Returning the Green designed by Park + Associates, Nanyang Girls? High School, one of Singapore?s top public schools, was founded in 1917, and moved campuses several times until 1999 where it settled in its present location along Dunearn Road, in the heart of Singapore.

The existing building has a landmark presence along the arterial Dunearn and Bukit Timah Roads. It comprises an iconic clock tower flanked by two colonial-influenced building wings that form the backdrop for a large green field and running track. To accommodate its flourishing enrolment, the school developed a brief for an extension comprising two large four-storey blocks to house a set of academic and co-curricular spaces, a large performing arts centre, and a multi-purpose indoor sports hall. Photography: Edward Hendricks
The architectural approach was neither to emulate the old, nor to overshadow the existing school complex. Beyond meeting the functional requirements, the aim was to provide students with generous, pleasant spaces for social and creative interaction and development.

In order not to block the existing building, the extension is the first educational institution in Singapore that has spaces belowground. Though unconventional in the local context, we felt there was good reason for this, especially in land-scarce Singapore. The challenge was then to ensure that the spaces remained bright and airy.
Photography: Edward Hendricks
The two new extension blocks provide a smooth linkage between the...