ABC: When did you start working on the designing of the Esplanade?
Vikas: In late 1993 DP Architects won the competition together with Michael Wilford & Partners (MWP). We worked together in designing this project until May 1995. After that MWP left the project while continued to evolve the design.

ABC: What did the original design of the Esplanade looks like when it was shown to the public in 1994?
Vikas: We always intended to use some kind of shading over the building. However, when we showed the Esplanade design to the public in 1994, the exact type of shading hadn't been designed. Therefore, it was just with the enclosures over the two main theatres as glass cases. There was some resulting criticism from the public that there was too much glass and that the design was too Western. We kept these comments in mind as we continued design on the project. Particularly after MWP left the project in 1995, we made quite a few changes, especially in the cladding which emerged in collaboration with our engineers Atelier One, and subsequently it was detailed with Mero, the contractor responsible for building the cladding. In its present form it is a curved steel space frame with glass over it. And over the glass, there are aluminium sunshades.

ABC: Can you talk about your designing of the cladding and sunshade system after MWP left and where you drew your inspiration?
Vikas: After MWP left, we worked with an engineering firm called Atelier One in designing the cladding system. The distribution of the sunshades we designed follow slowly changing pattern. To design the exterior sunshade screen, we drew inspiration from things the properties of the structural geometry itself as well as elements from nature such as sunflowers, fish scales, the patterns of a bird's feathers etc. Such elements in nature also feature geometry that appears repetitive but changes slowly over the subject. Traditional Asian buildings also inspired us, ranging from "jali" screens in medieval South Asian architecture to the woven mat walls in Southeast Asian buildings.

If you look at the exterior cladding from above, the sunshades appear closed to protect the interior of the building from the sun. If you look at it from the side of the building, the sunshades are open to varying degrees depending on the angle of view such that theatregoers will be able to enjoy the beautiful setting of the Esplanade - with views of the waterfront, the Padang (field) and the major buildings of the civic district. This changing distribution of the sunshade screens offers an unobstructed view from inside, but also blocks out much of the sun. Realising that the orientation of the sunlight is different in relation to both auditoriums, we oriented the sunshades over the two auditoriums differently. The grid on the Lyric Theatre runs at 45(0) to the axis; whereas the Concert Hall's grids run in a straight line to its axis.

We are able achieve all this with intensive use of our computer system. The design for the form of the roof as well as the structure was driven with the help of computers. MWP, who had just started using CAD software, had withdrawn from the project and DP Architects had been using CAD from the mid 1980s.Fortunately it turned out that, Atelier One and DP Architects both used the same software, MicroStation. We were therefore free to explore the potential of computer-aided design to the maximum extent in designing the cladding and sunshade system. Without computers it would have impossible to design the system we see today.

ABC: How has the design of the Esplanade evolved since it was shown in 1994?
Vikas: The structure and the form of the design we showed in 1994 were more geometric and angular. The main structure of the cladding was supposed to run vertically up and down. Over the months however we intentionally shaped the structure into its present softer form, presenting a more organic looking building. The curves of each of the shells offset the rich texture of the external aluminium sunshade layer. On the other hand, as I've written elsewhere, I feel that the shapes help lend the project a sense of tranquillity and typical of some traditional Asian architecture.

ABC: How do you incorporate Asian elements in your design?
Vikas: We tried to design a building that is Asian, without being traditional. One doesn't need to have a Chinese roof or a Minangkabau roof to be Asian. It is possible to be modern, yet still very Asian. Besides the exterior sunshade screens, the inspirations for which I mentioned before, the whole design concept of the building is philosophically close to traditional Asian architectures. If you look at the a lot of traditional architecture in Asia, with some exceptions, one sees a strong base or floor with a roof design that aspires to be light and is made of fairly light materials and is almost decorative in form. The two shells of the Esplanade are actually sitting on columns which will be 2.5 metre in width, merging into a visually solid base. The achieving of a balance between solid and delicate elements is a common thread in much of Asian architecture.

Moreover, we wanted the Esplanade cladding to look like two very light shells, representing the Lyric Theatre and the Concert Hall, sitting on a solid base, which is formed by the commercial wing of the building behind the two auditoriums. To reflect its closeness to the ground, the four-storey base will be clad in natural and earth coloured granite in a matt finish. Unlike other types of ordinary granite in which the grain looks very neat and mechanical, the granite we chose for the base has a flowing grain, somewhat like marble. It has black and brown and black grain flowing across it.

ABC: What do you want people to think when they look at this building?
Vikas: We want people to like it. We want people to feel that it is an exciting place. It is the kind of architecture that Singapore deserves at this point. But ultimately The Esplanade is more about the performing arts and than architecture. And eventually it is the performers that will make or break the project.

ABC: What is the challenge of this project?
Vikas: The site is actually a pretty tight site in considering that we have a lot of things to accommodate. A building like this needs a lot of backup areas, like rehearsal and artiste's rooms, loading docks and so on. And we also needed to air-condition large interior spaces. This sound trivial but because we can't afford to have sound coming from the air-conditioners we have to deliver large volumes of air at very slow speeds. This translates into exceptionally large ducts. Therefore, the challenge of the design apart, figuring out how can we make sure that we accommodate all these needs and yet fit everything in this tight site was a major issue.

ABC: Do you have a theme running through your mind in designing the interior of the buildings?
Vikas: Yes. In many areas, we have tried to use very natural materials, like timber and stone. Most of the floor at the ground level entrance, and concourse is paved with stones in warm colours, like brown or tan. And the internal wall sandstone cladding we use is not highly polished and sleek looking, but uses stones with matte surfaces. We don't want people to feel that this is a classy shining show-case that they are alienated from. We want them to feel welcome.

ABC: If you were to redesign it again would you change any motive or structure?
Vikas: Designers are never satisfied. When people ask us "which is your favourite building, we always say "the next one." We all try to learn from mistakes. To some extent, we might try to readjust where the money was spent, but if we were to redesign it, I think we would come up with something that is very close to what we have now.

go to top

Photo: DPA
Esplanade is located near the mouth of the historic Singapore River.

Photo: DPA
Main Entrance

Photo: DPA
Lyric Theatre