SINGAPORE – Dr Liu Thai Ker, widely regarded as the “architect of modern Singapore”,

has died aged 87

.

His death was confirmed on Jan 18 by his son Daniel Liu, who told The Straits Times his father had developed complications from a fall about a week before.

Here are five things you should know about the late Dr Liu.

The eldest of five siblings, the Malaysia-born Dr Liu wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father and renowned artist Liu Kang, who was key in establishing a local style in Singapore’s visual arts.

Skilled in calligraphy and drawing, he held exhibitions in the 1950s and 1960s, according to the National Library Board’s profile on him, but eventually studied architecture instead due to his mother’s vocal objections.

An alumnus of the University of New South Wales in Sydney and Yale University, he topped his cohort for both his graduate degrees, and had once worked in the New York office of Chinese-American

architect I.M. Pei

, who was one of the best-known and most prolific architects of the 20th century.

Dr Liu spent decades in public service after graduation, motivated by his desire to improve Singapore’s physical environment.

In an

earlier interview with The Business Times

, Dr Liu referenced the poor living conditions in Singapore after World War II, and said: “I...