Lim Wenhui: Where globetrotting meets good design
Through travel and research, the Spark Architects director finds inspiration for her sustainable projects
LIKE THE BUILDING SHE DESIGNS, Lim Wenhui has wide and eclectic tastes when it comes to travel. Asked what her most memorable travel experiences are, she rattles off an assorted and unpredictable list: “Waking up to the view of Mount Fuji. Autumn sunset light in Florence and the sight of my friend dressed in yellow against the Ponte Vecchio – also yellow. Arriving at Buddha Hill in Hokkaido to see Buddha’s forehead popping above lavender fields. Omelette Breakfast in Provence – with birds. Christmas lights in Tokyo Midtown. Strolling along Meguro River in Sakura season, sipping pink champagne. Driving around New Zealand during Rugby World Cup 2011 and Japan during Rugby World Cup 2019…”
The list goes on.
Lim, who is the founding director of Singapore-based firm Spark Architects, played a pivotal role in the metamorphosis of Starhill Gallery in Kuala Lumpur, turning it into a structure that resembles an uncut gemstone. She also helped revitalise the former POMO mall in Selegie with GR.iD, a youth social hub featuring a neon-lit Tetris grid structure adorned with a spectrum of vibrant colours.
For her, travel has become indispensable for work and leisure. It serves as a wellspring of inspiration that stems from encounters with unfamiliar landscapes, diverse peoples, unique cultures and tantalising cuisines. Every stay at a hotel presents an opportunity to explore its architectural features, the history of the land it occupies, its unique approach to hospitality, and its commitment to conservation and community engagement – all essential elements in the age of sustainable travel.
Responsible hotels
Lim commends, for instance, the Pan Pacific Orchard where the photo shoot was held: “Its distinctive architecture and notion of placemaking are eco-conscious, comfortable and pleasant. Few hotels located in the city centre deliver this much – most are slab blocks with long dull corridors.”
Other hotels she admires include Ace Hotel in Kyoto, a former telephone office transformed by master architect Kengo Kuma into a hotel and a retail podium with a landscape courtyard: “I stayed in one of the historical rooms that had high ceilings, arched windows, a guitar and a record player. It was a great mix of cultures: Japanese architecture meets American interior design. You see the influences in the spaces, materials, crafts and handmade items.”
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She also loves Katamama in Bali, designed by Andra Matin: “The hotel was built with supporting the local community as a priority, with 2 million local bricks used in the construction of the facade, and all the furnishings locally sourced… Cultural and social sustainability are crucial to me, because when a project carries meaning for the community, when it uplifts the community, it has longevity.”
She is particularly enamoured of the work of Nazuna, a Japanese organisation which practises cultural and social responsibility by repurposing old historical houses into beautiful homestays. One example of their projects is the samurai houses in Obi, Miyazaki (an old samurai town), which simultaneously boosted tourism for the local community and helped preserve traditional abodes.
Rejuvenation of buildings
Her own practice underscores her commitment to preserving urban heritage. She champions the restoration and rejuvenation of older buildings and venues, such as Clarke Quay and GR.iD (formerly POMO), instead of resorting to demolition. In her own words, “Knocking down our urban heritage is simply unsustainable. We need to extend the life of existing buildings wherever possible.”
As the world grapples with climate change, her belief in the power of urban regeneration and retrofitting projects as sustainable solutions echoes a broader call for change. “We will never meet the carbon targets set by the Paris Climate Accord and protect the future of humanity if we continue to consume buildings in such a linear fashion,” she says.
Through her architectural practice and her globewide travels, she hopes to lead the charge toward a more sustainable and harmonious future.
Photography: Eugene Lee/ Enfinite Studio Styling & directions: CK Make up: Nikki Fu Hair styling: Grego Oh, using Keune Location: Pan Pacific Orchard
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