"The new extension to the existing Nanyang Primary School and Kindergarten in Singapore is designed around a large internalised valley, open to the sky but facing away from the residential streets. studio505's and LT&T's key design objective was to place the communal space at the heart of the school.
When entering the valley at public street level the visitor cannot see the valley?s entire extent as it curves around a strategically placed bend at its geographic centre where a large landscaped staircase is located. It provides access to the hilltop and its classrooms and integrates spaces for outdoor activities. This landscape gesture emphasizes and enhances the existing site contours. The horizontal extent of the valley is balanced by the verticality of the stair and exposed yellow columns which prop link bridges that seem to fly overhead and facilitate easy connections between the two parallel wings of classrooms.
Colour is typically expressed in the form of a series of bundled horizontal stripes. No colour ever features only by itself. Every colour always appears in a group of colours, highlighting that this is a communal valley. Bundles of colours create a very different impression compared to individual colours, as they offer a variety of readings and interpretations. A dialogue of many different colours, opinions and voices that is always ongoing, horizontally seemingly endless.
This is technically achieved through low-cost budget application of emulsion paint on profiled precast concrete spandrels with coloured shading shelves providing protection against sun and wind driven rain.
Our aim was to create a highly inspirational communal space, designed to showcase active, uninhibited free thinking and bringing joy and excitement equally to children and to the child within the teacher.
A space from which everywhere is possible?"
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