7 landmarks in Bugis-Bras Basah area to be lit up

Lesser-known arts venues among buildings chosen this year for National Day light-up

August sees the annual light-up of civic, cultural and historical landmarks, and for Singapore's 56th birthday this year, the Bras Basah-Bugis precinct will be bathed in red and white.

Unlike last year's focus on big hitters such as the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, and The Arts House, lesser-known arts venues such as the National Design Centre, Objectifs - Centre for Photography and Film and the Stamford Arts Centre have also been chosen this year.

The Cathay, which was the tallest building in Singapore and South-east Asia when it opened in 1939, has also been selected. It was the first air-conditioned cinema and the first cinema to screen American and British films here at the time.

Rounding up the crew of seven put together by the National Heritage Board (NHB) are the Central Fire Station, the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd and the National Museum of Singapore. All seven buildings will be lit every night next month from 7.30pm to midnight, in conjunction with the usual light-ups in the civic district.

This year's selection of buildings also illuminates interesting but forgotten histories.

Nestled at a busy junction opposite the National Library, the National Design Centre occupies the former premises of the erstwhile St Anthony's Convent, founded by the Portuguese 120 years ago to help the poor and disadvantaged.

Stamford Arts Centre, a flat and squat structure that does not really stand out in Waterloo Street, was first built in 1920 as a Japanese elementary school. It has since served as a recreation centre for the British military and as the school grounds of Gan Eng Seng School and the Stamford Girls' School.

A slew of programmes will be held online by the NHB to help people get into the mood for National Day amid the Covid-19 pandemic. These include performances, storytelling sessions, short film screenings and heritage games. For instance, in the National Day monumental hunt, players will search for hidden items around the Padang, where numerous National Day Parades (NDPs) have been held since 1966.

The Indian Heritage Centre will screen via its Facebook page a programme that features local comedians Kumar and Siti Khalijah talking about what culture and heritage mean to them while serving up a savoury Indian dish well loved by Singaporeans.

This year's NDP has been postponed to Aug 21, after the end of the latest round of Covid-19 restrictions, although a ceremonial parade will still be held on Aug 9.

It was decided the parade should go ahead despite some calling for its cancellation because of the pandemic, with the authorities underscoring its importance in bringing together Singaporeans from all walks of life to affirm the country's unity and nationhood.

The NDP had been planned as a large-scale event to demonstrate Singapore's commitment to a new normal, but the rise in cases and still insufficiently high vaccination rates have led to the review of its scale and timing.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 31, 2021, with the headline 7 landmarks in Bugis-Bras Basah area to be lit up. Subscribe