PEOPLE

Principal

Chang Yong Ter is a graduate of the National University of Singapore - School of Architecture. He is the founding principal of CHANG Architects, which was established in 2000.

Born and raised in Singapore, Yong Ter's passion for architecture was discovered during his university years at the School of Architecture, National University of Singapore. Upon graduation, he returned to work for Mr. Tang Guan Bee. In 2000, he started his own practice, CHANG Architects.

In his early years of practice, he was one of the 20 architects to be selected by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore to showcase the works of young and emerging architects in Singapore. It was published in 20 Under 45: A Selection of Works by Under-45 Singapore-registered architects.

In recent years, the practice has received several architectural awards. These include the 8th SIA Architectural Design Awards - Honorable Mention in 2006, the 9th SIA Architectural Design Awards - Design Award and Best Project Below $1Million Construction Cost, and the President’s Design Award - Design of the year in 2008.

Yong Ter believes that architectural design is a work from the mind and heart. While rationality and logic could fulfill functional briefs and achieve pragmatic efficiencies, an intuitive, poetic, almost non-designed approach unlimits the limitations of rationalities, which resonates with the soul. Therefore, part of the design process also includes unlearning and forgetting, and self-discoveries of the basics/origin.