Singapore Conference Hall
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Singapore Conference Hall is a multi-purpose building located in the heart of the financial district of Shenton Way in Downtown Core of Singapore. The first building to be constructed along Shenton Way, it was a place for conferences and exhibitions in the 1960s and 1970s. Today, it is now refurbished and modernised into a concert hall where the building is home to the Singapore Chinese Orchestra since 2001. Completed in 1965 at a cost of S$4 million at that time, it was an example of the nation's urban architecture during that. The building is situated on a three acre site at the junction of Shenton Way and Maxwell Road.
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[edit] Architecture
The Singapore Conference Hall design was selected from a nation-wide open competition in 1961 and is a design of Singapore's urban architecture in the 1960s. The original architecture was mainly used concrete and glass in its facade. It has a large butterfly roof and in the past the roof and terrace have vertical sunscreens to provide shade for the interior. The concourse on the first level was conceived as a large space for programmes and from which visitors could find their way to the upper floors. Currently, it is used as a concourse as well as a reception area for the Singapore Chinese Orchestra. The area can be used for exhibitions, receptions, performances and conferences. The area was originally designed as a naturally ventilated space. The trade congress rooms were located on the third to fifth floors of the building. The building was designed by Malayan Architects Co-Partnership and was completed by Architects Team 3. The five storey building has no basements and has an outdoor car park.
[edit] Future
There are plans to gazette the building into a national monument soon, with some members of the public submitting a letter to the Preservation of Monuments Board for a gazetting of the monument. If it is gazetted as a national monument, the building will be redesigned to its near-original form.
[edit] References
- National Heritage Board (2002), Singapore's 100 Historic Places, Archipelago Press, ISBN 981-4068-23-3
- Wong Yunn Chii (2005), Singapore 1:1 - City, Urban Redevelopment Authority, ISBN 981-0544-67-7
- Norman Edwards, Peter Keys (1996), Singapore A Guide To Buildings, Streets, Places, Times Books International, ISBN 981-2047-81-6
