Here’s another exciting design that made it into the round of finalists for the Singapore 2010 World Expo Pavilion, this time by Ministry of Design (MOD) (for the winning pavilion design by Kay Ngee Tan Architects, click here). The title of the MOD proposal is “SINGAPORE IS ALCHEMY”.
“Singapore is an attitude, a process - which can lead to the attainment of ultimate wisdom; the achievement of immortality; through the elixir of life; and finally an ultimate transmutation into ‘gold’, the mythological sorcerer’s stone in “Harry Potter”, the spiritual path.”—Ministry of Design
This is how the architects describe their project:
More than a mere enclosure to house life, the Singapore Pavilion is conceptualized as an icon that is literally given life and a distinct 3-dimensional form by the myriad of activities it contains.
The building’s form is determined by the activities that occur within its walls and beneath its surface. When viewed from the Plaza, the building appears to be a dense collection of red volumes centered around an amphitheater space. When one walks around the building however, it begins to reveal what happens inside it. The red walls fold away to uncover the bustle of life and activity within and it becomes evident how each one of these activities impacts the building’s external form. The building is simultaneously external form and internal space. Form does not merely follow function; it captures its intensity and essence.
The Singapore Pavilion allows the visitor to appreciate the forces that have shaped it – capturing the alchemistic process through its architecture, space and form.
The Pavilion is designed to face the plaza and to draw from its energy as a central gathering point. From here, the visitor gravitates towards the Pavilion and can experience the energy from the projections or performances around the amphitheater space. Upon entering the building, the rest of the visitor’s journey continues on the interiors.
The interior journey is conceptualized 2 ways. Firstly, there is the main visitor journey that all visitors experienced. This allows for a high volume of visitors to flow through the Pavilion to glean the central theme through the permanent exhibits and AV presentation.
For visitors interested in digging deeper or experiencing more, there is a second journey. Occurring on the second level above the main hall, the smaller galleries, theaters, and classrooms house changing exhibits, interactive classes, displays or performances. This allows the visitor to experience a deeper level of interaction and exchange.
The Alchemstic Process: Singapore has taken a little island with little natural resources and transformed it into a model city-state characterized by globalism, hybridity and multiplicity. This is real alchemy: acquiring, processing and transforming the Mundane into the Magical.
Once inside the pavilion, visitors can interact with Chek Jawa eco-system’s starfish and sea life under glass, learn about biotechnology investments through the Stem Cell Research Tunnel, or pit a Chinese Cabinet minister against an Indian athlete at the 3-meter-long soccer table celebrating our enviable racial harmony. Visitors can also enjoy drinkable treated Newater at the Water Bar or enroll in the Ideas Lab to become part of the Alchemistic magic.
Project Team
Colin Seah, Ministry of Design (Architectural Design Director)
Ong Keng Sen, Theatreworks (Artistic Director)
Chris Lee, Asylum (Creative Director)
Vernon Teo, CPG Productions (Project Director)
Images: Ministry of Design
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