Unraveling the Archive
Unraveling the Archive
Today, I visited the Raffles Archive early in the morning. Unfortunately, Arch. Andy Yong (non-alumni) couldn't join as he was attending to architectural work in KL, Malaysia. However, Julian Foo, Sng Hock Tiong, and Seet Chuan Hup were present, and we had a productive session. Cheryl was particularly supportive, facilitating parking and entry into the school.
Our focus was on understanding the history and exploring conservation possibilities for the Grange Road campus. Cheryl shared insights, notably the demolition of the old RI at Bras Basah Road, marked by a poignant moment when our former principal, Philip L, penned a poem, capturing his feelings about the transition.
From Cheryl Yap, a striking revelation was the preservation of old bricks from the demolished structures of Bras Basah, integrating them into the entrance wall of the hall at Grange Road in 1972, a tangible conservational performance art, a piece of artifact could contain all that thousands of words could not describe. This practice continued when the school moved from Grange Road to the new Bishan campus, further embedding history into the present architecture standing at the Bishan Campus. Intrigued by this narrative, I plan to delve deeper into the archive documents.
In the late afternoon, I had the opportunity to engage with Docomomo (A non-profit organization promoting conservational work) and discovered their 'Modernist 100' initiative, recognizing the architectural significance of the Grange Road Campus making their Modernist 100 Selection. This acknowledgment, beyond the school and alumni circles, underscores the broader interest in conserving the legacy of colonial influence and its impact on the educational history of Singapore.
The conversation concluded with an understanding of the importance of historical, social, and architectural dimensions in conservation, necessitating further exploration and investigation.
Sketches by Philip L.
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