Old SJI building could house new Singapore Design Museum
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The National Heritage Board has begun feasibility studies at the 160-year-old building.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE ART MUSEUM
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SINGAPORE – The former site of the Singapore Art Museum (SAM), the old St Joseph’s Institution building in Bras Basah, could soon house the new Singapore Design Museum.
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong said in Parliament on March 10 that the National Heritage Board (NHB) has begun feasibility studies at the 160-year-old building – the first official announcement for the civic district national monument since it was vacated in 2019 for a $90 million revamp.
If found suitable, the building will house an addition to the arts and heritage institutional circuit here that spotlights Singapore designers and design firms, including those related to fashion, architecture and urban planning.
The initiative comes amid increasing global success for Singapore designers. During the debate on his ministry’s budget, Mr Tong cited the successes of fashion designer Andrew Gn, Singapore-based jewellery brand State Property Fine Jewellery – whose pieces have been worn by former US first lady Michelle Obama and singer Lady Gaga – and home-grown architecture firm Woha, describing the field as one with “untapped potential”.
Without indicating any monetary amount allotted to the museum, Mr Tong said: “(The) Singapore Design Museum would increase public understanding and appreciation of the importance of good design... and boost the growth of Singapore’s design sector, which can also be an additional engine in our arts economy.”
Collating design activities into a museum can create a “centre of gravity” for creatives and a laboratory for practitioners, with knock-on benefits for businesses. “Good design makes our lives better, and can also be a key driver of innovation, value creation and international branding for Singapore businesses.”
Mr Tong’s announcement puts a stop to speculation surrounding the national monument building,
The Straits Times understands that NHB studies will take at least a couple of years, extending the vacant period at the civic district building to nearly eight years.
In the meantime, SAM has been providing basic maintenance works for its former site, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth told ST separately. The ministry is also working on further conservation works to keep the colonial building in shape.
The new design museum is likely to use as its foundation a design collection that has in recent years been developed by NHB, SAM, the Urban Redevelopment Authority, National Library Board and DesignSingapore Council. This contains objects and works by Singaporean designers and architects, as well as those from the South-east Asian and Asian regions.
Highlights of this collection include a conservation proposal in W Architects’ archive adapting Boat Quay shophouses, and a dress with decorative buttons referencing Peranakan jewelled brooches, called kerosang, by designer Andrew Gn.
The new design museum will join the Asian Civilisations Museum and the ArtScience Museum in Singapore’s design and fashion space.
More details about the new museum will be shared in time, said Mr Tong.
From August, those in the heartland can also look forward to five public art commissions by the National Arts Council (NAC), as part of a new systematic scheme to familiarise more people with the vocabularies of contemporary art.
The artists and exact locations have not been confirmed, but NAC’s director of visual arts Tay Tong said the towns include Bishan, Toa Payoh and Punggol. The scheme extends the display period of art at these envisioned “township markers” to beyond 12 months so that the works will have a longer-term presence.
There will be also be workshops with residents, public art activations and talks at these locations, with more art commissions expected later on.
