The NUS–Architectural Conservation Laboratory (ArCLab) serves as a national and regional platform for capacity building in architectural conservation, bridging research, professional practice, and public policy. Conceived as a hands-on training and demonstration facility, ArCLab delivers targeted programmes for three key audiences.
For industry professionals, ArCLab offers Executive Programmes—short-term training programmes that equip contractors, consultants, and government officers with applied technical competencies and heritage management tools. To train practical conservation skills, topics covered are traditional materials, conservation science, building pathology, and diagnostic methodologies tailored to tropical climates. Through a practice-oriented pedagogy integrating laboratory analysis, on-site investigation, and material testing, participants are trained to make evidence-based decisions in the repair, retrofit, and adaptive reuse of historic buildings. For heritage management, philosophies and methodologies are discussed through the lens of Singapore’s ever-changing cityscape, contributing to more nuanced procurement, approval, and compliance processes for the conservation of historic buildings in Singapore.
For students, ArCLab supports the Master of Arts in Architectural Conservation (MAArC) programme at NUS, providing a rigorous academic foundation combined with immersive, hands-on, practice-based learning. As a living laboratory for architectural conservation education, ArCLab’s historic building fabric allows students to engage directly with historic materials, construction systems, and pathologies. Emphasising interdisciplinary approaches and mentorship, it nurtures a new generation of conservation professionals who are critically engaged, ethically grounded, and technically equipped.
For the public, ArCLab conducts outreach through curated heritage walks, hands-on workshops, demonstrations of digital conservation technologies (HeriTech), and public lectures and exhibitions. These initiatives translate technical knowledge into accessible formats, broaden engagement, and foster a deeper appreciation of heritage and sustainable construction.
“The training of Singapore’s building professionals in heritage conservation is essential to safeguarding our architectural legacy while meeting latest standards. NUS-ArCLab plays a pivotal role in bridging research, practice and multidisciplinary collaboration, equipping practitioners with the technical depth and critical thinking required for meaningful conservation.”
Mdm Wo Mei Lan, Director, Liu & Wo Architects Pte Ltd
See the executive programme tab for more details on our programmes*, or check out our past programmes to see ArCLab in action.