During a three-week internship at the National Heritage Board (NHB) arranged by our school, my fellow interns and I researched British colonial buildings in Dover–Medway and Sembawang Naval Base, each writing an article on our findings.
The experience changed how I think about decisions concerning the conservation of architectural heritage: should we assume that a historic building can be demolished to meet land needs before its significance has been reassessed?
In land-scarce Singapore, conserving historic buildings often comes into conflict with urban development.
Yet once a heritage building is demolished, the historical value it holds is difficult to recover. The Japanese Theatre in Sembawang was built by Allied prisoners of war during the Japanese Occupation in the Second World War to screen propaganda films. Learning about its past on site gives us a deeper understanding of what earlier generations experienced.
If the Central Business District lost Lau Pa Sat, or Chinatown its old shophouses, these places would inevitably lose their sense of history.
Heritage buildings hold the shared memories of generations of Singaporeans. When we demolish them, we lose not just their physical value, but also the memories people have made within them.
I do not believe urban development and architectural heritage conservation are a zero-sum game. Giving old buildings new uses can preserve their historical character while meeting contemporary needs.
Margaret Market in Queenstown has become an indoor marketplace within the SkyOasis @ Dawson HDB development. The seven-storey training tower at the former Jurong Fire Station has been incorporated into a children's playground at the Boon Lay Glade HDB development.
If heritage buildings continue to serve practical purposes, they become community spaces rather than static historical artefacts.
Of course, adapting old buildings for new uses is not a cure-all. Restoration is costly, and works may face structural constraints. Even so, we should explore alternatives to demolition first.
On the question of how to repair the red-brick facade of Block 497 in Tampines Street 45, architectural photographer Darren Soh suggested online that targeted repairs, rather than repainting, would preserve the block's distinctive character.
The standards used to decide whether to conserve or demolish heritage buildings are uneven. Demolition and redevelopment are often treated as the default approach to development, whereas a building must first be studied by NHB before it can be conserved.
But a building that has not been studied is not necessarily without cultural value. Conservation requires a rigorous justification, and demolition proposals should too. Why can the building not be retained or adapted for another use? Are there other sites available?
Our approach should not be “large-scale demolition can proceed unless someone objects”, but “weigh the benefits and costs of development and conservation beforehand”.
Therefore, before deciding to demolish a building, we should question the need for demolition as well as assess the case for conservation. I hope the value of architectural heritage will be given full recognition in future, allowing Singapore to retain its soul as it develops.
