The building that presently houses the Asian Civilisations Museum was built in 1864 by J. F. A. MacNair, the architect who also designed the Istana (formerly known as the Government House). The initial purpose behind the construction of this building was to house a new Court House. However, upon completion in 1865, it was immediately occupied as government offices of the Government (General) Secretariat. The building went through several upgrading and restoration, the first of which was in 1902 when the building received an extension at both ends to increase its size. Later in 1907, the Municipal Council named the area in which the building is located Empress Place to commemorate Queen Victoria’s visit to the island. As a result the building adopted the name Empress Place Building and remained as such till the 1980s.


Upon receiving self-government in 1959, this building was used by various government offices including the Immigration Department, the Muslim Registry of Religious Council of Singapore, the Registry of Births and Deaths and the Singapore Citizenship Registry. It was only in the 1980s that the building ceased to be used as government offices as the nation was embarking on a Civic and Cultural District Project and Empress Place was to be included for refurbishment. Upon completion, the building reopened on 7 April 1989 as an art museum known as the Empress Place Museum. It remained prominently as a museum for great ancient Chinese civilisations with its first exhibition showcasing furniture and artefacts originating from the Qing Dynasty.


The Empress Place Museum did not manage to last long however and was forced to close in 1995. The building was then offered to the National Heritage Board to turn it into an extension to the original Asian Civilisations Museum on Armenian Street. For this purpose, further restorations and extensions were started in March 1998 to convert the building and make it suitable for use as a museum. Conversion efforts were also undertaken throughout the process during which original foundations, carving details and an iron ring were discovered, the latter believed to have been used as a post for tying up of horses.


On 1 March 2003, the former Empress Place Building was reopened by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong as the second wing of the Asian Civilisations Museum. It is bigger than the original Empress Place Building which occupies only the current Southeast Asia and West Asia galleries. Due to its massive restoration effort, it went on to win the URA Architectural Heritage Award later that same year.




During our visit to the Asian Civilisations Museum, it was apparent to us that major effort had been undertaken to ensure the restoration and conservation of the neo-classical Palladian architectural style of that period. The building might be bigger and grander after many rounds of extension over the years but careful measures were ensured by the government to stick to the original architectural design that colonial buildings are often known for in the region. Located prominently within the tourist laden district of Singapore, buildings like this serve to inform visitors and viewers of our far and rich historical connection to the greater empire of Britain. The Empress Place Building in this case is aptly used as a museum that tells snippets of our history within the larger Asia.


At the Singapore River Interpretive Gallery on the 2nd Level (Free), the spotlight is placed primarily on the Singapore River, the heart and soul of the nation that had contributed significantly to its early growth, development and success. Commercial reusing of old buildings for purposes like this helps to draw the attention and interest of potential visitors as more often than not it appeals better to them as compared to a spanking new building that does not contain much historical significance regardless of its fresh and modern infrastructure.






*The Empress Place Building was declared a national monument on 14 February 1992.
** One might also be interested to check out the Singapore 2015 Time Capsule that is located on the field right in front of the Asian Civilisations Museum. It was sealed by the late Ong Teng Cheong on 29 December 1990 and contains significant items from the nation’s 25 years of independence. It will be opened in 2015 in commemoration of Singapore’s 50th Anniversary of Independence.

Labels: Asia, Asian Civilisations Museum, Empress Place, Empress Place Building, Museum, National Monument, Palladian Architecture, Singapore Museum

posted by Muse

********************

Before it was called Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, the building that sits prominently along Empress Place now was first known as the Town Hall. The foundation stone for the building of the Town Hall was laid by the Governor, Colonel W. J. Butterworth on 17 March 1855. It was built for the main purpose of staging local dramas and operas which were initially held at the old and irreparable Assembly Rooms. The main architect and designer of the Town Hall was none other than the Municipal Engineer, John Bennett, who completed the construction in 1862. The building however looked different than it does now. The original structure had only consisted of the current Victoria Theatre and did not reflect much of the 19th Century Palladian style that can be observed now.

Upon its completion in 1862, the Town Hall had a theatre on the ground floor and offices and meeting rooms for the Municipal Commissioners on the second floor. It served the community both as a venue for entertainment as well as administration. However, in 1893, the offices were forced to move out to make way for the growing population’s demand for entertainment. The building was not big enough to occupy the community for both purposes.


The Town Hall was used predominantly as a theatre until 1901 when it was decided that it should be incorporated into the design and building of a Memorial Hall in commemoration of the late Queen Victoria who had passed away on 22 January that year. The foundation stone was laid by Governor Sir Frank Swettenham on 9 August 1902. Architect R. A. J. Bidwell of Swan & Maclaren headed the project. He was responsible for the Palladian style that both structures of the Memorial Hall adopted, an architectural interest that was gaining popularity in British Singapore during that period. After successfully raising close to $400,000, work soon began on the construction of the Memorial Hall that included a new structure and an improvement of the existing Town Hall, altering its original design to match the Victorian Palladian theme of the Memorial Hall. A 54-metre Clock Tower was also installed, creating a common corridor that links both buildings in the centre.


The Victoria Memorial Hall was officially opened by Governor Sir John Anderson on 18 October 1905. A year later, in 1906, the Clock Tower was completed, having been delayed by sponsor Straits Trading Company in their donation of the actual clock and chimes. Work on the Town Hall was later completed and renamed the Victoria Theatre in 1909 with “The Pirates of Penzance” as its first performance on the opening night of 11 February 1909.

The Victoria Memorial Hall had been a witness to some of the country’s most significant periods of growth, from the trial of the Japanese war criminals of World War II (Sook Ching Trial) to the first meeting of the world’s longest running government, the People Action Party, on 21 November 1954. In 1979 the Victoria Memorial Hall went through major refurbishment and was renamed Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall. It has been home to some of the world’s most famous artistic endeavours of the 19th and 20th Century.


Standing in front of the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall now is the original bronze statue of Sir Stamford Raffles that was casted by T. Woolner at a cost of $20,466.10. It was officially unveiled on the Esplanade on Jubilee Day 27 June 1887 by Governor Sir Frederick Weld in commemoration of 50 years of Queen Victoria’s reign. In a centennial (100 years) celebration of Singapore in 1919, the statue was shifted to its present location in front of the Victoria Memorial Hall. It was surrounded by an elaborated structure that has now been replaced with a pool colonnade. A competition had been held for people of the island to come up with an inscription that best goes with the statue. Lim Koon Tye wrote the winning entry with an inscription that reads:

“This tablet to the memory of Sir Stamford Raffles to whose foresight and genius Singapore owes its existence and prosperity was unveiled on February 6th 1919 the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Settlement.”



The use and purpose of the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall has not changed much since it was first opened in 1862. It serves the needs of the society for theatrical entertainment and artistic delight and will continue to do so for years to come. The buildings have been well preserved and little damage or change has been done to its façade, still reflecting the beauty and grandeur of the old English architecture. In this case, preservation is wisely necessary in order to reflect the heritage of our colonial time. Having owed much of our early development and progress to the Englishmen of the colonial period, structures like this that one could easily identify as belonging to the Victorian period of English history allow us to pay due respect and gratitude to them. Arguable this may be as it is anyone’s right to say that their presence was not needed for our liberation. Nonetheless they had contributed significantly to our growth into a modern city state and by preserving such buildings that reflect their culture and presence, we show our gratitude towards them, certainly aiding further diplomatic ties in present and future times. It is a pity however that little appreciation is shown towards evidences of our glorious history. Most people would only know the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall as a place where concerts and performances are held occasionally and that it is probably one of the oldest venues for entertainment in the modern history of our nation. Little is known however about the process of preservation and development of the building over the years. In addition to the heightening obscurity of this building (metaphorically and physically), newer and better alternative venues for entertainment are springing up elsewhere. Places like the world-class Esplanade theatres pose a threat to the existence of the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall. Preference will always be directed towards a venue that is able to provide the best quality and most advanced technology to support performances that are becoming increasingly creative and challenging. If the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall does become obsolete in the distant future, Singapore would probably continue to preserve it as a historical monument and most likely only change the use and purpose of the building, a similar fate that had been bestowed upon other historical monuments such as the Old Parliament House (present Arts House).

Labels: National Monument, Palladian Architecture, Town Hall, Victoria Memorial Hall, Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall

posted by Muse

********************