Originally built in the 1970s, the National University of Singapore (NUS) School of Design and Environment (SDE) 1 & 3 are among the oldest buildings on the NUS campus. Through sustainable and green designs that extensively integrated the pre-existing built and natural environments, the existing institutional buildings were reinvented to accommodate a super-low carbon and net-zero energy, high-comfort academic environment.

The transformation embraces a sustainable “less is more” ethos, reflected in architectural solutions that promote a reduced carbon footprint. The existing concrete frame and its embodied carbon were kept predominantly intact, while false ceilings were removed to expose the reinforced concrete structural frame and reduce embodied carbon.

Internally, spaces were replanned to enhance cross-ventilation, daylight and views towards the surrounding greenery, reducing energy usage through a hybrid cooling system. At SDE 3, a new central staircase interconnects three storeys of design studios, forming a central collaborative space that promotes social interaction. Flora and fauna remain at the heart of the architecture, with greenery brought into sheltered outdoor common spaces using the existing terrain.

Externally, distinctive screens act as a deep veil for sun shading, glare control, daylight shelves and porous ventilation, while the rich gold-coloured cladding unifies SDE 1 & 3 with SDE 4.