School of The Arts
This project is a hybrid between a specialist arts high school and paerforming arts centre, and is a machine for breezes, located in dense, tropical inner city Singapore. The School of the Arts, Singapore (SOTA) is thoughtfully designed not only to provide a safe and stimulating environment for learning, but also places of delight for the public.
The podium contains a music auditorium, drama theatre, black box theatre and several informal performing spaces. To enhance the vibrancy of the city, shops are provided along the external covered walkway and a large civic amphitheatre is created under the canopy of large conserved trees. The sectional relationship between gathering spaces on different levels allows for easy ventilation and a comfortable microclimate, with barrier free access incorporated throughout the building.
The academic blocks are designed for natural ventilation with breezeways in-between the blocks. Gardens on the top of decks cut out heat gain, absorb carbon, and provide shady outdoor break-out spaces and play areas, while green facades cut out glare and dust, keep classrooms cool and dampen traffic noise. These seamless indoor-outdoor spaces with comfortable microclimates allow different sized groups to interact and relax without leaving the secure environment of the school.