Singapore Polytechnic

Old Singapore Polytechnic campus at Prince Edward Road, with its iconic mosaic-patterned foyer façade.

SP students doing work in the laboratory in 1959.

SP students doing technical work in the workshops in 1959.

Deputy Prime Minister Toh Chin Chye delivering a speech during the SP Students Orientation in June 1962.

At a time when Singapore was transitioning from a trading port to an emerging industrial economy, there was a growing need for technically skilled workers. SP was established to meet this need — to equip Singaporeans with the applied knowledge, technical expertise, and problem-solving skills essential for a modern workforce.

A five-acre site at Prince Edward Road, later expanded to ten acres, was allocated for the campus. Construction began in April 1957, and by 1958 the complex was completed. Functional in design, it featured three interconnected blocks with classrooms, studios, laboratories and workshops, with a distinctive mosaic-patterned foyer façade.

The campus was officially opened by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on 24 February 1959. By then, SP had 2,800 students enrolled in 58 courses across five departments: Engineering; Building and Architecture; Science and Technology (including the Nautical Section); General Education; and Commerce.

In 1978, SP moved from Prince Edward Road to its new Dover Road campus, officially opened by then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on 2 February 1979. Currently still based at Dover, SP is the largest Polytechnic out of five in Singapore.

SP’s founding marked a turning point in our education landscape. Established more than a decade before independence, SP played a key role in preparing our workforce for industrialisation and laying the foundations of our nation’s progress.

Were you a student at the old Prince Edward Road campus or the Dover Road one? We’d love to hear your stories and the friendships made! Share your memories with us below!

Images: National Archives of Singapore

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