THE GRAND OLD DAME Allegories of Istana Woodneuk
THE GRAND OLD DAME
Allegories of Istana Woodneuk
MIRRAH NAJIHAH
THESIS SUPERVISOR: PROF. HO PUAY PENG (DR.)
The thrill of encountering long-forgotten halls and corridors and piecing together the shards of history left behind. I grabbed my camera and went out to photograph a decaying edifice-Istana Woodneuk.
Historical homes that fail to qualify as unique historical importance are either demolished in the name of development or simply left abandoned. These conservation rejects are mostly grand old dames and private properties that are not tracked. Nature thrives as architecture dies and in the overlapping process, these abandoned complexes become objects of great interest for urban explorers where stories are birthed through their experiences of exploring these sites.
Remains of Istana Woodneuk are set against a backdrop of seclusion as the sprawling plot right beside The Botanic Gardens is still currently under private property of the Sultan of Johor. Ambiguous borders, ownership concerns and spooky stories plagues the narrative of this once Grand Dame.
This thesis will attempt to respond to these constraints while preserving Istana Woodneuk as a irreplaceable material for cultural and historical investigations by uncovering its lost heritage & re-contextualise forgotten stories of its past, present and future through the experiences of 3 different personas namely the royals, the villagers and the explorers who patronise its grounds.
SUPERVISOR’S COMMENT
Mirrah’s thesis started from a broad research of forgotten istanas of singapore where she uncovered the history of the abandoned Istana Woodneuk. Her project aims to bring visitors to experience three scenarios based on the royalty, the servants and the explorers representing three perspectives of the life and decay of the Istana. The design of the structures on the ground and intervention of the Istana building itself provides the setting for these experiences; to remember the past and finding new significance for the future of the site. Treatment of the ruined building into three sections respect the heritage value of the site intertwined with the spirit of the modern-day urban explorer. The series of graphics strongly communicate atmospheric qualities and compliments the narrative of the conservation project.
