From 2006, a distinctive $400 million campus at Woodlands Avenue 9 will be the new home for RP staff and students. Specially designed by famed Japanese architectural firm, Maki & Associates, in collaboration with local firm DP Architects, development works began on the campus in May 2002.

On 5 July 2003, the groundbreaking ceremony was held for the landmark campus, with RAdm (NS) Teo Chee Hean, Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence as Guest-of-Honour. Not just a passive spectator, the Minister gamely participated in the day’s activities, including operating a piling rig and spraying his name on a graffiti wall. Also present at the event were Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister of State for Education and Trade & Industry, and Dr Ng Eng Hen, Acting Minister for Manpower and Minister of State for Education. The residents of Woodlands were invited to participate in the day’s activities as RP will soon become very much part of their community.

A tender for the main building works was called on 2 June 2003, with the contract awarded and equipment mobilised in November 2003. Since then, much preparation work has been taking place behind the scenes. Some of the striking features of the Woodlands campus are:

1. A thermal energy storage facility which allows water to be chilled overnight, enabling it to be used as a coolant for air to be piped through. RP will be the first institution in Singapore to be equipped with such an innovative air-cooling system.
2. A pneumatic waste system which utilises pneumatic suction vehicles for refuse management instead of traditional bulk bins manually handled by cleaners, allowing for better hygiene and reduced labour costs.
3. As part of RP’s recycling efforts, the Woodlands campus will be fitted with facilities to tap NEWater for non-potable purposes as laid out under present statutory rulings.
4. Planning is in progress for webcams to be installed at both indoor and outdoor environments at the Woodlands campus with user-friendly features such as the ability to view different on-site scenes “live” via the internet.