FACILITY TOURS

Spanning 468,000 square feet, Gaia proudly claims the title of Asia's largest wooden building. It was launched on 17 May 2023, adding to the list of net-zero-energy developments in Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Named Gaia after the Greek goddess of Earth, the 6-story development is made almost entirely from mass timber — a new generation of engineered wood, arranged in layers and bonded with strong adhesives, pushing the boundaries of architecture.

The gently curved design features sunlit atriums, open-air study areas set against lush backdrops and elevators that descend into beds of tropical plants. Everything from handrails to benches, door frames to room dividers (and even an adjoining bus stop), were built using wood. Timber is a natural insulator that, in warm places like Singapore, traps less heat than concrete ones.

 The breezy building’s north-south orientation encourages natural ventilation by aligning with the direction of prevailing winds. Fins are strategically placed on the building’s exterior to cast shade over the facade, helping to keep it cool. Large mechanical fans are strategically positioned throughout the building for air circulation. The air conditioning system utilizes “passive cooling” which pushes cold water through coils to chill the surrounding air.

The new headquarters for Surbana Jurong draws on the site’s tranquility to foster moments of connection and creativity and reconceive the traditional corporate campus as an integrated community hub. Envisioned as a new center of research and innovation, the campus supports wellness in the workplace for Surbana Jurong's 4,000 on-site employees and welcomes the wider community to benefit from on-site resources and amenities.

The new headquarters inaugurates and anchors the emerging Jurong Innovation District, a nexus for companies advancing sustainability in manufacturing, urban solutions, and smart logistics. The district also includes Nanyang Technological University and new residential developments.

Embodying the character of Singapore as the “ City in the Garden,” the campus integrates harmoniously with its rainforest setting and is the largest office building to achieve Green Mark Super Low Energy Certification, the highest rating awarded by the Building and Construction Authority in Singapore for environmentally sustainable design. The design preserves more than half of the site’s existing green spaces and introduces rooftop and interior gardens to replace built up areas.

The BCA Braddell Campus supports the living lab concept, fostering expanded research, innovation and training with key focus on environmental sustainability, construction productivity and quality for the Built Environment (BE) in Singapore. Equipped with purpose-built immersive facilities and systems, it dynamically adapts to occupants and environmental needs. This gives vast opportunities for developers to pool resources and synergize their capabilities in developing practical solutions for end-users. Acting as a “sandbox” for businesses and innovators it facilitates creation, connection and collaboration validate ideas or explore fresh solutions.

Consider an innovator, researcher, or entrepreneur tackling a project to minimize carbon footprint; they could seamlessly collaborate with an AI specialist within the same platform to efficiently scale solutions. This ecosystem perpetually cultivates innovation and extends its impact into real-world applications.

Spanning a total floor area of 73,768m² over a site area of 50,746m², the campus features a diverse mix of six low-rise buildings office spaces, a flagship 10-storey academic building completed in 2016 and two new iconic buildings completed in 2023 dedicated to research on new products and technologies, as well as hosting BE-related events and launching new initiatives.