The revamp of Temasek Shophouse presented a rare challenge: four adjoining shophouses, built between the 1920s and 1940s, never originally intended to function as a single entity. Layered onto this was a multifaceted brief, requiring the integration of offices, meeting rooms, event halls, and public spaces—each with distinct operational and spatial needs— served under one roof.

Today, the space houses three event halls of varying scales, 60 co-working spaces, a media studio, a cafe coffee stand by Foreword Coffee, Peranakan restaurant by Bibik Violet, and a retail space Market by Abry. At the heart of this collective building lies a connecting spine — a common corridor that threads through the different shophouses, forming both a physical and social link.

In shaping the public spaces, our aim was community placemaking — to position Temasek Shophouse as a “living room” for the neighborhood. It needed to welcome all, from families and youth to staff and visiting delegates, fostering incidental encounters and shared experiences.

For the private and work areas, our focus shifted to the evolving nature of work. We explored the balance between communal and private spaces, and how meeting areas — formal or ad hoc — can support hybrid modes of collaboration. The goal was to make the workplace adaptable, human-centred, and future-ready.