Security is a fundamental concern for communities around the world

STATE COURTS

The New State Courts design features an innovative two towers strategy. One tower is dedicated to the courtrooms, hearing chambers, and court supporting functions while the other tower is to house the judges’ offices, staff offices and support functions. The two high-rise towers are linked by a series of link bridges that enable the controlled circulation necessary for the courtroom process.

The courtroom tower is an open frame supporting a series of shared terraces on which the courtrooms are placed: it has no external facade. In a metaphorical sense, this represents the openness and impartiality of the judicial process. The outdoor terraces feature high-rise greenery and are designed to allow views across the city thereby reinforcing the civic role of the building.

SUPREME COURT BUILDING

The building's architecture aims to conjure up images of dignity, justice, history, judicial weight, transparency and accessibility - qualities representative of Singapore's legal system. The court comprises a 9-storey building with four basements and 35 courtrooms, of which 21 are civil courts, 11 are criminal courts and the remaining three, appeal courts. It also houses associated offices and other facilities, including an auditorium, a library, a cafeteria and a gymnasium.

Symbolically raised above the civil courts in a dramatic metal disc, the Court of Appeal occupies the highest part of the building. The disc corresponds to the dome of the old Supreme Court building and hence offers a contemporary reinterpretation of this historical architectural device. Coated with reflective material, the surface of the roof below the disc bounces daylight onto the underside of the disc and back down into the central atrium.

OLD HILL STREET POLICE STATION

Formerly known as the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts Headquarters, the Old Hill Street Police Station now houses the Ministry of Communications and Information and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. Gazetted as a national monument this heritage building is a blend of the old and new, incorporating modern amenities while complying with stringent conservation requirements. Its key architectural wisdom is seen in the adaptive reuse of spaces and the restoration of elements of architectural merit.