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Green roofs aren’t just for looks.
By Jake Kulju
Recently, greenroofs have been gaining popularity around the world. Few other greenroof projects illustrate that as much as the School of Art, Design and Media at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
The building is located on the university grounds at the junction of Nanyang Avenue and Nanyang Drive, situated in a wooded valley right in the heart of the campus. Characterized by three intertwining arms that are covered in greenroofing, the building’s arms emerge from the earth and carry the landscaped lawn up and over the School of Art, Design and Media around a landscaped courtyard.
The design, by CPG Consultants Pte. Ltd., was conceived as natural extensions of the ground. These blocks interweave to enclose a picturesque plaza and landscape. Major spaces such as the auditorium, media studios, library and art galleries surround this outdoor activity node.
The building contains complementary facilities such as a stop motion studio, 3-D hi-end computer graphics studio, soundstage, sound recording studios, audio visual editing suites, hi-end digital post studio, etc.
A highlight of the building is the verdant roof which blends with the ground contour. Apart from its visual impact, the turfed roofscape is a functional space that is easily accessible via sidesteps along the roof edge, thereby allowing the rooftop to be a scenic outdoor communal space. Environmentally, it helps lower the roof temperature and surrounding areas.
The façade is a glass curtainwall in neutral grey color. The remaining parts of the building comprised off-form concrete walls which eschew painting or external rendering works.
The external finish is reserved in its primary condition to maintain its design integrity and naturalness. When night beckons, the building lights up like a beacon. The interior lighting streams through the glass curtainwalls to render the building a dynamic stage against the backdrop of the external landscape.