BUILDING DESIGN

A departure from the courthouses of old, the Subordinate Court’s fascinating geometry is testament to the Singaporean modernist works of the 60s and 70s. From the monochromatic color scheme to the functionalist approach to ornamentation, this move towards a new, global form could symbolise a new, modern administration. The controlled usage of materials indicates the care in planning for the formal and solemn environment; raw concrete was used for its overall structure and the panels on the interior of the courtrooms were made of wood. The main volume is formed by arranging key programs around an octagonal core, where the circulation and a central atrium is situated. The atrium staircases were constructed in a way where all structures and support were concealed. These dog-legged staircases required careful engineering, which shows more care in providing a more unobstructed central atrium.

The upper floors are similarly organised, but rotated and overlapped, creating a sculptural massing. The thought and effort towards planning for the circulation routes of different groups of users can be observed from how the requirements of different users’ movements. It became the key driver of the way spaces are distributed geometrically in the building with an octagonal formation with an atrium at the centre.

Ground floor plan Typical floor plan