Set between the Pan Island Expressway, a busy arterial route, and the Pelton Canal, part of the Singapore Park Connector Loop, the tight site called for an unusual “vertical campus” concept with the junior school on the lower floors and the senior school on the higher floors.

Shared leisure facilities including a café and play deck are located between the two schools with further shared facilities, including the library and auditorium on the lower floors. Mega labs on the 10th floor set the school apart and reflect the qualities typical of high quality commercial lab environments.

The design presents a dramatic and protective façade to the expressway, it’s dynamic and flowing form referencing the movement of cars and becoming a notable icon for drivers. On the canal side the campus opens up integrating itself into the local community and creating a new and improved public realm that activates the canal.

Although technology is important, it is people that are the driving force behind the school’s design. We have prioritised the inclusion of flexible spaces that promote and support human interaction.

The Nexus school is designed around a ‘structural grid’ to maximise flexibility in recognition of the various and changing needs of students and teachers. Classrooms will not be closed off completely; instead bespoke furniture with acoustic panelling will be used to create spaces of the size required at the time.

The school provides a simple and flexible solution to year group clusters, hubs and classrooms that can be easily adapted to future trends.