BCA Academy

Owner: BCA Academy
Architect: ADDP Architects Pte Ltd
Landscape Architect/Designer: Plantwerkz Pte Ltd
Main Contractor: Dragages Singapore Pte Ltd
Year: 2022

LIAS Awards of Excellence 2025
Silver – Design & build (Non-Residential)

Decorative circular design with tropical flowers and leaves surrounding the text "IAS Awards of Excellence 2025" for the 10th Edition.

Located within the BCA Braddell Campus, the Built Environment Innovation Hub (BEIH) consists of two interconnected buildings: the 7-storey Zero Energy Building (ZEB) and the 16-storey Super Low Energy Building (SLEB).

Designed by ADDP Architects, the hub serves as a forward-looking ‘Academy’ that fosters innovation, collaboration, and knowledge transfer. Housing immersive laboratories such as the triple-volume Construction Production Lab equipped with gantry cranes for robot testing, as well as testing labs, offices, and discussion areas, BEIH showcases cutting-edge construction technologies.

The ZEB features a user-centric layout with open-air spaces, wide steps, and green passageways that seamlessly link the building with surrounding landscapes. Warm wooden elements and integrated planters enhance the biophilic environment, while the landscape design — characterized by curvilinear paths and lush, layered vegetation — creates a tranquil, immersive experience. This multifunctional terrace space offers students and visitors a peaceful retreat and reinforces BEIH’s role as an inspiring hub for learning and experimentation.

Modern high-rise building with a vertical garden covering a large section of its facade, under an overhang with supporting columns.

7th Storey Terrace

Indoor garden with various lush green plants and trees, benches along the curved edge, and large windows letting in natural light.

Inspired by the richness and diversity of tropical forests, the design integrates lush layers of vegetation, utilising a mix of plant textures, colours, and forms. The terrace serves as a multi-functional outdoor space, providing students and visitors a peaceful escape from the busy campus life. All plants are carefully selected and they are thriving well under the building shelter. 

Indoor garden with lush green plants lining a curved pathway under a black ceiling with white piping.

Curved pathways, inspired by natural trails through a forest, will meander through the terrace, allowing visitors to explore different zones of planting and immerse themselves in the lush greenery. Due to limited soil depth, raised concrete rings are employed to increase the required soil depth for tree growth. The general lush greenery is planted on the allowed 300mm soil depth.

5th Storey

Indoor balcony garden with various green plants and a city view in the background.

Lush planting in varying shades of green, with red aglaonema accents, creates a vibrant sky terrace within shallow planters. Meandering paths which are wheelchair friendly allows easy access to the terrace garden. 

Sky Terrace (3rd, 5th & 7th Storey)

Indoor garden with various green plants along a wooden floor wall, supported by large black pillars and visible pipes.

A Green Curtain*, was created to serve as a vibrant green backdrop for the building's courtyard. A meandering footpath was created between the shrub planting to allow the maintenance crew to weave in and out of the lush planting.

* Originally designed as aluminium panels

Interior of a modern building with multiple floors and green indoor plants, railings along open walkways, and large windows allowing natural light to illuminate the space.

Vertical Green Wall

Modern building with a large green vertical garden on the exterior facade, glass windows and metal accents, under a partly cloudy sky.

The terrace gardens, 3rd to the 7th storey, are interconnected by climbers supported on stainless steel cables, replacing the aluminium façade. This creates a visually striking green wall that complements the building’s architecture, enhancing its appeal with a natural, organic aesthetic.

Modern building with a green vertical garden wall and wooden architectural details, under an overcast sky.
Green living wall on the side of a building with lush plants and greenery. Exterior showing a paved road below.

This lush, multi-layered sky terraces provide an inviting atmosphere for all who visit, fostering relaxation, connection with nature, and a sense of tranquility within the heart of the campus.

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