Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) alumnus Roy Yeo, 47, has not stepped into his old school grounds at the foothills of Fort Canning since he graduated in 1981.

Now that the building's current occupant, the National Archives of Singapore (NAS), is revamping the space to make it easier for the public to drop by and walk through, the lawyer said he plans to return with his children when it reopens late next year.

Mr Yeo said: "Not every adult has the chance to revisit their schools - many have been demolished over time. I would like to show my children The Quadrangle where I used to play games and the school hall where we took our exams."

Mr Yeo said their physical education lessons used to involve running up and down the sloping path outside their school to where the Registry of Marriages now stands.

He said while there have been some changes to the landscape - including the demolition of the old National Library Building which he used to visit after class - a lot of old buildings he remembers are still standing.

"The area is still recognisable. There's the Bible House, the Central Fire Station and the Armenian Church.

"Our school stationery shop, called the Methodist Book Room, used to be housed in the building which the Singapore Philatelic Museum occupies today. It was the only air-conditioned building in the area and we would run in just to cool down.

"I have memories of the coffee shop in Loke Yew Street as well. It had really good char kway teow."

RSP architect Keith Goh, who is leading the NAS revamp, said that the project will reinstate the building's original concrete scallop canopy.

He said: "Reinstating it will bring back a lot of memories and help the old boys to reconnect with their place of study as it was such a distinctive feature."

Melody Zaccheus