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Comprehensive Design Group Architects
Ar Vijaya Raghavan
Principal Partner
Chartered Architect, Royal Institute of British Architects
(membership number 4380423 since 01 January 1975)
Registered Architect (Ar), Board of Architects, Singapore.
(membership number 583 since 30 April 1976)
As the principal partner, Vijay has established over 40 years of international experience as a practising architect and lead consultant in senior management and directorship roles in a variety of mega-scale projects producing design proposals, feasibility studies, production of working drawings, contract documentation, contract management and site supervision of works. He has worked with Raymond Woo & Associates as the alternate to the Principal and was involved in such iconic projects like the SIA Engineering Hangar and Singapore Science Centre. He was also involved in landmark local projects like the PUB (now Singapore Power) Building at Devonshire Road and Queensway Shopping Centre with Group2 Architects.
Having worked on a vast range of sectors and scales, from the design and build of private residential houses locally, to the mega developments of the City of Lights in Abu Dhabi, and the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, he is highly experienced in feasibility and development potential studies, and excels in strategic planning and exploring business development potentials directly with the client, both locally as well as overseas markets.
He is also active in theatre and publishes and organises numerous public shows at the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, Victoria Theatre, and the Jubilee Theatre at the Raffles Hotel over the years, and recently set up and designed the Living Heritage Museum at 27 Perak Rd Singapore as the shareholder and director.
Professional Qualification:
1976 : Registered to practice as an architect with the Board of Architects, Singapore
1975 : Elected as a chartered architect with the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Prior Working Experience:
2013 : Project Director, Orme International Limited for Muscat City Star, Oman.
2010 : Technical Director (Architecture), Meinhardt Arabia for QA/QC services for King Abdullah Financial District, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This was to audit and approve the works of over 20 of the leading architects in the world as the works proceeded.
2009 : Chief Resident Architect, KDI International C-15 City of Lights, Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi. Parcel C15 consisted of a pair of 40 to 60 storey towers with a 5-storey podium with two basement car parks.
2006 - 2008 : Senior Consultant, L&O Architects; project and design management of six projects in the Middle East, including the Headquarters Building for the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Doha, and a 6-star tropical resort in a desert environment, the Jumeirah Beach Club Resort and Spa, Dubai.
1979 to Present : Principal Architect and Founding Partner of Comprehensive Design Group, Singapore with offices in Hanoi, Vietnam and Malacca, Malaysia till 1997. We won two architectural competitions in our first year. Our works covered hotels, residential, institutional and masterplanning projects in Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and India, as well as over 50 bungalow/villas and other landed properties over 25 years in Singapore and Malaysia.
1973 - 1974 : Design Team Architect with Clifford Tee & Gale, London working on the Kilroot Power Station and the Zaire Embassy. Was part of the 3-man design team that was short-listed in a two-phase competition for the John Lucas factory.
1974 - 1979 : Re-joined M/s Raymond Woo & Associates Architects as the alternate to the Principal and with the Principal managed the award winning Singapore Science Centre to completion. He was also involved in the world’s largest hanger at the new Changi Airport for Singapore Airlines up to tender stage.
1972 : Architectural Assistant with M/s Raymond Woo Associates Architects involved in a variety of SIA buildings in Changi Airport, namely the iconic B747 Hangar, Cabin Training Centre and Engine Test Cell Facility.
1971 : Architectural Assistant with M/s Morgan & Branch, London
1970 - 71 : Architectural Assistant with M/s Group 2 Architects, Singapore and was part of a 4-man design team that won the architectural competition for the PUB Headquarters Building, against teams from 23 international architectural practices. The building stands today at Somerset/Devonshire Road.