Future Perfect

Three of Moshe Safdie’s most notable architectural works in the Garden City

THE EDGE ON CAIRNHILL (2003)

One of Moshe Safdie’s first projects in Singapore, this residential building embodies many of the qualities that make him stand out as an architect. The structure has three 20-storey towers connected by outdoor bridges, each facing a central courtyard with curved concrete walls while their exterior glass facades are shaded by trusses that keep indoor spaces cool while preserving views. Safdie has long argued that high-rises must be integrated into a whole, rather than standing alone as monuments, and this apartment building reflects that philosophy.

MARINA BAY SANDS ARTSCIENCE MUSEUM (2011)

Located next to the main Marina Bay Sands casino, shopping and hotel complex, the Artscience Museum resembles a lotus flower, serving as a centrepiece for the expansive development. The concave form collects rainwater and funnels it through an oculus to create a waterfall in the open-air atrium of the museum. The exhibition spaces surround the atrium on the upper floors and are also located beneath a lily pond on the ground level of the structure.

JEWEL CHANGI AIRPORT (2018)

Safdie has always advocated for the need to incorporate green space into architecture and this massive addition to Changi Airport is the culmination of that vision. Serving to connect three airport terminals, Jewel is filled with shops, restaurants and trees—all of it surrounding an oculus (pictured above) through which collected rainwater pours down from the roof of the atrium. As with MBS, Jewel has quickly become a symbol of Singapore.