It certainly wasn’t planned as such, but issue 58 of Cubes has turned to be an issue of departures – whether from tried and tested ways of approaching design, a certain architecture firm’s usual oeuvre, or indeed, our own preconceived ideas of how accepting local companies are of the new office type.

The first of the three departures listed above refers to the BHP Billiton office by Geyer, also our cover feature. In a rare move, the design of the project was primarily dictated by operational considerations and how the office would function in 10 years. It puts forward truly legitimate proposals for the office of the future.

Usually, we only really expect such progressive office spaces to come from foreign multinational corporations. So imagine our surprise when we saw the new DBS Asia Central@MBFC Tower 3 by Woodhead. The usually conservative Singaporean bank dons a fresh new look and a completely different office format as it forges ahead into “New Asia”.

On the residential front, Sonny Chan of Chan Sau Yan surprises with a copper gem of a house. While it may not look like CSYA Architects’ usual architecture of quiet, streamlined forms, it nonetheless continues the firm’s resolute adherence to matters of site and context.

We also have a whole line-up of architects and designers featured in this issue – Ong Tze Boon talks about continuing what his parents started in Ong&Ong, we travel to Shanghai to speak with three Singaporean-run architecture firms, and Omer Arbel, creative director of Bocci, shares some interesting insights on craft and authorship in design. All this and more in Cubes Issue 58!

Note from Rachel Lee-Leong, editor of Cubes.

Get the latest copy of Cubes Issue 58 out now at Singapore newsstands.