My First Skool @ Pasir Ris Drive 6

The project involves an adaptive reuse of the former Loyang Primary School, adapting it into a Large Childcare housing 1,100 children. The site has an open field encircled by 11 matured Yellow-Flame trees. Extra care has been taken to design interventions around these trees and leverage on the vast softscapes by creating differing zones and environments that encourage unstructured play within and beyond the Centre. Pre-schoolers are given the freedom to engage in free play, creating chanced learning and unexpected encounters. The Client also requested for environments that encourages improvised solitary and group play, with child-led activities to enable a sense of freedom. This encourages motor function development and self-regulatory skills. The site was parcelized by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) into 3 distinct parcels, and posed a challenge for the team as it involved physically slicing the existing building into 2 parts. The team had to overcome technical challenges with various authority requirements. Construction also had to interface closely and within the tree protection zones, allowing for a canopy loop that brings the children within touching distance of the trees’ canopies. The extension was designed to lightly touch the existing school building with 2 link-bridges. The plan is based off 3 adjoining circles, creating a spiraling dynamic form encircling not just the ring of trees, but also weaves the play areas vertically between 2 floors via a continuous ramp. The undulating form also creates niches of different types of play spaces. Concrete footing structures were used in the new building to reduce impact on the existing mature trees and construction time. All existing building structures were retained, existing windows and louvres reused, and terracotta roof tiles kept. This reduces construction waste and pushes for greater sustainability.