# Designing landscapes for 'non-humans': How Ng Sze Oun brings a site's history to life - **Source:** EdgeProp Singapore - **Published:** 2026-10-15T07:00:00.000Z - **Author:** Ashley Lo - **Original:** https://www.edgeprop.sg/property-news/designing-landscapes-non-humans-how-ng-sze-oun-brings-sites-history-life - **Topics:** Market Updates ## Featured rationale This approach signals growing emphasis on context-sensitive biophilic design, which could enhance building environments and strengthen the appeal of residential, commercial and hospitality developments. ## AI summary Compound Collaborative is integrating site history, native planting and environmental responses into developments including Dabu Hakka Building, 18 Cross and Three Sixty North. ## Original article For Ng Sze Oun, landscape design goes beyond nature-based solutions and aesthetics to also consider “non-humans”. “Designing for ‘non-humans’ could translate to designing for plants or nature, but that’s a very direct interpretation,” says the director of landscape studio Compound Collaborative. Instead, the firm takes a broader view, uncovering the histories and ecological origins of a site. Ng describes this approach as “gossips in the garden”, weaving these stories into the landscape through features that visitors can discover and experience. Read also: Putting people first in design: P&T's Mark Ong on listening and making each project count “Our aesthetic is not based on trends or what people hope to see or expect, but on what the site needs and its origins,” he adds. Preserving traces of the past One of Compound Collaborative’s recently completed projects is the landscape design for Dabu Hakka Building. The seven-storey development in Geylang was officially opened by the Char Yong (Dabu) Association on July 3. Conceived as a cross-generational civic centre celebrating Singapore’s Hakka culture, the development provided an opportunity for Ng and his team to connect the site’s history and cultural heritage with the present. Stone tiger sculptures anchor the development’s landscape, with the designs first sketched by hand before being translated into three-dimensional images using AI. “We cannot inherit the whole past, but we can preserve fragments of its memory,” says Ng. This approach was likewise applied to the artwork at Dabu Hakka Building, where mud collected from the site was mixed with plaster to create a painting that preserves a physical trace of the place. Read also: SuMisura’s Angela Lim on evolving trends in showflat and home designs At the 128-key Varel Singapore boutique hotel, which occupies the former site of Selegie Centre, Compound Collaborative took a similar approach, drawing on the site’s history to inform its landscape design. “We joined at the final stages of the design planning,” recalls Ng. The main check-in lobby and reception of the hotel, which is located at the junction of Mackenzie Road and Selegie Road, are on the second floor, while much of the building is situated on the third floor and above. This elevated structure left the first floor open for the firm to introduce a dense tropical landscape reminiscent of Singapore’s original rainforest. “We thought the ground level could return to nature, back to Selegie’s history, which used to be a swampy and forested area,” says Ng. Beyond its visual appeal, he adds that the greenery also serves as a buffer against noise and pollution from the surrounding busy streets. Greening Singapore’s built environment In a land-scarce country like Singapore, Ng believes the future of landscape design lies in integrating more greenery into existing buildings and urban spaces, rather than expanding development into natural areas. Read also: AWARDS: Living with nature at The Clement Canopy He emphasises the importance of biophilic design, which reflects humans’ innate desire to connect with nature. “After a hectic day in the city, being surrounded by greenery, especially when it is freely accessible, makes you feel great,” says Ng. At 18 Cross, a mixed-use commercial development formerly known as Cross Street Exchange in the CBD, Ng focused on designing for the coexistence of human activity and wildlife within the same urban space. Working alongside Benoy Architects, Compound Collaborative introduced façade-mounted green walls, with native wildflower species planted across the upper third of each wall to attract pollinators such as butterflies and bees. The lower section features plants chosen for their visual appeal, catering to people who enjoy photographing the greenery while allowing pollinators to thrive at a distance from human activity. Ng says the aim is to give people access to nature without encroaching too heavily on natural habitats or disturbing the wildlife that lives in them. Over the next 10 to 20 years, he hopes to see more constructed nature integrated into buildings, alongside pocket parks that bring greenery closer to where people live and work. Designing in response to the site Compound Collaborative has also taken on overseas projects, including Three Sixty North, an ultra-luxury residential development in the Indian city of Gurugram. With Gurugram facing severe air pollution, Ng and his team first studied the factors contributing to the poor air quality before developing a landscape design that residents could enjoy despite the challenging conditions. Crop-residue burning in neighbouring Punjab contributes to seasonal pollution. Winds carry smoke towards Delhi and Gurugram, where winter weather conditions can cause pollutants to linger. At Three Sixty North, the firm incorporated several features to address the local environment, including pavilions fitted with west-facing screens to shield users from blowing sand. The landscape design also includes deployable filtration fabric to capture airborne particles, as well as dense layers of planting that help filter dust and provide a greener environment for residents. “For a project to really respond to the site, we need to do research on its context and histories,” says Ng. ## Chinese translation > Translation model: grok_cli ### 为“非人类”设计景观：Ng Sze Oun如何让场地历史重现生机 在Compound Collaborative，Ng Sze Oun借助场地历史与生态研究，塑造超越审美的景观。 对Ng Sze Oun而言，景观设计不仅止于基于自然的解决方案与美学，还要顾及“非人类”。 “为‘非人类’设计可以被理解为为植物或自然设计，但这是非常直接的解读。”景观工作室Compound Collaborative总监说。 该事务所采取更开阔的视角，发掘场地的历史与生态起源。Ng将这一方法形容为“园中闲谈”，通过访客可以发掘与体验的景观元素，把这些故事编织进场地之中。 另读：设计以人为本：P&T的Mark Ong谈倾听并让每个项目真正发挥作用 “我们的美学并不基于潮流，也不基于人们希望看到或期待的样子，而是基于场地本身的需求及其起源。”他补充说。 留住过去的痕迹 Compound Collaborative近期完成的项目之一，是大埔客家大厦（Dabu Hakka Building）的景观设计。 这座位于芽笼的七层建筑，由茶阳（大埔）会馆于7月3日正式开幕。 该项目定位为跨代公民中心，用以弘扬新加坡客家文化，也为Ng及其团队提供了把场地历史与文化遗产连接到当下的机会。 石虎雕塑锚定了该项目的景观，设计先由手绘草图完成，再借助人工智能转化为三维图像。 “我们无法继承全部的过去，但可以保存记忆的片段。”Ng说。 这一方法同样应用于大埔客家大厦的艺术品：从场地采集的泥土与石膏混合，制成一幅保留该地物理痕迹的画作。 另读：SuMisura的Angela Lim谈样板房与家居设计的演变趋势 在拥有128间客房、坐落于前实利基中心（Selegie Centre）原址的精品酒店Varel Singapore，Compound Collaborative采取了类似做法，依据场地历史来构思景观设计。 “我们是在设计规划的最后阶段加入的。”Ng回忆说。 酒店位于麦肯西路（Mackenzie Road）与实利基路（Selegie Road）交界，主入住大堂与接待处设在二楼，建筑主体则位于三楼及以上。 这一抬升结构使一楼得以开放，事务所得以引入一片浓密的热带景观，令人联想到新加坡原有的雨林。 “我们觉得地面层可以回归自然，回到实利基的历史——那里曾经是沼泽与森林地带。”Ng说。 他补充说，除了视觉效果，这些绿化还能缓冲周边繁忙街道的噪音与污染。 为新加坡建成环境添绿 在新加坡这样土地稀缺的国家，Ng认为景观设计的未来在于把更多绿化融入既有建筑与城市空间，而不是把开发扩张到自然区域。 另读：奖项：在The Clement Canopy与自然共居 他强调亲自然设计的重要性，这种设计体现人类与自然连接的内在渴望。 “在城市里忙碌一天之后，被绿化环绕，尤其是可以自由亲近时，会让人感觉很好。”Ng说。 在中央商务区、前身为Cross Street Exchange的综合商业项目18 Cross，Ng着重设计人类活动与野生动物在同一城市空间中的共存。 与Benoy Architects合作，Compound Collaborative引入了安装在立面上的绿墙，每面墙的上三分一种植本土野花物种，以吸引蝴蝶和蜜蜂等授粉者。 下部则选用视觉效果较好的植物，满足喜欢拍摄绿化的人群，同时让授粉者在远离人类活动的地方繁衍生息。 Ng表示，目标是让人们接触自然，同时不过度侵占自然栖息地，也不打扰栖息其中的野生动物。 在未来10至20年，他希望看到更多人工营造的自然融入建筑，以及把绿化带到人们居住与工作场所附近的袖珍公园。 因应场地而设计 Compound Collaborative也承接海外项目，包括印度古尔冈市（Gurugram）的超豪华住宅项目Three Sixty North。 由于古尔冈面临严重空气污染，Ng及其团队先研究导致空气质量不佳的因素，再制定即使在恶劣条件下居民仍可享用的景观设计。 邻近旁遮普邦的秸秆焚烧加剧季节性污染。风把烟雾吹向德里和古尔冈，冬季天气条件会使污染物滞留。 在Three Sixty North，事务所纳入多项应对当地环境的设计，包括装有朝西隔屏的亭子，为使用者遮挡扬沙。 景观设计还包括可部署的过滤织物以捕捉空气中的颗粒，以及多层密植，帮助过滤灰尘，为居民提供更绿的环境。 “要让一个项目真正回应场地，我们需要对它的语境与历史进行研究。”Ng说。