BENEATH THE STARS
by Eliam Eng & Andy Eng
There are always stars above us,
yet in a world flooded with light, we rarely see them.
Beneath the Stars reflects on how modern life has quietly dimmed one of nature’s simplest wonders - the night sky. Surrounded by brightness, noise, and movement, we lose not only our view of the stars, but also the stillness and wonder that come with them. Within a compact urban setting, this garden creates a moment of contrast - a refuge where nature softens the world around us and the sky begins to feel near again.
Layered planting and overhanging greenery create shelter, shadow, and immersion. A canopy-like structure offers refuge beneath a living ceiling, while a tall vertical structure, inspired by rainforest trees and the silhouette of a telescope, gently lifts the gaze upward.
Balanced by clean lines and a composed path, the garden expresses a distinctly Singaporean sensibility - lush yet restrained, natural yet precise. Beneath the Stars invites us to pause, look up, and rediscover a sense of wonder.
There are always stars above us, yet in a world flooded with light, we rarely see them.
Beneath the Stars reflects on how modern life has quietly dimmed one of nature’s simplest wonders - the night sky. Surrounded by brightness, noise, and movement, we lose not only our view of the stars, but also the stillness and wonder that come with them. Within a compact urban setting, this garden creates a moment of contrast - a refuge where nature softens the world around us and the sky begins to feel near again.
Layered planting and overhanging greenery create shelter, shadow, and immersion. A canopy-like structure offers refuge beneath a living ceiling, while a tall vertical structure, inspired by rainforest trees and the silhouette of a telescope, gently lifts the gaze upward.
Balanced by clean lines and a composed path, the garden expresses a distinctly Singaporean sensibility - lush yet restrained, natural yet precise. Beneath the Stars invites us to pause, look up, and rediscover a sense of wonder.
There are always stars above us, yet in a world flooded with light, we rarely see them.
Beneath the Stars reflects on how modern life has quietly dimmed one of nature’s simplest wonders - the night sky. Surrounded by brightness, noise, and movement, we lose not only our view of the stars, but also the stillness and wonder that come with them. Within a compact urban setting, this garden creates a moment of contrast - a refuge where nature softens the world around us and the sky begins to feel near again.
Layered planting and overhanging greenery create shelter, shadow, and immersion. A canopy-like structure offers refuge beneath a living ceiling, while a tall vertical structure, inspired by rainforest trees and the silhouette of a telescope, gently lifts the gaze upward.
Balanced by clean lines and a composed path, the garden expresses a distinctly Singaporean sensibility - lush yet restrained, natural yet precise. Beneath the Stars invites us to pause, look up, and rediscover a sense of wonder.
Landscape Plan
Front Elevation
Beneath the Stars is a tropical garden about slowing down and looking up.
Visitors move through layered planting, rounded paths, water, shadow and light before arriving at a circular metal structure that draws the eye upward.
The garden is not about creating a grand spectacle. It is about a simple moment of wonder — a reminder that even in a dense city, we can still find space to pause, look up, and feel our place beneath the stars.
Front Elevation
Beneath the Stars is a tropical garden about slowing down and looking up.
Visitors move through layered planting, rounded paths, water, shadow and light before arriving at a circular metal structure that draws the eye upward.
The garden is not about creating a grand spectacle. It is about a simple moment of wonder — a reminder that even in a dense city, we can still find space to pause, look up, and feel our place beneath the stars.
Front Elevation
Beneath the Stars is a tropical garden about slowing down and looking up.
Visitors move through layered planting, rounded paths, water, shadow and light before arriving at a circular metal structure that draws the eye upward.
The garden is not about creating a grand spectacle. It is about a simple moment of wonder — a reminder that even in a dense city, we can still find space to pause, look up, and feel our place beneath the stars.
Visitors enter through a layered tropical landscape and move across rounded platforms, passing planting, water, light and shadow. The path opens slowly, creating a sense of discovery rather than revealing everything at once. Water forms the quiet middle point of the garden. It reflects plants and light, creating a soft mirror to the sky above.
The journey leads towards the circular metal structure, which acts as a skyward frame and draws the eye upward. Together, the path, water, planting and frame translate the theme simply — from walking through the grounded tropical landscape to looking up beneath the stars.
Coming from Singapore, we are used to designing with compact spaces, tropical plants and practical materials. This garden reflects that approach: small but layered, lush but controlled, practical but still full of meaning.
Visitors enter through a layered tropical landscape and move across rounded platforms, passing planting, water, light and shadow. The path opens slowly, creating a sense of discovery rather than revealing everything at once. Water forms the quiet middle point of the garden. It reflects plants and light, creating a soft mirror to the sky above.
The journey leads towards the circular metal structure, which acts as a skyward frame and draws the eye upward. Together, the path, water, planting and frame translate the theme simply — from walking through the grounded tropical landscape to looking up beneath the stars.
Coming from Singapore, we are used to designing with compact spaces, tropical plants and practical materials. This garden reflects that approach: small but layered, lush but controlled, practical but still full of meaning.
Visitors enter through a layered tropical landscape and move across rounded platforms, passing planting, water, light and shadow. The path opens slowly, creating a sense of discovery rather than revealing everything at once. Water forms the quiet middle point of the garden. It reflects plants and light, creating a soft mirror to the sky above.
The journey leads towards the circular metal structure, which acts as a skyward frame and draws the eye upward. Together, the path, water, planting and frame translate the theme simply — from walking through the grounded tropical landscape to looking up beneath the stars.
Coming from Singapore, we are used to designing with compact spaces, tropical plants and practical materials. This garden reflects that approach: small but layered, lush but controlled, practical but still full of meaning.
Plant Selection
Sustainability Plan — Source, Reuse and Afterlife
The garden is designed with its afterlife in mind.
Where possible, plants and materials will be selected not only for the show, but also for recovery, reuse or recycling after the event. The aim is to reduce unnecessary one-time use and ensure that key elements can continue to have value beyond the festival.
Plant Sourcing
Plants will be sourced from available nursery stock where possible, with consideration given to plant health, suitability for the show environment and recovery after the event. After the show, suitable plants will be returned to Nparks or nursery stock, replanted, reused in future projects or redirected for suitable landscape or community use where practical.
Material Sourcing
The circular metal structure will be fabricated for strength, stability and safe installation. It will be designed with dismantling and future reuse or recycling in mind. Pathway materials, rocks, edging, lighting and other hardscape components will be selected based on safety, visual suitability and potential for reuse after the show.
Reuse / Recycling / Upcycling
After the festival, the garden will be dismantled and sorted by material type. Reusable elements such as the metal frame, lighting, rocks, platforms and hardscape materials will be recovered where practical. Materials that cannot be reused directly will be considered for recycling or upcycling.
For us, sustainability is not only about what goes into the garden. It is also about what happens after the show ends.
Sustainability Plan — Source, Reuse and Afterlife
The garden is designed with its afterlife in mind.
Where possible, plants and materials will be selected not only for the show, but also for recovery, reuse or recycling after the event. The aim is to reduce unnecessary one-time use and ensure that key elements can continue to have value beyond the festival.
Plant Sourcing
Plants will be sourced from available nursery stock where possible, with consideration given to plant health, suitability for the show environment and recovery after the event. After the show, suitable plants will be returned to Nparks or nursery stock, replanted, reused in future projects or redirected for suitable landscape or community use where practical.
Material Sourcing
The circular metal structure will be fabricated for strength, stability and safe installation. It will be designed with dismantling and future reuse or recycling in mind. Pathway materials, rocks, edging, lighting and other hardscape components will be selected based on safety, visual suitability and potential for reuse after the show.
Reuse / Recycling / Upcycling
After the festival, the garden will be dismantled and sorted by material type. Reusable elements such as the metal frame, lighting, rocks, platforms and hardscape materials will be recovered where practical. Materials that cannot be reused directly will be considered for recycling or upcycling.
For us, sustainability is not only about what goes into the garden. It is also about what happens after the show ends.
Sustainability Plan — Source, Reuse and Afterlife
The garden is designed with its afterlife in mind.
Where possible, plants and materials will be selected not only for the show, but also for recovery, reuse or recycling after the event. The aim is to reduce unnecessary one-time use and ensure that key elements can continue to have value beyond the festival.
Plant Sourcing
Plants will be sourced from available nursery stock where possible, with consideration given to plant health, suitability for the show environment and recovery after the event. After the show, suitable plants will be returned to Nparks or nursery stock, replanted, reused in future projects or redirected for suitable landscape or community use where practical.
Material Sourcing
The circular metal structure will be fabricated for strength, stability and safe installation. It will be designed with dismantling and future reuse or recycling in mind. Pathway materials, rocks, edging, lighting and other hardscape components will be selected based on safety, visual suitability and potential for reuse after the show.
Reuse / Recycling / Upcycling
After the festival, the garden will be dismantled and sorted by material type. Reusable elements such as the metal frame, lighting, rocks, platforms and hardscape materials will be recovered where practical. Materials that cannot be reused directly will be considered for recycling or upcycling.
For us, sustainability is not only about what goes into the garden. It is also about what happens after the show ends.
Meet The Designers
Eliam Eng
Director & Principal Designer
With over 40 years of experience, Eliam oversees local and international projects spanning residential, commercial, and urban development. His innovative designs have garnered multiple awards.
Eliam Eng
Director & Principal Designer
With over 40 years of experience, Eliam oversees local and international projects spanning residential, commercial, and urban development. His innovative designs have garnered multiple awards.
Andy Eng
Project Director
A 4th-generation landscape expert, Andy has led Nyee Phoe Pte Ltd for 20 years. With a portfolio including high-profile projects, he heads a talented team and boasts multiple awards.
Andy Eng
Project Director
A 4th-generation landscape expert, Andy has led Nyee Phoe Pte Ltd for 20 years. With a portfolio including high-profile projects, he heads a talented team and boasts multiple awards.
Eliam Eng
Director & Principal Designer
With over 40 years of experience, Eliam oversees local and international projects spanning residential, commercial, and urban development. His innovative designs have garnered multiple awards.
Andy Eng
Project Director
A 4th-generation landscape expert, Andy has led Nyee Phoe Pte Ltd for 20 years. With a portfolio including high-profile projects, he heads a talented team and boasts multiple awards.
Articles
The biennial Singapore Garden Festival (SGF) brings together top award-winning landscape and garden designers, florists and horticulturists from around the world to team up with Singapore's own talented horticulturists. Singapore's strategic location makes the Festival an ideal platform to showcase horticultural products and services from various regions.
The Singapore Garden Festival (SGF) turns ten this year, and the milestone edition runs at Gardens by the Bay from 4 to 12 July 2026. It’s a biennial event that has quietly become one of the more serious flower and garden shows on the international calendar, and this year’s theme, “Carnival of Blooms,” gives the programme a bit more spectacle to work with.
Partners
Singapore Garden Festival. Click the "BOOK NOW" button to purchase tickets.
Singapore Garden Festival. Click the "BOOK NOW" button to purchase tickets.
Singapore Garden Festival. Click the "BOOK NOW" button to purchase tickets.