| . | Liu Thai-Ker Director
RSP Architects Planners & Engineers (Pte) Ltd., Singapore Born : 23 February 1938 |
| Mr Liu Thai-Ker is a renowned architect-planner. He is Director of RSP Architects Planners & Engineers Pte Ltd. RSP is a multi-disciplinary consultancy company with 450 employees. Its scope of services include architecture, urban design, planning, civil and structural engineering, electrical and mechanical engineering and interior design. Its main project appointments are in Singapore. Overseas projects, substantial nevertheless, are situated in various ASEAN countries, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Myanmar, India, Britain and Portugal. Mr Liu is also the Chairman of the National Arts Council and a member of several governmental and academic bodies in Singapore. He has also been appointed the planning advisor to Shandong Province and ten major cities in China. Prior to his current private practice, Mr Liu had a distinguished career in the Singapore government. As Chief Executive Officer of Urban Redevelopment Authority, 1989-1992, he spearheaded the major revision of the Singapore Concept Plan. The Concept Plan is widely recognised to be both visionary and pragmatic, and one that will help contribute towards making Singapore a city of excellence. As architect-planner and Chief Executive Officer of the Housing & Development Board, 1969-1989, he saw the completion of over half a million dwelling units. During his tenure, the planning concept of public housing changed from large scale estates with localised facilities to nearly self-sufficient new towns for 200,000 to 300,000 people. Architecturally, Mr Liu led his team of designers to cross the journey from functionally well planned, neatly sited simple building blocks, to architecture of aesthetic merit. In terms of engineering design, Mr Liu encouraged his professional staff to explore new structural systems seldom tried in Singapore. Academically, Mr Liu obtained his Bachelor of Architecture with First Class Honours & University Medal from the University of New South Wales in 1962 and Master in City Planning with Parsonís Memorial Medal from Yale University in 1965. He later attended Stanford Insead Advanced Management Program, Fontainbleau, Paris in July 1980. In 1995, he was conferred Doctor of Science honoris causa by the University of New South Wales. Mr Liu is also a recipient of several awards. They include the Public Administration Medal (Gold) in 1976 and the Meritorious Service Medal in 1985 from the Singapore Government. In 1993, he was bestowed the 2nd ASEAN Achievement Award for Outstanding Contribution to Architecture. |
| Professional Qualifications | | 1962 | Bachelor of Architecture with First Class Honours & University Medal, University of N.S.W., Sydney, Australia | | 1965 | Master in City Planning with Parson's Memorial Medal, Yale University, U.S.A. | | 1980 | Stanford Insead Advanced Management Programme, Fontainbleau, Paris | | 1995 | Doctor of Science honoris causa, University of New South Wales
FSIA - Fellow, Singapore Institute of Architects
FSIP - Fellow, Singapore Institute of Planners
RIBA - Corporate Member, Royal Institute of British Architects
FRAIA - Fellow, Royal Australian Institute of Architects
IREM - Member, Institute of Real Estate Management, USA
CPM - Certified Property Manager, USA |
| 1960-1963 | Architect, Loder & Dunphy Architects, Sydney, Australia | | 1965-1969 | Architect-Planner, I.M.Pei & Partners, NYC, New York, USA | | 1969-1974 | Head of Design & Research Section, Housing & Development Board (HDB) | | 1975-1976 | Chief Architect, HDB | | 1976-1979 | Dy Chief Executive Officer, HDB | | 1979-1989 | Chief Executive Officer, HDB | | 1 May 89-30 Sep 92 | Chief Executive Officer & Chief Planner, Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) | | 1 Oct 92 to date | Director, RSP Architects Planners & Engineers (Pte) Ltd |
Awards
Government of Singapore Awards: | | 1976 | National Day Award - Public Administration Medal (Gold) | | 1985 | National Day Award - Meritorious Service Medal | | 1993 | 2nd Asean Achievement Award for Outstanding Contributions to Architecture | | 1994 | Honorary Citizen of Fuzhou Award, Fujian, People's Republic of China | | Award Received by Organisations worked for: | | 1990 | Sir Robert Mathew Prize for improvement of the quality of human settlement, awarded by International Union of Architects to the Housing & Development Board. | | 1991 | United Nations Habitat Scholl of Honour to the Urban Redevelopment Authority for undertaking a sustained urban redevelopment programme through innovative approaches and land policies and involvement of the private sector. |
Advisory Appointments As Planning Advisor
(Current) | | 1987 - Now | Beijing, People's Republic of China | | 1988 - Now | Fuzhou Municipal People's Govt, People's Republic of China | | 1993 - Now | Ningbo Municipal People's Govt, People's Republic of China | | 1993 - Now | Yantai Municipal People's Govt, People's Republic of China | | 1993 - Now | Longkou Municipal People's Govt, People's Republic of China | | 1993 - Now | Xiamen Municipal People's Govt, People's Republic of China | | 1993 - Now | Wuxi Municipal People's Govt, People's Republic of China | | 1994 - Now | PengLai Municipal People's Govt, People's Republic of China | | 1994 - Now | Tianjin Municipal People's Govt, People's Republic of China | | 1994 - Now | Jinan Municipal People's Govt, People's Republic of China | | 1995 - Now | Shandong Province, People's Republic of China | | 1995 - Now | I-Lan County, Taiwan | | 1987 - 1989 | Specialist Advisor to the Ministry of National Development on Strategic Planning (Town Planning & Urban Design), Singapore | | 1989 - 1992 | Honorary Advisor to CESMA Pte Ltd
1981 - Now Chairman, Advisory Committee, School of Architecture, National University of Singapore
1987 - Now Advisor Professor to Tonji University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
March 1993 Regent's Lecturer to University of California, Los Angeles, Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning, March 93 | | 1981 - Now | Chairman, Advisory Committee, School of Architecture, National University of Singapore | | 1987 - Now | Advisor Professor to Tonji University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China | | March 1993 | Regent's Lecturer to University of California, Los Angeles, Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning, March 93 |
Government Appointments
(Current) | | 1989 - Now | Board Member, Housing & Development Board | | 1996 - Now | Chairman, National Arts Council | | 1992 - Now | Member, Preparatory Committee on Chinese Emigration Museum | | 1993 - Now | Board Member, National Heritage Board | | 1997 - Now | Director, The Esplanade Co Ltd | | 1993 - 1996 | Chairman, Arts Facilities Adivsory Team, National Arts Council | | 1987 - 1996 | Chairman, SAFTI Design Steering Committee | | 1983 - 1992 | Chairman, Architectural Review Panel, Mass Rapid Transit Corporation | | 1976 - 1979 | Board Member, Board of Architects | | 1979 - 1989 | Dy Chairman, Urban Redevelopment Authority | | 1979 - 1992 | Dy Chairman, Electoral Boundaries Delineation Committee | | 1980 - 1985 | Member, Board of Governors, Singapore Armed Forces Reservists' Association | | 1981 - 1982 | Member, National Wages Council | | 1981 - 1993 | Board Member, Central Provident Fund Board | | 1983 - 1989 | Trustee Member, Board of Trustees, NTUC Fairprice Co-operative Ltd | | 1989 - 1992 | Member, Urban Redevelopment Authority | | 1989 - 1993 | Member, Preservation of Monuments Board | | 1989 - 1992 | Member, Urban Redevelopment Authority (was Dy Chairman from Feb 79 to Sep 89 - post lapsed after appointment as Chief Executive Officer & Chief Planner of URA) | | 1991 - 1996 | Member, National Arts Council |
| 1992 - Now | Director, RSP Consultants Ltd., Hong Kong | | 1993 - Now | Director, Friends of Hanoi Architectural Heritage International Foundation, Vietnam | | 1993 - Now | Director, China-Singapore International Pte Ltd | | 1994 - Now | Director, Singapore Offshore Petroleum Services Pte Ltd | | 1994 - Now | Director, RSP Holdings Ltd | | 1995 - Now | Director, RSP Aviation Pte Ltd | | 1995 - Now | Member of the Board of Governors and Hon. Secretary, Chinese Heritage Centre, Singapore | | 1996 - Now | Director, Squire Mech Pte Ltd | | 1993 - 1996 | Director, S H Lim Architects Pte Ltd | | 1993 - 1995 | Director, Asia Quest Associates Pte Ltd | | 1979 - 1993 | Director, Raffles City Pte Ltd 1993 | | 1976 - 1984 | Authority Member, Bus Services Licensing Authority, Ministry of Communications | | 1979 - 1981 | Director, International Development & Consultancy Corporation Pte Ltd | | 1979 - 1983 | Director, Housing Management Services Co Pte Ltd | | 1979 - 1985 | Director, Raffles Holdings Pte Ltd | | 1979 - 1989 | Executive Director, Urban Management Co ('87) Pte Ltd | | 1979 - 1989 | Executive Director, Urban Development & Management Co Pte Ltd | | 1980 - 1981 | Director, Construction Technology Pte Ltd | | 1988 - 1989 | Dy Chairman, E M Services Pte Ltd | | 1989 | Dy Chairman, Cleantech Services Pte Ltd | | 1989 | Director, CESMA International Pte Ltd |
| Professional Institute Appointments | | (Past) | Singapore Institute of Architects: | | As Vice President, 1976-1979, 1986-1987 | | As Council Member, 1970-1979 | | As Chairman, Institute Journal, 1970-1972 | | As Chairman, International Relations Committee, 1974-1976 | | Singapore Institute of Planners: | | As Council Member, 1972-1974 | | As Member, Practice Committee, 1974-1976 | |
