Our journey home from New Zealand took us via Singapore. I lived in Singapore as a child, but had never been back. I was eager to see it again — and to photograph it! The contradictions between Singapore and New Zealand couldn’t be greater: New Zealand is characterised by beautiful landscapes, hardly any people, and lots of peace and quiet; Singapore, on the other hand is characterised by amazing architecture, huge shopping centres and a thriving economy that forms a force to be reckoned with in the region — and indeed the world.
Sophie planned out our itinerary for New Zealand; I was responsible for our three day visit to Singapore. I wanted to see where we lived back in the late 70s (years I remember well!), but I also wanted to see as many of the highlights Singapore has to offer the photographer if you only have three days.
Changi airport — and The Jewel
The first highlight you absolutely have to see, is The Jewel, at Changi Airport. We went straight there after our arrival. Changi airport is amazing in itself, but right at the heart of it sits this 7 storey elliptical building that houses layer after layer of premium shopping experiences and restaurants, with an enormous tropical forest and the world’s tallest indoor waterfall at the heart of it. It is absolutely mind-blowing, and as far as I am concerned, should be considered one of the Seven wonders of the world! It’s stunning!
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Spiral staircase at Fort Canning
If you plan your itinerary for Singapore by browsing Instagram, you will quickly find this is one of the most photographed spots in the city. To be honest, it wasn’t that important to me, but it was close to the next spot I wanted to see, so I figured we would give it a go.
We set out very early, because midday in Singapore can become really hot! But when we got to the staircase, we were surprised to see a loooooong queue of young people, all waiting in line with their smartphones in hand, to take their photo in the exact same spot. I asked Sophie to stand off to the side on a higher level and took a few quick shots. Carrying a professional camera and lenses means you have more options — I was able to take these shots without getting in the way of the smartphone crowd. The only drawback is I didn’t quite get the full oval at the top of the staircase in.
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The Old Hill police station
One building I absolutely wanted to see was the Old Police Station, now known as the Ministry of Communications and Information building. The building dates back to the 1930s and was originally the Police Headquarters of Singapore.
What makes the building visually unique is the hundreds of timber shutters painted in a full spectrum of colours — often said to represent the diversity of Singapore. For photographers, this building is a gift. The combination of classical colonial architecture and the almost graphic use of color creates endless possibilities. You can shoot it symmetrically from the front, explore repetition and rhythm from an angle, or isolate details for more abstract compositions.
Another advantage is accessibility. The building sits along a relatively open street, giving you room to experiment with different focal lengths and viewpoints. Early morning is ideal if you want cleaner compositions, while later in the day you can incorporate more urban activity for storytelling.
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Marina BAY SANDS – a wonder in the clouds
You cannot visit Singapore and not see the Marina Bay Sands hotel. It is the crown jewel of Singapore’s transformation from a former British colony to a significant independent player on the economic stage, and a centre of commerce and business in Southeast Asia.
Sophie and I visited the observation deck, which is on the 54th floor. An interesting fact: for her birthday in May I took Sophie to a restaurant on the 52nd floor of the tallest building in the Benelux. That was high, but it had no observation deck! It’s quite amazing to stand outside on such a deck and feel the hot Singaporean sun and take in the views!
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From the observation deck you have really great views in any direction! You have a great view of the skyscrapers that make up downtown Singapore; the ships that are waiting at the shore; the gardens at the bay, and just the impressive city Singapore is!
I find the story of Singapore inspirational, and the leadership of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew exemplary. Singapore became a sovereign nation in 1965, and has since developed from a Third World nation to a First World nation. That’s a pretty amazing thing to do for a country with no natural resources. Moreover, it has become a garden city — which is obvious everywhere you go: yes, there are lots and lots of (very interesting) buildings, but the city is also very green!
Growing up in Singapore I was always fascinated by the many ships at anchorage in front of the shore. That situation has not changed. A third of all ships have to pass Singapore on their journey to their destination. Some days there are more than a 1.000 ships lying at anchorage!
The lion and the city
Merlion, the Sea Lion is the mascot of Singapore. I remember this statue spitting out water from growing up. Of course, that was another photo spot to visit. I love how the skyline of ‘downtown Singapore’ (the business district) shows up behind the lion. “To us Chinese, water is like wealth,” I heard one tour guide say: “Merlion is injecting more and more wealth into Singapore”.
chinatown
Everybody who has travelled to Singapore will tell you: ‘you have to go visit Chinatown!’ The food, the colours, and the sense of Chinese culture… all wonderful ingredients in a colourful part of downtown Singapore.
But I had a personal reason to visit Chinatown. I was seven when we moved from the Netherlands to Singapore. The Singaporean government had asked for assistance from the Netherlands: they wanted a Dutch city planner. And so my dad, a city planning engineer trained at the Technical University of Delft, was sent to Singapore with his family to help the Singaporean government as they developed their city — a city rapidly growing and dealing with massive issues: overpopulation, a lack of clean water, illiteracy, to name a few issues.
I was young at the time, but it was clear it was not a great match. His Singaporean supervisors at URA (Urban Redevelopment Authority) did not feel they needed help from some Dutch engineer. I am not sure that my dad, for his part, really understood the Singaporean dream. His philosophy, following Dutch city planning thinking, was all about ‘the human scale’ (de menselijke maat). Their thinking was, I gather, about development and economic dominance. Those are competing visions — take one look at my photo of Merlion and downtown Singapore behind it, and you will see what I mean.
But it would seem his time in Singapore had one happy result. One day he heard his superiors talking about the redevelopment of Chinatown. To them, Chinatown was poor, dirty, run-down — a relic of a past Singapore was leaving behind. Space was needed for more corporate buildings.
My dad pleaded with them not to destroy Chinatown, but rather to clean it up and make it attractive again. He made the point that Chinatown was also beautiful, and reflected a cultural heritage they should be proud of — and that the people of the world would want to see.
Apparently it was a rare occassion, but they listened to him. The plan to demolish Chinatown was cancelled. Now, I don’t know if his was the only voice, or even a significant one in the maintenance of Chinatown. But my dad, not a proud man or one given to boasting, always felt he had done a good thing by helping rescue Chinatown.
So here, in honour of my dad, are some of my photos of Chinatown. And yes: the food is great, and the atmosphere is wonderful. You SHOULD go see Chinatown!
the trees and the fountains
OK, this is really cool. Sophie and I went to the light show at the Supertree Grove in the Gardens by the Bay. These shows are held every night right as the sun sets, and they are fantastic! Pure magic!
After the light show ends there is a fountain show on the other side of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. So the whole crowd moves there. It’s a bit of a walk, but you pass underneath the observation deck of the hotel, which is even more impressive at night. The fountain show is also amazing — but near impossible to photograph. So, no pictures 🙂
One more skyline
We did much more in Singapore. We ate lots of interesting meals, visited a temple, explored the metro, and yes, went back to my old neighbourhood. Coming from New Zealand, we struggled some with jet lag, which, together with the heat and humidity, created a bit of a challenge. But the odd thing was: I felt quite at home. It’s been 50 years since I first arrived in Singapore. I am thoroughly thrilled and impressed to see how the city has developed. Well done, Singapore!
OK, one last skyline… notice the prominent place this Apple Store has…
