Re-imagining Singapore's historic former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station through a tapestry of reawakened civic spaces.
LOCATION: Singapore, Singapore
DATE: 2024
CLIENT: Urban Redevelopment Authority
STATUS: Competition - 3rd Prize
SIZE: 8,150 sqm
ACME: Emily Chan, Javier Gonzalez Acedo, Friedrich Ludewig, Thomas Soo, Chuxiao Wang
The historic former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, a National Monument, is the key southern gateway into Singapore's Rail Corridor and point of entry to the city's Central Business District and future Waterfront District.
By integrating historical preservation with modern functionality and lush greenery, the site will be transformed with interconnected spaces that celebrate heritage and new communal experiences. The concept of “tapestry” symbolises a woven story of our interconnected history, cherished memories and a shared vision for the future. This tapestry intertwines the threads of the past and future to form a cohesive narrative that honors the legacy of the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.
Our aim is to “reawaken” a series of spaces to reflect the rediscovery and revitalisation of this site that have been neglected. This reawakening signifies the emergence of these spaces anew, breathing life into the forgotten past and reimagining their potential for the future. For example, a vast former carpark is transformed into a vibrant public square bound by terraced seating on a green mound. The human scale of the new square encourages play with interactive water fountain for children, which can also be used as an amphitheatre for outdoor cultural performance.
The former warehouse is stripped back to reveal its true industrial roots of exposed brickwork and timber roof truss. A linear, full height space features dividable spaces with folding partitions. Original accordion doors are retained to allow easy flow of people into this multifunctional space hosting art fairs, food festivals and art events.
Jury's comments: "The scheme challenged the imagination in creating new opportunities for the public to appreciate the TPRS building in ways that were not originally intended, and was bold and ambitious in allowing the community to explore different parts of the building that were not accessible nor exposed given its former use. This scheme has pushed the boundaries in modifying the interior spaces of the TPRS building by removing the original second floor hotel rooms within the main railway station building to create a bright and inviting arrival courtyard to the central hall. It also proposed the removal of more recent additions such as the floor slabs and rear hotel extensions within the building to create a double-volume gallery space and sunset terrace respectively. The overall scheme was thought-provoking and prompts discussions of what design strategies can legitimately be employed, and which historical features of the building should be retained or allowed to be altered without affecting its architectural integrity, while the building is put to a new use."
