Tour 7
Spmosored by Site 1. Singapore Management University (SMU)-School of Law and Li Ka Shing Library
Singapore Management University (SMU) is a city campus situated in the heart of Singapore’s civic, cultural and business district. The SMU School of Law (SOL) building is a new facility completed in Dec 2016 . A central component of the SOL building is its Law Library, named the Kwa Geok Choo Law Library. Other key features include a 1400-seater Flexi-Theatre, teaching and learning facilities (seminar rooms, classrooms, lecture theatres etc.), the David Marshall Moot Court, a Pro-bono Centre as well as Research Centres. A key design challenge is to ensure seamless integration of the facility with its city context and park setting. The SOL building is designed to be a distinctive landmark with a strong civic presence and a symbol for inspirational learning. The building is seen as a campus connector, with future connections to adjacent safeguarded plots planned for, to ensure a connected campus as the University expands in the future.
The SMU Li Ka Shing Library underwent a major revamp and refurbishment exercise (completed in 2015) to create a dynamic, flexible, innovative library/learning space for SMU community that is in line with SMU’s learning and teaching pedagogy. Besides incorporating the know-how of architects and interior designers with expertise in learning space design, the University also engaged students and faculty in focus groups, interviews and surveys to understand their current and future needs. A number of new innovative learning spaces were created as a result, including a Learning Commons (a 24/7 learning space for individual and group study), Learning Labs, an Investment Studio (equipped with high-end financial databases), HIVE ( a multi-purpose event, workshop and study space), a new Graduate Lounge and 38 project rooms. All these facilities are equipped with innovative technologies and flexible seating to facilitate active learning.
Tour 8
Site 1.Trehaus Co-Work
Trehaus, Singapore’s first co-working space equipped with child- minding and learning facilities opens in the Orchard district at Claymore Connect. Founded by working mothers Rachel Teo, Tjin Lee, Elaine Kim and educator Elizabeth Wu, the facility aims to change the landscape for working parents in Singapore by providing an environment where quality work and family life can co-exist. Spanning a total area of 4000 sq ft, Trehaus is divided into two areas – the Workspace and Kids’ Atelier. The Workspace offers private offices, semi-private dedicated desk and a common co-work space while the Kids’ Atelier is an open concept space that is outfitted with child-minding services and the option of lessons and programmes for children. The space is also divided into adults-only zones and common zones that include the pantry where parents and children can come together. Rachel Teo, co-founder of Trehaus says, “There are so many of us who had to make the tough decision of leaving the workforce or struggle to be a business owner when we become a parent because the traditional work arrangements could not support the need to fulfil family commitments. There is a gap where working parents can be further supported and Trehaus hopes to fill this gap by providing a space whereby we can build our careers and businesses with a peace of mind with our children close by. We hope that Trehaus is a start to educating employers and employees that a flexible work-life arrangement can be productive, efficient and definitely beneficial to the workforce in the long run.” Trehaus is designed not only to facilitate conducive and productive work for the parents, but also to encourage workplace collaboration and community engagement amongst them. No matter whether you are an entrepreneur, a freelancer or an employee from corporate offices with flexible work scheme, Trehaus provides the opportunity to network with like-minded individuals and a platform to exchange ideas, share services and build businesses. With the option of bringing children to a work place complete with child-minding assistance and play- based learning activities, working parents can now build their careers, while their little ones build their minds.
Site 2. library@orchard
library@orchard is a Design, Lifestyle and Applied Arts library. Built around the tagline, Design is for Everyone, library@orchard is the first public library in Singapore conceptualised using Design Thinking in partnership with Singapore Polytechnic. Through prototyping and public consultation with library- and non-library users, library@orchard became a library developed with users, for users.
Inspired by the concept of a ‘Wonderland’, the library environment is a ‘rabbit hole’ of experiences that help expand ideas about design by making people look and think differently, while re-defining the library beyond its traditional roles. Featuring specially crafted spaces, curated collection and themed programmes, library@orchard also speaks design in an everyday language that is engaging and informative to design professionals and those curious about design. In these spaces, library visitors can ‘learn and discover’ print to digital and visual resources; create user content, ‘engage’ and share with others; and ‘escape’ into other creative realities and expression.
