A conversation with Ben Gattie

From sharing a tutor group class at UWC in Singapore to sharing a conversation for Monocle, this conversation with Triple P Group CEO, Ben Gattie, has been a circle decades in the making.

We''ve long been a fan of co-working and office space The Working Capitol, which falls under the Triple P Group’s umbrella, and admired Ben's work in heritage repurposing for years. The intelligence and intention with which he has given historical buildings in the city state new life is an act of elevation, one that has transformed forgotten buildings into relevant - and interesting - spaces for the community.

Here, we share unpublished parts of our conversation that didn’t make it into the piece we’ve written for Issue 9 of The Entrepreneurs by Monocle, revealing a further glimpse into Ben’s inspiring vision.

Ben Gattie. Image by Faris Mustafa.

The Working Capitol celebrated 10 years this year - looking back, what one piece of advice you would give to the 2015 version of Ben?

With the painful clarity and wisdom of 20/20 hindsight, I’d say - slow down to speed up. Take your time to develop the right relationships and framework to be able to think long term.

What makes you passionate about restoring heritage buildings as opposed to tearing them down?

Adaptive reuse gives you the best of both worlds. You get the architecture steeped in history yet combined with all the modern amenities of a Grade A building - but with a lot more character. We have more flexibility within the space, which allows us to develop our layout and user experience based on the spaces nooks and crannies, which gives it more charm. It is exciting to be able to instil our brand vision around a property instead of the other way around.

The Working Capitol. Image by Faris Mustafa.

How far and in what way(s) has your multi-cultural, multi-country life experience shaped your vision and purpose at Triple P? In other words, do you think that being a 'citizen of the world' was defining in helping you identify a unique business opportunity when you returned to Singapore back in 2009?

100%. Having that lens and experience motivated me to create a platform for the entrepreneurial journey that felt more diverse and eclectic. To challenge the narrative that dominated the Singapore business landscape at the time. This translated into The Working Capitol and subsequently into the Triple P Group.

Interesting things happen when you bring companies and people from diverse backgrounds together. I knew that growing up and perhaps yearned for it once I entered the professional realm where one is largely encouraged to quickly figure out and focus on their domain, alienating them from a lot of the diverse interactions that make life rewarding and interesting.   

Triple P is centered upon legacy - about preserving it, but also about creating it. How do you envision handing down your passion for repurposing Singapore's heritage as it hurtles towards modernity, and sparking an interest amongst the younger generations?

I would like to think that vestiges of culture, like architecturally significant shophouses are only going to become more meaningful and valued as we hurtle towards modernity.

I also believe that younger generations are hyper aware of the economic, societal and environmental challenges they are inheriting.

I hope that Triple P can demonstrate to younger generations that these built environment can be made flexible and customisable so they can repurpose them to build a future that resonates with them – one that involves a real estate system that is more culturally rich, community driven and environmentally kind.

La Cabane (L). Traditional shophouse shutters restored (R). Images by Faris Mustafa.

What four values are your North Star, both in work and in life?

I can’t think of four values per se, but perhaps I can paraphrase some common sayings that resonate with me:

The grass is greenest where you water it.

Don’t take yourself too seriously - have fun!

Work hard. If you want something you’ve never had, you’re going to have to do things you never did.

Family is everything.