Admittedly, we don’t normally plan our editorial line-ups according to the seasons of the year. We might follow the design calendar of events when it comes to deciding what stories to publish, but that’s as far as it goes in terms of timing our stories.

So it’s a little serendipitous that this last issue of 2014 and first issue of 2015 features projects and conversations that highlight the social responsibility that some architects and designers have chosen to take on – after all, it’s always a good idea to consider why we do what we do every once in a while.

The Caterpillar Cove by Lekker Architects

First up, our cover project The Caterpillar’s Cove by Lekker Architects is a fresh take on pre-school education facilities. We also take the opportunity to speak with the studio about the 10 innovative preschool concepts they came up with as part of a commission by the Lien Foundation.

(Left to right) John Lin and Joshua Bolchover of Rural Urban Framework

The past few months also saw an influx of architects and designers coming to Singapore’s shores for various design events. Of these, we spoke with co-founder of Rural Urban Framework Joshua Bolchover about operating a design firm as a seedbed of social change.

Christ Methodist Church by K2LD

Of the institutional buildings to be designed, religious buildings are at once the most interesting and challenging to design. For K2LD Architects, the question at hand when designing the new Christ Methodist Church was: What is the role of the church building in contemporary times?

The office of Terre

Other highlights in this issue include our special feature on Terre, the studio that’s made a name for itself with its elegant, understated and well-made interiors. There’s also Linghao Architect’s unorthodox take on living with a house that promotes the organic and natural. All these and more in this issue of Cubes.

House with Mango Trees by Linghao Architects

Note by Managing Editor Rachel Lee-Leong.