architect singapore

Architecture in Singapore has been influenced by different countries in the style and design of buildings may be for commercial, political and religious purposes. Many a time buildings new and old, whether they are brand new or more than a hundred years old have been designed by architects that are from either neighboring or distant countries.

Numerous buildings also have architecture rooted in European architecture due to the fact that Singapore was once ruled by the British. Britain herself built magnificent and opulent buildings in her own country which were designed by architects form other parts of Europe or local architects who were influenced by architecture from other European countries.

singapore architect

The British made it a point to invest heavily on building lasting and majestic looking buildings to reflect on the glory and power of the British Empire. The British were rather fond of buildings that had interiors with large grand spaces, normally clad in marble. One such building is the former Supreme Court building, which was completed in 1939, just 3 years before World War II came to Singapore. The British colonial government spared no expense in building it. They commissioned an Italian architect by the name of Rudolfo Nolli to design a building reflecting its purpose.

Nolli drew up about 4-5 different plans for the new building, of which only one would be accepted. He was one of the few architects in Singapore at that time that used a revolutionary type of building material. It was known as pre-cast concrete. The new building he designed was consisting of a row of pillars and pediments that needed to be sound in structure. It is also due to the fact that the ground on which the former Supreme Court building stands on is consisting of sea soil. Sea soil is very soft and is unable to take to tremendous weight of any structure that is made of stone. Weather conditions were also put into consideration as the unsuitable building material not matching the local climate could cause the building to collapse or decay after a short while. A wooden building was definitely out of the question as although the soil would be able to take the weight of it, the building would not be able to last for more than 10 years.

Rodolfo Nolli had a pre-cast concrete factory in which he personally supervised the shaping and molding of the capitals, the fluted columns, the lions' heads that act as rain water stoops and the statues that decorate the interior of the central main pediment. There are many more features of this beautiful and stunning looking building. At the top of the building's portico are scenes depicting the founding of modern Singapore with Stamford Raffles signing the treaty in which Singapore was ceded to the British East India Company by the Sultan of Johore. Shown in this depiction also is the Sultan's right-hand man, Temengong Abdul Rahman. Another depiction shows Chinese immigrants in their daily life. In this same depiction is also shows Indian and Arab traders selling their goods. The crowning glory of the whole structure is the building's Renaissance styled dome and the central pediment. The dome is designed on a very similar pattern like that of the Saint Paul's Cathedral in London, United Kingdom.

As for the central pediment, it boasts about 7 pre-cast concrete statues, which depict Justice in the centre and other symbols depicted in human form connected with law. One rather interesting statue that note worthy is a female statue more to the left in the pediment that is shown to be thanking Justice. Rudolfo Nolli was an architect that was rather passionate when it came to sculpting this statue. He needed a human model to depict to human emotion needed for this statue. He decided to ask his very own daughter to model for his statue and she agreed. Imagine the creativity and passion this architect had for his work! Thanks his passion, Singapore now boasts of a fine and prestigious building that she can truly be proud of. The former Supreme Court building along the Padang is one of the buildings built over time that truly gained recognition in the eyes of the beholder.

architect singapore