TENT PLAZA
(A space for eating and discussion)
TENT PLAZA
(A space for eating and discussion)
Embedded Files
(A space for eating and discussion)
"How do we intertwine people, place and nature to create a place for memory, experience and growth?"
Let's ask nature...
UWCSEA DOVER MOVES TO TENGAH!
UWCSEA DOVER MOVES TO TENGAH!
UWCSEA Dover will be relocating to Tengah in 2032, creating an opportunity to reimagine how a campus can serve both people and the planet. Your challenge is to design one specific area of the new campus (stated below) so that it strengthens community connections and deepens our relationship with nature.
Your design must draw on biomimicry—learning from and applying strategies found in the natural world as a way to achieve both sustainability and a sense of belonging. Think about how your space can bring people together, nurture wellbeing, and reduce environmental impact, while taking inspiration from how living systems solve problems.
Site specific information such as location, size, etc are linked below.
"Historically, we have designed buildings and structures to resist nature - to keep it out. We don't consider how we blend, how we embrace and coexist. We’re the only species that does this. We need to look at building in a new way, not look at it in an old way with new materials or processes.
There is no such thing as waste in nature - no such this as unemployment. Everything has a job."
Q. How can we redesign the tent plaza to let water in, not out. How do we harness and utilise the water, giving it a job....?
CHALLENGE-SPECIFIC STATEMENT
Design dining and gathering areas that promote community connection, reduce waste, and operate sustainably in Singapore’s tropical climate. It should ideally integrate with nature, harnessing what it has to offer us.
YOUR DESIGN SHOULD
Offer comfortable, shaded, and well-ventilated dining areas.
Reduce food waste through smart design (collection, composting, awareness).
Incorporate natural cooling and lighting strategies.
Provide flexible spaces for meals, meetings, and community events.
Support biodiversity (plants integrated into design).
Encourage sustainable food practices.
"What happens to the waste? How does nature efficiently manage waste?..."
POSSIBLE RESEARCH STARTING POINTS
AskNature: Leaf canopies (shade & cooling), termite mounds (airflow systems), fungal networks (waste cycling).
Inspiration: kelp forests (swaying shade), bird nests (communal gathering), mangroves (filtering waste).
UN SDG LINKS: [2] Zero Hunger + [12] Responsible Consumption & Production + [11] Sustainable Cities & Communities
STAKEHOLDER STATEMENTS
You should consider and accommodate these requirements into the design of your proposed solution.
ASK AN EXPERT
ASK AN EXPERT
You may wish to ask your friendly AI-generated Biomimetic design expert.
Start with explaining your design challenge
Ask for useful research areas to follow up and investigate
Ask for design inspiration and starting points
Share your stakeholder statements and ask how a design might meet these
Potential Idea...
Potential Idea...
Here's a concept for redesigning the 'tent plaza' to "let nature in" while keeping people dry, incorporating biomimetic strategies for water management and shelter. The design aims to integrate water movement directly into the architectural experience.
Inspired by the lotus effect and the way leaves channel water, the existing fabric canopy could be re-envisioned as a series of overlapping, petal-like structures. These 'petals' would be made from a translucent, hydrophobic material that sheds water efficiently. The overlapping nature, reminiscent of tree canopies or certain plant leaves, would create channels for rainwater to flow.
Instead of a single large tent, imagine several smaller, interconnected canopies, each slightly angled. The edges of these 'petals' would be designed with a subtle lip or gutter system, guiding rainwater towards specific collection points.
The central plaza area, currently paved, could be transformed. Sections of the paving would be replaced with permeable surfaces and bioretention planters. These planters would feature native, water-loving plants that can absorb and filter rainwater.
Large, sculptural 'tree-like' columns, inspired by the branching patterns of trees, would support the canopies. These columns would be hollow and double as vertical rain gardens, with internal channels and cascading elements that allow visible water flow. As rainwater collects on the canopy, it would be directed into these 'tree columns.' Small openings or transparent sections within the columns would reveal the water as it travels downwards, creating a dynamic visual feature.
At the base of these 'tree columns,' the water would either feed into the permeable plaza sections and bioretention planters for infiltration, or be directed to a visible collection basin, perhaps a shallow, reflective pool that ebbs and flows with rainfall. This basin could also be designed with stepped edges, reminiscent of terraced rice paddies, to slow down water movement and create a calming sound.
During a downpour, people would remain dry under the overlapping hydrophobic canopies. The water, instead of being shed away unseen, would become an integral part of the experience, visible in the 'tree columns' and managed by the landscape elements in the plaza. The translucent canopy material would still allow diffused light, mimicking the dappled light under a tree canopy.
Here's an image that visualises this concept:
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