These days, Yvonne Tay is as much at home behind her desk at Temasek’s philanthropic arm, as she is a few blocks down, in a hard hat and work boots, overseeing the meticulous restoration of a row of heritage shophouses.

“It’s a complex process,” says the General Manager of Temasek Shophouse, who is leading the project to extend the social impact hub into three adjacent shophouses. When complete, the extension will triple the space housing Temasek’s philanthropic ecosystem, and provide a greater number of social entrepreneurs, charities and ground-up initiatives with the resources to connect, collaborate and catalyse solutions to social and environmental challenges.

But the project is not just about square footage. “We’re pushing the boundaries of innovation and sustainability,” she says. “We’re maximising their efficiency with mechanical and electrical engineering design, and providing for hybrid cooling, and we are also looking at overall occupant well-being, from air and lighting quality to the snacks in our pantry and the water in our filtration system.”

“Our goal is for Temasek Shophouse to not just drive positive social impact, but be a living example of sustainable, liveable urban solutions.”

From passion to profession

The year 2018 marked a turning point for Yvonne. Taking a course on Politics, Business and the Common Good in the UK, she was struck by a question posed by her professor. “If you're rethinking your career,” he challenged, “what about ensuring you do good while you make a living?”

After 15 years in the fast-paced world of commercial television with Fox International Channels, “it was a eureka moment,” she says. Volunteering had been a consistent part of her life, but the possibility of integrating social impact into her “9 to 6” had never truly occurred.

Serendipitously, she learned about Temasek Trust and its nascent social impact hub. “The drawings for Temasek Shophouse were underway, and they were looking for someone to head the project,” she recalls. A two-hour conversation with then-CEO, Cheo Hock Kuan, had her firmly on board.

The idea was to bring changemakers under the same roof, and provide a space – and opportunities – for collaboration, co-working, and knowledge exchange, she says. To that end, Temasek Shophouse would house Temasek Trust, Temasek Foundation, and Stewardship Asia, as well as coworking partners like Asia-focused impact investor. Other spaces would allow people passionate about giving back to meet, host events or workshops, and draw in the public. Ultimately, it aspired to be the foundation for an ecosystem centred around social impact.

“In 2018, a social impact hub was still a novel concept. No one really knew how to take that idea and make it come alive,” she says. “Were we a co-working space? Another community centre? We also had to think of the kind of tenants and events we wanted to bring in.” These needed to be aligned with the Shophouse’s mission.

“I remember going to meet the owners of Foreword Coffee,” she says. “ I had to wait for an hour, but it was an interesting hour observing how they put differently-abled people on the front lines and taught them so patiently. I knew even before speaking to them that they were the right people to invite into our space.”

The team also experimented with promoting biodiversity, including rehousing a beehive found in Mandai on the Shophouse’s rooftop, and creating a ten-metre-high Art Deco-inspired ‘green wall’ that forms its centrepiece.

“I remember wondering at one point whether we had bitten off more than we could chew,” she laughs. "But then I realised that we had to walk the talk and integrate our values into every aspect of the Shophouse.

The June 2019 opening was a culmination of months of hard work. “The night before, there was a lot of anxiety – there were so many moving parts,” recalls Yvonne. “But there was also a lot of pride.” To celebrate the launch, the team lit the garden with fairy lights, held a ‘Trash to Fash’ fashion show featuring recycled materials, and created an exhibition called “[Not-So] Convenience Store”, showcasing ‘inconvenient’ but sustainable alternatives to everyday products.

The months that followed were a whirlwind of activity around ‘placemaking’. In this, Yvonne drew on her experience programming channels and building “sticky communities” around themes. “In 2023 alone, we hosted 130 events – that's one every three days,” she says.

By the time it closed for renovation in December 2023, Temasek Shophouse had engaged with more than 110,000 people and 120 partners, and put its support behind issues from sustainability to mental wellness to impact investing.

When complete, the extended shophouse will provide changemakers with more facilities for creating impact. “Smaller charities often lack the resources to invest in a production studio, so we’ve invested in one for them. We also have rooms they can use for conferences, retreats, or board meetings,” she says.

“Many social enterprises describe Temasek Shophouse as a space that has given them a turbo boost – I love that term!” says Yvonne. “With more space, we can expand our reach and impact, host larger events and touch more lives.”

Old buildings, new purpose   

With the opening of the expanded Temasek Shophouse slated for 2025, much of Yvonne’s focus is on the restoration and developing future plans. “We have set a very high bar for ourselves,” she acknowledges. “The vision is to create a hub that not only honours heritage and celebrates communities but also fosters a regenerative future.”

Reflecting on the journey, she notes how the hub has evolved from a novel concept to a thriving ecosystem. “With the support of our fast-growing community, our initial uncertainty has evolved into a quiet confidence that we are making a lasting impact,” she says.

“It ties in perfectly with Temasek’s ethos, So Every Generation Prospers. To truly make a difference, our impact should not just be for the present, but sustained for generations to come.”