d+a | Issue 122 • 2021

/ FEATURE / 26 and scaling up the pavilion one-to-one anywhere else. Sim thinks those inspired by it should apply the ideas, strategies and the design thinking into the respective context. “For instance, thinking and planning in 3D, shrinking the urban footprint, integrating nature into the design and seeing a building as being a part of interwoven systems (urban, social, economic and natural systems) rather than a standalone project,” he says. The Singapore Pavilion specifically demonstrates how a layered approach can be taken to maximise land-use, but at the same time, it does not take away from nature. It adds to nature by providing even more surface area and conditions for plants to thrive in, despite its location in quite a harsh environment. “This, in turn, generates valuable ecosystem services that benefit all living beings. “The pavilion also is an example of how a structure in this location can become self-sufficient in energy and minimise water usage,” says Sim. “These strategies can be adapted to different climate zones, geographies and cultures and scaled to suit their respective context.” 08. It looks like a scene from Avatar but the otherworldly sculptures are the winged seeds of the dipterocarp tree. 08