4 Days in Singapore

Day 3

Marina Barrage, DP Architect, Esplanade, and SCAPE, are our destinations for today. Actually there’re also WOHA architect and National Library, but these destinations went for another bus.

Marina Barrage is the place where Singapore controls its water. It treats rain water into drinkable water here. And since Marina Barrage is located abut the sea, then it also works as a dam. So, when heavy rain comes, Marina Barrage pumps the water out to the sea in order to avoid Flood.

Why pumping out ? Why don’t they just open the dam and let the water just going out naturally ? well, it’s because they don’t want the sea water to contaminate the rain water they’ve collected. Since this rain water is the main resources for them to later be treated into drinkable water.

There in Marina Barrage, there’s also Singapore Sustainable Gallery. It’s where Singapore informs what they’ve done, and what are they going to do to make Singapore Sustainable. There’re so many models inside to inform us so much things, and they’re all presented well interesting. There’s also the model of Marina Bay to inform us how it works when heavy rain comes. And this model is located inside the honest concrete walled room completed with acrylic made board showing us some facts and information on it, a very cool room I think. And I do like it a lot.

 

Marina Barrage has also a green roof and solar park (somekind of park with many solar panel planted) on top of it. And this green roof extends from the ground floor to the top. A huge green roof facing one of the best view of Singapore. 

Done having some photographs on Marina Barrage, we went to DP Architect. DP arch, is a huge architecture firm, it’s undoubtly one of the best in Singapore. And one fun fact of DP Arch is, its office is located inside a Mall.  Yeah, they’ve built so many buildings, but they chose to just having spaces inside a Mall instead of building something cool for their office.

And my first impression about their space is, “this is how an architect office should be” , it’s almost all white and the space feels so comfy. They have a studio, a mini gallery or display room of their projects, a lounge with mini library to discuss some projects, and a meeting room. Well, I’ve been working in Architecture firm of my lecturer, and thinking of where I usually get to work, I’m feeling ironic.

There in DP arch, we were presented by a young Architect. I forgot his name, but considering the way he spoke, and what he presented, I guess he’s the principal. It’s so cool for me that a man on his age has become a principal of such huge Architectural firm like DP. Ahh, I wished I can have a chance to work there in DP for next semester or next year. Amin.

photographs of : Angela Rinta

During the presentation, I found out that DP Arch, has the main point in fulfilling clients needs. And one of my favorite words of all presentation is, “sometimes, you don’t have to make your building shout, sometimes you just need to make the invisible one, the point is, it supports what this building needs, the function of this building” . And what he meant as shouting building is Zaha Hadid or Frank Gehry like building. But it doesn’t mean that building something Zaha Hadid like or Frank Gehry like is bad. Well, it’s cool also, but you cannot always do that. Because if you keep doing that, then later, it wont be that cool anymore I think.

Next on, we went to Esplanade, it actually located just across the Mall where DP Architect is. Esplanade is a theatre, or concert hall, or something like that in function. It’s also sometimes called as Durian Building since its form look like so. Some people also said it Microphone Building since it also look like it.

We spent just a little time on Esplanade, since there’s nothing much to observe. The only interesting point is its Durian Skin, and we went to the almost roof top to take a closer look at it. Some people said that this Durian skin can move due to the movement and differences of sunlight. Some people said it’s impossible according to the framework. And so we have a little debate on the next day when we review our trip. I think it’s moveable because I think it would be cool if it is so. Hahaha! Do you think it’s moveable ?

Feeling not so much interested in observing Esplanade, we went to the Merlion to have some photographs. Well it’s located quite far form esplanade, but still reachable by walking. I actually really want to have one photograph with her in there. But due to the conditions, it’s impossible that time. And I don’t do anything to make it possible. So, I instead make a sketch of it and wished that someday this sketch will turn into one photograph. 

 

We have also a little story about this Merlion. So, there’s a guy named Ribas (not a real name), he had a story with a girl (should not be mentioned the name) , and there’s a rumors spread that Ribas, would finally  express his hugger-mugger love to the girl , he wanted to make a confession there near the statue of Merlion. But there’s no further information about it. Well, I hope he could get what he wanted. Haha!

Feeling tired already, we went to our last destination. It’ s SCAPE*. It’s actually a mall. But later it turns out to be a youth center. It has some retails just like what a mall usually have. But it also has some spaces for youth people to develop their talents or interest. 

photographs of : Angela Rinta

There’s a dance school, dance yard (if I may say so), social space, skate park, basketball field, youth radio station, and even game center (it’s not just game center like we usually go to just play online games. It’s a real CENTER).

And one more thing, Those retails they have there only sells some youth needs, whether it’s fashion stuffs or hobbies, they’re all only for young people. I hope that one day, I can have chance and everything it takes to  make this kind of youth center in Indonesia. Amin.