THE Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) Campus has won a top award for landscape design (Institution Category).
It won the hearts of the judges at a competition conducted by SILA, the professional body for qualified landscape architects in Singapore, at the 2003 competition. Every two years SILA (Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects) conducts a Professional Design Awards Competition for built landscape works under various categories.
Sitetectonix, which submitted the ACS (BR) Campus for consideration under the Institution Category, designed the sprawling and hilly site with a hierarchy of landscape spaces ranging from the formal and ceremonial to the functional and playful requirements of the school.
The landscape architects company was told to “create a modern contemporary and beautiful garden setting for a new state-of-the-art educational facility with the intention of creating a memorable setting for students, teachers, alumni, parents and guests”.
When work on the Campus was completed at the end of 2002, the garden landscape, with its abundance of carefully selected plants amidst tiered walkways, became an attraction for the staff and students of the school, parents, alumni, occupants of the other buildings in the Campus, and visitors.
Besides ACS (Primary) and ACS (BR), the Campus also houses Methodist Centre, headquarters of The Methodist Church in Singapore; Barker Road Methodist Church; Oldham Hall, a hostel for 500 students; a café and a wellness centre.
Mr Tan Chee Chye, Chairman of the ACS (BR) Campus Landscaping Committee, told Methodist Message: “We are, of course, very happy that our campus has won this prestigious award.
“This is indeed a bonus. All we wanted was to create a campus with a beautiful landscape that will provide a conducive environment for the teachers to work in and the students to study. And, of course, we have also borne in mind the needs and expectations of the other occupants of the campus.”