OUR HWA CHONG TOUR
Come with us on a tour around our beautiful Hwa Chong campus and familiarise yourselves in this new environment! Along the way, you will surely be amazed by the unique architecture and diverse landmarks that encapsulates the rich history and culture of our school.
SCHOOL MAP
HEC/ Block D
The Holistic Education Centre is the newest block (Block D) in the College campus, was formally opened in March 2018 by Minister Grace Fu. The HEC contains an Indoor Sports Hall used for various events and CCA trainings.
A unique feature of this block is that it possesses environmentally-friendly elements, certified by the Building & Construction Authority as a Green Mark building.
饮水思源 Fountain
In addition, the fountain at the area outside the cafe spells 飲水思源 (lit. gratitude), which is a core value of Hwa Chong. The school was established by forefathers who wanted to give back to their community by offering the opportunity of education. 飲水思源 epitomises this spirit, and has been adopted as one of the school’s official mottos.
College Reception
The college reception is where all administrative work is handled! Be it handing in of official documents, borrowing of equipment or drawing of keys for CCA rooms, everyone should know its location. If you are looking for your tutors, staff rooms are also located at Levels 2 and 3. All three levels also have designated study areas for those seeking a conducive learning environment.
Central Plaza
The Central Plaza is familiarly known as 黄城 (or “yellow city”) because of its yellow walls and horseshoe oriental design, making it look like a city.
On 8 May 1987, the original Hwa Chong JC building was declared structurally unsound, and within a span of days all students had to evacuate the campus. Lessons were held at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, and later at a temporary campus in Bukit Batok as the school was rebuilt.
In December 1991, the new campus was completed and students made their long-awaited return to the Bukit Timah campus.
Today, the Central Plaza is used for morning assembly and is the school’s main teaching block. It is also the venue where major celebrations take place, such as Chinese New Year and Mid Autumn Festival.
Auditorium
Numerous school performances, assembly talks and events are held here.
The auditorium’s name is Cheng Yi (诚毅) auditorium, which translates to integrity and tenacity, a motto embraced by our founder.
When he founded Jimei High School in 1918, he made 诚毅 the school motto. Years later, when the Block E building was constructed, it was named 诚毅楼 (or Cheng Yi Building) in recognition of the 诚毅 spirit.
Kong Chian Admin Centre
The Kong Chian Administration Centre, named after Mr Lee Kong Chian, is an office for the administrative staff and the principals of Hwa Chong Institution. Numerous important awards that Hwa Chong Institution has won over the years are also showcased at the second floor of the Administration Centre.
Dr Lee Kong Chian (1893-1967) was a businessman and philanthropist who was the Chairman of the Board of Directors from 1933 to 1954. He was known for his promotion of education and patronage of schools, and is the namesake of the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library. The statue of Dr Lee Kong Chian stands before the Kong Chian Administration Centre. Dr Lee Kong Chian was a community leader and great philanthropist who established the world’s largest rubber enterprise, earning himself the nickname of “Rubber King”.
Dr Lee funded the school’s major infrastructure, including the classroom blocks, accommodation for teaching staff, a sports field, a science centre and the school library.
Kuo Chuan Art Gallery
On the school’s 101st Founders’ Day in 2020, the Kuo Chuan Centennial Art Gallery (KCCAG) was officially opened. The Gallery now houses the works of Singapore’s pioneer artists such as Liu Kang, Cheong Soo Pieng, Chen Wen Hsi and Chen Chong Swee, who were former Hwa Chong teachers. Other featured pieces by established alumni artists include Lim Tze Peng, Tan Soo Kuan, Chia Yu Chian, Ho Ho Ying, Mak Kum Siew, Choey Kwok Kay and Tan Teo Kwang; showcasing Hwa Chong’s distinctive artistic heritage. The namesake of the gallery is Lee Kuo Chuan, the father of Dr Lee Kong Chian. Dr Lee considered his father to have had a formative impact on himself, and during his lifetime the High School library was named Kuo Chuan Library.
Clocktower
The Clock Tower was built when the then-Chinese High School moved into the Bukit Timah campus in 1925. At 31 metres tall and situated on a hill, it was one of the best vantage points in Singapore at the time. During WWII, the Allied Forces first used the clocktower as headquarters, while the Japanese occupation forces used it as a vantage point and surveillance post in 1942. In the 1950s, the terraces was the site of several student demonstrations, against the British-initiated National Service Ordinance and the subsequent conversion of the education system to a four-year secondary education system.
In March 1999, on the school’s 80th anniversary of founding, then-President Ong Teng Cheong graced a ceremony which gazetted the Clock Tower as a national monument. In 1979, 1989, 1999, 2009, and 2019, massive gala dinners attended by over 10,000 were held at the field next to the terraces to commemorate founding anniversaries.
Science Research Centre
The Science Research Centre is a vibrant hub for exchange of scientific ideas and opinions as well as an incubator for innovations and discoveries. It was built in 2008, and is the venue for the annual International Science Youth Forum (ISYF), a scientific conference that has attracted many delegates from across the world and featured many Nobel Laureates. With dedicated researchers and scientists on hand to help our outstanding students in their research projects, this unique facility supports our research and innovative culture.