Samsung C&T awarded State Courts contract

Samsung C&T Corporation has been awarded a $450 million contract to build the new State Courts complex.

Construction is expected to conclude in 2019, and the complex is slated to be operational from 2020, the State Courts said yesterday.

The complex will be made up of two interconnected towers, each about 178m high and linked by a series of sky bridges. They will rise in front of the existing octagonal-shaped State Courts building, which is more than 40 years old.

With an area of about 113,000 sq m, the complex will be thrice as big as the current courthouse. It will be eco-friendly, featuring naturally ventilated corridors, solar power panels and high-rise gardens.

The Office Tower will house offices and support facilities, while the Court Tower will have over 60 courtrooms and more than 50 hearing chambers, compared to the 40 courtrooms and 28 hearing chambers in the existing complex.

The new courthouse will have no outer walls; instead, courtrooms will sit on open-air platforms surrounded by greenery such as a roof garden.

At the ground-breaking ceremony in May 2014, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said: "Standing as a modern contrast to the 'octagon', the new tower complex... is a powerful metaphor for the openness, transparency and impartiality of the judicial process."

Singapore's third law school at SIM University, specialising in family and criminal law, is expected to be co-located at the complex.

Foundation specialist CSC Holdings was awarded a $21.6 million contract for sub-structure works in June 2014, and it has completed piling works on the site, which used to be an open-air public carpark.

The new complex was designed by Serie + Multiply Consultants and local Singaporean firm CPG Consultants.

The current octagonal building began operating on Sept 15, 1975, and centralised various courthouses around Singapore. Previously known as the Subordinate Courts, it was renamed in March 2014.

The landmark attained conservation status on July 10, 2013.

After the new State Courts complex is completed, the current building will be retrofitted and the Family Justice Courts will operate there from 2023.

Samsung C&T is currently involved in the construction of Tanjong Pagar Centre.

amirh@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 1, 2016.
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