Step into the departure hall of Changi Airport T4 and a large, wide space greets you. The absence of obstructive pillars is made possible by a huge steel framework overhead extending across 60m. It is one of the features that helped engineer Lai Huen Poh bag top honours at BCA Design and Engineering Safety Excellence Awards this year. Mr Lai, senior MD at RSP Architects Planners and Engineers, will attest that such building feats do not come easy – and they have even modified his own “roof”. Another winning project saw the temporary diversion of the Singapore River to ensure smooth tunnel boring works of the DTL from Chinatown to Fort Canning stations, which were opened last year. This was to clear obstructions such as existing river wall piles used for embankment works, and debris such as timber, steel and concrete below the river bed, said engineer Tan Yoong Heng, who oversaw the project with Ms Cheryl Lee from engineering consultant company Arup.... Continue Reading