On 15 September, SCIE hosted a modest ribbon-cutting ceremony. With Principal Neil formally handing over the newly-completed triple-jump facility to the PE Department, the 2026 summer campus projects were officially brought to a close.
The brand-new triple-jump facility sits on a narrow reserved plot at the southwest outer perimeter of the campus. Tall, upright bamboo planted around the site creates a natural screen. This green buffer safeguards safe, independent PE instruction while blending seamlessly and harmoniously into its surroundings. Alongside the triple-jump facility, ground-surface upgrades were completed around the table-tennis area. A total of 580 square metres of EPDM sports surfacing was laid, with dedicated zones for sprint practice, outdoor table-tennis play and casual recreation, fully catering to PE lessons and students’ everyday sporting needs.
Aside from sports-facility upgrades, this year’s flagship works once again centred on the two main teaching buildings. Full floor renovations took place across the corridors on floors 7–9 in Building A, the corridors on floors 2–4 and 7–8 in Building B, the classrooms on floors 3–4, as well as all previously-unrefurbished offices and functional rooms. Thanks to this three-year phased and iterative improvement programme, the teaching buildings have moved away from fragile, dust-generating self-levelling floors. These have been systematically replaced with premium, hard-wearing floor tiles and vinyl flooring. The upgrades have not only elevated the buildings’ overall aesthetic, but also resolved practicaluse issues including rainwater pooling and slippery corridor surfaces during wet weather. One minor caveat: hampered by wet flood-season conditions, the final silicone-PU top-coat for the overhead connecting corridors remains unfinished. This work will be rescheduled for either the National Day or Christmas holiday window.
In terms of teaching facilities, the school carried out targeted optimisation of laboratories based on the daily teaching needs of various subjects and the special requirements of international examinations. The physics laboratory adjusted the height of its experimental benches, while the biology and chemistry laboratories added exhaust equipment and optimised the safety layout of gas and Bunsenburner pipelines. These adjustments have greatly improved the handson learning experience and safety for teachers and students.
The dormitories also underwent comprehensive quality improvements. In response to growing demand for double rooms among taller students, the school converted 42 fourperson dormitories into twin rooms. In addition, the lift accesscontrol system for student dormitories was upgraded, with new card readers installed in all student lifts. Field testing shows that the new readers deliver accurate recognition and swift response, making vertical transportation more convenient for teachers and students.
Optimisation of campus public areas was another core priority. The original woodplastic composite flooring on the first floor would deform and accumulate water after longterm use, easily breeding mosquitoes and creating pedestrian safety hazards. After extensive material comparison and scheme evaluation, a 1,500squaremetre pilot renovation was implemented on the east side of the first floor. The underground baselayer drainage system was reconstructed to form an interconnected drainage network, and the surface was paved with highpermeability woodeffect tiles. This pilot section performed exceptionally well during this summer’s continuous heavy rainfall, achieving rapid surface drainage.
Landscape upgrading was another highlight of the summer works. Many ageing, rusty flower boxes between the dormitory buildings were replaced, and the plant palette was renewed. On the landscape steps at the South Gate and the circular hanging flower troughs above the basketball court, waterproofing was renovated and vegetation replanted. Large areas of lantana were planted, along with greenandwhite bougainvillea near the flagraising platform. Once fully established, these plantings will become a new landmark on campus.
The arched trellis for climbing plants, trialled on one teachingbuilding corridor in spring, received positive feedback from teachers and students. Full installation was therefore completed across three openair corridors during the summer vacation. As rangoon creeper branches and leaves spread, this lush green retreat has become a popular new photo spot on campus. When the plants bloom in full, cascading layers of blossoms will present a striking vertical landscape.
Apart from new construction and targeted renovation, scheduled routine maintenance of facilities across campus was completed as planned during the summer. Besides daily theatre maintenance, new steel wire ropes were fitted for the stage lifting equipment. Work also included gym equipment servicing, cleaning of domestic water tanks and dormitory solar water tanks, rust removal and repainting of campus railings, drainage and waterproofing upgrades, inspection of firesafety facilities, upkeep of the CCTV system, checks of lightningprotection installations, and upgrades to smartcampus systems.
2026 was one of the most challenging years for summer campus projects in recent times. Extreme heat alternated with heavy downpours; July alone saw heavy rain on 23 days. To guarantee progress and avoid disrupting the start of the new semester, outdoor construction teams set up temporary rain shelters and kept working through the rain, delivering highquality results under difficult site conditions.
Since the opening of the new campus, we cannot guarantee that every project will be perfect, yet our commitment to continuous improvement has never changed. Annual projects, large and small, mean far more than renewed scenery and updated hardware: a safer campus, more stable networks, betterfunctioning equipment, improved drainage and flatter walking surfaces are all our core concerns. As The Book of Songs puts it: “There is a gentleman, as cut, as filed, as carved, as polished.” This is not only the standard SCIE students pursue for themselves, but also the school’s persistent pursuit of detailoriented campus management.
Moving forward, SCIE will keep evolving for the better.
- Article / Elina Li
