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WELCOME TO 

Tropical Renewable Architecture Design Lab
National University of Singapore

The SkyTimber™: Tropical Renewable Architecture Design Lab is a focal point of advanced designs and interdisciplinary research, thought leadership and education on tropical renewable architecture in the Southeast Asian region and the tropics worldwide. It brings together interdisciplinary groups of architects, researchers, industry partners, regulatory bodies to develop capability to design and build tropical renewable architecture in academic, professional, built environmental sectors - envisioning the symbiosis between sustainable forestry and built environment in the tropics.

BioHeal: RainbowForum
BioHeal: WellSphere
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NUS DOA Material Library
NUS-CDL Tropical Technology Lab
NUS SDE4 Testbed Facade
Tree Cover Gain-Loss (Global Forest Watch)
Sky Timber NUS-BFH International Workshop 2019
Sky Timber Design Studio (2018) / Renee Tay / A/P Shinya Okuda
Sky Timber Design Studio (2018) / Renee Tay / A/P Shinya Okuda
Sky Timber Design Studio (2018) / Renee Tay / A/P Shinya Okuda
Sky Timber Design Studio (2018) / Final Review
Sky Timber Design Studio (2017) / Florian Seufert / A/P Shinya Okuda
Sky Timber Design Studio (2017) / Florian Seufert / A/P Shinya Okuda
Sky Timber Design Studio (2017) / Florian Seufert / A/P Shinya Okuda
Sky Timber Design Studio (2017) / Florian Seufert / A/P Shinya Okuda
Featured Video

INNOVATIVE DESIGN-RESEARCH

Tropical renewable architecture, namely tropical mass engineered timber (MET) to sink carbon in solid building forms, requires interdisciplinary design and research indispensably. We deliver unique yet functional sustainable architectural aesthetics for human-comfort and sustainable built environment, which is enabled by extensive research across forestry, manufacturing, architectonics, building physics to champion high humidity, weathering and termite attacks in the tropics.

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The Tropical Renewable Architecture Design Lab explores unique yet functional sustainable architecture by championing various challenges on tropical renewable architecture, especially in high-density urbanism, aiming to synthesize living comfort, passive microclimate strategy, carbon sink in building forms and symbiosis between greenery and habitation.

Due to year-round sunlight, some plantation species in the tropics may grow a few times faster than those in temperate climate, which may eventually have relatively weak mechanical properties on their own, which most of the current use is limited to furniture, plywood, pulps and chips. However, those fast-growing plantation timber may become suitable for construction use if developed into tropical MET, which may enable massive buildings as effective carbon sink for long-term: a true game changer in the global warming era.

EVENTS

  • MASS TIMBER ARCHITECTURE IN THE TROPICS Int’l Seminar 2023 : Challenges and Possibilities
    MASS TIMBER ARCHITECTURE IN THE TROPICS Int’l Seminar 2023 : Challenges and Possibilities
    Fri, 20 Oct
    https://cde.nus.edu.sg/arch/news_and_eve
    20 Oct 2023, 9:00 am SGT – 21 Oct 2023, 6:00 pm SGT
    https://cde.nus.edu.sg/arch/news_and_eve, LT421, SDE3, 4 Architecture Drive, Department of Architecture, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117566, Singapore
    20 Oct 2023, 9:00 am SGT – 21 Oct 2023, 6:00 pm SGT
    https://cde.nus.edu.sg/arch/news_and_eve, LT421, SDE3, 4 Architecture Drive, Department of Architecture, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117566, Singapore
    Two days will be dedicated to mass timber construction for both aspiring professionals and experts. For more information, please visit at https://cde.nus.edu.sg/arch/news_and_events/events_ay2324_rothoschool_skytimber_201023/
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  • iF DESIGN AWARD 2022: BookBridge
    iF DESIGN AWARD 2022: BookBridge
    May 2022
    NUS Central Library, Singapore
    May 2022
    NUS Central Library, Singapore, 12 Kent Ridge Cres, Singapore 119275
    May 2022
    NUS Central Library, Singapore, 12 Kent Ridge Cres, Singapore 119275
    NUS Central Library BookBridge project has won iF DESIGN AWARD 2022 at Interior Architecture category. Thank you for the team / collaborators !
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  • SkyTimber: Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics Lecture Series 6
    SkyTimber: Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics Lecture Series 6
    Thu, 21 Mar
    L4 Barrel Room
    21 Mar 2024, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm SGT
    L4 Barrel Room, 4 Architecture Dr, School Of Design And Environment, Singapore 117566
    21 Mar 2024, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm SGT
    L4 Barrel Room, 4 Architecture Dr, School Of Design And Environment, Singapore 117566
    Planning for a High-rise MET school in Singapore TAN CHOON HWEE Lead Manager (New Campus) Infrastructure & Facility Services Division Design and Global Solutions Ministry of Education
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  • Introduction to Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics Final Review
    Introduction to Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics Final Review
    23rd Nov. 2022
    Singapore
    23rd Nov. 2022
    Singapore, 4 Architecture Dr, School of Design and Environment, Singapore 117566
    23rd Nov. 2022
    Singapore, 4 Architecture Dr, School of Design and Environment, Singapore 117566
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  • Job Advertisement: Design Research Assistant
    Job Advertisement: Design Research Assistant
    Jul. 2024 -
    Singapore
    Jul. 2024 -
    Singapore, Singapore 117566
    Jul. 2024 -
    Singapore, Singapore 117566
    Design Research Assistant (Architecture and Construction) For more information, please check the link: https://careers.nus.edu.sg/NUS/job/COLLEGE-OF-DESIGN-&-ENG-Design-Research-Assistant-%28Architecture-and-Construction%29-Kent/18941944/
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  • BCA Academy Annex construction site visit
    BCA Academy Annex construction site visit
    5th Oct. 2022
    Singapore
    5th Oct. 2022
    Singapore, 200 Braddell Rd, Singapore 579700
    5th Oct. 2022
    Singapore, 200 Braddell Rd, Singapore 579700
    Thank you Yew Chai @ Dragages !
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  • Tat Hin Timber saw mill visit
    Tat Hin Timber saw mill visit
    13th Jan. 2022
    Singapore
    13th Jan. 2022
    Singapore, 31 Sungei Kadut Street 4, S)729055 Tat Hin Timber Pte Ltd, Singapore 729055
    13th Jan. 2022
    Singapore, 31 Sungei Kadut Street 4, S)729055 Tat Hin Timber Pte Ltd, Singapore 729055
    Thank you Siang Ping @ Tat Hin
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  • NTU Academic Building South Construction Site
    NTU Academic Building South Construction Site
    7th Feb 2020
    Singapore
    7th Feb 2020
    Singapore, 91 Nanyang Ave, Singapore 639956
    7th Feb 2020
    Singapore, 91 Nanyang Ave, Singapore 639956
    Thank you Gary (RIP), David @ Steeltech
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  • Wohhup Technology Hub Visit
    Wohhup Technology Hub Visit
    Thu, 16 Mar
    Singapore
    16 Mar 2023, 3:00 pm
    Singapore, 1 Gul Street 5, Singapore 629215
    16 Mar 2023, 3:00 pm
    Singapore, 1 Gul Street 5, Singapore 629215
    SkyTimber Studio visit Wohhup Technology Hub guided by Catherine Loke
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  • Sky Timber: Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics Lecture Series 5
    Sky Timber: Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics Lecture Series 5
    Thu, 09 Mar
    L5 Forum, SDE4
    09 Mar 2023, 9:00 am – 10:00 am
    L5 Forum, SDE4, Singapore 117356, 8 Architecture Dr, Singapore
    09 Mar 2023, 9:00 am – 10:00 am
    L5 Forum, SDE4, Singapore 117356, 8 Architecture Dr, Singapore
    Regeneration case studies in concrete and timber and MET references Ryusuke Kojio, Architect, M. Eng. General Manager, Design and Global Solutions TAKENAKA CORPORATION Asia Region, International Department
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  • NUS Central Library Book Bridge Launch
    NUS Central Library Book Bridge Launch
    Wed, 24 Mar
    NUS Central Library
    24 Mar 2021, 6:00 pm
    NUS Central Library, 12 Kent Ridge Cres, Singapore 119275
    24 Mar 2021, 6:00 pm
    NUS Central Library, 12 Kent Ridge Cres, Singapore 119275
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  • Urban Sustainability R&D Congress 2019
    Urban Sustainability R&D Congress 2019
    Tue, 23 Jul
    Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition
    23 Jul 2019, 9:00 am
    Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition, 1 Raffles Blvd, Singapore 039593
    23 Jul 2019, 9:00 am
    Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition, 1 Raffles Blvd, Singapore 039593
    Advanced Construction Mass Timber Construction Systems for High-density Urban Environment in the Tropics Shinya Okuda Assoc. Prof., Dept of Architecture, School of Design and Environment, NUS
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  • Sky Timber: Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics Lecture Series 2018
    Sky Timber: Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics Lecture Series 2018
    Fri, 02 Nov
    Singapore
    02 Nov 2018, 6:00 pm
    Singapore, 4 Architecture Dr, School of Design and Enviroment, Singapore 117566
    02 Nov 2018, 6:00 pm
    Singapore, 4 Architecture Dr, School of Design and Enviroment, Singapore 117566
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  • Sky Timber: Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics Lecture Series 4
    Sky Timber: Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics Lecture Series 4
    Thu, 01 Nov
    Singapore
    01 Nov 2018, 6:00 pm
    Singapore, 4 Architecture Dr, School of Design and Enviroment, Singapore 117566
    01 Nov 2018, 6:00 pm
    Singapore, 4 Architecture Dr, School of Design and Enviroment, Singapore 117566
    Challenges and Opportunities in Timber Construction: Understanding its Structural Potential Christophe Sigrist Ph.D., Professor for Timber Engineering and Steel Construction, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland.
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  • Sky Timber: Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics Lecture Series 3
    Sky Timber: Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics Lecture Series 3
    Thu, 06 Sept
    Singapore
    06 Sept 2018, 6:00 pm
    Singapore, 4 Architecture Dr, School of Design and Enviroment, Singapore 117566
    06 Sept 2018, 6:00 pm
    Singapore, 4 Architecture Dr, School of Design and Enviroment, Singapore 117566
    Timber Hybrid Makes the Breakthrough: Taking Hold in Large-Scale Projects Rainer Strauch CTO (Chief Technical Officer), Cree by Rhomberg, Austria
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  • Sky Timber: Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics Lecture Series 2
    Sky Timber: Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics Lecture Series 2
    Tue, 04 Sept
    Singapore
    04 Sept 2018, 6:00 pm
    Singapore, 4 Architecture Dr, School of Design and Enviroment, Singapore 117566
    04 Sept 2018, 6:00 pm
    Singapore, 4 Architecture Dr, School of Design and Enviroment, Singapore 117566
    Disruption Through Prefabrication: The Evolution and Future of Mass Timber Nick Milestone Associate Director, William Hare Group Chairman, TRADA (Timber research and development association), UK
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  • Sky Timber: Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics Lecture Series 1
    Sky Timber: Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics Lecture Series 1
    Mon, 27 Aug
    Singapore
    27 Aug 2018, 2:00 pm
    Singapore, 4 Architecture Dr, School of Design and Enviroment, Singapore 117566
    27 Aug 2018, 2:00 pm
    Singapore, 4 Architecture Dr, School of Design and Enviroment, Singapore 117566
    Sky Timber: Mass Timber Architecture in Tropical High-density Urbanism Shinya Okuda Registered Architect (JP, EU) Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, School of Design and Environment, National University of SingaporeAt COP21 in 2015 in Paris, Singapore commits to reduce carbon e
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  • Sky Timber: Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics International Workshop 2019
    Sky Timber: Mass Timber Architecture in the Tropics International Workshop 2019
    Mon, 20 May
    Singapore
    20 May 2019, 6:00 pm
    Singapore, 4 Architecture Dr, School of Design and Enviroment, Singapore 117566
    20 May 2019, 6:00 pm
    Singapore, 4 Architecture Dr, School of Design and Enviroment, Singapore 117566
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