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Architecture -- United States.
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Ardmore Habitat Condominiums

  • CA CAC 58-1-293
  • Subseries
  • between 1980 and 1985
  • Part of Moshe Safdie

The Ardmore Habitat Condominiums are situated in the heart of downtown Singapore, adjacent to the famed Orchard Road. The project consists of two 17-story towers of vertically stacked terraced units. The project was constructed by Robin Loh Enterprises, shipbuilders and developers, with the objective of providing the amenities of Habitat '67 to a constricted downtown site zoned for vertical massing.

Both towers consist of alternating flat and two-story apartments, opening to a large outdoor garden. The two-story maisonettes are organized around an atrium, which extends to a large double-height external garden that serves as a visual and physical extension of the living area.

Sizeable roof terraces extend the living area of each unit, strengthening the vertical and horizontal spatial experience. On the exterior this interplay manifests as an alternating pattern of flats and maisonette units, creating a multidirectional façade. Terraces wrap the corners of the towers, further articulating the elements of solid and void.

The towers contain 61 middle income and luxury housing units, which are connected at ground level by landscaped recreation areas that include a swimming pool, squash courts, and gardens.

Safdie Architects

Bishan Residential Development (Sky Habitat)

  • CA CAC 58-1-xx
  • Subseries
  • between 2011 and 2015
  • Part of Moshe Safdie

Located in the neighborhood of Bishan, a residential area in the suburban heartland of Singapore, this 38-story residential complex explores the balance of high-density living with humanistic concepts of community, landscape, gardens, and daylight.

Breaking down the scale of typical singular tower residential development, the community-based solution of Sky Habitat is a three-dimensional matrix of homes with private terraces, balconies, and common gardens, bringing landscape into the air and maintaining porosity on the skyline. The complex's strong stepped form recalls the community texture of ancient hillside developments and provides for lush vertical greenery, multiple orientations relative to the sun, naturally ventilated units, and generous views, all without compromising planning or structural efficiency.

Three bridging sky gardens link the two stepping towers and create a series of interconnected streets, gardens, and terraces in the air, which provide a variety of areas for common recreation and congregation. As a result, the overall mass is porous and open, allowing breezes to flow through and daylight to penetrate deep into the structure. The stepping geometry allows every residence multiple orientations and a private outdoor space, resulting in a more humane and delicate urban fabric.

At the ground plane, above a sunken parking podium, more than 70 percent of the site is developed into a series of lush gardens, which offer additional outdoor event areas, swimming pools, a tennis court, and walking paths.

Safdie Architects

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Headquarters

  • CA CAC 58-1-557
  • Subseries
  • 1980 - 2015
  • Part of Moshe Safdie

The Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives building serves as the national headquarters for a government agency with the highest security requirements. Located at the intersection of New York and Florida avenues, this building has been a catalyst for urban renewal and rejuvenation in the surrounding district. The program called for general office space, extensive training facilities, an auditorium, and auxiliary services.

Notwithstanding security setback requirements, the complex engages and animates the surrounding street edges. The entrance is positioned across from the new Metro station on the southeast corner; retail facilities line 2nd Street (to the east); and a trellised garden wall defines N Street (to the south). In addition a three-story planted, arcaded crescent contains the site to the north and west, enclosing a 48,500-square-foot internal garden and inconspicuously serving as a security barrier.

Auxiliary elements such as loading docks and an inspection booth are integrated into the overall fabric of buildings and garden walls. The provision of a technical subfloor for the distribution of data and mechanical services allows for maximum flexibility. The office space consists of relatively narrow floor plates surrounding a large atrium, thus affording daylight for all workspaces.

Safdie Architects