NS Square – design description

What is the NS Square project in a nutshell?

The NS Square project involves the construction of an unusual performance facility that will be used as a stage, sports facility or arena for various parades, shows and public events. The structure will stand on the Marina Bay waterfront, in the central part of Singapore (Downtown Core).

The new facility will be built on the site of the pioneering The Float @ Marina Bay. Like its predecessor, it will consist of a grandstand located on the waterfront and a floating platform designed for a stage or football pitch.

The floating platform will be given a circular shape and will be partially surrounded by a semicircular grandstand, opening up to the bay and the tall skyscrapers standing on the opposite side. The whole project will receive a form reminiscent of an ancient theater.

Unlike its predecessor, NS Square is expected to have a permanent character, it will also be larger, more spectacular and equipped with a number of additional features, such as a swimming pool and marina. The grandstand will be more integrated with the platform and will accommodate 30,000 spectators.

NS Square will be used for the National Day Parade, as well as numerous other activities – shows, concerts and sporting events. The platform will accommodate a full-size football field, and during the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix, a section of the circuit will run in front of the grandstand.

The facility is to be dedicated to National Service (NS) – the basic military service. The project was announced in 2017, during the celebration of the National Service's 50th anniversary. Part of NS Square will be an exhibition on the history of the National Service and other uniformed services in Singapore.

Old The Float @ Marina Bay was demolished in 2023/2024, and a groundbreaking ceremony for the new NS Square was held on March 19, 2024. The facility is expected to be ready in 2027.

When were plans to build NS Square first announced?

In 2017, Singapore celebrated the 50th anniversary of National Service. On October 30, 2017, at one of the last ceremonies held as part of this celebration, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the transformation of the temporary performance platform The Float @ Marina Bay into a permanent facility and naming it NS Square – as a tribute to the National Service (NS).

The Ministry of National Development and the Ministry of Defense handled the investment on behalf of the government.

What was The Float @ Marina Bay?

The Float @ Marina Bay was an unusual multi-purpose facility that was located on the Marina Bay waterfront, in Singapore's Downtown Core. It consisted of a large grandstand located on the mainland and a floating platform on the water that could accommodate a full-sized football field or set up a concert stage.

The platform was built in between 2006 and 2007 in connection with the closure of the old National Stadium. It was intended as a temporary structure to take over the hosting of Singapore's annual National Day Parade and other events – until the new National Stadium opened.

It was originally planned that the platform would be dismantled after just five years, in 2012, but it has survived much longer. It was used to host not only the National Day Parade, but also New Year's Eve celebrations, football games and concerts.

In front of the grandstand also ran a section of the circuit, where Formula One (Singapore Grand Prix) races took place. The Float @ Marina Bay also hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the first edition of the 2010 Summer Youth Olympic Games.

By its unusual appearance and character, and thanks to its unique location in the center of Singapore, with views of skyscrapers, the venue has often been ranked among the most unusual stadiums in the world.

Who designed NS Square?

The design of the new platform was prepared by local studio WOHA in cooperation with the well-known international firm Populous. The first renderings of the facility appeared in 2020.

When will NS Square be built?

NS Square was originally planned to be built in between 2022 and 2025, but the start of construction was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The main contractor – local firm Expand Construction – was selected in 2023. The Float @ Marina Bay was finally demolished in late 2023 and early 2024, and the groundbreaking ceremony for the new NS Square took place on March 19, 2024. The facility should be ready in 2027.

What will NS Square be?

NS Square will be an unusual performance venue, used as a stage, sports facility or arena for many different events. The facility will be built on the Marina Bay waterfront, in downtown Singapore (Downtown Core).

The NS Square project is, in a sense, an evolution from The Float @ Marina Bay, which was previously located at the same site – the main elements of the new structure are also to be a grandstand and a floating platform.

Unlike its predecessor, however, NS Square will have a permanent character, and the grandstand is to be more strongly integrated into the platform. The facility will look more spectacular and will be enhanced with a number of additional features.

A semicircular grandstand, divided into several levels, will partially encircle the round platform, and the whole will take on a form reminiscent of an ancient theater. The audience will be facing the other side of the bay – towards the tallest skyscrapers. The capacity of the new grandstand will be 30,000 spectators (compared to 27,000 at The Float @ Marina Bay).

An element of the premise will be an above-water recreational path to circle around the round platform. The project will include a marina for boats and kayaks, as well as a swimming pool, located very unconventionally – on a high platform overlooking the bay area.

Adjacent to the grandstand will be a building, an important part of which will be a gallery dedicated to the National Service, with exhibits related to the history of Singapore Armed Forces, Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force.

The project is also focused on sustainability and includes the use of photovoltaic panels, natural ventilation, use of rainwater and recycling of materials from the demolished The Float @ Marina Bay.

What purpose will NS Square serve?

NS Square will be used as a stage for concerts and various performances, a sports facility or an arena for various parades, demonstrations and public events. Among the most important celebrations will be National Day Parade.

The floating platform will be able to accommodate a full-size football field, and on the occasion of the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix, a section of the circuit will run in front of the grandstand.

The realization of the NS Square project will enrich the Marina Bay waterfront and downtown Singapore with another interesting architectural object. As an expressive and distinctive element of the urban space, dedicated to the National Service and used for state ceremonies, the facility is also expected to contribute to strengthening Singaporeans' sense of identity.