Abstract
Through recent years, there has been an almost commodified use of steel and concrete in the construction industry. Credited for their tensile strength and load bearing capabilities, their heavy usage in many buildings we see today are not always simply for the structural grids or foundation, but even as the main facade as a feature aspect This has not only resulted in the potential for a global crisis, but has also led to a displacement of certain vernacular architecture. At the turn of the 20th century, there seems to have been a slow realisation of a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly alternative to such materials. Timber. However, as much as it has started to gain popularity in the West, there is only slight progress in adopting the timber alternative in Singapore. Despite the fact that there have been some structures that have adopted the use of timber, the scale of the usage is very minor in comparison on the global scale. My thesis will address the issues caused by the commodification of steel and concrete, and how the use of Mass-Engineered Timber (MET) can be used as a sustainable alternative. Furthermore, proposing certain interventions in Singapore's architecture through the use of MET on a larger scale. This would not in any way insinuate the complete abolition of steel and concrete, but rather through a form hybrid-construction, be used in conjunction with MET when needed.