Exploring Architectural Theories: Highlights from the NUS X SUTD Intervarsity Debate

The academic year kicked off with the highly anticipated NUS X SUTD Intervarsity Debate, organised by The Architecture Society (TAS) in collaboration with SUTDio. Held on the evening of 19th August in the NUS SDE3 exhibition space, the annual debate addresses pertinent and engaging issues relevant to both the industry and society.

This year’s debate centred on the topic, “Are Theoretical Frameworks Relevant to Addressing Singapore’s Contemporary Housing Challenges?”. The motion aimed to explore the significance of critical theory, extending beyond architectural theories, in addressing housing issues such as the ageing population, a growing concern for the nation in the 21st century.

Representing NUS (opposition) were undergraduate students Fatimah Mazlan and Nahdrah Mehlan, guided by Assistant Professor Kim Frederick Chando.

On the opposing side, the SUTD team (proposition) featured undergraduate students Ng Wei Ching Jeremiah and Ethan Lee Wei-En, under the guidance of Senior Lecturer Daniel Joseph Whittaker.

Esteemed judges for the event included Dr Frederico Simone Ruberto from NUS, Ar. Melvin Keng, Principal Architect and Founder of Kaizen Architecture and Adjunct Assistant Professor Calvin Chua from SUTD.

The debate unfolded over two rounds: the first involving the presentation of key arguments by both teams, followed by conferring and crossfire time. The second round featured rebuttal statements in response to earlier points, culminating in another crossfire session. The NUS team argued for the departure from theoretical frameworks in favour of more quantitative and practical initiatives, such as using data algorithms to generate design. Conversely, the SUTD team emphasised that quantitative methods are still grounded in social theories of organisation and planning, aiming for efficiency and social resilience and incorporating architectural theories foundational to many current housing policies.

Despite audience votes being evenly split at 50-50 by the end of the session, the judges ultimately declared the SUTD team the winners due to their well-prepared and articulate arguments and rebuttals. Fatimah from NUS was awarded Best Speaker for her steadfast stance and captivating delivery, impressing both the audience and judges with her detailed insights and sharp responses.

Fatimah shared her thoughts on the experience, saying, “The Inter-varsity Debate 2024 was a fun and invigorating opportunity to engage with architecture not just through creation, but also through reflection, research, and evaluation of current policies that interact with Singapore’s built environment. This truly brings a holistic and meaningful learning experience to architecture in a fun way. I am always thankful for such a supportive team and for the SUTD proposition team, who made the debate engaging and thoroughly enjoyable.”

Ng Wei Ching Jeremiah from SUTD, also shared his reflections: “Engaging in the Inter-varsity Debate 2024 allowed me to explore architectural theoretical frameworks and issues dynamically. Crafting coherent points on architectural topics and having them challenged by a talented and well-researched opposition deepened my appreciation for the themes, realities, and theories within architecture. It was a highly rewarding experience.”