Church of St Mary of the Angels

WONG MUN SUMM Principal Architect (1963 - )
and RICHARD HASSELL Principal Architect (1966 - )
Architects: Esther Soh, Sim Choon Heok, Alina Yeo, Puiphai Khunawat, Punpong Wiwatkul, Phyllis Chua, Janita Han, Lee Li Leng, Gerry Richardson
WOHA Architects Pte Ltd
Owner: Franciscans, Order of Friars Minor, Custody of St Mary
Civil & Structural Engineer: Adrian Billinghurst
Worley Parsons Pte Ltd
Mechanical & Electrical Engineer: Andrew Tang
AE&T Consultants
Quantity Surveyor: Peter Tan
A. Peter Tan Associates Pte Ltd
Building Contractor: Lim Chap Huat
Soil Build Pte Ltd
Interior Contractor: K H Tan
Shanghai Chong Kee Furniture & Construction Pte Ltd
Design of the Year - President*s Design Award 2006

The Church of St Mary of the Angels demonstrates the depth and richness embedded in architecture and urban design, regardless of the physical size. Central to the project is the idea of building a community in relation to its surroundings, which infuses the experience of space, light and nature with spiritual and social significance. Although the material palette is muted, the design is never too austere, allowing flexibility for secular or social activities in the central plaza. At the detailed level, the design displays an in-depth understanding of the individual’s needs for inner sanctum. The Jury appreciates how the design draws deeply from early liturgy and traditions, yet proves to be one of the most forward-looking, nuanced expressions of our modern times, context and climate.

"Clarity of ideas creates strong, memorable places." Wong Mun Summ and Richard Hassell
Church of St Mary of the Angels, Singapore, 2004

Both Wong Mun Summ and Richard Hassell of WOHA Designs come from families with a strong science & technology background, so both grew up influenced by studies of nature and evolution – that patterns, order and beauty can arise through mechanical processes. This has shaped how they are prepared to see that a unique kind of aesthetics can emerge from project processes, rather than applying them from above.

It was the design process that the two men found most engaging when they undertook the creation of the Church of St Mary of the Angels, a recipient for the President’s Design Award.

“The church community were a bit concerned that non-Catholics were doing the design, as we weren’t familiar with Catholic liturgy – we only knew what a confession booth was like from the movies! But the priest-in-charge, Father Philip Miscamble was very firm – “They are experts in design, and I am an expert in religion. Together, we should be able to get a wonderful result.” Because we had no preconceptions as to what everything was meant to look like or how it was meant to work, we could develop all the elements from a clean sheet, based on symbolism, meaning and functions. This was a lot of hard work for both WOHA and the Franciscan Friars, as we had to read a lot, discuss what it all meant with Father Philip, make design proposals, and then modify or re-do them, but it resulted in the creation of a very fresh church, and that was exactly what the Friars were looking for – a church that was not overburdened with tradition for the sake of it, but challenging, full of meaning, very much alive and contemporary.

“Clarity of ideas creates strong, memorable places. By dropping pre-conceptions and going back to first principles, you can come up with innovative designs. By considering the quality of experience of the end-user you create long-lasting value. By dealing with the realities of climate, you create spaces that work. These ideas have been consistent throughout our work, and allow us to vary the expression and language to suit each project. What has been confirmed is that the architect really has to listen and understand all the influences bearing on the project, before acting.”

Currently engaged in projects as diverse as the Singapore Art School, the Terminal 3 Airport Hotel, the Selegie Complex redevelopment, the Urban Entertainment Centre, environmentally sustainable hotels and villas in Indonesia & Thailand, a high-rise tower in Sydney, as well as two underground train stations and a theatre in Singapore, Mun Summ and Richard consciously seek a diverse portfolio of work to make sure they continue to innovate and don’t stagnate.

“The beginning of every project is exciting, as we never know which design direction it will take us. There is a real satisfaction in creating environments where people enjoy their lives better because of the quality of the space. We sometimes receive emails from people thanking us for adding some beauty to their lives, and that is incredibly rewarding.”

Advice for emerging architects:
“Listen to your clients and end-users first. Get or create a clear brief. Learn to distinguish a good creative idea from a creative idea you think is good just because you came up with it. Be your own harshest critic.”