| Date | 2025-07-18 |
| Event start | 15:00 PM |
| Duration | 2 hrs ( from 3:00pm to 5:00pm ) |
| Venue | Online Zoom |
| CPD | 2 points |
| Contact | 2 |
Synopsis
How do we reimagine our shared spaces—not just as sites of transit, but as places of meaning, connection, and community?
This talk, organised by the CSR Sub-Committee of the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA), invites practitioners, creatives, and public sector voices to explore the evolving landscape of placemaking in Singapore. The session will spotlight projects driven by ground-up, community led, and cross disciplinary efforts—where space becomes a canvas for culture, care, and co creation.
Through four unique perspectives—from public sector strategies to grassroots libraries, digital urban experiments, and indigenous-informed design—the speakers will delve into how participatory processes and spatial storytelling can shape more regenerative and inclusive environments.
The event aims to provoke thought, inspire collaboration, and seed ideas for how architects, planners, and citizens can play a role in activating our city meaningfully.
Speakers
Clement Lim Kah Ho
Director, Architecture & Urban Design Excellence, URA
Clement Lim is the Director of Architecture & Urban Design Excellence at the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). With a background in architecture, he works closely with both the community and industry partners to create awareness and deepen appreciation of good architecture and urban design in our city.
His work covers a wide range of initiatives—from recognition events eg President’s Design Awards and “20 under 45” programme, to archival and research work in the setting up of the Singapore Architecture Collection, to student education programmes eg the CUBE workshop and the creation of good public spaces via engaging the public in programmes eg the Lively Places Fund.
In his upcoming talk, Clement will share how URA supports community-driven projects through programs like the Lively Places Fund, and explore how public agencies, designers, and local communities can work together to create more regenerative and people-focused spaces.
Rebecca Toh
Founder, Casual Poet Library
Rebecca Toh is a Singapore-based photographer and the accidental founder of Casual Poet Library—a community-funded, volunteer-run shared library nestled in the heartlands of Singapore. What began as a quiet idea shared on Instagram quickly blossomed into a living space of books, stories, and relationships. In just three months, with the support of hundreds of contributors, the library came to life—built from collective effort and generosity.
Each of the library’s 180 shelves is tended by an individual “bookshelf gardener,” who curates selections of books and shares personal notes and reflections. The space is open to all, encouraging browsing, borrowing, and community dialogue. More than just a library, Casual Poet is a reflection of Rebecca’s belief in building alternative, shared futures—spaces where time feels different, ownership is reimagined, and connection becomes a quiet act of resistance.
Outside the library, Rebecca is an acclaimed photographer whose editorial and commercial work spans global clients such as The New York Times, The Economist, Facebook, Singapore Tourism Board, and Marina Bay Sands.
Her personal photography has been exhibited in Singapore and New York, and in 2023, she was one of five photographers featured in Leica’s annual Celebration of Photography exhibition.
Through both her images and her placemaking practice, Rebecca invites us to see—and shape—the world with more tenderness, curiosity, and imagination.
Yvonne Siow
Co-Founder, PlayPan
Yvonne Siow is the co-founder of PlayPan, a placemaking and social organization that designs and facilitates community-driven activations in underused public and private spaces. With a background in community development, creative programming, and cross-sector collaboration, Yvonne brings a multidisciplinary approach to reimagining how people connect with space and with each other.
PlayPan’s projects—such as the recent activation of Peace Centre—aim to foster ground-up engagement, social inclusivity, and shared ownership of urban spaces. Yvonne’s work explores how playful interventions, storytelling, and spatial experimentation can strengthen community bonds and reshape the everyday experience of the city.
She is passionate about co-creation processes and continues to work at the intersection of culture, civic participation, and design.
Gary Hong
Co‑Founder, PlayPan | Founder, Ten Square
Gary Hong is an architect-turned-social innovator and co-founder of PlayPan, as well as the visionary behind Ten Square—a “landmark of good” social media‑powered digital screen and urban platform in central Singapore. With a passion for transforming underutilised urban spaces into vibrant, community‑centric hubs, Gary uses his design expertise to bridge the public, creative, and private sectors.
At PlayPan, alongside Yvonne Siow, he has led projects like the transformation of Peace Centre—bringing together artists, social enterprises, and communities to reclaim dormant spaces. Meanwhile, at Ten Square, Gary has pioneered innovative placemaking experiences—such as 3D anamorphic advertising, “Meaningful Sunday” events tied to social causes, and the world’s first luxury car vending machine—all designed to foster social impact through digital and spatial storytelling.
Gary holds a Bachelor’s in Management Information Systems from Washington State University and has served as a fellow at NVPC’s City of Good initiative . He is deeply interested in how design and digital platforms can mobilise people, support grassroots movements, and create meaningful engagement in public spaces.
Jezamine Chua
Architect | Founder, nomás
Jezamine Chua is an architect and educator whose work centres on co-creative design processes that empower communities to shape their environments meaningfully. As the founder of nomás, she explores spatial practices rooted in the wisdom of indigenous, nomadic, and hunter-gatherer cultures—reimagining how we live, build, and relate to the land and one another.
Her philosophy sees sustainability not just in technical terms, but as a regenerative ethic—one that honours nature, people, and place through the cultivation of relationships and stewardship. With a deep belief in the power of collective agency, Jezamine’s work is driven by a desire to build spaces that foster resilience, interconnectedness, and reverence for the world we inhabit.
At the heart of her approach is a commitment to design as a tool for healing and transformation—where architecture becomes a means of nurturing ecosystems of care, rooted in local knowledge and shared ownership
Schedule
| 2:45pm | Admit Participants |
| 3:00pm | Seminar Commences |
| 4:30pm | Q&A |
| 5:00pm | End of Event |
Terms & Conditions
- Fees paid are non-refundable under all circumstances.
- Ticket is non-transferable under all circumstances.
- Group registration will be subjected to group admin fee of $1 per ticket per transaction.
- Replacement/Cancellation of participant will not be allowed under group registration.