NATIONAL FESTIVAL HEADQUARTERS CUM TRAVEL CENTRE : AN URBAN TRANSITIONAL SPACE

Abstract

Orchard Road. Singapore's pride of a shoppers' paradise is presently 'disconnected' from the heart of our city, the Cultural Zone (demarcarted in the recent URA's master plan of a Civic District for the city). This 'fracture' occurs at the Dhoby Ghaut junction as traffic lanes chaotically criss-cross and divert into several directions while Dhoby Ghaut itself lies as a flat grassland with two points serving as ingress and egress into the 'inert' MRT station beneath. What potential untapped and wasted ?!! This Thesis therefore sets out firstly to recover this potentially dynamic piece of 'lost' urban space and secondly to create an Urban Transitional Space neccessitated as visitors move from the commercial corridor of Orchard Road into the Cultural Zone of Bras Basah Park or vice versa. As Singapore becomes the economic and cultural centre in the region, the increase in volume of Festivals (especially in the Arts), would make it necessary for the cultural department to have a permanent setup and space where such affairs may be managed. The National Festival Headquarters cum Travel Centre is therefore conceived because of this need to boost the nation's capability in handling these festivals. Architectually. the Headquarters will provide the ambience for national festivities, supported by both events (especially fringe events) and information ( local and regional). This atmosphere should also serve as the 'natural' setting for Singaporeans to engage themselves in the search for a national identity through the arts. Geographically Dhoby Ghaut is strategically located in the narrow 'valley' between the historic Fort Canning Hill and Mount Sophia. This site presents opportunities for integrating the Head· quarters with the existing Dhoby Ghaut MRT station which serves as a natural 'magnet' to visitors. Architecturally the buiding could act as a 'dam' calling a halt to the commercial activities and introducing cultural activities to signify the begining of the Cultural Zone in the 'reservoir' created. As a festive space, this thesis will also explore the usage of light structures as an appropriate architectual languge to depict the flambouyant and transcient nature of festivals. The headquarters is in close proximity to the ISTANA (the government house) entrance. A linkage between these two spaces will be part of the proposal to capitalize on the benefits it gives. Finally, this headquarters lies along the Ceremonial Route as mapped out by the Civic District Plan for celebration purposes. Its presence would heighten the experience of such processions and bring about a collectice memory of its existence as .... …. The National Festival Headquarters.