RE-CONNECTING MT. SOPHIA : A SYNTHESIS OF THE OLD AND THE NEW

Abstract

Residing in the heart of the city, Mt. Sophia plays an important role in the history and culture of education in early Singapore. Education for girls was first initiated by Methodist Girls’ School and Nan Hwa Girls’ School, which both still stand on Mt. Sophia along with other historical monuments like Adis Lodge and Trinity Theological College. According to the URA masterplan 2008, the entire Mt. Sophia is zoned under the “residential” landuse, with no allowance for commercial activity or education. If executed, the future Mt. Sophia will not only be an anti-thesis to the original integrity of the site which contributes no educational value, the addition of clusters of condominiums will further segregate this exclusive enclave from the city life and make this a rich man’s hill. In order to preserve the spirit of the site and to re-connect the hill back to the urban fabric, I am proposing the relocation of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy to this unique site which is situated at such proximity to the vibrant city life, but yet remains a serene and peaceful enclave in the eyes of many Singaporeans. Policy making in Singapore has always been taken for granted as a top down approach, as Singaporeans are often “talked to” by the government and hardly have a say in such tasks. By bringing the school nearer to the people with a healthy mix of commercial activities and office facilities, I aim to encourage more public interaction with our nation’s future leaders while inculcating a more bottom up approach of policy making in time to come.