A beacon for industrialisation
If walls could talk, Jurong Town Hall would have much to share on Singapore’s industrialisation journey, having witnessed Jurong’s transformation into a bustling industrial town.
By Tay Qiao Wei
When Jurong Town Hall was completed in 1974, it was a towering presence but “a town hall without a town”, recalls its principal architect Datuk Seri Lim Chong Keat.
The large off-white building on a hill was built in Singapore’s post-independence years to house JTC, which was driving Jurong’s transformation from jungles and swamps into the nation’s first industrial estate.
Over the years, as Jurong became a modern town with high-rise buildings, Jurong Town Hall continued to stand its ground with its distinctive build. Described by visitors as resembling a ship or submarine, the brutalist structure features a 50-metre clock tower protruding from two elongated blocks whose upper floors taper outwards.
It even earned a place in history when it was gazetted as a national monument in 2015, for its architectural and historical significance in Singapore’s economic and industrial growth.
Early beginnings
Back in the 1960s, Singapore struggled with rapid population growth and high unemployment. To create jobs and boost the economy, the government embarked on an industrialisation plan, designating Jurong as the first industrial estate. JTC, then called Jurong Town Corporation, was formed in 1968 to realise this.
A public competition for the design of JTC’s headquarters was announced in 1969. Of the 34 entries submitted, one from Architects Team 3, led by Mr Lim, stood out for what the assessors described as “unique character combined with dignity”.
Mr Lim says his team took a “radically different” approach to satisfy the competition requirements for a landmark symbolising Jurong that “will be remembered to posterity”.
“The whole idea was to enclose the auditorium within the two chamfered blocks. The staggering of the major blocks was to free the building from the rigidity of symmetry,” he explains.
The result was a futuristic structure distinguished by its angular and modular motifs. It was not just for aesthetic reasons, but served many functions too: the windows were integrated with specially designed fins for sun shading, while the layout allowed for flexibility and separation of staff and public uses. JTC offices were planned for the upper storeys, while recreational and catering facilities were on the lower ground floor.
Facilities like an air-conditioned multipurpose hall, lecture theatre and a mezzanine floor suitable for exhibitions were also integrated within the structure. In particular, the assessors praised the positioning of the 900-seater hall between the two blocks as an “imaginative utilisation of space”.
A platform for economic boldness
Another feature of Jurong Town Hall was how it offered a panoramic view of the surrounding developing town, giving JTC a platform from which to plan and execute strategies to transform the area.
By the end of the 1970s, Jurong Industrial Estate had attracted many factories, with 5,600 hectares of developed land hosting 1,200 companies, which employed around 93,000 workers. In tandem, Jurong grew to become Singapore’s fifth largest town with housing options, amenities, recreational facilities and a public transport network for residents.
Just like the design of Jurong Town Hall, JTC’s operations and plans also reflected creativity and boldness. Conceptualised within the building were the 1980s 10-year masterplan to move Singapore into more research-based and capital-intensive industries, and the 1990s Industrial Land Plan for the 21st century that optimised land use.
The building was a place of many firsts. It was where JTC made its shift away from hand-drawn drafting to computer-aided drafting. JTC was the first statutory board to make the shift. This technology enabled JTC to simulate more design options and reduce costs. It also spurred the creation of JTC’s first 3D model for the Singapore Science Park’s inaugural research and development hub.
Jurong Town Hall also hosted many visiting heads of state, foreign dignitaries and study groups, who learnt about Singapore’s industrialisation journey there. Some of these dignitaries even planted trees to commemorate their visit to Jurong Town. The list includes Crown Prince Akihito and Crown Princess Michiko from Japan, the United Kingdom’s Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Prime Minister of Denmark Poul Schluter and Mr Deng Xiaoping when he was Senior Vice-Premier of China.
The pioneering spirit lives on
After JTC moved out of the building in 2000, it continued to serve as office space for local technology startups. It became home to the Trade Association Hub in 2017 and currently houses around 30 associations, fostering a spirit of collaboration to drive future industry transformation. Facilities like meeting rooms and training areas are now shared among the associations, achieving economies of scale.
“Even today, the building stands as a landmark that embodies what the JTC spirit stands for,” says JTC’s CEO, Mr Ng Lang. Looking back at the milestones of JTC’s journey during the time when the agency was at Jurong Town Hall — like amalgamating seven islands into Jurong Island — Mr Ng adds that these successes spur JTC to “constantly look forward to meet the future industrial needs of Singapore”.
The hope is for this groundbreaking approach to continue, says Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong. Speaking at JTC’s 50th anniversary dinner, he encouraged JTC to remain the nation’s “pathfinder” for the next 50 years. “As you push our physical boundaries and renew our urban landscape, you remind Singaporeans that we are limited only by our imagination. If we can think out of the box, if we are bold in tackling our challenges and tenacious in execution, then the sky is the limit.”
With its unique design and pioneering history, Jurong Town Hall remains a symbol of encouragement and reminder to constantly chart new paths.
