churches

Heres the church I go to ( a few times a year though).
St Andrews Cathedral

St. Andrew's Cathedral is of the Anglican Community and is Singapore's oldest Anglican house of worship. It is also one of the few examples of English Gothic Revival architecture in Singapore. Its history educates people of the Anglican Community and improves understanding and results in unity of the people.

The original church was designed by G D Coleman of the Madras army and was built from 1834 to 1837. The Church was struck by lightning twice and became damaged. In 1852, it was declared unsafe and was demolished to make way for the present building.

The present Cathedral was designed by Colonel Ronald Macpherson of the Madras army and was built between 1856 and 1864, using Indian convict labourers.

In 1870, it was elevated to the status of a Cathedral. It was named St.Andrew’s after the patron saint of Scotland in recognition of the generosity of the Scottish community in contributing a large amount of money for the construction of the church. During the Japanese invasion, the Cathedral was used as a casualty station for the wounded and remained open for worship.

One of the main attractions of the Cathedral is a multi-coloured stained glass window. The center panel is dedicated to the memory of Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore. The Preservation of Monuments Board gazetted this monument on 6 July 1973.

New wing to ease space squeeze at St Andrew's

Artist impressions show what the St Andrew's extension will look like when it is completed in 2005 (above), as well as how the extension's new chapel will look.


By Tan Hui Yee

ON ANY given Sunday, more than 4,000 people squeeze into St Andrew's Cathedral for its service.

Another 600 have to attend one at the Victoria Concert Hall, because the cathedral is bursting at the seams from its growing membership.

The situation gets so bad at times that children attending Sunday school find themselves having to gather in the Anglican church's corridors, or even its grounds.

The squeeze is expected to be eased in early 2005 when a 2,875 sq ft extension to the 141-year-old cathedral is completed. It is a $12 million single-storey, glass-fronted building near the entrance to City Hall MRT station and includes a two-level basement and a sunken courtyard.

It also has a hall of worship which can hold about 800 people, a prayer hall, a chapel and a visitors' centre, and is joined to the cathedral by a covered linkway.

Despite all the extra space, the Quiet Places Project, as it is called, will not provide all that the church actually needs.

St Andrew's will still not be able to bring back the 20 or so church staff and regular volunteers who now work in offices at The Adelphi building nearby, costing the cathedral about $7,000 a month in rent.

Said Deaconess Bessie Lee, 42, who is overseeing the project: 'When they see the space constraints, some new members point to the cathedral's sprawling grounds and ask why we can't simply expand the building.

'We have to explain that we're a national monument and are therefore limited in what we can and cannot do on the land.'

A deaconess is a pastor in the Anglican church.

St Andrew's Cathedral, which stands on a 3.2ha plot of land, was built between 1856 and 1862 in an early Gothic style.

The building was used as an emergency hospital before Singapore fell to the Japanese in 1942, during World War II.

It was gazetted as a national monument in 1973 and is obliged to retain its key features, including its colour, shape and the size of its compound.

To get around the lack of space, the cathedral staggers meetings, occasionally holds get-togethers at members' homes and, once in a while, even resorts to renting goods containers.

Meanwhile, it is focusing on raising the $8.9 million more it needs to pay for the extension, which is next to the MRT station to make it easier for harried office workers in the civic district to find some respite.

Said Deaconess Lee: 'We're located in a highly-stressed, highly-strung area.

'We hope after the extension is completed, people will be able to come and find some peace, perhaps eat their packet of char siew rice in the courtyard.'

Added church volunteer Letticia Chan, 57, who had spoken to some unemployed people who had visited the cathedral: 'It'll be somewhere people can go to for quiet time.'

Thank you, Raffi! I can really relate to St. Andrew's! :angel1:

Having seen so many of the wonderful cathedrals in Britain, this one, so far away, is remarkable! There are many similar churches here in the US, too. Of course they also were built centuries after the style originally flourished in Europe.

That newspaper article you quoted is fascinating, thank you! Yes, I guess possessing a landmark is a distinction und a burden at the same time. Amazing to learn that the cathedral is popping at the seams! You know quite the reverse trend is true in both Europe and the States.

You already guessed it, and I admit it: I'm not exactly jubilant over the style of the planned extension of St. Andrew's.

Here at any rate is my humble little church of St. Clement's. It's in a residential neighborhood, and it's also a landmark:



This wood shingle style was prevalent during the Arts & Crafts period here and can be found all over town (including our house). Actually the Church is bigger than it seems because a wing was added at the north side before the building was landmarked and there is a large and handsome brick building next to it with offices, meeting rooms and a large hall etc. The parish spent huge amounts of money to get it fixed up after the 1989 earthquake.


WHOOPS! I had no idea the picture would turn out so BIG!

St Andrews

i read that the new Church of St Mary of the Angels was just completed.. by WOHA architects. i could only find this pic.



does anyone have more? i think it looks gorgeous from that first pic.

The house of God gets a new look

Clean lines, stainless steel, titanium facades replace stained glass and steeples of old

8 Feb 2004


A titanium-clad facade welcomes City Harvest's parishioners.

By Tracy Quek

AS THE sun sets over Bukit Batok, its amber rays pierce through a building's expansive glass wall.

In that romantic light, the hall inside takes on an enchanted look. Elegant lamps stand like beacons amid a forest of blonde oak.

It looks like a stylish concert hall, or maybe an art museum. Then, the eye travels up the aisle to an immense figure: Arms outstretched, head bowed, the sculpture is of a crucified Christ.

This is a church, but one without the traditional steeples, spires and stained glass panels. Other churches are also turning modern - opting for clean lines and lots of stainless steel.

The latest example is the recently completed St Mary of the Angels, a Catholic church in Bukit Batok East Avenue 2, whose centrepiece is a 600kg, 4m-by-4m 'floating' bronze sculpture of Christ, suspended from the ceiling by three barely visible stainless steel cables.

The move towards contemporary is both practical and religious, church leaders say. St Mary's parish priest, Father Phillip Miscamble, points out that it's expensive to build and maintain cathedral-style churches these days, with costly spires and pillars to hold up the high roofs.

Some Catholic priests say the liturgical reforms put out by the Vatican Council II in the 1960s influenced designs of the newer Catholic churches.

Said Father Phillip: 'What came out of Vatican II was that everyone should actively participate in the mass. Worshippers should not be passive observers.'

Architects Wong Mun Summ and Richard Hassell, from the company Woha, worked for more than a year to come up with the design of the $12 million St Mary's. Not Catholics themselves, they read up on liturgical reform and church architecture.

The result is a spacious church hall, without pillars or walls to obstruct the view of the altar, which allows the congregation to be part of the mass.

'This design gives everyone a clear view of the altar and priest,' said Father Phillip. 'In that way, they are fully attentive and actively taking part in the celebration. A church doesn't have to look like a European cathedral to be a church. It's more about the community.'

Parishioner Lisa Orlina, 32, a housewife, said: 'It's so beautiful, awesome and yet humbling.'

Another Catholic church, St Ignatius at King's Road, also underwent a radical $12.5 million makeover. The 43-year-old church was pulled down. Now an industrial-looking building with an undulating roof stands in its place.

Like St Mary's, no pillars obstruct the view of the altar. Skylights along the high ceiling allow natural light to filter in.

Not all church-goers are used to the new look. Long-time parishioner Catherine Koh, 56, a homemaker, said: 'I do prefer that churches look obviously like churches. The traditional look makes more of a statement.'

Non-Catholic churches, like Holy Grace Presbyterian Church along Upper East Coast Road and City Harvest in Jurong, are also modern. Holy Grace's three-storey structure stands out with green-tinted windows and sloping front awning.

Inside, rooms are divided by retractable, sound-proof doors. The white walls and cherry-wood combination of the interior give it a breezy, airy feel.

Five long-time congregation members, themselves contractors, engineers and building professionals, oversaw the construction, which cost about $5 million.

In contrast, City Harvest Church cost $42.3 million to build. The eight-storey building boasts a $583,000 fountain, a 18,300 sq ft underground auditorium and a titanium-clad facade, the same material used on Spain's Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.

A spokesman said its congregation comprised mostly young professionals aged 25 to 35: 'So we wanted a building that is reflective of the personality of our congregation - ultra-modern, contemporary, energetic and upwardly mobile.'

She added: 'Titanium's known for its strength and durability: We wanted it to be symbolic of the tenacity, perseverance and innovative spirit of our members.'

Introducing Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church. Not the oldest church in Singapore, but the oldest church to have never stopped functioning even once in it's history!











These are pretty blur. Sorry. I was late for Bible Study. Anyway, the first one is a plague declaring that we are a national monument for the formation of the first company of Boy's Brigade in Singapore, and the second one is for our being oldest living church. Yeah. Something liddat...










Tada!!!

Balestier Road Seventh-Day Adventist Church ,the only Art Deco church in Singapore!

According to the church's website ,it was built in 1949.

City Harvest Church:











This amazing postmodern church was completed in 2002 ,costing US$28m.It's famous music director is non other than famous singer Ho Yeow Sun.

Its congregation comprised mostly young professionals aged 25 to 35.The Church wanted a building that is reflective of the personality of our congregation - ultra-modern, contemporary, energetic and upwardly mobile.Titanium's known for its strength and durability , symbolic of the tenacity, perseverance and innovative spirit of its members.



Some interesting facts about the building:
1. Largest Column-Free Sanctuary
The main auditorium, with an area of 1,700 square metres, is the largest column-free church sanctuary in the Southeast Asian Peninsula.

2. Largest "Transfer Beam" in the World
6 floors of the building are resting on the "ceiling" of the column-free auditorium. The ceiling, technically known as a "transfer beam," is the largest ceiling structure in the world with an area of 3,500 square metres and a depth of 3 metres. Sato Kogyo and Bachy Soletanche jointly built it.

3. First Titanium-Clad Building in Asia
The front facade of the building is clad with the same titanium that wraps the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. The renowned museum is reputed to be the most beautiful contemporary architecture in the world today. According to the Swiss museum specialists, this building in Singapore is the first architecture with such titanium cladding in Asia.

4. Largest Church Building
From the lowest basement to the top of the steeple cross, the building is 54 metres in height, or equivalent to 18-20 floors of a HDB flat. This is the biggest church structure in the Southeast Asian Peninsula.

5. To prevent the two HDB flats (within 9 metres from the perimeter of the building) from collapsing, or even having a hairline crack, a 1-metre thick diaphragm wall was constructed all around the boundary of the property before excavation works were carried out. The complexity of the construction was further intensified by the fact that the 4 basements had to be built "top-down" (constructing downward in the order of ground floor, basement 1, basement 2, basement 3 and then basement 4) rather than the conventional "bottom-up" approach.

6. Tallest Partition Panels in the World
The sanctuary can be compartmentalised or partitioned into 7 smaller halls. While working on this project, Goldbeck GmbH designed the tallest partitions or "operable walls" in the world with each panel in the sanctuary measuring at 11.5 metres in height. (The previous tallest panel measured at only 9.5 metres.)

7. First Broquard Fountain in Southeast Asia
Mr. Jerome Broquard from Los Angeles, USA, is widely recognised as the number one fountain maker in the world. Mr. Broquard is the designer of the fountain wall at the front of the building and this assignment is his first fountain project in Southeast Asia. (Japan has the only other Broquard fountain in Asia.)

8. Largest Rotating Church Cross in the World
At 12 metres high and 800 kg in weight, the rotating stainless steel cross is the largest in the world.

9. Largest Sound Console in the World
Mr. Steven Le Roux, the sound and lighting consultant of the Sydney Opera House, provided consultancy services to City Harvest Church with relation to acoustics of the main sanctuary. The auditorium is fitted with a 60-channel sound console, which is the largest and only one of its size in the world.

10. Mr. Dan Hess, a former top stage designer from Christie's Auction House in New York, is the designer of the auditorium's stage.

11. The front lawn of the building has a reflecting pool and a putting green for golf enthusiasts.

12. Most Advanced Fire Evacuation System in the World
The fire evacuation public announcement system, designed by Klotz Digital, is widely touted to be the most advanced and efficient in the market today. They designed this specially for the new Munich Airport which is due to be opened in 2003. The church was approached by Klotz Digital to be the first architecture in the world to be fitted with such a system.

13. Largest Church Donation Campaign in Southeast Asia
The land purchase and building construction costs a total of $42.3 million. This amount is raised locally and entirely from City Harvest Church's own congregation in Singapore over a period of 6 years. Only 45% of the congregation are working adults, the rest are mainly schooling youths, housewives and retirees.

14. Largest Busing Programme in Southeast Asia
Every weekend, 286 buses are chartered to ferry our members, making a total of 1,842 stops.