Former Supreme Court
Former Supreme Court, Singapore is located in Singapore
Former Supreme Court, Singapore
Location of Former Supreme Court in Singapore
Former namesSupreme Court
Alternative namesOld Supreme Court
General information
StatusOccupied
TypeCourt
Architectural styleBaroque Revival, Neoclassical
ClassificationB
LocationSingapore
Address1 St Andrew's Road, Singapore 178958
Town or citySingapore
CountrySingapore
Coordinates1°17′23″N 103°51′04.5″E / 1.28972°N 103.851250°E / 1.28972; 103.851250
Current tenantsNational Gallery Singapore
Groundbreaking1 April 1937
Construction startedApril 1937
Completed1939
Opened3 August 1939
Closed2011
AffiliationNational Heritage Board
Technical details
Floor area5,110 m2 (55,000 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architect(s)Frank Dorrington Ward
Architecture firmPublic Works Department
Other designersRudolfo Nolli
Augusto Martelli
Main contractorUnited Engineers
Designated14 February 1992
Reference no.28

The Former Supreme Court Building (Malay: Bangunan Mahkamah Agung Lama, Chinese: 最高法院大厦) is the former courthouse of the Supreme Court of Singapore. The court moved to a new building, where it began operations on 20 June 2005. The former courthouse was the last structure in the style of classical architecture to be built in the former British colony. Together with the Former City Hall, the former courthouse has been converted for use as National Gallery Singapore; the complex opened in 2015.[1]

History

Aerial panorama of Singapore's Downtown Core. The Old Supreme Court building is located in the middle of the panorama.
Dome of the old Supreme Court Building at night (2011)

On 1 April 1937, Sir Shenton Whitelegge Thomas, Governor of the Straits Settlements[2] laid the original foundation stone of the Supreme Court Building. (At the time it was the largest foundation stone in the whole of Malaya.) Buried beneath the stone is a time capsule containing six Singaporean newspapers dated 31 March 1937, and a handful of coins of the Straits Settlements. The capsule is not due to be retrieved until the year 3000.[2]

The Supreme Court building was declared open on 3 August 1939 by Sir Shenton Thomas and handed over to the Chief Justice, Sir Percy McElwaine, on the same day.[2]

In 1946, after World War II, the building was the site of war crime trials of members of the Imperial Japanese Army for actions in Singapore during the war. [3]

After the court moved to a new building, the Former Supreme Court Building, together with the adjacent Former City Hall, was converted into use as the National Gallery Singapore, which opened in 2015.[1]

Architecture and design

The allegory of justice is visible below the cupola

The Former Singapore Supreme Court building was designed by Frank Dorrington Ward and built by United Engineers. It was built in front of the Padang grounds between 1937 and 1939.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Former Supreme Court, Singapore.

Notes

  • Ho, Weng Hin (2008), The Former Supreme Court of Singapore & its Artificial Stone: Documentation, Analysis & Conservation Guidelines for a National Monument, Genoa: unpublished thesis, School of Specialization in Restoration of Monuments, University of Genoa, OCLC 233929838.
  • History of Supreme Court

References

  1. 1 2 Whiteman, Hilary (26 November 2015). "National Gallery Singapore finds first home for unseen art". CNN.
  2. 1 2 3 "AsiaExplorers - Visit, Discover & Enjoy Asia!". www.asiaexplorers.com. Archived from the original on 28 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  3. ↑ Singapore, National Library Board. "Former Supreme Court building - Infopedia". eresources.nlb.gov.sg.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Allegory of Justice (Singapore).
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