ALUMNI NEWS
From Dreams to Rail-ity: NUS MArch Graduate Kenneth Chiang's Visionary Design Wins 1st Place in URA's Tanjong Pagar Railway Station Re-Purposing Competition
You may have recently come across a Straits Times article featuring a 3D rendition of a community lawn in front of the former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, adorned with the national flag carried by a helicopter and fireworks. The winning proposal was by our CDE graduate, Kenneth Chiang, from the Master of Architecture (MArch) class of 2021. Kenneth secured 1st place in the General Public category of the recent URA Competition to Re-Purpose the Former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station (TPRS), launched in April 2024. We are beaming with pride and extend our heartfelt congratulations for such an outstanding design proposal!
Click here to learn more about the project.
CDE Architecture Graduate Eugene Tan's Thesis Drawings Continue to Dazzle
The Department of Architecture is delighted to share that our graduate, Eugene Tan Wei Jie from the Master of Architecture (MArch) Class of 2023, has recently received two more international awards and one commendation for his thesis (AY2022 - 2023). His thesis envisions a radically different future for the politicised territory of Pedra Branca and was supervised by Associate Professor Lilian Chee. These accolades are a testament to his outstanding achievements.
Click here to learn more about his recent and past accolades.
CDE Architecture Graduate Kun Yi James Lim Wins First Place in 2024 Eye Line Drawing Prize for His Experimental and Skilled Drawings
The Department of Architecture is pleased to announce that another of our graduates, James Lim from the Master of Architecture (MArch) Class of 2023, has secured First Place in the Student category for his thesis (AY2022 - 2023) in the 2024 RIBA Journal Eye Line Drawing Prize. James’ thesis delves into visual studies of the subjective experience of Lewy body dementia and the lack of care spaces within HDB flats. His thesis supervisor, Associate Professor Lilian Chee, expressed her elation and conveyed her hope that he feels amply rewarded for the struggle he endured to manifest his grandfather’s unique worldview, shaped by his dementia.
Click here to read more.
Master of Landscape Architecture Graduates' Visionary Project Wins at 2024 ASLA Student Awards
We are delighted to announce that three alumni from the Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) Class of 2024 have won the Honor Awards (Urban Design) in the 2024 ASLA Student Awards! Congratulations to Luoman Ouyang, Zhiyi Guo, and Jiaxin Jiang for their exemplary design coursework in module LA4702 MLA Density Studio. Their award-winning project, “From Remnants to Resonance: Reimagine Coastal Fishing Villages,” addresses the ecological and social impacts of the 2023 nuclear wastewater discharge in Japan.
Click here to learn more about the project.
Inaugural Alumni Dialogue Series: Building Beyond Boundaries
On 19 September 2024, the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering kicked off its Alumni Dialogue Series with a compelling session titled "Building Beyond Boundaries: Diverse Paths in Civil and Environmental Engineering." Over 50 undergraduate and graduate students participated, including five distinguished alumni speakers with deep experiences in entrepreneurship and civil service: Mr Ryan Yuen (CE Class of 2000), Mr Charlie Tan (CE Class of 1999), Mr Wong Siyong (CE Class of 2008), Dr Ong Chee Wee Victor (PhD Class of 2010), and Mr Lim Chong Tee (EVE Class of 2016).
Moderated by Dr Chew Soon Hoe, Deputy Head of External Relations & Development, the session provided valuable insights on prioritising university experiences, achieving work-life balance, and the key values essential for success. Students had the opportunity to network with alumni, fostering connections and inspiration for their future careers and internships while embracing the spirit of giving back to their alma mater.
Luke Goh is the National Winner of the James Dyson Award 2024
Shout out to recent DID graduate Luke Goh for being selected as the National Winner of the James Dyson Award 2024! Luke’s thesis project, Mammosense, is a first-of-its-kind tool that analyses individuals’ breasts to determine the optimal compression force required during screenings for greater patient comfort to encourage increased participation in cancer screenings.
Luke’s mentor, Assoc Prof Yen Ching-Chiuan, had this to say about his achievement, “I’m thrilled to hear about the Dyson Award! It’s our Division’s third consecutive win for the National Winner (Singapore), and I could not be prouder. Mentoring Luke on this project has been an incredible experience, and the collaboration with Dr Serene Goh, Dr Pooja Jagmohan, and Ms Li Ying Lim from NUH has been invaluable.”
There is more cause for celebration as CDE was also represented in the National Runners-up for this year’s James Dyson Award by NUS undergraduates Sparsh (Computer Engineering) and Manas Bam (Computer Science). Sparsh and Manas co-developed yaR, a wearable pendant device that aids the visually handicapped in navigating and performing daily tasks more independently.
Read more about Luke’s James Dyson Award here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/news-detail/recent-did-graduate-luke-goh-selected-as-the-national-winner-of-the-james-dyson-award-2024/
Blending cultures: Designing identity with AI and tradition
The theme of Singapore Design Week 2024 - “People of Design” - celebrates the everyday visionaries among us who make an impact through their work. This week, we celebrate DID graduate Nazurah Rohayat and her work.
It is not every day that a designer gets their work featured at a landmark national event, but that is what happened for Nazurah Rohayat.
As part of her final year thesis project, Nazurah came up with Tapestree - a motif-infused fabric design that incorporates representations of Singapore’s different cultures. The designs caught the eye of government minsters, eventually leading to her fabrics appearing at the 2024 National Day Parade (NDP).
Noting the absence of a unifying cultural identity, Nazurah was inspired to use AI to create a design that could effectively capture Singapore’s multiculturalism while paying homage to the history and heritage of our respective cultures.
Read more about her design journey here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/news-detail/blending-cultures-designing-identity-with-ai-and-tradition/