Heritage experts and architects have identified 45 structures in Singapore that are worthy of conservation and considered “sacred”, according to media reports.
Among them are Newton Food Centre, Hong Lim Park fountain and the Shuang Long Shan Ancestral Hall, a Hakka memorial hall from 1887.
The suggestions follow Professor Kishore Mahbubani, dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, call for the making of a list of places that Singaporeans treasure and declare them as national shrines to foster love for the country. He pointed to East Coast Park (pictured), Botanic Gardens and old Chinatown as some of such places.
In a commentary last month, Prof Kishore quoted US urban geographer Joel Kotkin, who listed three great characteristics of cities – busy, safe and sacred. Prof Kotkin noted that while Singapore excelled in commerce and security, it lacked the last quality.
He called for Singaporeans to pay more attention to the sacred, which he defined as any place or unique institution “that (makes) one feel an irrational commitment to a place.”
Heritage experts believe it is a timely suggestion.
Civic group founder Kwek Li Yong said, “If we want to create a country that Singaporeans can identify with, we need to pinpoint and pull out such spaces, rediscover them and save them before they are swept away by redevelopment,”
Image source: Wikimedia Commons/User: Sengkang
Muneerah Bee, Senior Journalist at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this or other stories email muneerah@propertyguru.com.sg
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