Real Mystery Buildings of NUS

Question their purpose… and your life’s too.

There are many mysteries in life, and one can best reflect upon them on NUS students’ favourite mode of transport (no, it’s not Grab Hitch) – the shuttle bus. However one of the most enduring mysteries every student would encounter in school is the presence of the unremarkable and somewhat imposing buildings that no student has ever step foot in (with a purpose).

Being the nosy detectives that we are, The Bullet has taken it upon ourselves to solve the mysteries of what lies beyond these exotic buildings, and what secrets they might be hiding…

1. Ventus

If you have tried to travel to the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, chances are you might have heard the shuttle bus announcement for this building. Venturing into Ventus, not to be confused as the uncle of your Venti Iced Americano, is actually the home of the Office of Estate Development, also known as University Campus Infrastructure. Now we know what you’re thinking… what the hell does that mean? Basically they are the people that did the planning for AS8, University Sports Center and the Kent Vale Housing Extension here (you’re welcome, professors!).

If you are into cafe hopping but also spend 80% of your waking life in school, you can find the humbler Humble Origins, which also provides a nice dating spot to bring your boo.

Also doubles up as the backdrop for a Tarzan themed photo shoot I guess.

Ventus also provides a nice sheltered walk to the bus stop on rainy and sunny days (that’s about every other day in Singapore then).

2. University Hall

Don’t get your hopes up, there’s none of that gegemeimei bullshit going on here.

The inaccurately named University Hall is more like an University Office. A 10-second Google search (remember, we’re the shining emblem of journalistic integrity) gave us a result (http://tanfoundation.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/NUS-Devt-Yearbook-01.10.2007.pdf) that described the University Hall as the “key administrative and strategic nerve centre of NUS” and “intellectually inspiring and innovative”.

Twelve seasons of The Office (SG) right here at NUS.

Whether it is true or not has never been debunked, because no one has ever seen the insides of the University Hall with their own eyes.

This mural apparently references struggles, sacrifice and aspiration. It’s comforting to know that I have 2 out of these 3 qualities.

Adventurous readers out there would be pleased to know that the University Hall is abundant with food options to keep you fueled for a good afternoon exploration.

Er….ok

3. Create Tower

I’m at cr8 on a d8 don’t h8 m8.

The creatively named Create Tower wasn’t created because the creators were passionate about creating things, they were passionate about ACRONYMS. Did you know that CREATE actually stands for Campus for Research Excellence And Technological Enterprise? Kinda disappointing to find out that the mysterious semi-atas looking building you spent your past four years walking by on the way to class was not erected to create and invent hoverboards and flying cars so we wouldn’t have to rely on the shitty NUS shuttle bus service to get around campus.

Really, it’s just a campus version of One-North, and houses interdisciplinary research centres, corporate laboratories, technology incubators and start-ups. Upon further investigation, it turns out that the CREATE tower hosts SMART, which stands for the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, as well. Wow, who knew that there existed a partnership between Singapore and MIT? Sorry, SUTD, is it too soon?

The most useless shelter to end all useless shelters.

With such well-thought-out fancy/pretentious-sounding acronyms, you would think the creators would have CREATE-d a better sheltered walkway to the UTown bus stop that actually provides shelter. Sorry kids, unfortunately, we are just going to have to keep dealing with getting incessantly pelted by raindrops as we run for the bus. Such is the struggle one endures as an NUS student.

4. Tiny houses along Prince George’s Park

If you were a resident of King Edward VII or Prince George’s Park Residence, you would definitely find yourself passing by these little cottages of wonder on your way to school. These seemingly bare and vacant houses bear equally depressing names such as Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Centre for Maritime Studies, and uh…several more unnamed ones. Probably not the kind of Good Class Bungalows that the Singaporean dream is made of.

Definitely not fit for Prince George.

Apparently it seems that this stretch of real estate supposedly houses mostly incubators and research labs. More like Incubators of ghosts, wasp nests, and broken entrepreneurial dreams, judging from its sad-looking exterior.

Know of any other mystery buildings around NUS? Do let us know at thebulletcampus@gmail.com!

About The Author

~xXiao Li4nzX~ still has room for 37 god-brothers and/or god-sisters. A little known fact, she was the 2014 IFG GeGe MeiMei Champion (Solo Act). Interests include Mei Tu Xiu Xiu, Marlboro Black Menthol, and debating on the proper pronunciation of “Immanuel Kant”.

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