Building Blocks
Building Blocks is a podcast by Granite Asia that deconstructs how innovation transforms industries, society, and the systems we live in. Each season dives into a timely theme, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers to discuss how technology can drive progress.
The first season, Living Machines, focuses on the convergence of AI and automation—how intelligent systems are reshaping industries from healthcare to logistics, energy to manufacturing. The series goes beyond the technology itself, exploring how AI-driven automation can be harnessed to create more efficient, resilient, and human-centric systems.
Building Blocks
Inside the Innovation Engine of the World’s Best Airport
What makes the world’s best airport tick? Beyond the architecture, shopping, and gardens lies a hidden engine — a living system of automation, robotics, and human ingenuity working in perfect sync.
In this episode of Building Blocks: Living Machines, we go inside the future of Changi Airport with Li San Poh, Senior Vice President of Terminal 5 Planning at Changi Airport Group, and Jixun Foo, Senior Managing Partner at Granite Asia.
From her unconventional journey as a helicopter pilot to leading one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in Asia, Li San shares how search-and-rescue missions shaped her mindset for building resilient systems.
We explore:
- Why designing for uncertainty and contingency is critical at airport scale
- How carpets, chairs, and art installations reveal the hidden trade-offs in making airports feel like home
- The role of automation and robotics in tackling labor shortages and creating safer, more sustainable ground operations
- Why Changi works with both incumbents and startups—and what separates successful collaborations from failed ones
- Li San’s philosophy on leadership, innovation, and fearlessness in the face of uncertainty
From the quiet details (like carpet pile height) to massive industry-shaping bets (automation of apron operations), this conversation shows why Changi isn’t just an airport— it’s a national icon and a testbed for the future of human-machine collaboration.
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