The new National Gallery Singapore will only open in November. In the meantime, The Straits Times' Picture Desk got a sneak peek into its refurbished interior and shot a series of 360-degree panoramas. Click and explore views of the interiors before the Gallery throws open its doors.
Several elements in the old Supreme Court building such as hidden passageways and prison cells to hold those convicted of crimes have been kept intact. Prisoners were not brought into public spaces and a clever hidden network of corridors and stairs was used to take them to the courtrooms.
This is court room 1 from which the Chief Justice presided. All the original timber paneling and the ceilings of the court rooms have been restored.
The biggest element of surprise, though, is to be found here. Starting at the Supreme Court wing, extending over the former alleyway between the buildings and running along the length of City Hall, the flat glass, steel and aluminium structure links the two monuments as one institution. More than 15,000 aluminium panels of varying patterns and perforations in varied shades of gold allow for a stunning play of light on a bright day. Supporting the roof and the veil of panels are five tree-like steel structures which are between 12m and 30m tall.