Surpassing top universities such as Yale, Stanford and Harvard, SMU’s School of Law (SOL) and Li Ka Shing Library have been ranked No. 17 on the list of 50 Most Impressive Law School Buildings in the World. The rankings were compiled by Best Choice Schools, an online resource based in the United States which aims to help students find the best universities in the world.
Notably, SMU is the only university in Asia to have made it to the list.
According to Best Choice, the winning ‘architectures were chosen for their ingenuity, aesthetic beauty, and commitment to creating an environment that honours the history and study of law… a number of them set a precedent for green building standards and solutions’.
[Photo: SMU Li Ka Shing Library ‘a modern masterpiece of glass and greenery’: Best Choice Schools.]
Best Choice described Li Ka Shing Library, which houses the University's law periodicals, as ‘a modern masterpiece of glass and greenery… Tiered levels of windows are covered with lush plantings, and the interior space offers students express workstations, natural light, and skylights’.
Come 2017, SMU’s city campus will be enhanced with a new SOL building that will comprise the Kwa Geok Choo Law Library, which 'will provide a stunning accompaniment to a campus that already stands as a bastion of modern architecture’, described Best Choice.
On the new accolade, SMU President, Professor Arnoud De Meyer, said, “SMU’s city campus can be described as the first of its kind – designed, integrated and constructed in the heart of a fully developed cityscape. Surrounded by museums, educational institutions, art galleries, and retail outlets, we have a unique modern city campus that is also connected to the origins of this important historical district.”
“From the start, we were committed to building a campus which is sustainable and integrated with our community with openness and lush greenery. I am delighted that our efforts are being recognised,” he said.
[Image: Artists’ impression of the School of Law building in the evening. The Kwa Geok Choo Law Library will take an architectural form that resembles a pearl and will be a symbol for inspirational learning.]
Dean of SMU School of Law, Professor Yeo Tiong Ming, said, “We believe strongly that the new School of Law building must have the power to inspire. The Kwa Geok Choo Law Library will take on a distinct architectural form reminiscent of a pearl. It will be strategically placed at the high point of the site next to Stamford Green and is expressed architecturally as a sculptural form to represent an ‘inspirational beacon’ that seeks to illuminate the lives of SMU’s law students.”
It will be symbolic of a ‘moral compass’ to remind students of the importance of dignity, truth and justice in society,” he added.
On the new law school building project, Professor De Meyer said, “The SMU campus offers an open environment in the heart of Singapore. The new law school building will be an extension of this philosophy and will have the same porous, free-flowing campus design that reflects and support the character of our university’s curriculum and style of teaching.”
[Image: Artists’ impression of the new School of Law building viewed from Armenian Street. The architecture of the new building is deliberately contemporary in expression, while integrating with the architecture in the historical district in which it stands. ]
Other accolades
This is not the first time SMU has been lauded for its green efforts. On 22 May 2014, Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority awarded SMU the Green Mark Scheme – Platinum Award for all campus buildings including the new SOL building and Kwa Geok Choo Library. On 25 September 2014, SMU received the Public Utilities Board Water Efficient Building (Gold) Certification for all campus buildings.
The new SOL building is also designed to meet BCA’s Green Mark Platinum standards, and will boast many sustainable features and incorporate innovative green technologies that will bring about maximum energy savings.
[Featured photo: SMU Li Ka Shing Library]
- More details on the SMU School of Law building project: http://www.smu.edu.sg/new-sol-building
- More details on the 50 Most Impressive Law School Buildings in the World by Best Choice Schools: http://www.bestchoiceschools.com/50-most-impressive-law-school-buildings-in-the-world/
- The Straits Times (18 October 2014): SMU ranked 17th among world's top law school buildings