Sensational Singapore buildings, old and new; Part 1
April 23rd 2008 03:04
The Colonial mansion, the Gothic and Neo-classical church, the Georgian and Victorian public building, the functional modern high rise tower, the twenty-first century creation which, as yet, defies classification and, of course, that native son, the exquisite shop house - Singapore has them all. Among this panoply of great architecture, there are, however, some absolute stand-outs
The Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator on Hill Street is Singapore’s earliest Christian Church and one of its finest old architectural landmarks.
The Government donated the land for the church in 1833. 2,500 of the 5,000 Spanish dollars needed for the building were raised from within the Singapore’s small but wealthy and Iinfluential Armenian community. The rest was donated by Armenians in Java and India and by local Chinese and European merchants. Completed in 1835, St Gregory's was consecrated in 1836 by Reverend Eleaza Ingergolie and dedicated to the Patriarch of the Armenian Church.
Widely considered as the masterpiece of architect George Dromgoole Coleman, overseer of Convicts and Superintendent of Public Works, St Gregory’s is built in the British Neo-Classical style and is modeled on the original St Gregory’s church in the Northern Armenian town of Echmiadzin. Although it incorporates influences from the classical architecture of Rome and Tuscany with suggestions of some old British churches (London’s St Martin in the Fields and Cambridge’s Round Church), it is also uniquely Singapore, with wide porticos which provide shelter from both sun and rain, louvred windows which allow ventilation and diffuse the sunlight and pews backed with cool, light local rattan.
In the church grounds is the Memorial Garden to Armenians; among those remembered are Agnes Joachim, mother of the Singapore orchid and the Sarkies brothers who built Raffles Hotel. The Parsonage was built in memory of John Sarkies by his wife Nanajies.
Sadly, St Gregory’s last Parish Priest died decades ago and was never replaced. The congregation has diminished and Armenian orthodox services have ceased.
The Armenian Church of St Gregory the Illuminator was gazetted as a national monument on July 6, 1973.
The Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay is almost certainly Singapore’s most arresting piece of modern architecture. On its commanding Marina Bay site, at the mouth of the Singapore River, it compels the eye from land or sea.
Designed co-operatively by London-based Michael Wilford and Partners and DP Architects of Singapore, it consists of two great glass cones clad with thousands of little aluminum sunshades. Some liken the building, with its glinting multi-faceted surface, to the eye of a giant fly, others to that famouly sweet tasting, yet infamously foul-smelling fruit, the Durian.
Theatres on the Bay was purpose built as Singapore’s centre for performing arts and under those enormous domes are; a 1,600 seat concert hall with state of the art acoustics, a 2000 seat theatre modeled on the classical opera houses of Europe, a public library devoted to the arts scene, an intimate 250 capacity recital studio, a small 220 seat theatre for experimental theatre and dance presentations, an exhibition space, Jendela, or window, in Malay, with a panorama on Marina Bay, two outdoor venues, the Waterfront Stage and the Stage @ Powerhouse, for free avant-garde performances, a large rooftop garden terrace, open leisure spaces and courtyards as well as a mall with retail outlets and eateries.
The 600 million dollar centre opened on 12 October 2002. On July 5, 2005, it seized the world stage when 117th session of the IOC opened here with concert showcasing Singapore’s multicultural heritage.
And, yes, it does look like a giant Durian, dropped casually down among the skyscrapers of Marina Bay.
The Armenian Church of St Gregory the Illuminator
The Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator on Hill Street is Singapore’s earliest Christian Church and one of its finest old architectural landmarks.
The Government donated the land for the church in 1833. 2,500 of the 5,000 Spanish dollars needed for the building were raised from within the Singapore’s small but wealthy and Iinfluential Armenian community. The rest was donated by Armenians in Java and India and by local Chinese and European merchants. Completed in 1835, St Gregory's was consecrated in 1836 by Reverend Eleaza Ingergolie and dedicated to the Patriarch of the Armenian Church.
Widely considered as the masterpiece of architect George Dromgoole Coleman, overseer of Convicts and Superintendent of Public Works, St Gregory’s is built in the British Neo-Classical style and is modeled on the original St Gregory’s church in the Northern Armenian town of Echmiadzin. Although it incorporates influences from the classical architecture of Rome and Tuscany with suggestions of some old British churches (London’s St Martin in the Fields and Cambridge’s Round Church), it is also uniquely Singapore, with wide porticos which provide shelter from both sun and rain, louvred windows which allow ventilation and diffuse the sunlight and pews backed with cool, light local rattan.
In the church grounds is the Memorial Garden to Armenians; among those remembered are Agnes Joachim, mother of the Singapore orchid and the Sarkies brothers who built Raffles Hotel. The Parsonage was built in memory of John Sarkies by his wife Nanajies.
Sadly, St Gregory’s last Parish Priest died decades ago and was never replaced. The congregation has diminished and Armenian orthodox services have ceased.
The Armenian Church of St Gregory the Illuminator was gazetted as a national monument on July 6, 1973.
The Memorial Garden to Armenians at St Gregory's
The Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay is almost certainly Singapore’s most arresting piece of modern architecture. On its commanding Marina Bay site, at the mouth of the Singapore River, it compels the eye from land or sea.
Esplanade -Theatres on the Bay from across the Singapore River
Designed co-operatively by London-based Michael Wilford and Partners and DP Architects of Singapore, it consists of two great glass cones clad with thousands of little aluminum sunshades. Some liken the building, with its glinting multi-faceted surface, to the eye of a giant fly, others to that famouly sweet tasting, yet infamously foul-smelling fruit, the Durian.
Theatres on the Bay was purpose built as Singapore’s centre for performing arts and under those enormous domes are; a 1,600 seat concert hall with state of the art acoustics, a 2000 seat theatre modeled on the classical opera houses of Europe, a public library devoted to the arts scene, an intimate 250 capacity recital studio, a small 220 seat theatre for experimental theatre and dance presentations, an exhibition space, Jendela, or window, in Malay, with a panorama on Marina Bay, two outdoor venues, the Waterfront Stage and the Stage @ Powerhouse, for free avant-garde performances, a large rooftop garden terrace, open leisure spaces and courtyards as well as a mall with retail outlets and eateries.
The 600 million dollar centre opened on 12 October 2002. On July 5, 2005, it seized the world stage when 117th session of the IOC opened here with concert showcasing Singapore’s multicultural heritage.
And, yes, it does look like a giant Durian, dropped casually down among the skyscrapers of Marina Bay.
The Durian, looking across Esplanade Road
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