It is with deepest sadness that we have learned of the passing of William Lim, an architect, author and educator who was a graduate of the AA and a cofounder of AA Asia. AA Year Out student Magdalene Monzie Tan has kindly provided the following tribute to William:
'William Lim was a giant in Singapore’s architectural history. As a pioneering architect, he changed the face of modern Singapore more than any other architect in the last 60 years, and his designs will remain icons for generations to come.
'William attended the Architectural Association from 1951–55 under the tutelage of Alison and Peter Smithson, Bill and Jill Howell, and John Killick. Early in his career, he was heavily influenced by the modern movement at the AA, through the Smithsons’ brutalist style and Killick’s enthusiasm for Le Corbusier’s work.
'His loyal commitment to the AA saw him establish the Architectural Association Asia (AA Asia) in 1990, alongside other graduates of the school. Together they created a platform for architectural discourse and exchange in the region, publishing monographs and holding educational workshops. With William as its president, AA Asia stirred up key dialogues about Asian cultural identity and appealed for the critical discussion of Asian urbanism. Without the initiative of AA Asia, intellectual exchange within the regional architectural community would not be in its current position. The breadth of William’s knowledge was incredible, and he lectured and wrote on a wide range of subjects. Over the past 60 years, his essays on the built environment, alterity, culture, social justice and postmodernism in Asia have reinvented discourse and reignited enthusiasm for a closer examination of non-Western versions of architecture. These socio-cultural investigations in both architecture and history are more relevant now than ever, as we navigate an increasingly globalised world. A forerunner in this area of study, William has been both an important critical voice and a social conscience for many of us.
'As an architect, William’s breakthrough work in the 1960’s with fellow AA Graduate Voon-Fee Chen, included some of the first modernist buildings in South-East Asia. His visionary structures on the Golden Mile Complex and People’s Park Complex in the 1970s were outstanding in design and programme. In fact, as part of the first brief I received within the First Year studio at the AA, the Golden Mile Complex was given as a case study for us to study and learn from. William’s illustrious career in architectural practice saw him experiment with aesthetics and postmodernism, never conforming to conventions or norms. His fresh and rigorous approach rendered him a widely celebrated architect. Beyond his design work, William also engaged in built heritage and conservation in Singapore. His advocacy for conservation has preserved the roots of our architectural history and keeps us from being unmoored in the face of a rapidly developing city.
'In Volume 7 of the Architectural Association Journal, William co-wrote an article; it begins with a Le Corbusier quote: ‘What gives our dreams their daring is that they can be realised.’ It is difficult to comprehensively describe the work of William Lim’s life and the profound impact he has had. He was a daring individual who has enriched the life and learning of many; he was a mentor to generations of architects after him; and his incredible passion is an inspiration to us all. Throughout his life, he was a great spokesperson for the AA and a supporter of its work. We sincerely honour him and his legacy, which will not be forgotten. Our hearts are with his family and especially his granddaughter, Jess, who is a close friend to us at the AA.'
Former AA Chairman Alan Balfour also provided the following tribute to William and shared his memories of AA Asia events:
'Willy Lim approached me early in the 1990s to help establish AA Asia, which, along with Ron Heron, I was delighted to do. We signed a legal agreement in Singapore and launched into the most memorable adventures of my years at the AA.
The concept was Willy’s: to bring together AA graduates from across Asia to meet annually in a different city and debate the state of architecture. In the first year of AA Asia, around 70 alumni gathered in the Peace Hotel in Shanghai, at the invitation of Tongji University, and set out in teams to imagine how the city might develop over the next 50 years. Our projections, in contrast to the Shanghai that was to emerge, were pathetic; looking back, we had no idea just how ambitious China would become.
In the second year, Indian architect Karan Grover arranged for us to gather in India for a yatra: a pilgrimage to holy places, in which we would travel slowly across the country. Thus, in December of 1992, a group of around 50 AA graduates met in Mumbai and the journey began. Visiting a sacred place as part of a yatra is believed to purify the self and bring one closer to the divine. Importantly, the journey itself is as important as the destination, and the hardships of travel serve as an act of devotion. The opening event took place in the great Durbar Hall of the Lakshmi Palace in Vadodara, hosted by the now Maharaja Samarjitsinh Gaekwad. The journey unfolded by bus, jitney and truck, as well as briefly by boat and elephant, but the train was our main mode of transport – we had two carriages all to ourselves, and in the middle of the lead carriage was the whiskey. Our major destinations were Ahmadabad, Udaipur, Jaipur and Delhi. We took the train from Kharwa Chanda in Udaipur district, Rajasthan and visited the villages of Kharwa and Keora Khurd. We concluded the journey in the glorious Neemrana Fort-Palace Hotel, which was still under restoration at the time. In every detail, Karan’s plan for the yatra was superb.
In the third year we were in Phuket, Thailand and I had to cut my visit short and return to London, and after that I was back in the US, but I didn’t lose touch with Willy. Over the years we would meet in London and Singapore, sometimes with family.
This was not just Willy’s concept; he made all the connections and, in numerous letters, encouraged support for the project. AA Asia brought together a group of brilliant architects, each of whom was vocal about how much an AA education had meant to them. I looked online and could find no trace of AA Asia – this is a loss which could easily be repaired, particularly when Asia has so much to offer.'
William’s family have set up a webpage to collect tributes and messages from friends and colleagues; contributions can be added here.