Two 36‑storey residential towers in Singapore translate a prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction system into an articulated, pixelated façade. Recessed and projected module frames generate relief, diversify balcony conditions, and mark collective sky gardens at mid‑height and roof, producing an urban texture legible from street to skyline.
Irwell Hill Residences Technical Information
- Architects: MVRDV
- Location: Irwell Bank Road, Singapore
- Project Years: 2020 – 2025
- Photographs: © Finbarr Fallon
With Irwell Hill Residences, alongside ADDP Architects we took aim at the next step in that story of innovation: a PPVC project that prioritises variety and liveability.
– Nathalie de Vries
Modular Prefabrication as Architectural Framework
The project is organized around PPVC, a system that establishes a strict volumetric grid across two 36‑storey residential towers. The module governs structure, services, and circulation clearances, typically resulting in uniform elevations. Here, the module’s discipline becomes the primary design unit, a measurable increment by which façade, balcony, and interface decisions are negotiated.
The façade brief seeks architectural variety without eroding the efficiency of factory production and on‑site assembly. Fabrication constraints inform a legible order, so variation is calibrated rather than improvised. In Singapore’s dense core, PPVC compresses site duration and workforce, limiting disruption to adjacent streets and residences while aligning with policy targets for productivity and reduced construction impacts. Within those parameters, the architecture explores how a repetitive system can accommodate differences without altering the floor plate or logistics chain.
Pixelated Façade: From Module to Urban Texture
Each volumetric unit reads as a pixel, recessed or projected by means of metal frames that expand the façade into a layered field. The push‑pull produces multiple balcony typologies within a constant plan, from inset loggias that prioritize shade and privacy to projecting frames that open diagonally to air and distant views. The discipline of the module remains intact, yet the elevation gains depth and a cadence of shadows that evolve across the day.
A restrained palette of gold and deep brown, applied to the frames and infill, ties the relief into an abstract pattern referencing climbing vegetation rather than literal motifs. At the apartment scale, the frames operate as handrails, screens, and edge conditions; at the city scale, the aggregated pixels register as a textured mass, mitigating the monotony often associated with PPVC façades. Perceived variety emerges from standardized elements, preserving the repetitive floor plate and fabrication workflow while intensifying the resident’s interface with the façade edge.
Collective Terraces and Vertical Landscape
At the 24th floor, a four‑storey sky garden interrupts the single‑module rhythm with double and triple frames that accommodate trees and communal seating. The roof hosts additional shared spaces, similarly expressed by enlarged apertures that loosen the grid. These insertions announce collective programs on the elevation and read as a deliberate change in scale within the stack of pixels.
The oversized frames serve as thresholds and environmental devices. They modulate wind and daylight, offer lateral views along the façade, and create porous boundaries between interior and planted terraces. Landscape becomes a vertical continuum rather than an applied layer, linking mid‑level and rooftop communities and encouraging cross‑tower social visibility. The planting pockets and deeper frames also temper solar exposure, producing cooler niches that extend daily use of exterior spaces in a humid climate.
Performance, Longevity, and Contextual Fit
Factory production associated with PPVC reduces waste, heavy transport, and on‑site operations, improving build quality through controlled assembly. At the unit scale, the façade’s articulated depth likely contributes to shading and privacy while enabling varied natural ventilation scenarios across orientations. The strategy acknowledges Singapore’s equatorial sun paths and frequent rainfall, providing cover and edge thickness where occupants need it most.
Architectural identity is pursued through repeatable components rather than bespoke cladding. Metal frames, standardized fixings, and modular balustrades suggest a maintenance regime that can be planned and budgeted over the building’s life, with parts replaceable without disrupting adjacent units. Within the urban core, the combination of minimized construction disturbance and a system‑driven silhouette advances a model for modular housing that balances environmental performance with clear urban legibility, demonstrating how a repetitive grid can sustain both order and nuance.
About MVRDV
MVRDV is an architecture and urban design firm based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, founded in 1993 by Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, and Nathalie de Vries. The studio is known for its innovative, research-driven design approach that balances environmental performance, social impact, and experiential quality. MVRDV’s work ranges from individual buildings to urban planning and infrastructure, often exploring modular systems, data-driven aesthetics, and narrative-driven forms that challenge conventional architectural typologies.
Credits and Additional Notes
- MVRDV Founding Partner in charge: Nathalie de Vries
- Partner: Wenchian Shi Design
- Team: Lorenzo Mattozzi, Marco Gazzola, Alberto Menozzi, Luca Beltrame, Fredy Fortich, Amanda Galiana Ortega, Andrea Ventura, Monika Wiecha, Chi Zhang Visualisations: Antonio Luca Coco, Gianlorenzo Petrini
- Copyright: MVRDV Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, Nathalie de Vries
- Structural engineers: TW-Asia Consultants Pte Ltd.
- MEP consultants: United Project Consultants Pte Ltd.
- Landscape designers: Ecoplan
- Client: City Developments Limited
- Other contributors: ADDP Architects LLP (Co-architect for building design and project coordination)
