Topping Out of Our New Building
Today we marked an important milestone in the development of the new building with a Topping Out Ceremony, a rite traditionally held when the highest structural beam is placed atop a structure during its construction. With this beam lifted into place, work will continue on the remaining structural elements over the coming months. The solar panels on the roof and facade will soon be erected, and the internal works are proceeding concurrently.
Last week, students and staff were invited to sign the beam, and today representatives of EiM, senior leaders of the College, three members of the Board of Trustees, design consultants and building contractors, and a group of Year 13 students who undertook a week of work experience on the project in the summer also left their mark on the beam. When the beam is in place, the signatures will still be visible in the IB Lounge on the top floor.
Commenting on this milestone moment, EiM Project Director, Michael Barry, remarked, “The ceremony provided a wonderful opportunity for the school community and project team to come together. Our aim since the inception of the project has been to involve the school community in every step of the journey, and we look forward to continuing this partnership and then finally celebrating the opening of the building together in August 2023.”
The site will house a multi-disciplinary educative space that will be used by all students of the College as a hub to learn, research, experiment, and ultimately grow and empower the next generation of innovators, leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers of tomorrow. The building itself is a model of sustainability, constructed to meet the highest green building standards and run with net-zero energy thanks to the solar panels being fitted to the roof and facade of the building.
Chief Education Officer at EiM, Lesley Meyer, remarked, “For EiM the opening of phase 3 of Dulwich College Singapore is an exciting and significant milestone as it marks our continued commitment to offering our students and staff the very best of facilities and world-class educational opportunities. However, this innovative building also demonstrates EiMs determination to contribute to a sustainable future and to play our part in supporting the Singapore Government’s environmental goals.”
Our Head of College, Nick Magnus, added, “This is our boldest innovation yet, and one we’re excited to open to our community later this year. Today marks a step closer to that day, and I’m enthused by its progress. This building will be a pioneering education and experimental hub that is unlike anything else in the education space in Singapore, if not the world. I can’t wait to see what our students will gain from the inspiring environment and, in turn, how they take their learnings and apply them to real-world problems of the future.”
Tradition in some parts of the world states that a tree must be planted on the top of a new building, and the College will honour this with a tree to be planted in the new rooftop garden. Excellent progress is being made with the final stages of the building, and we are on schedule to open in August 2023. Watch this space!
