The architectural plans of Tao Nan School at 39 Armenian Street were drawn up and approved by the Municipal Engineer's Office in 1910. Construction of the building itself was completed in March 1912. The Tao Nan building was designed in the "Eclectic Classical" style. The fluted columns and the symmetry of the building are characteristic of Classical architecture while the balconies fronting the façade suggest a colonial or tropical style. The layout of the building is also based on Straits Settlements bungalows with rooms arranged around a common central hall and toilets and kitchens outside the principal building.