SAFRA Choa Chu Kang Clubhouse | DP Architects

Nestled in the heart of a sprawling public park, SAFRA Choa Chu Kang (CCK) is a recreational clubhouse that offers an extensive array of fitness and wellness activities for National Servicemen and their families, from pool and futsal court to karaoke lounges and spas. The architecture of SAFRA CCK expresses itself with exuberant, distinctive forms that recall and inspire fitness — from bold super-scaled trusses to the precast pigmented concrete bulwark frontage symbolizing unity and strength. Yet beneath its robust exterior, it hosts a dynamic community of nature and people, flowing in through a central spine from the park. The result is a seamless interlace of nature and fitness that reinvigorates the neighborhood and revives the community spirit.

From inception, the arrangement of massing and programs is guided not only by internal logic concerning hierarchy and purpose but also by external factors such as visual accessibility and spatial interconnection. The location of the clubhouse within a park is capitalized upon as its design philosophy, focused on creating porous public spaces that seamlessly integrate the surrounding greenery into the architectural fabric. This intentional orientation of the architecture towards the park draws in nature and activities from the surroundings, creating a verdant central courtyard that brings the outdoors inside. To further enhance porosity, the swimming pool is elevated into the tree canopies, freeing up the ground story for connections to the park. This not only provides stunning aerial views of the park but also extends the pool to seamlessly blend into the foliage.

Adjacent to the courtyard, the ‘Steps of Life’ feature staircase serves as the vertical locus of the development, binding not just the fitness facilities within the clubhouse together but also linking the park’s running route to the building’s sky-running track at the fourth story. Embodying active mobility, it invites visitors to climb its 100 steps, defying the conventional notion that fitness and parks are relegated to ground level. It embraces wellbeing across different realms – public and private, horizontally and vertically – and infuses the clubhouse with a distinctive aura of vigor and zeal. High-volume spaces within the clubhouse are positioned along the extended arms of the building to maximize natural light and cross-ventilation. In air-conditioned spaces, high-performance double-glazed glass is used to reduce heat transfer, leading to significant energy savings.

Besides passive design strategies, SAFRA CCK also optimizes energy consumption through green technology and sustainable construction. It boasts a high-efficiency water-cooled chiller plant, rainwater harvesting with 100% smart auto-irrigation landscapes, rooftop photovoltaic panels, and energy-efficient lighting systems. During construction, green concrete and recycled steel were also used, reducing carbon emissions per gross floor area by 23%. With an overall energy savings of 42.7%, totaling 1890MWh, the project is awarded the Green Mark Platinum – Super Low Energy certification by Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority. This recognition reflects the clubhouse's commitment to harmonizing with nature and underscores its role as a mindful and sustainable space, prioritizing the well-being of occupants in every facet of its design and functionality.