The National Art Gallery, Singapore Appoints Takenaka – Singapore Piling Joint Venture as Main Contractor
Construction works on the iconic City Hall and Former Supreme Court Buildings
The National Art Gallery, Singapore has appointed Takenaka – Singapore Piling Joint Venture as the main construction contractor for the new National Art Gallery, Singapore at the City Hall and Former Supreme Court buildings. The total development costs are estimated to be about S$530 million, and construction works on the monumental buildings will start in January 2011. With a predicted total construction timeframe of about 44 months, the Gallery is slated to open progressively from end 2014 onwards.
Mr Michael Koh, Chief Executive Officer of the National Art Gallery, Singapore said, “We are pleased to announce that we are ready to start construction of the National Art Gallery, Singapore. The Gallery will be the largest museum in Singapore, and will help to position Singapore as a regional and international hub for visual arts. We are excited to be able to contribute to shaping the artistic landscape in Singapore.”
Commenting on the partnership, Mr Masaru Chayama, General Manager of Takenaka Corporation Singapore Office said, “We feel privileged to be involved in such a meaningful project as the buildings are symbolic of Singapore’s heritage and history. To be given the opportunity to work on this project is a milestone for Takenaka-Singapore Piling Joint Venture. We look forward to preserving and at the same time, reinventing these iconic buildings.”
Occupying two 80-year-old buildings gazetted as national monuments, The National Art Gallery, Singapore is a complex and challenging building development project. Special provisions have to be made to ensure that the buildings are preserved and protected for posterity. Other challenges to be addressed include poor soil conditions, listing of the buildings and the need for enhanced security due to the buildings’ prime location. As buildings housing invaluable artworks and masterpieces, special floor loading considerations, conservation conditions like humidity control, climate control and illumination levels, as well as IT and security provisions comparable with international museum standards are also needed. All these factors are taken into consideration in the management of the project’s timeline and costs.
When completed, the 60,000 square metres National Art Gallery will house a range of permanent and temporary galleries, showcasing works from both Singapore’s national collection and international travelling exhibitions. Complementing them will be special research and incubatory spaces where curators, programmers and researchers can experiment with new and innovative ways of presenting materials from the Gallery’s permanent collection. Visitors to the Gallery can look forward to a host of exciting international and local exhibitions, events and performances. There will also be retail and food and beverage outlets to transform the Gallery into a stylish and vibrant after-dark venue.