Located in one of Singapore’s quickly growing high density public housing estates, Oasis Terraces turns what could have been a generic community centre into a green and generous contribution to the city.
Designed by Serie (in conjunction with local partners Multiply), the building responds to its context along the Punggol Waterway Park by stepping down gently to the river with a series of garden terraces. This finely crafted building form creates a well defined facade along the street side (behind), and breaks down the building mass along the waterfront into a finer scale.
The rectilinear building forms are elegantly defined with an externalised collonade of double columns. Facades set-in from the external structure shade internalised spaces appropriately for the tropical climate. Externalised corridors throughout the levels of the building, edged by planters with overflowing greenery.
The public terraced landscapes which spill down from rooftop to river are made accessible with a series of diagonal ramps. The terraces contain public playgrounds, gardens, and spill-out spaces for the enjoyment of the public. The ample rooftop greenery also provides green relief for the surrounding high-rise public housing buildings.
Along the waterfront, a generously shaded public space has been carved out from the rectilinear mass of the building.
Serie has designed a number of other fantastic projects in Singapore: the almost-completed New State Courts Complex, NUS School of Design & Environment, 5 Science Park Drive, and is currently working on One Pearl Bank.
Images by Jonathan Choe
