Biography — Yap Lay Bee
Learn about Ms Yap Lay Bee, Group Director of Architecture & Urban Design at URA and Secretary of the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize.
Last updated 9 September 2026
Ms Yap Lay Bee Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize Secretary Group Director (Architecture & Urban Design) Urban Redevelopment Authority Singapore
Ms Yap Lay Bee is the Group Director of Architecture & Urban Design at the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), the national land use planning and conservation authority of Singapore.
Leading a multi-disciplinary team of architects and planners in URA, she develops structure plans, urban design plans, and formulates strategies, policies, and programmes to realise the planning agenda to make Singapore a sustainable, attractive and vibrant global city. She has experience in public-private partnerships, having worked closely with other Ministries, government, and private sector agencies in Singapore to implement key projects. This includes implementing key public environmental works and facilitating urban development and economic growth through appropriate planning and regulatory measures. She also oversees and carries out policy reviews and organise public programmes to promote architectural and urban design excellence for Singapore.
She is a registered architect in Singapore.