Category: Institutional Projects
Design Award
Jury Citation:
“The project uses a simple strategy that broke away from the typical blockish configuration of local schools. Placing two linear continuous blocks to define a valley for circulation, the architects are able to tie together different volumes of spaces, such as basketball court and classrooms, and also conceal the services.
The judges were less convinced of the colours, finding them overly forceful.”
The proposed development is to upgrade Nanyang Primary School at 52 King’s Road and 51 Coronation Road, and comply with the requirements of the single session primary school model in accordance to Ministry of Education’s upgrading design brief. Nanyang Kindergarten is co-located in the new extension.
The school is located amidst the landed housing estate area with mainly 2-storey semi-detached houses and good class bungalows. The site has vast differential topographical levels which divides the school into 3 campuses – Campus 1 (access from King’s Road), Campus 2 (access from Coronation Road) and the Hilltop Campus sitting at the highest platform level (connecting Campus 1 and 2).
The project involves the demolition of the existing 5-storey kindergarten block and 2-storey Gymnasium in Campus 2, and the existing 3-storey classroom blocks at the Hilltop Campus.
It involves the erection of two 4-storey Classroom Blocks at the Hilltop Campus, one 5-storey Kindergarten-Administration Block and one 3-storey Indoor Sports Hall-Gym Block at Campus 2. The project includes the reconstruction of the school field and running track at the existing Campus 1.
The concept of the upgraded extension consists of 4 new blocks connected by a ‘Central Valley’ that is open to the sky. This creates a smooth transition of spaces connecting the users from the Coronation Road level up to the third storey of the campus that connects to the existing Campus 1.
The concept of the ‘Central Valley’ overcomes the constraint of the existing tight undulating site while allowing good cross ventilation of the classroom blocks where most of the rooms are naturally ventilated. The linear planning with open corridors parallel to the ‘Central Valley’ allows for simple visual connection and movement from block to block. It also offers opportunities for activities from the classroom blocks to spill out into the shaded open areas in the ‘Central Valley’.
