One of the highlights of Moshe Safdie‘s landmark Marina Bay Sands complex is the iconic ArtScience Museum. The dynamic petalled form of the building takes a place of prominence in Singapore’s Marina Bay skyline, floating along the waterfront in a reflection pool filled with flowering water lilies.
One of the most interesting parts of the building is the innovative structure. An outer row of gray concrete columns supports the floating building. The asymmetric forces of the dramatic cantilevers are anchored down with a central steel diagrid structure. This makes the building appear to float weightlessly above the ground.
The building form is comprised of 10 irregular petals derived from spheroids of various heights. Each finger terminates in a skylight, and the centre of the building is pierced by an oculus.
Each of the petal-shaped galleries has dramatically sculpted spaces terminating in an angular skylight.
The oculus through the centre of the building lets diffuse light into the gallery spaces, and acts as a fountain during tropical rains.
Images by Jonathan Choe
