Siew Man Kok graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Architecture (Honours) degree in 1989. In March 1995, he set up MKPL Architects with his partner, Cheng Pai Ling. They saw interpreting the local vernacular with technology in a contemporary context as an imperative, in their pursuit of architecture that will speak of its locale, climate and culture. Most recently, Man Kok was honoured with the President's Design Award for the past two consecutive years: in 2014 Kent Vale Faculty Housing received the Design of the Year, and in 2015 he received the prestigious Designer of the Year accolade for his outstanding contribution to design and culture in Singapore. He has taught at his alma mater, the National University of Singapore, as a part-time tutor from 1994 to 2010 as well as an examiner from 2002 to 2004. He had also contributed his time as a member of the Architectural Design Panel of the Housing & Development Board (HDB) and was a member of the Preservation of Sites & Monuments Advisory Board (PSMAB). He now serves as a member of the Design Advisory Committee of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).