Renowned architect Belinda Huang, co-founder of Arc Studio Architecture & Urbanism, has discovered her perfect sanctuary in an unlikely place: a row of cafes along Jalan Merah Saga near Holland Village. At 58, Huang has dedicated her career to designing some of Singapore's most significant architectural landmarks, including the award-winning public housing project Pinnacle@Duxton, which she created alongside her husband and business partner Khoo Peng Beng.
The couple established Arc Studio Architecture & Urbanism in 1998, and their practice has since become synonymous with architectural excellence and human-centered design. Their impressive portfolio extends far beyond Singapore's borders, encompassing projects that reflect deep cultural sensitivity and commitment to improving lives. Notable works include a secondary school in Cambodia completed in 2012, a Catholic retreat center in Timor-Leste set to open at the end of 2025, and a major rehousing project in Mumbai, India, which will relocate more than 3,000 slum dwellers to dignified, high-rise living spaces.
For Huang, however, it's the intimate scale of Jalan Merah Saga that captures her heart. The street, lined with cafes that spill into the neighborhood and surrounded by homes, creates what she describes as a "true community hub." The mature trees connecting visitors to nature and the slow streetscape that allows for leisurely strolling embody many of the well-being principles that Arc Studio incorporates into their design projects. "I have always loved being around people," Huang explains. "There is something life-giving about being in a place where you can see others, sense their energy and yet still enjoy the quiet privacy of your own thoughts."
Two establishments in particular have become Huang's regular retreats: Arabica and Tiong Bahru Bakery. Over time, she has developed meaningful relationships with the staff, who have come to know her preferences intimately – remembering both her drink of choice and her favorite almond croissants. These small gestures of recognition create a sense of belonging that makes her feel "safe and cared for," transforming the cafes into what she calls "a piece of home outside of my own home in the Bukit Timah area."
The space serves multiple purposes in Huang's life, adapting to her changing needs and moods. Sometimes she arrives alone with nothing more than a book or thoughts to untangle, using the cafe as a space for reflection where she can pause, breathe, and recharge before returning to demanding office deadlines. Other times, she and her husband Peng Beng use the location as a private retreat to discuss life's deeper matters and contemplate their future together. The serendipitous encounters with friends that occasionally occur add another layer of joy, reminding her of the larger web of relationships that define her community.
What fascinates Huang most is observing the everyday dramas of human kindness that unfold around her. She recalls a particularly touching moment when children across the road set up a lemonade stand to raise money for their dog's medical treatment. Watching people from the various cafes, herself included, cross the street to purchase lemonade transformed an ordinary morning into "a moment of shared humanity and solidarity." These observations of families planning holidays over coffee, friends sharing stories and laughter, and children playing freely nearby reinforce her belief that community is built through small gestures of care and presence.
Huang's calling to serve others was shaped early in her life during her student years at St. Anthony's Convent in Middle Road during the 1980s. She frequently volunteered with the Canossian Sisters, a local charity group, distributing rice and tinned goods to families living in old shophouses nearby. She still vividly remembers climbing rickety wooden ladders into the dim attics of those homes, sensing even then how the built environment could profoundly impact not just living conditions, but human dignity and well-being. This formative experience continues to influence her architectural practice today, whether she's designing a single home, a large masterplan like Paya Lebar Air Base, or community projects overseas.
Recognizing the importance of mental health and well-being in her field, Huang pursued a master's degree in counseling in 2019 to deepen her capacity to help others. She now serves pro bono as a counselor with Catholic Family Life under the Archdiocese of Singapore and was appointed as a student well-being adviser at the National University of Singapore's Department of Architecture in 2024. Her husband Khoo serves as head of pillar for architecture and sustainable design at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, and together they have mentored generations of architecture students.
Having taught numerous hands-on design studios at NUS focused on the architectural design process, Huang intimately understands the demanding journey that undergraduate students face. She considers it a privilege to walk alongside architecture students in her dual role as both practitioner and counselor. This combination of professional excellence and personal care reflects the broader philosophy that guides Arc Studio's work: designing with sensitivity to culture, environment, and above all, human beings.
For Huang, Jalan Merah Saga represents far more than a convenient coffee stop. It embodies the intersection of community, solitude, and human connection that she values most deeply. As she reflects on turning 58 in August, she sees how the many threads of her life have consistently been tied to service and people. The street serves as her renewal space, where she finds clarity, reconnects with what truly matters, and is reminded that life encompasses more than rushing through tasks – it's about noticing and participating in the love and kindness that surrounds us daily. Whether serving as an architect, counselor, mentor, or simply as a neighbor buying lemonade from enterprising children, Huang continues to find ways to contribute to the human community that sustains and inspires her work.
