Supreme Court

Supreme Court Review

In the ponderous neoclassical style so beloved by British colonials, the Supreme Court has Corinthian pillars and the look of arrogant certainty. Completed in 1939, it was the last such building to be erected in Singapore, replacing the famous Hôtel de l'Europe, a romantic venue of the Conrad era of sailors' derring-do. The pedimental sculptures of the Greek temple-style facade, by Italian artist Cavalieri Rudolfo Nolli, portray an allegory of Justice. Inside, there's an echoing hall and a magnificent staircase, and high above, the vast paneled ceiling is an exercise in showmanship. All of this was completed just in time for the Japanese to use the building as their headquarters. Thankfully, World War II preempted architect Frank Dorrington Ward's plan to demolish most of the historical buildings around the Padang in favor of a modern complex.