Dec 02 - Let’s take an architectural trip around Singapore and rediscover all the symmetrical perspectives of familiar landmarks in town before celebrating Christmas and embracing 2021.
Despite the circuit breaker period when outdoor, social life and much of urban construction works stood still, there are quite a few changes to the facade of Singapore’s built environment. We welcome newcomers like Apple Marina Bay Sands and State Courts Towers, await the completion of CapitaSpring, rejoice over the conservation of certain landmarks like Golden Mile Complex, and bidding farewells to the oldboys like Shaw Tower and Sentosa Merlion. This video captured the 2D, or symmetrical sides of the above buildings along with a selected number of national monuments, recently completed projects, and places that may soon disappear from the urban facade. The sequence is based loosely on the song “Singapore Town”, before I get too carried away exploring the symmetrical world.
In case you are not familiar, Wes Anderson is a famous American film director (and my favourite director). He has a distinctive visual and narrative style, especially in the use of symmetry and neat compositions. His famous works include The Grand Budapest Hotel, Moonrise Kingdom, Isle of Dogs and the upcoming French Dispatch. As an architectural photographer, I am naturally captivated by his works, which inspired me to create my first short film Corridors of Diversity a year ago. Now that I finally have some time, I decided to do this new project by capturing Singapore in a similar fashion to Mr Anderson. Hope you enjoy and wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Notable buildings featured and their architects:
CapitaSpring – Carlo Ratti Associati and Bjarke Ingels Group
SDE4, State Courts Towers – Serie + Multiply Architects
National Gallery – Frank Dorrington Ward, extension by Studio Milou
ACM – John Frederick Adolphus McNair, extension by GreenhilLi
Esplanade, Golden Mile Complex – DP Architects
Bras Basah Complex – Not sure who designed it
Bugis Junction – Design International
Mess Hall – Arc Studio Architecture + Urbanism
Funan – Woods Bagot
Raffles City – I.M. Pei
Supreme Court, Apple Marina Bay Sands – Foster + Partners
Marina Bay Sands, Jewel Changi Airport – Safdie Architects
Shaw Tower – Iversen, van Sitteren & Partners
Kampung Admiralty, Design Orchard, Parkroyal Pickering – WOHA Architects