Melding Heritage with Relaxed Modernity

Alma House breathes new life into the former Nan Chiau High School with new service-apartments.

- Jon-Patric De Mello

It is often easier to gain perspective with a clean slate, as is so frequently the case with Singapore's ceaseless state of urbanisation. Historical buildings like the former National Library and National Theatre have been demolished to make way for newer, brighter and more modern iterations of themselves to serve the needs and desires of an increasingly modern population. Where it is deemed necessary - like with issues of structural integrity - the preservation of a heritage building cannot be expected to take precedence over the safety and usability of its construction. However, this is not always the case - and more often than not developers seem to favour the creation of something entirely new rather than building and improving on the structures of what exists. In essence, "new" is too often assumed to mean "better" - a fallacy that does not bolster the case for heritage. For this reason, kudos must be extended to those who can find inspiration in the pre-existing - who recognise that to be old is not to be mistaken for lack of value - and that there are stories to be conveyed in our heritage.