WOHA Totem Collection #1

Type of Totem:

Corporate Totem

Target Species:

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Location:

WOHA Office, Chinatown, Singapore

Story:

This is the first prototype collection of totems. This is an example of a corporate totem, one that is suitable for a sky garden, forecourt or rooftop garden in a commercial building. While each totem is a stand-alone object, we thought it would be nice to design them as a collection.

This totem is designed for the Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus. It is a native bird that is declining in Singapore due to modernisation - it’s favourite nesting spots in the city are up in eaves of the old Chinese tiles of the shophouses - and while these buildings are conserved, they are being repaired and sealed up and their access points have disappeared. So while it is not an exciting, rare or exotic bird, we thought it was a good target for us, as it can still be found in the area, in small numbers, and we wonder if it will increase if provided with good homes! You can read more on the decline of sparrows in Singapore this BES article. After hearing they are nesting in electrical boxes, we thought they might like something safer!

We also like that is a social bird, so it suited our concept for a cluster of homes.

Ecological Brief:

These small birds don’t need a lot of room in their nestbox. Generally, if too big, a bigger bird might come and steal the nest, so the nest boxes should be just big enough, easy to defend. While they are called Tree Sparrows, they do actually nest in holes in buildings as well as holes in trees, as well as more typical nests built in branches. They do sometimes create shared nest clusters, so should enjoy our multiple nesting options.

Design Brief:

The idea with Corporate Totems is that they are built to a standard of corporate architecture and public sculpture - long lasting, well finished, attractive, safe.

Design and Technical Development:

Integrated Greenery Development:

The final prototype will be completed in June 2022. Along with a $5000 donation to World Land Trust which will secure 28 acres of wilderness in Guatemala.

Sponsors:

WOHA

WOHA work at all scales, from buildings to masterplans, and see their projects as living systems that are connected to the city as a whole. With every project, the practice aims to create a matrix of interconnected human-scaled environments. These spaces foster community, enable stewardship of nature, generate biophilic beauty, activate ecosystem services and build resilience.

bioSEA

bioSEA is an ecology and biomimicry design consultancy that specializes in ecological placemaking, conducting biodiversity surveys and ecosystem service assessments across all scales from buildings to urban. It is also trying to mainstream the adoption of biomimicry in the built environment.

bioSEA and WOHA have worked together on many of WOHA’s projects, first to assess the built works, and now to design productive ecosystems in urban environments.

GWS Living Art

GWS Living Art specializes in creating a sustainable world with smart green solutions, such as Green wall systems, Green roof systems, IOT Green technologies and smart water systems. The Gaiamat Green Roof Mat system won Zac the Building and Construction Control Authority’s Innovator of the Year award in 2017.

Systmz

Systmz is a top-ranking laboratory and healthcare furniture solutions provider, known for delivering innovative and high quality products. Systemz develop intuitive design solutions with user-friendly products and optimum layout, creating better working environments.

Systmz is building a community of design excellence, taking on design and manufacture challenges at the cutting edge of digital and industrial machining.

Team:

Design: WOHA: Richard Hassell, Terence Chew, Simeon Chua, Yuqi Liew, Evanne Kok

Ecology: bioSEA: Anuj Jain, Saloni Swaminathan

Technology and Fabrication: Systmz: Ng Joo Kok, Sean Liew

Integrated Greenery: GWS Living: Zac Toh