Johor Feasibility
A prestige Islamic girls' boarding/day school located just outside of Johor requested that a feasibility study be conducted on a site just north of Singapore.
The site had been offered to the school at a reduced price by the father of one of the students, knowing its existing old colonial style was no longer fit for purpose, having no modern climate control or the ability to fit these systems. These buildings, which over the past few years had shown signs of becoming overcrowded as the school expanded, were limited by available areas for new blocks of accommodation.
The study was to determine if the proposed new site could accommodate the school’s requirement of 1600-1800 pupils a day. The design needed to house up to 400 boarding students, with the potential for growth to 900, in separate blocks and a further potential 900-day students with drop-off and parking.
The feasibility comprised of two schemes as shown, both comprising of a state-of-the-art school building, housing laboratories, and classrooms, break out and relaxation zones, fully climate controlled by use of local proposed solar power, shading and fabrication methods to reduce running costs. The school would also house a full sports hall, supporting a basketball/volleyball, and four tennis courts, plus an external playing field. A further requirement for a separate place of worship, not a formal mosque, a separate dining hall, and a series of multistorey accommodation block's each floor having a combination of 4 bedrooms shared between two girls Plus single rooms, light refreshments prep area with light dining, each floor would have an external deck for relaxation. These blocks were to be linked via covered walkways.
The general setting of the building was based upon Hamsa, also known as the hand of Fatima; the name comes from Mohammed's daughter Fatima. The five fingers represent the five pillars of Islam but are mainly a symbol used for protection and defence against the Evil eye.