* DESIGNER OF
THE YEAR 2009

Look Boon Gee

Managing Director
LOOK Architecture Pte Ltd, Singapore

DISCIPLINE
Architecture

CONTACT

office@lookarchitects.com.sg

Look Boon Gee co-founded LOOK Architects Pte Ltd with Ng Sor Hiang in 1993. Since then, it has become a highly respected practice that has gone from strength to strength. Mr Look’s diverse portfolio features a range of projects of vastly different scale and use, including educational institutions, commercial developments, single-family homes, high-density housing and urban infrastructures. It demonstrates his versatility and inventiveness, and has established him as a creative force to be reckoned with. Most recently, The Chicago Athenaeum awarded LOOK Architects The International Architecture Awards 2009 for the Bishan Community Library and Alexandra Arch & Forest Walk.

Looking back on his entry into architecture, Mr Look considers it almost inevitable. He muses, “I have always been drawn to the creative aspect of beauty, from objects to environments. Becoming an architect was almost a matter of course for me.”

This affinity for aesthetics has shaped his view of design. He says, “Design improves the quality of life … Good design has a timeless quality that transcends geographical and cultural boundaries.”

Among his sources of inspiration, Mr Look names nature and art as well as travel. “Globe-trotting to wondrous places of natural beauty is a splendid luxury that fuels my creativity,” he explains. His influences include his lecturers and tutors while at university, as well as staff and students at his design studio.

Mr Look’s creative approach involves bringing to life designs that stimulate the senses and challenge expected norms. He says,

“Each project is a journey of exploration that constantly feeds back on my design outlook in a self-evolving way … My projects embody the resolution of conflicts on different levels, and each of these confrontations is subject to unbiased inquiry, as demonstrated by the Bishan Community Library and Alexandra Arch & Forest Walk.”

Armed with a firm belief in innovation, Mr Look embarks on every project with a steadfast commitment to experimentation and research. He believes in “thinking out of the box, yet not re-inventing the wheel” and “looking at problems from less apparent angles”. In his experience, “The combination of a prudent budget and an exacting site gives rise to innovation in its most astute form.” In his modest way, he sees himself sharing with younger architects his “unorthodox way of dealing with challenges”.

The path to success has been marked by both highs and lows. Says Mr Look, “We were just a young fledgling design firm when the Asian financial crisis erupted in 1997. Learning to remain calm and optimistic in the face of adversity has been invaluable to my development as a designer.” He describes his wife and children as having been his “pillar of support” throughout this journey.

On the design scene in Singapore, Mr Look observes, “A greater self-awareness is budding amid the local design scene, and this solidarity is bolstering the creative community’s competitiveness on the international front.”

Being conferred the President’s Design Award is “a prized recognition of my practice and body of work, which I have nurtured with my partner, Ms Ng Sor Hiang, for the past 15 years”. It is, says Mr Look, “an esteemed impetus for us to continue to strive for design excellence.”

 

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Alexandra Arch & Forest Walk (2008), Singapore

Ascott Centre of Excellence (2008), Singapore

Bishan Community Library (2006), Singapore

No. 5 Gemmil Lane (2000), Singapore

Alexandra Arch & Forest Walk (2008), Singapore

Ficus Winebar Station (2008), Singapore

‘‘Be humble and adaptable, much like the ability of water to course through the hardest stone.’’

Insights from the Recipient

What does it mean to practise as a designer in Singapore?

It means having to be versatile and resilient. Increasingly, it has become essential to expand our approach to one that is multi-disciplinary and collaborative.

How has Singapore's design industry evolved over the past decade or, indeed, since you started practising?

The industry has gained more self-awareness and drive to export a local brand. In a way, there has been greater focus on the art of craft and making, interestingly corresponding with a departure from theorising. The architectural community could see further growth if there were greater camaraderie among practitioners to share knowledge and experience. As of now, it is still a challenge to create a level playing field with global competitors.

How has receiving the President's Design Award benefitted you as a Designer/Architect?

The Award is a high accolade that is conferred on only the most outstanding and dedicated practitioners. Receiving this recognition was a proud moment, and it has spurred me and my colleagues to conduct greater experimentation in our works.

Citation

Jury Citation

Look Boon Gee is a proficient and adept designer who treats each new project creatively and brings new ideas to all of his work. His portfolio is noted for the variety of materials and construction technologies he employs and for applying new approaches skilfully across a diverse range of projects. In his earliest projects, Boon Gee displayed a bold pragmatism and innovation. One particular project that stands out, No. 5 Gemmill Lane, consists of interlocking pigmented precast concrete planes that collectively form a delightful collage – a visionary and daring work for its time.

Over the years, Boon Gee’s portfolio of works has matured to focus on the creative use of architectural design for the community. His recent projects, Kampong Kembangan Community Club, Bishan Community Library and Alexandra Arch & Forest Walk, are intuitively accessible, delightful to experience and easy to use, thus proposing new ways for engaging people and their environments.

Not distracted by commercialism, Boon Gee has remained steadfast in committing time, effort and thought in exploring the creative possibilities of each unique project, to arrive at design solutions that display a balance between control and aesthetic reward.

Boon Gee exhibits qualities such as sensitivity, dedication and thoughtfulness. For that, the Jury applauds him and hopes he will continue to serve as an inspiring model of an architect dedicated to serving the needs of the community.

VIEW JURORS

Nominator Citation

MS CHAN CHOY LING
DEPUTY DIRECTOR
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE & THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, SINGAPORE POLYTECHNIC

OTHER RECIPIENTS