Our Philosophy
SCDA’s architecture is a pursuit of universal spatial principles rooted in human experience, rather than geography or stylistic context. Through the development of ten spatial concepts, Chan articulates an architectural toolkit—a taxonomy of SCDA’s spatial manifesto—seeking to reconcile classical clarity with contemporary urbanism, and universality with sensitivity.
Universality, in SCDA’s work, is not generic. It is grounded in how space affects people—across scales, climates, and programs—allowing the same spatial logic to inform both monumental urban towers and intimate resort structures. What unifies his diverse portfolio is not form or location, but a consistent spatial language.
A central argument of the text is that this language is most powerfully revealed through the ground and landscape, which act as the prelude to architecture. Landscape is not decorative but structural, shaping perception, movement, and spatial narrative before one enters the building. SCDA design mastery lies in the figure-ground relationship, orchestrating rhythm, sequence, symmetry, and tension between built form and terrain.
In projects often lacking strong existing context, SCDA uses planning and section to create context, shaping internal environments that radiate outward to influence larger urban conditions. His site planning balances classical order—axiality, linearity, precision—with deliberate disruption, introducing moments of tension that intensify the dialogue between horizontal landscape and vertical architecture.
Ultimately, the work operates within a duality of homage and resistance: tradition and innovation coexist, producing spatial compositions that are intellectually engaging, emotionally resonant, and capable of extending their impact beyond a single site—toward shaping parts of the city itself.
Universality, in SCDA’s work, is not generic. It is grounded in how space affects people—across scales, climates, and programs—allowing the same spatial logic to inform both monumental urban towers and intimate resort structures. What unifies his diverse portfolio is not form or location, but a consistent spatial language.
A central argument of the text is that this language is most powerfully revealed through the ground and landscape, which act as the prelude to architecture. Landscape is not decorative but structural, shaping perception, movement, and spatial narrative before one enters the building. SCDA design mastery lies in the figure-ground relationship, orchestrating rhythm, sequence, symmetry, and tension between built form and terrain.
In projects often lacking strong existing context, SCDA uses planning and section to create context, shaping internal environments that radiate outward to influence larger urban conditions. His site planning balances classical order—axiality, linearity, precision—with deliberate disruption, introducing moments of tension that intensify the dialogue between horizontal landscape and vertical architecture.
Ultimately, the work operates within a duality of homage and resistance: tradition and innovation coexist, producing spatial compositions that are intellectually engaging, emotionally resonant, and capable of extending their impact beyond a single site—toward shaping parts of the city itself.
© 2025 SCDA
Policy centre
