A vertical village in Singapore has been name the World Building of the Year 2015 at the World Architecture Festival. The Interlace is a residential development designed by OMA / Buro Ole Scheeren. It comprises 31 six-story apartment blocks stacked in hexagonal shapes.
"The Interlace is blazing a trail with an example of bold, contemporary architectural thinking," says World Architecture Festival Director Paul Finch. "The project presents an alternative way of thinking about developments which might otherwise become generic tower clusters."
Described as "one of the most ambitious residential developments in Singapore's history" and "a radically new approach to contemporary living in a tropical environment," the Interlace aims to create a mix of internal and outdoor shared and private spaces.
The apartment blocks are each 70 m (230 ft) long and are arranged around eight large courtyards. The stacked arrangement means that the different environments created are spread across multiple levels.
The Interlace is the eighth building to claim the World Architecture Festival's World Building of the Year title since its inception in 2008, and follows on from last year's winner, the Chapel in Ho Chi Minh. It is claimed to be the world’s largest international architectural event, and moves to Berlin next year after being held in Singapore for four years.
Source: World Architecture Festival