Singapore – a city-nation built on only 714km2 plot of land. Take a stroll along Marina Bay, and be at awe our nation’s architecture landscape. In this week’s article, we explore the evolution of Singapore’s landscape, at how we’re changing what we do and how we make do with our space. You might be surprised at how much can be done with a meagre 714km2 plot of land over the years.
The way things were
The aged and rustic Kampong Buangkok is the last surviving kampong in Singapore. It stands as a quaint little reminder of how things used to be. It is the last old and gnarled tree standing in a forest mowed down by the machinations of a country and people ever in pursuit of economic growth, of a better way of life and living.
The evolution of space in Singapore
The evolution of space in Singapore truly begun with her independence from British colonial rule in 1965. Once a Crown colony, the remnants of days gone by are evident when you look out the window while cruising down Central Singapore. The Fullerton building, the Old Supreme Court and the grand old City Hall herself were built in the European Palladian, Renaissance or Neoclassical styles of architecture.
Once host to offices such as the IRA and the GPO(General Post Office), the Fullerton building is now home to the five starred Fullerton Hotel, boasting no less than 400 rooms for accommodation and 15 meeting rooms, with all the technological equipment a hotel would ever need. This admittedly elegant fusion of the old and the new provides a unique experience for some of the 14 million visitors that grace Singapore annually.
Image Credit: commons.wikimedia.org
Image Credit: kusuisland.wordpress.com
The old Supreme Court, together with City Hall is currently being converted into the National Art Gallery of Singapore, which will launch just a couple of years later in 2015. Those constantly lamenting the lack of an arts and culture scene might find this news particularly invigorating.
Keeping up with the times
In Singapore, we learn to make do with what we have. Not enough land? We build up. We might not have the tallest buildings in the world but for our tiny land size, we have 73 skyscrapers, more than Toronto and Bangkok and on par with Seoul. We claim the land from the ocean around us. Entire islands are built from the sea We do what is necessary.
Finding the right spaces
We create space. We mould it to meet our constantly changing needs. There is something here for everyone if you know what you want and where to look. From a funky birthday party at a rooftop alfresco place to a kick-off meeting in a conference room deep in the CBD, we have it all if- If you just knew where to look. Hint: http://wearespaces.com.