NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY X HEATHERWICK — LEARNING HUB (SINGAPORE)
Nanyang Technological University
My alma mater has become an incubator of creativity and inspiration. It now exudes class and style, improving on the olden days of just boring grey blocks of engineering or business buildings
( Though yes, they still exist. Just Saying.).
( Though yes, they still exist. Just Saying.).
Just over last year in March 2015, news release came out announcing the completion of the Learning Hub. I remembered first scanning the pages on this peculiar architecture which looks so "out of place'" with the other older blocks on the South Spine. Then, all I let out was exclamations of envy over what my younger juniors would be able to enjoy on. Such a beauty.
Of course that aside, I was most surprised, in a good way, that (possibly?) big bucks were spent on having Designer Thomas Heatherwick and his London-based Heatherwick Studio to work on such an extraordinary conceptualization?
The architecture itself screams out of this world. Breathtaking and astonishing. I am no expert in design nor architecture but simply just an amuture penning down what I felt about these majestic 12 towers more aptly known in Singapore's context as 'DimSum Baskets' or official as 'The Hive'.
The function of Learning Hub is to allow students to mix social with academy. Multiple rooms available for project works or discussions, with naturally ventilated spaces to allow air flow.
Totally, eco-friendly with no air conditioning along the public spaces.
Totally, eco-friendly with no air conditioning along the public spaces.
An oasis in the urbans of sorts.
And
"werid" nooks and balconies protruding at various angles and turns amongst the many concrete columns.
ENJOY the pictures!
Inside the LIBRARY- only facility opened on a Saturday and accessible to public.
So contemporary modern and comfy~
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Take a closer look at the tower and you will see over 700 embossed drawings by illustrator Sara Fanelli, depicting images from science, art and literature.
WOW!!
NOW, Moving on to the EXTERIOR.
It's another experience altogether.
Though no longer an undergraduate, I am still proud to be an alumni of NTU and seeing its progress has really brought on much pride and memories of the undergraduate days.
This building has been and will be featured in many more of Heatherwick Studio's roving exhibitions worldwide, along with their other portfolios of course ( As I have seen at the Museum of Contemporary Arts Taipei this year.)
Singapore and NTU will now have more of an international footprint.
Singapore and NTU will now have more of an international footprint.
THE HIVE
52 Nanyang Avenue
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