ST Forum: Asian style missing in Sands at Marina Bay

I propose build a temple there? Any other good recommendation?


WHEN I looked at the proposed Sands in Marina Bay, I wondered whether
aliens have created it. Where are the Asian architecture styles?
Why are most buildings in Singapore built with bland colour, lots of glass
and tall funny-looking shapes that seem out of place in an Asian country?
Examples: a spaceship (the new Supreme Court), the durian (Esplanade), lots
of sharpened pencils or strange phallic-shaped buildings (Ministry of Home
Affairs building, Shenton Way skyscape, etc).
Singapore is surrounded by countries with historic and beautiful Asian
civilisations. Why can't we incorporate some of our Asian heritage into our
buildings?
A building is just not cement and bricks. It represents people, community
and culture. It should inspire awe. Remember Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat, and
Asia's palaces?
Similarly, in Singapore we need to build buildings that cultivate a sense of
place for us, the residents. Build something which we can identity with as
uniquely Singaporean. I fail to see that in Sands at Marina Bay.
In our haste to modernise, we have bulldozed and demolished many historical
buildings and instead built bland, uninspiring, un-Asian buildings.
The Sands is expected to bring $2.7 billion to the Singapore economy by
2015. This is an opportunity. Let us build buildings that reflect our
culture, something that we can be proud of.
I strongly urge Sands' management to incorporate some Asian cultural
architecture to the proposed plan.
Christine Srikala (Ms)


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