Our
Past…
Formerly known as Conference Hall and Trade Union
House, the Singapore Conference Hall was the result
of the idea that was mooted in 1960, to have a venue
for international events in Singapore. With a design
that won the top award at an architecture design
competition in 1961, construction works for the
building commenced on 9th May 1963 and were completed
two years later in 1965 at a cost of $4 million
dollars. Its avant-garde design was a superb example
of Singapore’s urban architecture in the 1960s.
Despite its avant-garde design, it was built with
an eye on functionalism and practicality. The cantilevered
roof and terrace, which provides sun-shading to
the interior reflects the sensitive approach taken
in consideration of the local climate. Fully equipped
to cater for international conferences and designed
for acoustic excellence for musical performances,
it was undoubtedly the biggest and best of its kind
in Singapore then. There were ample facilities for
press, radio and television coverage, which included
private booths for radio and telephone calls, a
special soundproof booth for tape-recording speeches,
facilities for dispatch and general information,
provisions for a projector room, film rewinding
and multi-lingual simultaneous translator facilities
with soundproof observation room for six translators.
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Officially opened by the then-Prime Minister, Mr
Lee Kuan Yew on 15th October 1965 and subsequently
served as the headquarters of the National Trade
Union Congress (NTUC) for many years, the Singapore
Conference Hall saw the creation of historical milestones
and a wide spectrum of significant events, ranging
from international events like the first Commonwealth
Heads of Delegations conference to be held outside
the traditional family meeting place, London in
1971 to home celebrations and political events like
the State Banquet in Celebration of National Day
and the 150th Anniversary of the Founding of Modern
Singapore on 8th August 1969, the Inaugural Meeting
of the National Road Safety Campaign Committee in
1977, the NTUC May Day Rally in 1978 and the election
of Singapore’s first elected President in
1993.
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