Welcome to the Archives of The Paul Rudolph Institute for Modern Architecture. The purpose of this online collection is to function as a tool for scholars, students, architects, preservationists, journalists and other interested parties. The archive consists of photographs, slides, articles and publications from Rudolph’s lifetime; physical drawings and models; personal photos and memorabilia; and contemporary photographs and articles.

Some of the materials are in the public domain, some are offered under Creative Commons, and some are owned by others, including the Paul Rudolph Estate. Please speak with a representative of The Paul Rudolph Institute for Modern Architecture before using any drawings or photos in the Archives. In all cases, the researcher shall determine how to appropriately publish or otherwise distribute the materials found in this collection, while maintaining appropriate protection of the applicable intellectual property rights.

In his will, Paul Rudolph gave his Architectural Archives (including drawings, plans, renderings, blueprints, models and other materials prepared in connection with his professional practice of architecture) to the Library of Congress Trust Fund following his death in 1997. A Stipulation of Settlement, signed on June 6, 2001 between the Paul Rudolph Estate and the Library of Congress Trust Fund, resulted in the transfer of those items to the Library of Congress among the Architectural Archives, that the Library of Congress determined suitable for its collections. The intellectual property rights of items transferred to the Library of Congress are in the public domain. The usage of the Paul M. Rudolph Archive at the Library of Congress and any intellectual property rights are governed by the Library of Congress Rights and Permissions.

However, the Library of Congress has not received the entirety of the Paul Rudolph architectural works, and therefore ownership and intellectual property rights of any materials that were not selected by the Library of Congress may not be in the public domain and may belong to the Paul Rudolph Estate.

LOCATION
Address: 252 North Bridge Road
City:
State:
Zip Code: 178882
Nation: Singapore

STATUS
Type: Commercial
Status: Project

TECHNICAL DATA
Date(s): 1979
Site Area:
Floor Area:
Height:
Floors (Above Ground):
Building Cost: 800 million SGD (in 1979)

PROFESSIONAL TEAM
Client: Hong Fok Investment Holdings Private Ltd. / Urban Redevelopment Authority
Architect: Paul Rudolph
Rudolph Staff: Eric Cummings (Project Manager)
Associate Architect:
Landscape:
Structural:
MEP:
QS/PM:

SUPPLIERS
Contractor:
Subcontractor(s):

Marina Centre

The project, which is initially called Raffles International Centre, is announced in 1969. The site is planned to cover an area stretching from the site of Raffles Institution up to the Cathay Building.
Due to rising costs and a shortage of skilled workers, the plans are put on hold from 1973 to 1975.
The proposed project is described by Hong Fok Investment Holdings Private Ltd. in a ‘Developer’s Statement’ submitted to the Urban Redevelopment Authority:

ECONOMIC RETURNS
In response to the URA land sales, we are confident to tender for the project with both our financial and manpower resources.
According to project made by Singapore Tourists Promotion Board, 2.6 million visitors will be coming to Singapore in 1982. Wit the completion of Pan Island Expressway and the Changi International Airport, it was estimated that some 20 million passengers will be passing through Singapore by 1990; based on past ratios, 5 million would be staying behind as tourists. If they each spend an average of 3.6 days in Singapore, as they did in 1978, more than 45,000 hotel rooms will be required to house them. As tourism is one of the major industries for Singapore, we shall be happy to participate, if we are successful with this tender, in the creation of Marina Centre, thereby providing more Hotel and Shopping facilities to tourists.
From an investment point of view, 800 million dollars investment will be made on the 6 parcels of land that have been offered for tender by the URA, of which parcels 17 and 18 together will contribute 300 million. More than 20,000 jobs will be created for the six sites, from the initial design stage of the projects to the actual running of the Hotels, Shopping and Entertainment facilities.
A Hotel and Entertainment Complex can never be successful if it is badly designed. It is, therefore, our policy to engage an Architect of international standard to design and work hand in hand with a Singapore Architect, as a share of contribution toward the building industry in its architectural aspect. To further ensure that the Hotel/Shopping complex will be successful when it is operational, some international Hotel and Shopping chain operators have already been contacted. All of them have shown keen interest to come to Singapore to provide their expertise in the management and operation of the complex. If our tender is successful, they will be called upon to join in with the initial planning stage, to ensure that the design is economical and efficient from the operation point of view.
Furthermore, it is also our aim to contribute towards a better environment for the neighborhood and the city as a whole, and to catch up with the world standard of Hotel and Shopping complexes, both in terms of design and finishes of the building itself. Finally, it is our belief that through the joint effort of all parties involved, Marina Centre can become the showcase of international architecture, rather than only catering to the needs of the tourist, and we certainly hope we can be one of the parties involved.

The proposed project is described by Paul Rudolph in an ‘Architect’s Statement’ submitted with the plans to the Urban Redevelopment Authority:

GENERAL CONCEPT
The architectural-urban design intent of the proposals for Sites #16, #17-18, and #19 of Singapore’s Marina Centre is to convey the sense of “neighborhood” or “place,” with access to many activities, all clearly separated from the automobile. The project has been conceived of as three separate hotels with adjunct facilities which are tied together by a covered elevated pedestrian way approximately 6 meters above finish grade, which is free of the vehicular traffic below. The elevated pedestrian circulation is animated by allowing it to penetrate the shopping and entertainment areas, as well as the hotel lobbies. The elevated pedestrian circulation system is connected to the circulation at grade and to the proposed public Plaza-Amphitheatre on Site #17-18.
PLAZA-AMPITHEATRE
The Plaza-Amphitheatre is stepped down to the proposed underpass under Stamford Road Extension. Each step is marked by a series of relatively narrow canals with waterfalls to counteract the sound of the traffic. These canals and stepped terraces divide the large plaza into smaller, more intimate areas, allowing a sense of “belonging” to a given area. These divisions will facilitate exhibitions, fairs, bazaars, etc. Trees over approximately a quarter of the Amphitheatre-Plaza form a green ceiling and are augmented further by temporary awnings on stanchions. The awning concept should be a flexible one to accommodate changing exhibitions, fairs, bazaars, eating, and so forth. It is hoped that the Amphitheatre-Plaza, which could accommodate as many as 10,000 people, would become Singapore’s “outdoor room” and a gathering place for residents, visitors and tourists. The Amphitheatre is bounded by shops which open towards the plaza or towards an enclosed, air-conditioned arcade. It is hoped that these shops would be varied in character to insure lively and useful outdoor activities. Much of the success of such a plaza depends on management, imagination, and the “feel” of the plaza itself.
The shopping areas surrounding the plaza are stepped away from the plaza to form a bowl of space, so that building and Plaza-Amphitheatre become one. The stepped arrangement of the shopping building for Site #17-18 as well as Site #16, allows views into the plaza from the glass enclosed arcades. The extension of the central Plaza-Amphitheatre into Site #16 forms a more intimate outdoor space which serves to connect the hotel facilities on Sites #16 and #19. A sequence of space has been developed which is clearly a pedestrian enclave throughout. The heart of Marina Centre is the plaza.
PEDESTRIAN AND VEHICULAR CIRCULATION
Pedestrian circulation is at +1 meter and +6 meter, with garages at -2 meters. The +1 meter level is devoted in each of the three hotels to convention-meeting-shopping areas, augmented with some parking and an unloading area for buses, taxis, and private cars for the convention facilities. In addition, there is a covered unloading area for the hotels at the +6 meter level. Motor courts have been provided for each hotel site. They serve to quickly separate and direct traffic to its destination. One can walk to every facility of Sites #16 through #19 without the pedestrian having to cross a vehicular route. Pedestrian access to restaurant-pool-promenade level at the +28 level (seventh floor) becomes a more private and controlled pedestrian way. It is hoped that the various hotels could eventually have bridges and promenades connecting them at this level. The interior and exterior pedestrian circulation has been integrated so that one flows naturally into the other.
URBAN DESIGN
The various buildings have been placed to capture the best views and breezes, and reflect the curvilinear pattern of the road system itself. The low buildings twist and turn to define the space of the streets and, indeed, follow the form of the streets. The hotels on Site #16 and #17-18 frame the view when entering the Marina Centre from the north (Changi Airport). Similarly, the view is framed between Site #17-18 nd Site #19 when entering Marina Centre from the northwest (Bras Basah Road). The towers are placed so that most hotel rooms have good views of the Government Center grounds, as well as of Clifford Pier. The towers for Site #16 and #17-18 are so placed that the tower for Site #19 also enjoys views of the Government Center grounds and the Clifford Pier area. The low buildings define not only the space of the streets, but entrance courtyards, plazas and shopping patios. The geometry of the elevated circulation system celebrates the independence of this system from the vehicular system below.
THE HOTELS
The hotels are conceived of as a series of floating platforms, each platform celebrating its independence from the one above or below, and taking its form from the needs of the space. The public areas of the hotel are open and the space is continuous both horizontally and vertically. Thus, the eating facilities are simply raised platforms within the space of the lobby. The pool platform forms the ceiling of the main porch of the lobby, but is announced from the lobby by means of a partially glass-bottomed pool, which will allow light to come through the water into the lobby itself. There is a continuous vertical volume of space through the entire height of the hotel. This volume of space is enclosed to form the seven floor high lobbies, but the volume of space above the lobby is announced by means of the vertical flow of space through the pool itself. The space above the lobby is defined by two wings of the hotel, plus elevator and sheer wall to define the shaft of space. The double-loaded corridor of hotel floors look towards the city itself, as well as out to the ocean. The hotel floors are terminated at irregular heights in order to allow views in both directions for a wing of special hotel rooms, and a rooftop restaurant. Thus, the sky is seen between the various parts of the building, especially when looking up from the ground level. This interpenetration of sky and building is intended to negate the solid monolith aspect of most multi-storied buildings. It is also intended to introduce a “hanging gardens” aspect. This concept is further emphasized by allowing the hotels at the end of each corridor to have balconies and extensions of the rooms themselves. These “termini” of the bedrooms of the hotel vary from floor to floor, emphasizing the flowing aspects of the platforms.
MATERIALS
It is intended that the entire complex be sheathed with aluminum to help capture the unique light of Singapore, as well as to reflect the sea and coloring of the area. The dematerialization of the entire project would lend an air of “fantasy” or “good time” quality to the complex. The play of light and shadow on the building would be highlighted and multiplied by multiple reflected images.
The public interior spaces are intended to also be sheathed in reflective aluminum, augmented by textured floor covering and furniture. The psychology of the hotel is highlighted by the introduction of fountains some seven floors in height, cascading from the pool level itself. The sound and intermingling of cascades of water, appropriate low level artificial lighting, and an emphasis on reflective and light-absorbing materials would create a mood of festivity and well being.

Approval for construction is not given until 1979. That same year, the development is renamed Raffles City and the development reduced to only the old Raffles Institution site.
I. M. Pei’s design for the project is chosen to proceed. It is Pei’s earliest project in Singapore. Rudolph’s proposed design remains unbuilt.
Groundbreaking takes place on August 14, 1980.
The site opens to the public on October 03, 1986.