http://img201.echo.cx/img201/7036/cityhallsmall0rg.png

whats all that black stuff on top? never seen it there before.

Some more pics:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/supremecourt.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/scdome3.jpg

and here are some night pics by babystan03

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/70-300mm/DSC_0065.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/70-300mm/DSC_0044.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/Supreme%20Court%20series/DSC_0023.jpg

getting ready for National Day at Padang! :)

oh..I thought that too but wasnt sure :D

a pic found posted earlier (found from the web)
http://e.1asphost.com/sssc/Others/Supreme%20Court.jpg

I hope I can get the tickets. Want to go this year! :)

dome of the supreme court
http://img176.echo.cx/img176/4691/dome8mh.jpg
http://img176.echo.cx/img176/9516/court0hx.jpg
hmm and i just read that the "stone slabs" are not actually stone but are gypsum type of plaster, didnt know it till today

national stadium will be undergoing reconstruction rite? does tt means national day celebrations will be held here for at least 2 years in a row?

i guess so...

hee....the city hall is gearing up for the preparation of National Day hee. :)

As you know that by 2006/2007, City Hall and Supreme Court will be taken over by MICA as they are earmarked for the museum attraction purpose. Imagine like a British Museum in London or Lourve Museum in Paris where thousands of travellers would throng to awe at the beauty of sculptures, paintings and other forms of arts. Wonder whether these 2 buildings can match up to those formiddable buildings that are always on the must-see spot of the tourist maps. Actually these buildings (City Hall and Supreme Court) have some advantages since they are so prominent to the tourists when they come to the city.

Singapore govt has to think of the ways to leverage on this strategic position to attract tourists non-stop like Madame Trussade Museum. I remembered that when I went there, thousands of tourists snaked all the way from the entrance to the Baker Street Tube station which is about 6 minutes' walk away. Oh my god ! Too bad, Singapore has a short history and has nothing much interesting artefacts to show off unless, British and Lourve Museum are WILLING TO DONOR ALL THESE PAINTINGS, WORKS, SCULPTURES to this MUSEUM. VIOLA....SINGAPORE becomes a WORLD-CLASS MUSEUM ATTRACTION heee. !!!

I remember my friend who visited famous Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and she said that after you finished viewing inside, you will feel very sad and melodramatic. It is said that Shin-ichi's tricycle, sitting in a glass case, burnt and rusted. Shin-ichi was 3 years old and he was playing outside with his tricycle. Then the bomb was dropped in Hiroshima, killing his sister and brother instantly. Shin-ichi almost escaped but could not survive till that night. So, the parents did not want to consign him to the lonely graveyard but to bury him with his tricycle in their own backyard. 40 years later, his father dug it up and gave it to the museum....:cry::cry::cry::cry::cry:


:runaway:

the last part sounds melancholy...

Yup. A 40-year-old city. What artifacts can it show? We'll start from scratch and accumulate :)

Despite a short history, Singapore lies in a fascinating region and has some unique historical milestones taking place at City Hall itself..it should also aim to cater for the local 'tourists'..creating an attraction using such majestic buildings so prominently sited couldnt be better..also they should have these buildings lighted up every night.

speaking of Madam Tussaud, I think there are 2 Singaporean waxwork figures there: Lee Kuan Yew and the SIA girl :cool:

You are right, speaking my point. It is so prominently located right at the hear of the City Hall and the govt should think of way to spruce up the eye-catching attraction with different and creative ways. Like in Paris, every night, Eiffel Tower will be lighted up with different ways. At one night, you can see glittering light of this Tower. The other day, you can see the kaleidoscopic lights shining on these buildings or in a better way to reserve these kaleidoscopic lights for Singapore Flyer if confirmed to be completed by 2007. Or to put a big neon light "SINGAPORE I LOVE YOU 2006" Or to put the a bigger and eye-catching Singapore Flag unlike old and small flag flapping weakily on top of the City Hall building presently. Or to keep it just simple enough, every night, think of the way to use energy-saving glowing light to add greater majestic glow to these colonial buildings.

And when you enter these buildings, it has to evoke interesting idea of these colonial buildings..rather than putting artefacts on display. It has to do with interesting projections about Singapore's short history in a very creative way.

Or to keep changing the artefacts or to borrow artefacts from other museums like the way HK has been "borrowing" Madam Trussade wax figures up to end of Sept (if I got my information correct). Or to exhibit Cheng Ho's adventure odyssey..just like in Paris where my friends told me that the management in Lourve Museum keep on changing the artefacts in different places or to borrow other artefacts from other countries within stipulated period of time. Same thing goes for British Museum which borrows a full collection of samurai to spark off interest in Japanese samurai after the recent appearance of English movie "Samurai" starring Tom Cruise. That can be done that way like SAM hosting Botula (pardon my wrong spelling), Taiwanese stone sculptures. But it has to go for a bigger and provocative design that people woul want to see.

:runaway:

Despite a short history, Singapore lies in a fascinating region and has some unique historical milestones taking place at City Hall itself..it should also aim to cater for the local 'tourists'..creating an attraction using such majestic buildings so prominently sited couldnt be better..also they should have these buildings lighted up every night.

speaking of Madam Tussaud, I think there are 2 Singaporean waxwork figures there: Lee Kuan Yew and the SIA girl :cool:

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and she said that after you finished viewing inside, you will feel very sad and melodramatic. It is said that Shin-ichi's tricycle, sitting in a glass case, burnt and rusted.

aiyar their stuff makes them look like the worst victims. so unfair to everyone.

Yup. A 40-year-old city. What artifacts can it show? We'll start from scratch and accumulate


maybe URA gallery could move here. we could also suck up to our scandinavian free trade partners by having a permanent and revolving scandinavian design exhibit :D:D::D:D:D:D:D:D::D:D

Or to put a big neon light "SINGAPORE I LOVE YOU 2006" Or to put the a bigger and eye-catching Singapore Flag unlike old and small flag flapping weakily on top of the City Hall building presently.

uhm a bit too patriotic for my liking. i prefer city hall+supreme court's current lighting, perhaps just spruce it up a little and turn it on every night. esplanade's white dots are also very beautiful.


Botula (pardon my wrong spelling), Taiwanese stone sculptures.

its botero and ju ming :)

plus i think once the supreme court and city hall have been converted into museums any singapore flags should be removed.

what I think could do is on National Day or certain occasions they use laser lights to colour the building, much like what they did for the Arts House or Buckingham Palace during the Queen's birthday in 2002

hmm...still think it is good to put in the flag just like the white house in washington dc...to imbibe sense of patriotism in singaporean as there is so lacking of sense of belonging among singaporean.

just my 2 cent's worth.

:runaway:

plus i think once the supreme court and city hall have been converted into museums any singapore flags should be removed.

but once they become art museums they are no longer buildings that directly deal with singapore's affairs. well i dont know how to say it but i guess you know what i mean. like you dont see the singapore flag on the singapore art museum, the singapore history museum, the arts house, the esplanade theatres, and victoria concert hall / theatre.

i think singaporeans are already too patriotic or at least too full of themselves. need to travel less to less developed neighbouring countries, but to rapidly advancing ones or already advanced ones.

The buildings are so plain as compared to other cities' City Halls and Courts....

The buildings are so plain as compared to other cities' City Halls and Courts....
germany's reichstag
omg omg omg

when they were built, singapore was kind of an outpost mired in poverty right? not unreasonable for the buildings to be far less magnificent than the ones in europe... but buildings today should really be better than they are. not more magnificent perhaps, but with better attention to detail.

28 June 2005

Furniture in old Supreme Court to be auctioned off
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : The old Supreme Court may have shut its doors to legal action as the new court-house opened this week, but pieces of its history will remain.

The Court says it will auction off its court-room furniture in about a month's time.

The first job for Kamarudin Ismail, 42, was at the Supreme Court, where he worked for 20 years as a court orderly.

He counts among his former bosses, the late Chief Justice Wee Chong Jin.

He starts his day waiting for the judge to come in, then sits in court during proceedings helping with documents and running despatches.

All this is done in a court-house filled with grandeur and great architecture.

The premises was also the scene of past strikes, demonstrations and even floods.

Another stalwart of the Supreme Court is Head of Maintenance, Michael Ho, who has spent 15 years there.

He has got his fair share of stories - from serious ones of days of working in hot stuffy rooms with no air-conditioning to more tongue-in-cheek ones of hearing sounds of singing in the area near the lock-house.

Mr Ho said: "Basically they say this place has very dark areas and people have seen ghosts but I haven't seen any anyway...There are stories of this building and most of them are of famous cases heard here - murder cases - the Sunny Ang case."

And the history goes back a long way. The grand old Supreme Court was opened in 1939. It started with just four courtrooms. And it was only in recent years that the adjoining City Hall building was renovated and converted into court-rooms from 1988 onwards. - CNA/de

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/520/spp6ha.jpg
Plaque at 'grand' staircase...

"This Supreme Court of the Colony
was declared open by
Sir Thomas Shenton Whitelegge Thomas G.C.M.G: O.B.E:
Governor and Commander In Chief of the Straits Settlements
and handed over to
Sir Percy McElwaine Chief Justice on the
Third Day of August A.D. 1939
in the third year of the reign of
His Majesty King George VI"

"United Engineers Ltd,
Contractors"

"Major R.L.Nunn D.S.O. M.Inst.C E. M.Inst.W.E
Director of Public Works"

"F. Dorrington Ward F.R.I.B.A
Architect"

_______________________________________________________

So much jargon... :dizzy:

Here's what I had found:
GCMG = Grand Cross of St Michael and St George (a high knighthood title)
OBE = Order of the British Empire
DSO = Distinguished Service Order
M.Inst.C.E. = Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers
FRIBA = Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects

OMG. :eek:

Supreme Court used to be a hotel?

That opening plaque is awesome! Really captures the essence of a totally different era!

Heck I even think the crest on top of the plaque is a royal British one! :eek:

Rare snap!

OMG. :eek:

Supreme Court used to be a hotel?

Er, no. There used to be a hotel on that site... :D
http://picas.nhb.gov.sg/data/tn_pcd/19980005101-8073-3222-4795/img0097.jpg
Hotel De l'Europe

I was so sneaky.... :lol:
But then..... :(

Nvm.... The sacrifice if worth it! :D

They had better keep the plaque should the Supreme Court be transformed into a museum!

I'll post 'exclusive' pics later... ;)

I hope they retain the court's interior, remove the seating and use the rooms as galleries. And keep the mjor rooms and a few rooms untouched.... :yes:



Oh, btw I had suggested for them to open the 2 building to public! :D:D:D

include the dome too!

http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/1395/sp6lb.jpg
Somehow this pic makes me think of The Matrix....

Ahhhh! cant wait for your exculsive pictures !!!!! :X

Exculsive: Pics from Old Supreme Court
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8596/sp3oc.jpg
Lobby

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/5656/sp8lb.jpg
Lobby, view to main entrance (permanetly closed)

is it like... anyone can go in?

Eh, sooner or later.... after it and City Hall's been converted into museums.... I think they'll be open for a short period of time now..... search internet to confirm....

The interior looks grand, but is shabby and old. I think it needs a clever cleanup.

http://img312.imageshack.us/img312/3091/gs0wn.jpg
Grand staircase

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/3355/lb6wx.jpg
Lobby atrium
Note: No rotunda. ( :( )

What's rotunda?

http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/statehouse/images/rooms/Interior_dome.jpg
A rotunda is something like a lobby atrium topped with a dome. ;)
Or just a round room with a dome.

hmm... quite disappointed .. not the grandeur that i had i expected

Yup. It was built on a tight budget as the British was also financing fighting wars. :(

That's why it's so simple and plain in design...

uh... how come no rotunda?

There's no lobby rotunda, but I wonder what's below the dome leh..... :(

The dome is for external decorative purposes only, with no internal ornamentation. The interior, I read, consists of entire framework of iron beams... :eek:

Where is the access to the dome anyway?

No idea though.... :(

http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/3016/dsfaaaaaaaa3bp.jpg

:eek2::eek2::eek2:
How did you do it?

:eek2::eek2::eek2:
How did you do it?


u mean??

nice isn't it ??? :D

make the building Superior!!

Like Independence Day!!!!
Cool!!!!

Like Independence Day!!!!
Cool!!!!


or The Day After Tomorrow :D!

amazing pic encon!

This is the 1st time i take some night (infact first in lifetime) pics of Singapore

hope u don't mind (the angle not good)

tell me waht u think :D

City Hall:
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/6519/dsc020431ph.jpg

Supreme Court:
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/5157/dsc020400tf.jpg

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/4175/dsc020427el.jpg

It looks very grand at night, without a doubt :)

http://tinypic.com/i19mja.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/scdome3.jpg

Supreme Court still looks grand.....:yes:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c121/ylstan01/City%20landscape/DSC014451.jpg

taken yesterday
this particular pic is not doctored/edited at all.:D
http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/5213/ffsml8yu.jpg
while this one is:)
http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/2048/ggsml5op.jpg
http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/5196/mmsml5bf.jpg
http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/4189/nnsml2jq.jpg

beautiful pics, Cliff...especially the last 2

thanks for sharing :)

National Arts Gallery Steering Committee set up
By Ng Bao Ying, Channel NewsAsia


SINGAPORE : A National Arts Gallery Steering Committee has been set up to oversee the conversion of the old Supreme Court and City Hall Buildings into a National Art Gallery.

To be completed in five to six years, it will be home to a collection of Singapore and Southeast Asian art.

Information, Communications and The Arts Minister Lee Boon Yang said the committee will be chaired by Senior Minister of State Balaji Sadasivan.

Dr Lee was speaking at an Annual Thank You Dinner for MICA's Committees.

Another new steering committee has been created to look at the long term masterplan for Singapore's infocommunications.

The Intelligent Nation 2015, or iN2015 committee, aims to transform Singapore into a nation where advanced technologies will enhance economic competitiveness, and enrich the standard of living.

This iN2015 plan will be rolled out in June this year. - CNA/de

http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/4476/supremenight0xp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Close ups......:D

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c121/ylstan01/City%20landscape/DSC021991.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c121/ylstan01/City%20landscape/DSC022001.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c121/ylstan01/City%20landscape/DSC021981.jpg

haha... merged your pics and become mine... :D

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/2207/untitled14sp.jpg

^ Haha....:lol:

Test Shots
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/70-300mm/DSC_0065.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/70-300mm/DSC_0044.jpg

Never get tired of this building..it always looks so regal when lighted up.

Never get tired of this building..it always looks so regal when lighted up.

Yes.....but I notice they only light up on certain days......:yes:

Castle in town??
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/Supreme%20Court%20series/DSC_0023.jpg

This is Singapore??? Hmmmm.....

1.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/Supreme%20Court%20series/DSC_0025.jpg
2.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/Supreme%20Court%20series/DSC_0027.jpg

Those are some new angles...and the building looks cool in those colours :yes:

Cricket by the Padang and the former Supreme Court:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/supremecourt.jpg

Thanks.....I was walking around the old supreme court and saw that corridor with nobody....so I decided to take pictures there....:D

Seldom seen view of old supreme court
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/Supreme%20Court%20series/DSC_0017.jpg

Old Supreme Court against the backdrop of the Skyscrapers...:D
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/One%20George/DSC_0025.jpg

^^ nice pic, stan!

^ Thanks....:D

Some supreme court pictures (my subject seem to be the road sign...:lol: ) taken when I'm bored....:yes:
1.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/Supreme%20Court%20series/DSC_0031.jpg
2.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/Supreme%20Court%20series/DSC_0033.jpg

WOW, i love that telelphoto pic, and the one with the sign too!

WOW, i love that telelphoto pic, and the one with the sign too!

Hehe...thanks....:D

Having some special lights for City Hall....:D
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/1st%20Sep%202006/DSC_0054.jpg

Actually Supreme Court doesn't look too ugly without lighting.....:yes:

1.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/1st%20Sep%202006/DSC_0053.jpg

2.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/1st%20Sep%202006/DSC_0055.jpg

It is nice to look at its 'natural' beauty for a change....and its a dignified building even without lights :yes:

I agree.....:yes:

With lights, it'll look more grand....:cool:

To find out more about the history and design of this building, you can read up about it in an old issue of the Singapore Architect....

what is the planned devt of this supreme and city hall...they will be adjoined with a new corridor right?
:banana:

Ideas sought for crafting national art gallery

14 Feb 07

Search on for design team to convert historic buildings into art hub

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20070213/20070213_singt.jpg

THE search is on for the best architectural and design team to transform the City Hall and former Supreme Court buildings into the National Art Gallery.
Dr Lee Boon Yang, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (Mica), said last night that an architectural design competition will be launched later this month for what will be a major conversion and conservation job.

He was giving an overview of his ministry's projects and significant events for the year, at an annual dinner to thank members of the ministry's various committees.

The event at the Drama Centre in the National Library was attended by 300 guests, mostly artists and designers.

Plans to convert the two buildings into a cultural icon to showcase Singapore and South-east Asian art were first announced in 2005, in Mica's addendum to President S R Nathan's speech at the opening of the new session of Parliament.

Last night, Dr Lee said the next milestone in the project would be the launch of the competition, which will be open to architects here and overseas.

Speaking to the media later, he said: 'We need to keep an open mind to the ideas. Rather than tell the architects what to do, we want to see what they can come up with.'

He also gave an update on the School of the Arts, with a six-year integrated academic and arts curriculum for students aged 13 to 18.

It is taking in students for the 2008 academic year and 88 of the 101 students offered places have signed up.

The principal, Ms Rebecca Chew, told The Straits Times that she is very happy with the response, and will hold annual auditions next month and in June to assess potential students.

The new institution was inundated with queries and 406 hopefuls had auditioned last November for places in the school, which is taking shape in Kirk Terrace in the Bras Basah area.

In other arts news, people in Beijing and Shanghai will be getting a taste of Singapore arts and culture later this year. Dr Lee said the next Singapore Season - which presents the artistic side of Singapore in key global cities - will be staged in China from Oct 12 to Nov 12.

This follows the successful first Singapore Season in London in 2005, which presented Singapore films, art installations and performances at London's Institute of Contemporary Arts over three weeks.

He told reporters later that the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Singapore Chinese Orchestra will be among the arts groups to perform in China.

'We want to showcase that Singapore is a city for arts and culture, and not just good for business and shopping,' he said.

He also had good news for Singaporeans eager to log on to the National Broadband Network, a high-speed broadband network.

He said that the request for proposals closed on Feb 9 and the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) is now assessing the responses.

An IDA spokesman told The Straits Times that it plans to release the names of the pre-qualified bidders early next month.


By Tay Suan Chiang, DESIGN CORRESPONDENT

I want the whole building to be conserved.... Personally I rather not have it as a shell, like Reitchstag....

I never ventured into the supreme house neither the city hall, i really wonder how are the rooms inside. BTW, the people who did the restorations of the arts house and the asian civilisation museam did a wonderful job.

I've had the opportunity to go inside once....its quite dark inside, spacious and austere. The City Hall has an internal atrium.

City Hall lighted in red

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/sccny3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/sccny4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/sccny.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/sccny2.jpg

^ Wow.....so auspicious.....:lol:

Wow, nice glow..

very festive! :happy:

actually I read that the red colour was meant to symbolise the celebration of a woman's association or something like that...

but this gives a foretaste of how the Supreme Court & City Hall buildings can be used for night art in the city for different occasions :-)

very festive! :happy:

actually I read that the red colour was meant to symbolise the celebration of a woman's association or something like that...

but this gives a foretaste of how the Supreme Court & City Hall buildings can be used for night art in the city for different occasions :-)

Yes....that would be a great idea....:yes:

open for ideas....

Call for submissions of design concepts for new National Art Gallery

22 Feb 07

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpyBYegB.jpg

SINGAPORE: The competition is on to source for the best architectural design concept for Singapore's new National Art Gallery.

And the government has invited architects from Singapore and around the world to come forward with bold and creative ideas.

The art gallery will be housed at City Hall and the former Supreme Court building - two iconic heritage buildings set in the heart of Singapore's Civic District.

To be completed by 2012, it is envisioned to be dedicated to the presentation, collection and study of Southeast Asian and Singaporean visual arts.

Senior Minister-of-State Dr Balaji Sadasivan, who chairs the Steering Committee for the National Art Gallery, said: "The competition presents an exciting and unique opportunity for top talents from Singapore and around the world to not only shape the Civic District but to also steer Singapore to the forefront of global cities and define our presence as a visual arts hub."

Organised by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts in association with the Singapore Institute of Architects, the competition will be conducted in two stages.

The first stage, which opens Friday, is an open ideas competition.

It will look for initial design ideas, and be judged on design philosophy and task appreciation.

Shortlisted competitors will move to Stage II, which is a design development competition.

They will be asked to develop their initial concepts and demonstrate the workability of their proposals against a budget.

At the end of the two-stage competition, the jury will select not more than three winners.

One winner may be commissioned towards the end of 2007 to design and build the National Art Gallery.

Details of the competition will be available at the National Art Gallery website (www.nationalartgallery.sg) from 23 February 2007.

The closing date for Stage I is April 13. - CNA

$400m to be spent to transform old buildings into National Art Gallery

20 Mar 07

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phphVgUlB.jpg
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/php86NXUM.jpg

SINGAPORE: Up to S$400 million will be spent to transform two of Singapore's oldest buildings – the former Supreme Court and City Hall – into the National Art Gallery.

And when the Gallery is ready in five years, it will potentially have a collection of 8,000 art pieces from Singapore and Southeast Asia – some of which have never been shown to the public.

The halls that have housed many historical events and memories of yesteryear will continue to do so when they are transformed into the new national icon, this time in the form of thousands of visual art pieces that have gone through the passage of time.

Early 20th century paintings acquired by the British colonial leaders to contemporary visual arts will deck the walls of the two buildings.

Giving an update on the progress of the project, the overseeing committee said the National Art Gallery would become an important icon in Singapore's growing arts and cultural landscape.

While having its own unique design, it will be modelled after other world-class visual arts institutions.

Dr Balaji Sadasivan, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, Chairman, National Art Gallery Steering Committee, said: "To some degree, it will resemble the National Gallery in London, in that the National Gallery in London exhibits the national collection of the United Kingdom.

"It's not a museum that exhibits British art, exclusive British art. So in the same way, our National Gallery will display our national collection which is largely focused on Southeast Asia and Singapore, and Singapore Art will be displayed in the context of Southeast Asian art."

The Gallery will also be a lifestyle hub as well as a centre for both study and research into Singapore and Southeast Asian art.

The competition to pick the best design ideas for the buildings has attracted the interest of more than 700 local and overseas architects so far.

But only six will eventually be selected as finalists.

Some areas will be preserved, such as the Surrender Chamber, the Chief Justice's Chamber, the first Prime Minister's Office, four courtrooms, the lobbies and the façade of the buildings.

An international search is also on for the director of the National Art Gallery, which hopes to attract one million visitors annually when it is fully operational.

The new director will be made known by the end of the year.

By Hasnita A Majid, Channel NewsAsia

Sigh... only so few parts perserved.

I've only ever managed to step inside once, and was surprised with the internal atriums of the City Hall.

With its conversion to a 'must-see' art gallery, more people than ever could savour stepping into these buildings :)

I've only ever managed to step inside once, and was surprised with the internal atriums of the City Hall.

With its conversion to a 'must-see' art gallery, more people than ever could savour stepping into these buildings :)

The corridors and rooms are quite grand, though some in City Hall look like 1980s imitations.. hm

Is the NEW national Gallery going to be a museum of fine arts or just another museum of southeast asia and singapore arts. Personally i Think that we have already a number of museums catering to this. These are the few big takers -
1° Armenian Hse - Peranakan Museum
2° ACM - Asia and Southeast Asia Civilisation History
3° Singapore National Museum - Singapore's history and artefacts
4° SAM- Modern and Contemporay arts and 20th C. SEA-Arts(very limited)
5° City Hall - ???????
6° Former Supreme Court Building - ??????
The kinds of arts that are missing in Singapore are fine arts (world), Sculpture (world). I think that we are focussing too much on Singapore rather than the world's art collection.

Agreed.... to much of Asian stuff... We need more international works. A modern art museum is a must.

National Gallery should showcase art that's global

26 Mar 07

IT IS good news that the Government plans to spend up to $400 million to jazz up the visual arts scene with the conversion of the former Supreme Court and City Hall. And invite international architects and designers to make the facelift, so we may achieve what Bilbao in Spain did with Frank Gehry's iconic design of its Guggenheim contemporary art museum.
But this exciting project is not just about design, location and money. Great art galleries need all these, but more than anything they need great art to excite the public and art lovers.

If such an expensive National Gallery showcases principally South-east Asian and Singapore art, it is at best a missed opportunity and at worst, an uneconomic use of resources.

To the best of my knowledge, South-east Asian art is interesting but it is not global art. Even more so for Singapore art. Such art probably makes up less than 2 per cent of auction houses Christie and Sotheby's annual turnover.

If Singapore aspires to be a first-tier global city, its National Gallery should showcase art that is in the global league.

By all means have South-east Asian art, but devote up to 80 per cent of resources to China, India and even the Middle East as they are all in this part of the world and most of their art is still poorly curated and promoted.

As Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong emphasised in his comments on the Biotech Initiative, we cannot play 'masak, masak' with big money. I hope we will not do so in our 'art initiative'.


Chong Huai Seng

Totally Agree with the article from Chong Huai Seng. For Singapore to be a totally arts centre. We need to have all forms of arts. Christie and Sotheby's chose HK for their asian HQ as they know that the next big thing from art will be from China. A few weeks ago, one of the most sought after pieces at the Maastricht art fair,Netherlands were from China. We need to display more fine paintings, furniture, Asian art, antiquities, porceleins, textiles and crafts.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/cityhallsc.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/cityhallsc2.jpg

Both of the landmarks are imposing. They are a true landwork for every visitors who are lost and locals who gets married. A postcard picture I can say. Abu Dhabi has the louvre and the guggenhiem museum. They has money and they know how to spend it. But we we do have money but we spend it too much on doing research and branding of a product. What dubai says... built it and the people will come. Us, we built it according to likes of the people and demand. The demand now is Asian art. Since we classify ourselves as one of the 20 countries of Asia. let us have a big national gallery that is equivalent to the louvre that holds world's collection dated from centuries, from terracotta warriors to ming, qing and heng dynastry works. Persian and indian art from jaipur, buddha sculpturs and stupa, replicas of reliefs from borubudur or angkor wat, coins that was brought from beneath the sea from the straits of melaka and lastly, fossils of dinosaurs from china and of course not forgetting our amazing wide varieties of king and queen throughout the centuries. Our conciousness are so limited when it comes to history and dealing with our cultural backgrounds. We should not only look back and what has happen within the last century but look far beyond as to why it is done today. Little is Written and known about Singapore and the neighbouring countries in the 18th century. But we are still a thriving economy in that era according to the malay annals. (history books that was written for centuries by the kings)http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/images/hnr/do-beeld/interieur01?medium
PS : I am thinking of bring an exhibition into SINGAPORE as well, anybody know who should I go to and which bodies will regulate me as in the steps, papers procedures and how can i go about doing it??? i am thinking of David laChappelle... He has great pictures...:bash:

wow! i dont know anything about bringing exhibitions into singapore, but please do announce when you finally start a david lachappelle exhibition!

maybe you can try mica (www.mica.gov.sg) and the national museum (www.nationalmuseum.sg)?

Little is Written and known about Singapore and the neighbouring countries in the 18th century. But we are still a thriving economy in that era according to the malay annals. (history books that was written for centuries by the kings)

True. I read an interesting book that provides a good visual map of pre-colonial Singapore before 1819:

http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/51TE90XXCVL._AA240_.jpg

Early Singapore 1300s - 1819: Evidence in Maps, Text and Artefacts (Paperback)
by John N. Miksic (Editor), Cheryl-Ann Low Mei Gek (Editor)

30 Aug 07

Three dramatic winning designs selected for National Arts Gallery

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2007-08-30/BT_IMAGES_MPDESIGN30.jpg

THE National Arts Gallery - earmarked to be Singapore's iconic visual arts institution when completed by 2012 - could look like anything from a European street to a traditional kelong, if the three winning designs announced yesterday are anything to go by.

City Hall and the adjacent former Supreme Court building, as historically significant structures, will be renovated to house the gallery.

Yesterday, the international jury panel named the top three designs, selecting them from among 111 entries submitted from 29 countries.

The 'most delightful' is a design by France's Studio Milou Architecture in collaboration with CPH Consultants from Singapore, which uses a 'strong street concept' and links the two buildings via a 'linear draped canopy' supported by 'tree-like columns'.

The second winning design is by Ho + Hou Studio Architects from Taiwan, in collaboration with the local AEDAS. Theirs is inspired by kelongs off Singapore's coast in the 1970s and includes 'terraced galleries' in a 'prominent framework of grids'.

Singapore-based Chan Sau Yan Associates, with Lekker Design, submitted the third winning design - an 'understated scheme with minimal intervention'. It has 'translucent walls' that allow viewers to see the adjacent historic walls of City Hall and the former Supreme Court and is a 'pragmatic approach', 'straightforward and well addressed'.

Two other shortlisted schemes include one by DP Architects, which seeks to retain the buildings' original character and uses moving images on screen to create movement, as well as one by Australia's Smart Design Studio, which sports orchid-inspired structures and has a 'porous' internal street.

The jury panel includes Tommy Koh, chairman of the National Heritage Board; Kenson Kwok, director of the Asian Civilisations Museum; Jean-Francois Jarrige, president of the Guimet Musee National des Arts Asiatique in France; and Julian Raby, a director at the Smithsonian Institution in the United States.

I feel the third one sounds best.

well...it is a massive project at $320m.

but frankly, the exteriors seem very uninspired. there'r not much changes, to put in plainly, its simply a conservation project...

i was really hoping to see a more dynamic merger of new and old, like the British Museum or even the Louvre, where the old has been preserved, and fused with a distinctive glass n steel extension in a elegant manner.

But it seems like our National Arts Gallery has decided to go with a very conservative approach to keep alterations to a minimal..., just like all our other Museums.

I'm not asking for another freak bionic project like The Cathay where the whole damn thing is demolished leaving only a carelessly preserved pathetic piece of facade. I'm simply looking at the many many other more ambitious museum conservation projects around the world where there has been a sucessful conservation of the old, coupled with a significant addition of the new.

but still, im v proud of the project. it really puts singapore on the forefront of Asia. The entire Asian region has a serious lack of quality museums. If i'm not wrong, i read somewhere that the National Arts Gallery will be among the largest in the world, if not the largest?

what we need now to complete our "arsenal" is a full-scale CONTEMPORARY arts museum, like the Guggenheim. I wont consider Sands' Arts-Sciences Museum to be of "full-scale", it seems more like a insignificant outpost of a money-sucking commercial mega-project. I think Sands simply "anyhow throw in" the museum to satisfy the criteria set by STB.

I hope the design that is chosen isnt disrespectful to the imperial grandeur of the buildings themselves, which should be the centrepiece. Hence I'm more in favour of unobtrusive extensions. ALready the flying saucer makes the roofline look messy.

And I hope they will deploy laser effects at night and other colour schemes on the facades, similar to Buckingham Palace on grand occasions.

I hope the design that is chosen isnt disrespectful to the imperial grandeur of the buildings themselves, which should be the centrepiece. Hence I'm more in favour of unobtrusive extensions. ALready the flying saucer makes the roofline look messy.

And I hope they will deploy laser effects at night and other colour schemes on the facades, similar to Buckingham Palace on grand occasions.

I feel the 'tree' and kelong ideas don't suit the building. Hope they're not choosing the design based on our 'garden city' image.

The theme of a kelong wouldnt suit the colonial structure IMO. Singapore has already inherited a varied mix of cultural styles. A superimposed kelong seems too tacky.

Here's the 3 winning scheme...in order of merit


Studio Milou (France)
http://www.nationalartgallery.sg/images/winner1_pic2.jpg
http://www.nationalartgallery.sg/images/winner1_pic4.jpg
http://www.nationalartgallery.sg/images/winner1_pic4.jpg



Ho+Hou Studio (Taiwan)
http://www.nationalartgallery.sg/images/winner2_pic3.jpg
http://www.nationalartgallery.sg/images/winner2_pic2.jpg
http://www.nationalartgallery.sg/images/winner2_pic4.jpg



CSYA + Lekker Design (Singapore)
http://www.nationalartgallery.sg/images/winner3_pic2.jpg
http://www.nationalartgallery.sg/images/winner3_pic1.jpg
http://www.nationalartgallery.sg/images/winner3_pic3.jpg



You can catch the exhibition at City Hall from 5 OCt onwards and the other 2 finalist works...there's also public feedback.. so which design u guys would want to see to be build??

http://www.nationalartgallery.sg/home.html

I thought the presentation is a bit too schematic to make any decision.

I thought the presentation is a bit too schematic to make any decision.

perhaps so, i think MICA just wanted to see whether the ideas are accepted by architects first. i hope they will hold another forum with other people from various occupations.... e.g representatives from the different society (to turn away any tom dick or harry who just want to give irrelavant comments )

i like H+H one the most though their kelong concept seems to flow pretty well, but i am not sure if that is the idea Singapore wants for its First "international - grade" art museum, feels a little too asian? and not artistic enough?

milou i feel is ok...we have trees in marina south and clarke quay, not sure if we would want another at Cityhall..

CSYA i call it rojak! dont see the concept of openess being elaborated with clear essense in most aspect of the design! :nuts:

I hate the tree idea. Too cheesy. We've got the tree concept Marina gardens, at Changi T3, etc.... Too common

CSYA:
The thing popping out above the roof of City Hall is so ugly

"Successful Winner" writing on the National Art Gallery's wall already.....


Will National Art Gallery get French flair?
Christie Loh
christie@mediacorp.com.sg

The British built them but it looks like the French may be giving them a multi-million-dollar makeover.
.
Today understands that Paris-based Studio Milou Architecture — one of three firms short-listed — is edging ahead in the race for the $300-million contract to transform two Singapore monuments — City Hall and the former Supreme Court — into an iconic home for South-east Asian art by 2012.
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According to several sources, the company has been discussing technical and financial details with the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (Mica) for the National Art Gallery, dubbed one of Singapore's largest and most high-profile cultural endeavours — some say on par with the Esplanade.
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Recently, the French outfit also despatched a member of staff from Europe to be based in Singapore.
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Mr Jean Francois Milou, the 54-year-old architect who started the company in 1996, declined comment ahead of Mica's official announcement, which several people familiar with the process had expected last month.
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When contacted yesterday, a spokesperson for the ministry said that "due diligence is still being done" and an announcement would be made "by the middle of this year".
.
If Mr Milou does win the commission, few would be surprised.
.
Before Mica started scrutinising the three designs, a seven-member jury trawled through 111 entries to draw up the shortlist — eventually picking Studio Milou as their top choice last August. In second place was Taiwan-based Ho + Hou Studio Architects, followed by Singapore's Chan Sau Yan Associates.
.
At the time, the jury, headed by National Heritage Board chairman Tommy Koh, lauded Mr Milou's concept as having "the most delightful design and appeal".
.
They liked the way old and new were blended, as well as the organisation of interior space for the gallery's curatorial function.
.
One of their favourite features was a fine-metal mesh running across the roofs and supported by tree-like columns (picture) inside the buildings, which date from the colonial years of the 1930s. The mesh "elegantly integrates" the two monuments, said the jury.
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Such museum projects are common in the portfolios of Studio Milou and its Singapore partner, CPG Consultants.
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Studio Milou, whose practice is largely in France, has undertaken museum works including the National Museum of Automobiles in Mulhouse and the Bougon Burial Mounds Museum, an archaeological site museum.
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As for CPG, it has converted several local, historical buildings into cultural institutions, such as the Asian Civilisations Museum and the Singapore Art Museum.
.
Whoever clinches the contract for the National Art Gallery will effectively be linked to a Singapore icon.
.
"The National Gallery will do for Singapore's visual arts what the Esplanade has done for the performing arts," Dr Balaji Sadasivan, Senior Minister of State for Mica, said last year.

This is a very exciting project. There's nothing wrong with a minimalist conservation approach - see what they did at the Tate Modern in London. That's much better than "facadism", where only a shell remains - that's not the preferred approach to heritage conservation these days. (As an aside, I think Norman Foster's flying saucer is very uncompromising and like most of his work, shows total disregard to the context of the existing built environment.)

What surprises me is that the panel is not made up of architects or design experts, but by what sounds to me to be a panel of bureaucrats...

A final point is that I'm not familiar with the NGA's collection, but ultimately what makes a good art museum "work class" is not the building or the brand, but the collection. And of course it's easier to "buy" your way into a good collection with contemporary works than with older works (at least that's true of European art, not sure about Asian art). I imagine the other substantial Asian art museums would be in countries like Japan and Taiwan (which I think would have quite a lot of Chinese art from pre-Republic days, since China destroyed a lot during the Cultural Revolution). And I know that there are already significant Asian art collections in France (which has at least one dedicated Asian art museum) and Australia - the Queensland Art Gallery has one of the best contemporary Asian art collections in the world, New South Wales Art Gallery has just opened a new Asian galleries wing, the Art Gallery of South Australia has a significant Asian collection with focus on Japan, SEA and middle east, and the National Gallery of Victoria is expanding its Asian collection with a "war chest" to acquire works. And that's the easy bit - acquiring old European art is much harder!

Asia do have lots of ancient artefacts and history, we could fill the louvre with an asian art. I do not mean south east asia but asia. Since, it is one of the ancient civilizations. Prehistoric art and even art BC century. Hindu Art all the way from Indonesia, Cambodia to India. Dynasty Art from the chinese empire and even prehistoric animal bones from the Gobi dessert and mummies of Tibet. It will be interesting. I can't wait for the opening it. This will really shapes up the renainassance city plan of Singapore. What is lack in Singaporeans are a base in worlwide culture. History is where the present takes place. A study of time is the result of the future.

Asia do have lots of ancient artefacts and history, we could fill the louvre with an asian art. I do not mean south east asia but asia. Since, it is one of the ancient civilizations. Prehistoric art and even art BC century. Hindu Art all the way from Indonesia, Cambodia to India. Dynasty Art from the chinese empire and even prehistoric animal bones from the Gobi dessert and mummies of Tibet. It will be interesting. I can't wait for the opening it. This will really shapes up the renainassance city plan of Singapore. What is lack in Singaporeans are a base in worlwide culture. History is where the present takes place. A study of time is the result of the future.

Wow, yeah! I'd love to see that happen!

We need more art museums

What I would love to see in Singapore are good contemporary art expositions... Last summer i went to see Roy Litchinstein and Pierre & Gils, this weekend, I am going to see Keith Haring. I am in Lyon at the moment and it is not as big as Pris but it has a great Biannual Contemporary Art Calender. Singapore ministers should come over here to check it out...I will be more than welcome to show them around..

With only one public art museum currently, I feel we seriously need a Modern Art Museum. By the Bay at Central Promontory is currently the best site.

France's Studio Milou, local partner wins National Art Gallery project

28 May 08

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20080528/front-archiwin.jpg

FRANCE'S Studio Milou Architecture and Singapore's CPH Consultants have been picked to design and build the new National Art Gallery, after a rigorous assessment by experts and a public consultation exercise.
It beat two other shortlisted firms - Taiwan's Ho + Hou Studio Architects and Singapore-based Chan Sau Yan Associates - to clinch the prestigious project, with its canopy creation.

Studio Milou Architecture's scheme was placed first by the Jury Panel in stage two of an architectural design contest last August to transform City Hall and the former Supreme Court Building into the $320 million gallery.

It designed a linear draped canopy supported by tree-like columns to link the two buildings at the roof level.

The design incorporates an extended staircase linking the basement to the upper levels, and makes use of solar energy to provide electricity. Fine metal mesh has been proposed to cover most of City Hall.

Said Dr Lee Boon Yang, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts: 'We arrived at this decision after much deliberation, carefully studying each scheme and holding extensive discussions with the architectural teams.'

'Studio Milou Architecture and CPG Consultants have captured our vision for this project well, understood its complexities, and are a professional and extremely competent team.'

'I have great confidence in this architectural team we have selected, and have no doubt that they will be able to deliver an iconic building for Singapore's National Art Gallery.'

A statement from MICA on Wednesday said Studio Milou Architecture and CPG Consultants were picked after 'a rigorous due diligence process' that included the jury's assessment, technical evaluation, evaluation of its track record and cost evaluation.

It added that the public had also shown a strong preference for Studio Milou Architecture's scheme.

'Studio Milou Architecture has a professional and competent team that understands MICA's concerns and the complexities of a project of this scale. They were also able to meet MICA's cost and technical requirements for the project,' said MICA.

'Both Studio Milou Architecture and CPG Consultants have an impressive combined track record of designing museums and galleries in France and Singapore, including several major NHB museums.'

'This is the only team among the three winning teams with such extensive experience.'

The National Art Gallery is a new visual arts institution which will contribute to building Singapore as a regional and international hub for visual arts.

It will focus on the display, appreciation, promotion, research and study of Southeast Asian and Singaporean art, as well as play host to international art exhibitions.

Situated in the heart of the Civic District, it is expected to be completed by 2013.

Hmm interesting. Hope it was not selected just because of the "tree-like" design. We've got so many buildings with motifs or allegories of plants/nature. It's getting cheesy.

I like this design simply because there is little visible difference to the exterior. I was fearful that they may try to get 'creative' and want something screaming for attention. For me the majesty of the 2 original buildings themselves is what its all about.

Canopy wins jury's vote

29 May 08

Studio Milou's winning concept is the favourite of the public as well

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20080528/ST_IMAGES_SCNAG-W2V.jpg

FRANCE'S Studio Milou Architecture, in collaboration with Singapore's CPG Consultants, has won the competition to design the upcoming National Art Gallery, housed in the former Supreme Court and the City Hall.
The design features a linear, draped canopy linking the two historically significant buildings at roof level. A new basement connecting the two buildings will also be built, which will showcase local and South-east Asian art when it is opened in 2013.

Dr Lee Boon Yang, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, announced the choice at a news briefing yesterday.

An international jury panel of seven picked three winning designs from 111 entries in a design competition which began last February. The shortlist was unveiled last August.

The jury nominated Studio Milou's concept as top among the three. The design also won over the public.

An exhibition of all the 111 entries was held at City Hall last October, and more than half of 332 visitors interviewed picked Studio Milou's design as their favourite.

Mr Koh Seow Chuan, chairman of the National Art Gallery Executive Committee, said that the public's continued support is needed 'to build a world-class institution and one that all Singaporeans will be proud of'.

Other factors that determined Studio Milou's win included technical evaluation, track records of the firm and cost evaluation. 'Studio Milou's estimated development cost was within the $320-million budget,' said Dr Lee.

The National Art Gallery was initially scheduled to be completed by 2012. Dr Lee explained that delaying the project by a year will avoid the current resource squeeze in the construction industry.

The Singapore Art Museum (SAM) is assisting the Art Gallery in content development. SAM's director Kwok Kian Chow said the design shows a good understanding of how the art pieces, the buildings' architectural heritage and contemporary design will build the character of this new museum.

Local architectural experts also approve of the design.

Dr Milton Tan, director of the DesignSingapore Council, said: 'This is the one that pushed boundaries and offers new experiences expected of modern art galleries today.'

Architect Mink Tan of Mink Tan Architects felt that though the canopy is 'flamboyant', its mesh-like, floral design will appeal to the public. 'It will be a good gesture to bring in crowds to an art gallery,' he added.

The other two shortlisted architectural firms were Taiwan's Ho + Hou Studio Architects, which proposed building a framework in wood laminate, and Singapore's Chan Sau Yan Associates, which suggested building another level on City Hall's roof.

The jury included Professor Tommy Koh, Singapore's ambassador-at-large and chairman of the National Heritage Board, Dr Jean-Francois Jarrige, president of the Guimet Musee National des Arts Asiatiques in France, and Dr Kenson Kwok, director of the Asian Civilisations Museum.

Mr Jean-Francois Milou, lead partner of Studio Milou, said his design will 'give Singaporeans a sense of being at home while at the Art Gallery.'

By Tay Suan Chiang, DESIGN CORRESPONDENT

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20080528/ST_IMAGES_SCNAG.jpg

wwoooo nice! Hope admission will be free.

actually i dun understand how the design works but i suppose it will be awesome when completed.

You want museums to be free? Can't you just fork out SGD5 (the most) for art's sake?

Happy with this design too, hopefully the exhibits will be nice.

My only worry is that despite what all they say, the National Art Gallery, Art Museum, National Museum and Asian Civilizations Museum will be fighting for the big contracts for the high-profile exhibits.

london's national museum is free leh and it is very impressive

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/cityhall.jpg

The museum scene in Singapore is not mature enough to sustain itself yet so till then, we have to pay and I don't see why we can't fork out abit of cash to enjoy art.

Went to City Hall when it was one of the venues of the Bienalle. Honestly, they need to do some major modifications to that building.

Art gallery company set up

17 Mar 09

THE upcoming National Art Gallery will have its own company to run it.

Called The National Art Gallery, Singapore, it is formed under the National Heritage Board.

This was announced at a press briefing on Tuesday by RAdm (NS) Lui Tuck Yew, Senior Minister of State for Education, and Information, Communications and the Arts.

He also announced the appointment of Mr Michael Koh, CEO of the NHB, as the CEO for the Gallery. Mr Kwok Kian Chow, currently the Director of the Singapore Art Museum, will also be Director for the Gallery.

'As a company, the Gallery will have more freedom to seek out its own partnerships and sponsors and establish something unique,' said RAdm Lui.

The Gallery will have full operational autonomy and its own board 'to allow it the necessary flexibility to be a nimble and effective organisation, and help fulfill its ambition in becoming a world-class visual arts institution," he added.

'This arrangment ensures accountability for its performance, financial discipline and responsible management.'

RAdm Lui also pointed out that under this arrangement, the Gallery would be able to tap and contribute to the national collection, which is under NHB's charge.

'With the Gallery under NHB family of museums, there is greater synergy in the sharing of resources in terms of expertise, capabilities and networks, as well as joint shows and festivals,' he said.

The $300 million Gallery to be housed in the City Hall and former Supreme Court buildings is on track to open in 2013.

The former Supreme Court building will house South-east Asia art, while the City Hall will have a Singapore Art Gallery, showcasing Singapore Art.

The Gallery will also have a Children's Museum within the City Hall, that is specially designed and programmed for school children and families. The public will also be able to access the rooftop plaza, which will have large public spaces, with a variety of F&B outlets and art installations.


http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_351190.html

National Art Gallery promises an experience of many firsts

17 Mar 09

SINGAPORE: Singapore's National Art Gallery will open its doors in four years' time and the monumental project to transform the country's former Supreme Court and City Hall is promising to be an experience of many firsts.

The National Art Gallery's newly appointed CEO hopes the 48,000 square-metre gallery will be as unique as its artworks and exhibitions.

Michael Koh said: "We have dedicated almost the whole floor of the former City Hall building for children and young families. (There will be) real works of art that are geared and curated towards children."

For the first time, the public will have access to the rooftop piazza of the two buildings and some galleries - such as the Singapore Art Gallery which will showcase the history of Singapore art and profiles of artists - will be open to the public free of charge.

As for international travelling exhibitions, Kwok Kian Chow, director of the National Art Gallery, said: "We are in discussions with many of our museum colleagues internationally in Europe, America and Asia to think of exciting programmes to bring to Singapore.

"They're also very excited about our developments here and they want to see what modern art is like, coming from Southeast Asia."

After the S$300 million renovation work is completed, the side doors of the City Hall Chambers - where Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten accepted the surrender of Japanese forces on behalf of the Allies in 1945 - will open out to new galleries and exhibition spaces.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/print/415879/1/.html

Actually I was hoping that the interiors be completely preserved, especially the walkways of the old Sup Court, which are quite imposing, although quite stripped down and simple.

Does Singapore actually has a lot of art to showcase to the world. Come to think of its short history....A whole building dedicated to them..... and a whole level for families and children.... TOYS maybe...

10 Jan 2010

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/php3YUpEU.jpg

SINGAPORE: Ancient coins and a trench dug during World War II were some of the items found buried in the earth at the National Art Gallery at City Hall.

They were discovered by archaeologists from the National University of Singapore who have been working at the National Art Gallery for the past month.

Rusted old coins and 14th century ceramic pieces found at the site are further proof that Singapore was, as one archaeologist calls it, a big shopping centre.

The archaelogists also found a war trench with helmets and gas masks.

From the make of the military equipment, the archaelogists conclude that they were made around the time of the British surrender in February 1942.

The dig was commissioned by the National Art Gallery.


http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1029708/1/.html

20 Jan 2010

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpVnNiqg.jpg

SINGAPORE: The family of renown local painter Chua Ek Kay is donating his art pieces to the National Art Gallery. It is hoped that the gesture will help future generations understand the development of contemporary Chinese art in Singapore.

Thirty-eight of his pieces have been handed over to the gallery for research and archival purposes - a collective decision made by his wife and 24-year-old son.

Chua Zhen Nan, son of Chua Ek Kay, said: "My father has always believed that art belongs to the general public. It should be easily accessible for their appreciation. So that has aided us in our decision to donate these representational pieces to the National Art Gallery."

The Cultural Medallion winner was best known for bridging Eastern and Western elements in his paintings. And his legacy lives on - two years after his sudden passing.

Friends, relatives, and fellow artists gathered on Wednesday to reminisce on his pieces.

Kwok Kian Chow, director, The National Art Gallery, Singapore said:
"There is a mutual trust between the family and the institution in wanting to work together to do further research on important artworks and artists of Singapore - so that collectively, we are able to present the story of Singapore culture through the new museum."

Such goodwill will allow even more Singaporeans to appreciate local art.

Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew said: "Cultural philanthropy through donations and sponsorships is important in achieving our aspirations to develop Singapore into a global city for culture and the arts.

"We will continue to require the strong support and generosity of like-minded benefactors and friends."

The new museum will display some of Mr Chua's pieces, once it is open to the public by 2013.



http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1031942/1/.html

I went recently to Swissotel top floor, and noticed that there was a kind of green roof feature on top of the National Gallery. Is it part of the new design?

http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu22/don_diego_2000/IMG_1751.jpg

Finally the misplaced "shacks" on the roof are bring removed. They were kitchens apparently.

The project is delayed... :(



National Art Gallery to open in 2015, key managerial changes at top
By Deepika Shetty | StraitsTimes.com (http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_714806.html) | Sep 20, 2011

The National Art Gallery, Singapore, which was initially slated to open in 2014, will now have its official opening in 2015.

The news comes as the Gallery announced key managerial changes at the top.

Mr Kwok Kian Chow, current director of the Gallery, is being appointed as its senior adviser. His appointment takes effect from Oct 1. In this role, he will assist in securing donations and loans of artworks from collectors and museums in the region, collaborate with international museums and represent the Gallery at international forums and conferences.

The National Heritage Board is starting a fresh international search for this senior role.

More details on CNA


New National Art Gallery appointments
ChannelNewsAsia.com (http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1154361/1/.html) | 20 September 2011

Singapore's National Art Gallery has appointed its current director Mr Kwok Kian Chow as senior advisor. Mr Kwok will assume his new role from October 1.

In a statement, the gallery said Mr Kwok will "fly the flag for Singapore in international visual art and museum circles, leveraging on his knowledge of art history, museum studies and curatorship and his extensive network of international board and committee memberships and professional contacts". He will also help to "engage international thought-leaders in the field and to secure donations and loans of important artworks from collectors and museums in the region as well as collaborate with international museums on travelling exhibitions".

An international headhunting exercise will be carried out to fill the position of director. In the interim, Mr Low Sze Wee will be appointed as as the covering director (curatorial and collections). Mr Low is the former deputy director of curation and collections at the Singapore Art Museum and is now seconded to the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts.

The gallery is slated to open in 2015.

It has outlined three areas of focus:
* building a leading museum destination that attracts up to five million annual visitors,
* developing a museum of good international standing which engenders a greater sense of cultural pride and national identity,
* and raising up to one-third of its operating budget through fund raising activities.

Mr Kwok said: "As the senior advisor, my role allows me to focus on strengthening the museological and curatorial foundation and the international presence of the National Art Gallery and to help cultivate a deeper global interest in Southeast Asian and Singapore art and their global significance."

They say 'all good things come to those who wait', so I'll wait patiently for the National Art Museum & the Sports Hub.

-deleted-

The peninsula group should buy over the peninsula hotel.... It has a very good frontage from the mseum....

-deleted-

can it be ready at least for the facade before F1?

Some pics I took of the site. :)

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/389443_10151250153442040_662737923_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/389443_10151250153442040_662737923_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/541184_10151250153592040_88733438_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/541184_10151250153592040_88733438_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/227455_10151250153762040_2969379_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/227455_10151250153762040_2969379_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/250431_10151250153877040_1986780559_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/250431_10151250153877040_1986780559_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/561908_10151250154002040_195158974_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/561908_10151250154002040_195158974_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/404111_10151250154157040_849424708_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/404111_10151250154157040_849424708_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/68427_10151250154292040_1654775048_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/68427_10151250154292040_1654775048_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/539382_10151250154482040_833478139_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/539382_10151250154482040_833478139_n.jpg

Instead of black canvas should they not use a mirage cloth or board for the monuments.... Such us those that was use for ( arc de triomph, notre dame de aris, Duomo di milano )

Instead of black canvas should they not use a mirage cloth or board for the monuments.... Such us those that was use for ( arc de triomph, notre dame de aris, Duomo di milano )

Maybe the sunlight here is too overwhelming and the need to keep it out?:cheers:

Some pics I took of the site.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/556576_10151067905012040_521673146_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/556576_10151067905012040_521673146_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/534591_10151067905332040_810971452_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/534591_10151067905332040_810971452_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/532104_10151067905667040_388368251_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/532104_10151067905667040_388368251_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/252602_10151067906112040_717186921_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/252602_10151067906112040_717186921_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/523577_10151067906452040_1402596921_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/523577_10151067906452040_1402596921_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/375740_10151067906787040_1691021902_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/375740_10151067906787040_1691021902_n.jpg

Three of the major historical buildings renovated together. The area would become livelier when all 3 buildings open.

Some pics I took of the site.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/314156_10151197199232040_1793879476_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/314156_10151197199232040_1793879476_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/644145_10151197199437040_1166343503_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/644145_10151197199437040_1166343503_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/603327_10151197200167040_714639298_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/603327_10151197200167040_714639298_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/392510_10151197200662040_1873472484_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/392510_10151197200662040_1873472484_n.jpg

From that angle sure looks like a spaceship just landed!:lol:What building is that?Who was the genius who decided to put it there of all the place in the world?:ohno:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/603327_10151197200167040_714639298_n.jpg

^^ That is the Supreme Court Building. It is right behind the old one.

http://img96.exs.cx/img96/7338/sc28035fa.jpg
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/7338/sc28035fa.jpg

Who was the genius who decided to put it there of all the place in the world?:ohno:

Norman Foster:)

Just quickly looked at this thread. Its hard to understand the rehabilitation but perhaps there is another web site with this information. So far, the dark netting over the former supreme court building looks awful, though I guess when it is removed everyone will be relieved. The flying saucer top of the new supreme court does not sit happily over the former City Hall or old supreme court in my opinion. It looks better from the north side.

Otherwise I hope the adaptive reuse of the city hall and old supreme court works well as a gallery, this would be good for Singapore - though I hope the fine interiors are retained and used well. Minimal intervention appears the best approach as others have said on this thread.

Norman Foster:):nuts:For real?I thought he would know better:lol:But then again sometimes the camera lens doesn't do justice ha!Seeing in person i dont remember it being that huge!

Are they doing renovation to the supreme court by norman foster

^^ Nope, that is an old picture that I dug from the Internet. Only the Old City Hall and Supreme Court are being renovated. :)

Some pics I took of the site.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/269574_10151250110857040_878004209_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/269574_10151250110857040_878004209_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/269437_10151250111147040_1221806406_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/269437_10151250111147040_1221806406_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/548824_10151250111297040_106703109_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/548824_10151250111297040_106703109_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/183930_10151250111547040_1182074002_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/183930_10151250111547040_1182074002_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/185045_10151250111762040_1533614802_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/185045_10151250111762040_1533614802_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/307988_10151250111982040_609593184_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/307988_10151250111982040_609593184_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/60329_10151250112187040_616289292_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/60329_10151250112187040_616289292_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/535796_10151250112382040_2040858235_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/535796_10151250112382040_2040858235_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/534490_10151250112677040_890164443_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/534490_10151250112677040_890164443_n.jpg

News on plans for the Civic District.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/802_10151323003437040_143357431_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/802_10151323003437040_143357431_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/484294_10151323003457040_1251380899_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/484294_10151323003457040_1251380899_n.jpg

source: TODAY (www.todayonline.com)

Any idea whats going on here?https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/269437_10151250111147040_1221806406_n.jpg

^^ I think they are just reinforcing the grounds around City Hall for the redevelopment.

Some pics I took of the site today.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/285307_10151467040787040_971607587_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/285307_10151467040787040_971607587_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/285645_10151467040797040_1318654123_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/285645_10151467040797040_1318654123_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/563080_10151467040722040_806741460_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/563080_10151467040722040_806741460_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/179206_10151467040862040_1045143328_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/179206_10151467040862040_1045143328_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/188322_10151467040952040_2088763572_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/188322_10151467040952040_2088763572_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/379297_10151467041127040_874155044_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/379297_10151467041127040_874155044_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/525110_10151467041322040_2032953967_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/525110_10151467041322040_2032953967_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/13019_10151467041522040_409173824_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/13019_10151467041522040_409173824_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/69649_10151467041662040_14996440_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/69649_10151467041662040_14996440_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/551559_10151467041732040_899409908_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/551559_10151467041732040_899409908_n.jpg

Singapore is very neat and clean country. One can really get shocked with it's beauty and architecture. This country is perfect place to live and work.

An article from 90 cents about the development.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/r270/536619_10151551946387040_352780727_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/r270/536619_10151551946387040_352780727_n.jpg

source: The Straits Times (www.straitstimes.com)

News regarding the development.


National Art Gallery on track to becoming Asia's largest visual arts museum
By Alvina Soh
POSTED: 07 Apr 2013 1:37 AM

The National Art Gallery promises to be a feast for the senses with its array of Southeast Asian and Singapore art when it opens its doors in 2015.

SINGAPORE: The National Art Gallery is on track to becoming Asia's largest visual arts museum come 2015.

And it promises to be a feast for the senses with its array of Southeast Asian and Singapore art when it opens its doors in time to celebrate Singapore's 50th anniversary.

Boasting 60,000 square metres, the museum will focus on art from the 19th century to recent times.

It aims to strengthen Singapore's role as a regional and inter¬na¬tional hub for visual arts.

Chong Siak Ching, chief executive officer of National Art Gallery, said: "The content within the art gallery is going to be something that we are very proud of. We are going to have two permanent galleries - the Singapore and the Southeast Asian gallery. This would be a good opportunity for Singapore to now showcase some of the really good artworks, art pieces that we have of Singapore artists as well as Southeast Asian artists."

The National Art Gallery will be housed at two national monuments - the City Hall and the former Supreme Court buildings. Both are currently undergoing preservation and a major facelift.

The process started in January 2011 and has been scheduled to take more than 44 months.

Ms Chong said: "It is pretty complex in the whole construction restoration. We want to make sure that we restore as much and preserve as much of what is important and significant, but there are also new construction that is going on. We are gearing up to have it ready for opening in 2015. And you might know that 2015 is our Golden Jubliee year. So our opening year will coincide with a whole series of celebrations for Singapore's 50th anniversary."

And leading these initiatives will be Dr Eugene Tan - the new director of the National Art Gallery.

Dr Tan, who is also a programme director of special projects at the Economic Development Board, was named after an intensive search.

"What I aim for the gallery is really to convey the privilege of experiencing great works of arts through our collections of Singapore and Southeast Asian art," said Dr Tan.

Dr Tan, who will be focusing on exhibitions and programmes for the Gallery, will assume the post on May 15.

- CNA/fa


source: CNA (http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/national-art-gallery-on-t/629474.html)

Some pics I took of the site today.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/525386_10151609236492040_730742612_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/525386_10151609236492040_730742612_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/600950_10151609236417040_1848935585_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/600950_10151609236417040_1848935585_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/255539_10151609236512040_46605143_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/255539_10151609236512040_46605143_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/946130_10151609236537040_1904554458_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/946130_10151609236537040_1904554458_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/294880_10151609236602040_1821855695_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/294880_10151609236602040_1821855695_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/946784_10151609236667040_1319101757_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/946784_10151609236667040_1319101757_n.jpg