Brief History of Colourful MICA Building

MICA Building Singapore at Hill Street

Colourful and Colonial Style Architecture

This bright and colourful building certainly stands out against a backdrop of old and new buildings in Singapore. This is called the MICA Building, formerly known as MITA Building or the Old Hill Street Police Station.

Interesting facts

• The building is also known as the Old Hill Street Police Station (OHSPS)
• The building was completed in 1934 to house the Hill Street Police Station and Barracks – regarded then as a modern skyscraper and largest government building
• In 1998, it was gazetted as a national monument
• In 2000, The Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts (MICA) relocated to this building from PSA Building
• The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore and Singapore Kindness Movement are also located here
• The steep slopes of Fort Canning was cut back and shored up to make way for vehicular access behind the building (pictures below)
• There are 927 windows
• Windows colour theme – rainbow – 3 different shades for each colour
• With each building height, the colour shade increases in intensity – brightest at the 6th storey. This highlights the architectural feature of the cantilevered balcony

These pictures were taken in January this year. At that time, re-painting works were going on. So, I did not notice the intensity of the colours at each level. It is fun to read up the facts and background of places back home which I tend to take for granted. See things beneath the surface.

View from Fort Canning

MICA Building Singapore - view from Fort Canning

MICA Building Singapore - view from Fort Canning

The Courtyard

Sculpture at Mica Buildings Courtyard

The Walkway or Pathment

At Street Level - MICA Building Singapore

Source
MICA
National Library Singapore
Wikipedia

How to Get Here

Take the MRT and alight at either City Hall or Clarke Quay station

Google Map

Related Post
Nature Walk at Fort Canning Park

 

Exterior Facade of the Asian Civilisation Museum

Asian Civilisation Museum in Singapore

For today, a brief post on the exterior architecture of the Asian Civilisation Museum.

The Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) is one of the National Museums of Singapore under the National Heritage Board. Located at the Singapore River, Empress Place, it is at a strategic location along with many of the historical places in Singapore. It is the first museum in the region to present a broad and integrated perspective of pan-Asian cultures and civilisation – showcasing the rich heritage of our multi-ethnic society.

So if museums, arts and culture are your favourite things, come and visit the Asian Civilisation Museum.

Opening Hours

Monday : 1pm – 7pm
Tuesday – Sunday : 9am – 7pm
(Friday) : 9am – 9pm

Admission Charges

http://www.acm.org.sg/visitor_info/admission_charges.asp

Price may vary during special exhibitions.

Individual Admission
Adults : S$8.00
Concession* : S$4.00 (* Foreigners aged 60 and above)

Group Admission : S$6.00 (for groups of 20 and above)
Concession* : S$3.00 (* Foreigners aged 60 and above)
Family Admission : S$20.00
Maximum of 5 pax, only available during Special Exhibitions

Asian Civilisations Museum and Peranakan Museum Joint Ticket**
Adults : S$11.00
Concession* : S$5.50 (* Foreigners aged 60 and above)
** Joint ticket must be used within 7 days of purchase

• Free admission to visitors aged 6 and below
• Free admission for all Singaporean and PR students, and teachers (for more information, please click here)
• Free admission for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents aged 60 years and above everyday
• 50% discount for foreigners aged 60 and above everyday
• Discounted admission charges on Fridays 7pm – 9pm

Source

Asian Civilisation Museum
Wikipedia

How to get there

The ACM is located at 1 Empress Place. Take the MRT and alight at Raffles station. It is a 5-minute walk to the ACM.

Google Map

 

Buildings in CBD Singapore

Architecture of Modern Buildings in Singapore

Dig up more of the archive photos and see a few things I did not see before. It turns out some of the photos have the solar halo in them. It was a super, super hot and bright day on that Sunday in January 2011.

Taken along the Singapore River and Marina Bay area. Some of the buildings are still under construction in Marina Bay. One of these days, I will come back with the tripod, telephoto lens and photograph the dawn hours. Not so crowded then. These were taken at high noon – very high contrast lighting. I did the best I could at photo editing. Love those glass buildings and architecture.

 

Historical Building in Singapore : Fullerton Hotel

From time to time, I like to write about historical places in Singapore. It takes a bit of time to research and photograph these places. So for today, here is a focus on Fullerton Hotel, one of the historical building in Singapore. By the way, I am not affliated or an employee of the hotel.

The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, as it is now known, is located at the Singapore River in the CBD area. Across the road is Fullerton Square and the Merlion Park. In the past, it was the General Post Office Building and before that, by its original name – The Fullerton Building.

History

1829 – 1928

Fort Fullerton was built in 1829, in defence of the settlement against any naval attacks. The Fullerton Building was completed in June 1928, with the northern end of the building covering the site of Fort Fullerton. Officially opened on 27 June 1928 by Governor Sir Hugh Clifford, he suggested the building be named after Robert Fullerton.

1928 – 1996

There were five founding tenants in the beginning : the General Post Office (GPO), The Exchange, Singapore Club (now Singapore Town Club), the Marine Department, and the Import and Export Department (later called Ministry of Trade and Industry). The Chamber of Commerce and various government departments dealing with agriculture, fisheries and forestry were also tenants there.

The GPO took the lower two levels while the Singapore Club rented the upper levels. In  1961, the Economic Development Board (EDB) took over the upper levels. The Singapore Club then relocated to Clifford House and then to Straits Trading Building on Battery Road.

World War 2

The building was used as a hospital for wounded British soldiers before the surrender to Japan in 1942. General Percival and Sir Shenton had a discussion here in the Fullerton Building on the possibility of surrendering Singapore to the Japanese. The building became the headquarters of the Japanese Military Administration in Singapore during the Japanese Occupation.

After the War

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRA) used the building as its headquarters between 1970s to 1995 . In March 1996, The Singapore General Post Office vacated the premises. The Public Works Department did internal alterations in 1985. Conservation efforts followed and was it was finally gazetted as a conservation building by the Singapore Governemnt in 1997.

Renovations and redevelopment

The Fullerton Building was acquired from Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in 1997 by Sino Land Company from Hong Kong and its sister company, Far East Organization. Renovation works were completed on 8 December 2000 and on 1 January 2011, the Fullerton Hotel Singapore was officially opened by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong.

For more information, click on the link at Wikipedia. Google has a time line on the link provided below.

Source

Wikipedia
Google

Location
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Ceilings Architecture : Shopping Malls

Today’s theme : ceiling architecture, notably of shopping malls.

Here is a collection of ceiling photos taken over several months in various shopping malls in Singapore.

1. ION Orchard

Designed by leading architecture firm Benoy.

ION Orchard ceiling architecture

Features : amber and fluorescent lights

2. Wheelock Place

Designed by Kisho Kurokawa. Source : http://www.architravel.com/architravel/building/207

Wheelock Place ceiling architecture

Features : Blue Glass structure – taken at the front entrance.

3. Iluma

Designed by architects WOHA : project team – Wong Mun Summ, Richard Hassell, Chan Ee Mun, Dhamaraj Subramaniam, Ang Chow Hwee, Lim Yin Chao, Lim Yee Sze, Alen Low, Andrew MacLennan, Christopher Browne, Elavarasi Rajapackiyam, Johan Hermijanto, Maria Nieva.

Source : http://www.archithings.net/search/iluma+architect

Iluma ceiling architecture

Theme : Black and White Decoration that is repeated throughout the shopping mall

4. Raffles City

Designed by internationally acclaimed architect, I.M.Pei to be “the city within a city”.

Raffles City ceiling architecture

Theme : Open sky Light

5. Harbour Front/VivoCity

Designed by internationally acclaimed Japanese architect, Toyo Ito.

Harbour Front/Vivocity ceiling architecture

Features : Blue, green, white. The futuristic public seats scattered throughout the shopping centre follows this theme as well.

So many interesting things uncovered when one does a search on the internet. I didn’t know these facts until I do a search for more information.

If you are keen to do a photo shoot of shopping centre, here is a few tips for consideration.

Photographing Shopping Malls

 

Fluffy Clouds

I love watching clouds because they are so fascinating. No two days are the same.

If one look carefully and let the imagination run wild, shapes and forms can be seen in the clouds. On clouds nine? The expression must have come somewhere.

This photo was taken late in the afternoon in Sentosa. At that time it was super bright sunshine and nice fluffy clouds formation. So I took a low angle shot and point the camera upwards. The reflection of the clouds can be seen on the windows.

Modern architecture against background of fluffy clouds

Happy shooting!

 

 

Wheelock Place Architecture

Wheelock Place - Wings of an Angel

Glass Architecture

There are several buildings along Orchard Road that I think are unique and fantastic architectural designs.

One of them is the iconic ION Orchard and the other is Wheelock Place – the glass front entrance.

I always liken the two arches as wings and when the sun shines at an angle, sometimes a solar halo can be seen. Haven’t been lucky enough to photograph such a scene here but I managed to get some halo photos over a few buildings in Marina Bay. That is for later. I am hoping I will be lucky enough to photograph it here – it would be such an awesome sight.

Meanwhile, don’t forget to observe 2 minutes silence tomorrow, 1 March 2011 at 12.51pm (NZ time) or 07.51am Singapore time in honour of Christchurch earthquake victims.

Time Zone Converter

For those searching for time zone in your own country, click below to convert time :

Time Zone Converter

 

 

National Museum of Singapore

National Museum of Singapore

Have you been to the National Museum of Singapore recently?

I went there about two weeks ago. It had been a long time since I had been there. Last time I was there, I was still a teenager. Part of the school curriculum – history lessons. Never noticed the architecture before. Museum has never been my favourite thing to see. I’ll rather be outdoors.

But since my interest in photography has escalated, I have been doing a variety of shoots.

Here are some pictures below. You need to pay an entrance fee to visit the museum. I was just at the lobby, so that is free. Look up and see the glass dome ceiling. Beautiful. Hurt my neck looking up. Pictures taken using a point and shoot camera. Don’t know if security will allow me to take pictures if I bring along my DSLR. Read a blog where the photographer actually lay on the floor to take ceiling pictures. Don’t think security in any buildings will allow anybody to do that without permit. In any public places, it certainly invite staring. Oops.

Website

National Museum of Singapore

Entrance Fee (abstracted from website)

Adults	S$10.00
Child (under 18 years old); Student (tourist with valid student pass); NS Regular (with valid 11B pass); & Senior (tourist 60 years and above)	S$5.00
Family package (3 adults and 2 children)	S$30.00
Child (6 years and under); Senior (Singaporean or Permanent Resident 60 years and above); Students (Singaporean or Permanent Resident); & NSF (with valid 11B pass)	Free Admission

10% discount for groups of more than 20 people
(Prior booking required)

Best of luck in your shooting!

Architecture - National Museum of Singapore

Glass Dome - National Museum of Singapore

Climb Up - National Museum of Singapore

White Columns Architecture - National Museum of Singapore

 

Historical Building in Singapore – Stamford House

 

Beautiful Architecture of Stamford House

History of Stamford House

Architecture

I passed by this place so many times and yet never really see the beautiful intricate details. Having a sharpened photography interest really opened up my eyes to many things.

This building, Stamford House sits at the junction of Stamford Road and Hill Street, opposite the SMRT Headquarters and Stamford Court. Its intricate architecture and details had been restored several years ago back to its former glory.

Stamford House was designed by architect Raj Bidwell in the Venetian Renaissance architectural style and was built by Regent Alfred John Bidwell in 1904. Mr Seth Paul’s retail firm Whiteaway Laidlaw & Co operated their business there till 1910 when the building was then known as Oranje Building.

Before and After World War Two

The top two floors was operated by Raffles Hotel for a number of years due to shortage of hotel rooms. Mr Seth Paul’s daughter, Theodara Van Hein, renovated the building in 1933 and it became the Oranje Hotel. During World War Two, in February 1942, survivors of the Prince of Wales and Repulse recuperated at the Oranje Hotel before the Japanese forces occupied Singapore and used the building as a hotel. After the war, shops occupied the ground floor and the upper levels were rented out.

Conservation

Basco Enterprises Private Limited bought the building in 1963 and named it Stamford House. The Stamford House and the Shaw Building was acquired by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in 1984. Conservation plan for the Stamford House saved the building in May 1991.

Unfortunately for its opposite neighbour, the Eu Court faced demolition in 1992. Now the Stamford Court stands in its place [For photos, see previous post]. Around the same time, the National Library was also demolished and rebuilt next to the Bras Basah Complex. So two historical buildings are gone forever.

In land scarce Singapore, sometimes progression pays a painful price. While I understand the importance of renewal and improvisation, I still think those two buildings should have been saved.

[Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stamford_House,_Singapore%5D

Savor what we still have. Anyway, here is a Google Map for reference.

How to Get There
View Larger Map“>

Another map link : street directory

See you on the next post!

 

Stamford House - Venetian Renaissance architectural style

Historical Building in Singapore - Stamford House

 

Go Green I Bid Thee

Warning label : Read with caution and between the lines.

See plants. Go green. No Envy. Get Poison Ivy.

What Goes Up must Come Down

 

Grow Green Building

Seeing double?

Notice the similarities? Nope, they are not the same building.

Similar features but were built on two separate locations.

What goes up must come down.

Both features trailing leaves or greenery along the length of the buildings. I suppose there is no need to water the plants? Or are they trees? If the branches or roots grow long enough to reach the ground, hey, there is another way up and down the building! No need to call Spiderman or Rapunzel to let down her hair.

I dub thee “Eco Buildings”. Sprout free, trailing greenies. Go forth, multiply. The ground is thy limit. Hmmm….get it?

Was that Poison Ivy talking in my head?

Did someone just mention “Get serious?!”

Follow the next trail…….