SINGAPORE – A ship’s hull, a railway-style ceiling and a front section of a tunnel boring machine are among the key features of three new MRT stations that will close the loop on the Circle Line (CCL).

The Keppel, Prince Edward Road and Cantonment stations, which open on July 12, also have large-scale art installations, environmental features and commuter amenities such as exhibition space, underground bicycle parking, and a baby care room.

At Keppel station, sculptures of two endangered animals – an Indian elephant and a black rhinoceros – sit at the entrance nearest the harbour. They were donated by conglomerate Keppel.

The station has an extensive green roof, with plants helping to reduce surface temperatures and keep the interior cool.

Inside the 20m-deep underground station, an exhibition space on the concourse level houses a miniature replica of a tunnel boring machine used in excavating the CCL extension.

This is the first dedicated exhibition space in an MRT station, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) during a media preview of the three stations on June 9.

The inaugural exhibition focuses on the completion of the CCL, which opened in 2009.

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Above the exhibition space, a structure modelled after the front section of a tunnel boring machine doubles as a lighting feature.

Opposite it is an artwork by architect Kenneth Koh titled Uncontainable Dreams, which portrays different aspects of Keppel’s past through illustrations within shipping containers.

The concourse level also includes an underground parking space for 312 bicycles, a first for the CCL.

Besides fluorescent lights, the MRT platform is illuminated by two skylights that provide natural lighting in the day.

LTA said Keppel station is designed to serve future developments within the Greater Southern Waterfront as well as nearby business hubs. It has three entrances, two of which are connected via a 24-hour underpass.

At the Prince Edward Road station in Shenton Way, the design portrays Singapore’s maritime heritage.

The three-storey underground station, which is 30m deep, has a passenger service centre modelled after a wooden ship’s hull. Cascading ceiling panels on the platform levels are meant to evoke the movement of waves.

On the concourse level, a series of circular shapes on the wall display different colours when viewed from various angles.

Titled Doppler, the artwork was designed by Gerald Leow, who made use of stainless steel heated at different temperatures to create the shimmering effect.

After the gantry, a baby care room for passengers with young children provides an additional amenity.

The station has two entrances. One serves offices and residences in the area, while the other connects commuters to Haji Muhammad Salleh Mosque and Fook Tet Soo Khek Temple, which date back to the early 20th and 19th centuries respectively.

Rita Soh, managing director of RDC Architects, which designed the three stations, said she believes that each station’s design should draw inspiration from their respective areas, including their historical and cultural significance.

This is most evident at the Cantonment station, located underneath the old Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.

The platform features a curved ceiling and 24 murals reminiscent of the historic railway station.

Green accents across the walls and roof pay tribute to the railway station’s distinctive green-roofed structure.

A large analogue clock on one end of the platform is set within two circles representing the CCL, with the interchange stations highlighted.

On the concourse level is the artwork, The Journey Between, by Cultural Medallion recipient Han Sai Por.

The artwork began as hand-sculpted clay pieces, which were scanned and enlarged into stainless-steel forms.

It conveys a sense of movement, said Han, who wanted commuters to be part of the artwork as their reflections move across the shiny pieces.

“I always thought the MRT is not just (a form of) transportation. It’s also telling a story,” she said.

“Every day, individuals travel to different places, each one carrying a different story.”

The station has four entrances, serving residential units at Cantonment, Everton and Spottiswoode Park, and providing access to areas including Tanjong Pagar Distripark.

Members of the public can preview the three stations and ride free of charge between them on July 4, from 9.30am to 9pm.