| Category | Institutional |
|---|---|
| Year | 2015 |
| Size | 26,000sqm (Blocks 51 & 58); 12,400sqm (Block 22) |
Projects
Ngee Ann Polytechnic Expansion
Unfolding learning opportunities
Ngee Ann Polytechnic launched a 38,400sqm expansion plan with three new blocks – 51, 58 and 22 – to revitalise the learning environment in keeping with evolving pedagogical approaches. The focus of this expansion was to strategically integrate the campus through communal landscaped areas for learning and interaction.
To encourage learning beyond the classrooms, ample learning and study spaces that branched off the main circulation routes were created. The three blocks were thoughtfully planned to relate to each other as a cohesive whole, with view corridors, layering of programmes and verdant landscaping to encourage connectivity within the entire campus.
Details
Breathing spaces were thoughtfully placed along the periphery of the buildings, together with generous light-filled atrium spaces and thoughtfully designed landscape areas to blur the boundaries between inside and outside.
The result is an integrated campus tied together by pockets of gathering spaces and lush landscaping, with blocks that are visually identifiable through different façade colours and textures.
Erasing the boundaries between the inside and outside, the revitalised Ngee Ann Polytechnic campus may be viewed as the architectural manifestation of a flipped classroom – where learning opportunities unfold beyond the four walls.
Reflecting the architectural language, the interior design of Block 51 applies the same triangulated pattern in gradated shades of grey.
Green landscaping feature throughout
Block 58, forming informal study areas or research gardens.
Block 22’s floor plates and landscaping adopt a sinuous terracing language, creating a continuous verandah around the building perimeter.
Block 51, the latest faculty building with 8 lecture theatres and 26 classrooms, is centrally located eight storeys above the existing Makan Place food court. Wrapped in a triangulated steel and glass façade screen, the large atrium interiors are washed by the dynamic movement of shadows. The façade skin doubles up as a climate modulator and reduces heat and glare to the spaces within, while the block’s slanting form encourages the flow of air through the naturally ventilated communal areas.
Occupying the important intermediary position within the site, Block 58 connects the lower level Green Mall, Student Village and Eco-Deck. Conceptualised as the heart of the campus, the elevated Eco-Deck is a prominent addition to the campus and functions as a vibrant platform for student interaction and expression. Green landscaping threads through the building, forming important interstitial pockets for informal study areas or research gardens. Within the block, a chamfered triangular skylight draws daylight deep into the atrium to create a comfortable environment conducive to learning. The visual permeability of the atrium intentionally opens up view corridors towards the lawn and the rest of the campus, dissolving the boundaries between the interior and exterior.
Housing a new indoor sports hall, Block 22 sits adjacent to an existing sports hall. Outdoor spaces – such as a lawn, plaza and rooftop tennis court – were developed as shared spaces between the existing and new sports hall. Employing a sinuous terracing language for its floor plates and landscaping proposal, a continuous verandah was created around the building perimeter that provides shade to the floors below. Visible from Clementi Road and the Pan-Island Expressway, the western façade features a bold red entrance wall that serves as a visual anchor for the campus.
Specialist Services
Integrated services provided for this project.
AWARDS
| 2016 |
BCA Construction Excellence Awards 2016 - Principal Consultant (Support Project Team Member) Merit Ngee Ann Polytechnic Campus Extension |
|---|---|
| 2016 |
BCA Construction Excellence Awards 2016 - Architectural Consultant (Support Project Team Member) Merit Ngee Ann Polytechnic Campus Extension |