods within the busy streets of commercialism. Its form is derived from a mathematical algorithm called the Delaunay triangulation. Voronoi polygons may be thought of as the cells of a growth process. Suppose that we let each vertex in V be the nucleus of a growing cell. Cells will propagate outward from their nuclei, simultaneously and at a uniform rate. Thus, creating such triangulations based on the given formulas. This is how the Delaunay triangles were created.
Architect: Benedict Chew
Location: Singapore
Status: Concept
When these triangles meet, it creates a distortion and shapes the architecture. From there, spaces where formed and programs were placed. The building has 1 auditorium, 9 artisan workshops, 4 classrooms, 1 exhibition gallery, 1 retail outlet, 3 cafes and a basement carpark.
The featured space amongst all these spaces is the Auditorium on the 5th storey. Its unique form shaped the auditorium to its exciting and funky feel that elevates the quality of the space.Its fagade follows the Delaunay pattern which allows tubular steel truss that span across various floors. Some structural, some just for aesthetics, however the building cannot exist without the fagade as it is shaped by it.
Palladium, the chemical element of atomic number 46, a rare silvery-white metal resembling platinum, also has another meaning; a safeguard or source of protection. Therefore the design centre is one of a kind in form, function and meaning. It houses artisans and their work, as well as promote the craftsmanship skill in the bustling city of Singapore where almost everything has lost its uniqueness to the growing
manufacturing world we live in.
External perspective: Night render of the main South-West entrance. site plan: In the heart of the busy city.
Auditorium; The feature space which host design events.
Atrium: The central circulation core of the building which offers workshops and studios, landscape space east: East entrance of building.
Landscape space west: West entrance serves as an urban connector on the ground level, floor plans: Palladium will be the centre for the crafts with state of the art facilities,
Feature space: Part plan & Part ceiling plan of the auditorium.
Section perspective: The delaunay triangulations wraps the building, giving life and form to the spaces,
part detail: Close up construction detail from the section perspective.
Benedict Chew
Benedict Chew graduated from Singapore Polytechnic in 2016 with the Diploma in Architecture His design was exhibited in the 2015 CTBUH New York conference, for being a semi-finalist in the CTBUH international competition. He was also featured twice on Worldarchitecture.org. An athelete who competes in various martial arts such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay thai & freestyle wrestling. He is also a certified lifeguard and an avid baker. Benedict also enjoys playing the drums/cajon.
