TOWER GALLERY Sharne Sulaiman Chaw Chih Wen
for the common man of the future
Copyright Š 2017 by Sharne Sulaiman All rights reserved. Published in Singapore by shiraz by Sharne Sulaiman. Printed in the Republic of Singapore. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
C
M
Y
K
SIT
TE
History 1822 The Jackson Plan shows area unchartered. 1823 The Bugis are relocated from Kapong Glam to Kampong Bugis. 1825 A semblance of settlement is recorded.
1839 Names of roads are first sighted. Jalan Chonding- Skewed Road. Jalan MalintangAdjacent/Perpendicular Road. Jalan Sumpit- Blowpipe Road. Jalan Passar- Market Road.
1843 Rochor Market appears.
1846 Shophouses are clustered towards the Northeastern corner.
1854 Shophouses reach Southwestern corner. Road names change. North Bridge Road, Minto Road, Palembang Road, Java Road, Crawford Street. 1881 Industry is recorded on beach front.
1893 Industry grows to include shipyards and a foundry.
1927 The beach grows and accomodates more industry. 1958 A master plan to bypass Beach Road with Nicoll Highway via Merdeka Bridge is drawn.
Tabula Rasa 1967 Crawford is slated as part of Singapore’s island-wide urban renewal. Demolition begins for the Golden Mile developments. 1969 Planned blocks 1-9 are recorded. Western halves of streets are retained. 1972 Streets are completely removed. 1975 Beach Road Food Centre is completed, as are all HDB blocks. 1976 Mixed use commerical towers are built.
Intensity A flurry of development on site in the short span of 5 years has resulted in the architecture seen at the site today. What is present is an accumulation of divergent aspirations wishing to impose their versions of social and capitalist ideals. This is evidently felt in the clashing gridlines that occupy the site.
DIVERGENT ASPIRATIONS Total number of gridlines: 204
Predicted number of gridlines: 9728 Total number of intersections: 11,546 Expected number of gridlines: 214 Number of intersections in excess: 1818 (18.7%)
COMMERCIAL
VARYING TYPOLOGIES and MORPHOLOGIES Golden Sultan Plaza
Beach Road Food Centre
9 Beach Road
City Gate
8 Beach Road
7 Beach Road
1-6 Beach Road
14 Beach Road and Multistorey Carpark
Textile Centre
18 Beach Road
19 Beach Road
12 Beach Road
15 Beach Road
17 Beach Road
RESIDENTIAL
Masjid Hajjah Fatimah
INSTITUTIONAL
Kampong Glam Community Centre
The varying typologies as well makes the site aqcuire a sense of intensity. Each building is programmatically estranged and in tension with each other, each a monument and monolith to its own ideals. A culture of chaos arises from this.
EA
UNTIE STORAGE AUNTIE S TO
STORAG EA
UNTIE STORAGE AUN TIE STORAGE AUNT IE STO
KTV GIRL KTV GIRL KTV GIRL KT V GIRL
DELIR PATIN DELIR RA G
UN
LEANER CLEANER CLEAN ER CLEANER CLEANER
CHIEF CHIE F
EANER CLEANER CLEANER CLEANE R CLEANER CLEANE R CLEANECH IEF ACH R CLE N
TV GIRL K TV GIRL K TV GIRL
LK
IE STORAG E
IE STORAGE A
GIR
AUNTIE STORAG E AUNT
TV GIRL KTV GI R
KT V
T RL KTV GIRL KTV RL K GIRL KTV GIRL KTV GI
K
L KTV GIRL KTV GIRL
CLEANER CLEAN ER CLEANER CL
DELIRIUM
CLEANER C
TIE STORAGE AU NTIE STORAG KTV GIRL KT E AUNTIE V GIRL KTV GIRL KTV GI RL KTV GIRL KTV GI
V GI
RL K TV
AUNTIE STORAGE AUN TIE STORAGE AUNT
safety prohibitions
projectile spit
KTV
GIRL
KTV G
failed crime
CLEANER CLE ANEKT R V GIRL GIRL K
modernity vs modernity
GIRL
IRL KT V
aimless pa
T
EXPRESSING INSANITY THROUGH PATINA
UNTIE STORAGE AUNTIE S TO
EA
UNTIE STORAGE AUN TIE STORAGE AUNT IE STO
EA
STORAG
UN TIE STORAGE AU NTIE STORAG KTV GIRL KT E AUNTIE V GIRL KTV GIRL KTV GI RL KTV GIRL KTV GI
CLEANER C
KTV GIRL KTV GIRL KTV GIRL KT V GIRL
RA G
LEANER CLEANER CLEAN ER CLEANER CLEANER V GI
RL K TV G I
RL K TV
GIRL
KTV G
CLEANER CLE ANEKT R V GIRL GIRL K
AUNTIE STORAGE AUN TIE STORAGE AUNT
IE STORAGE A
TV GIRL K TV GIRL K TV GIRL
LK
IE STORAG E
AUNTIE STORAG E AUNT
TV GIRL KTV GI R
GIR
CHIEF CHIE F
KT V
T RL KTV GIRL KTV RL K GIRL KTV GIRL KTV GI
CLEANER CLEAN ER CLEANER CL
K
L KTV GIRL KTV GIRL
EANER CLEANER CLEANER CLEANE R CLEANER CLEANE R CLEANECH IEF ACH R CLE N
IRL KT V
T
CLILEDA ERCH DREN CLEAN CLEANER CLEANER
LDREN C H EN CHILDREN CHI
N CAT
ILDREN CHIL
NER CLEANER CLEA NER CLEANER
DRE REN CHILDREN CHIL
CHILDREN C CAT MAN
N CAT MA
TORA GE A U N T IE S TOR AGE
CHIEF CHIEF CHIEF CHIEF CHIEF LEANER CLEAN C R ANE LEANER CLE
NER CLEAN
CLEANER C ER CLEANER
N CHILDREN
CLEANER CLEAN CLEANER CLEANER
IE S STORAGE TORAGE AUNTIE ER CLEAN CL
N N CHILD HI CAT MA RE IEF C STOR ILD A G E CH A UNTIE EN STOR LD R A HILDRE ANER CLNECHI HILDREGNEACANER EANER CLEANER CLE UNTIE S
UNT
HAI W R ATNER CLOERKER WOR CLE RKE ERRTHCLAIEANE RK ANE CLE THAI ERWO
RIUM and NA RIUM and
ORA GE A
LEA
NE R
LEA
N
K OR
CLRE E ANER
LD
NC HIL
LD
CHI
CH ILD R EN
NER CL
NER CLE A
R C LEA NER NER
C
REN CHIL
R EEFANC EHRI AI WO REFTCHLCEHA RKE IN EFERC HCILEE F AC
WO HAI
HIL DRE
LCEAH NIEEFR CCHLI
HIE FC HRIEC F
C LE ANE R
CLE A
NER
CLE A
NER
C
I
FERC
EFCL CEHAI NE
CLE A
N
HIE F
CL
REN CH
A N E RC LEA NER
CLE
CL E ANE R C ER C LEANE LEA
AIH
ER TH
CLE ANE R
IECF L C E AHNIEEF RCCH LIEEFA
ORK ER THA
ORK ER
STO RAG E
U N T IE S TOR AGE
E AU NTIE
ER
ANE R
CH
CHI EF
RC LE
I L DR EN C HILD R
ILD REN
DRE NC NER CLEANER H
CH I
CH
DREN CH
ILD REN
LDR EN
CH IEF CH IEF CHIE
C
PATINA CL E ANE
LDREN C H EN CHILDREN CHI
N CAT MA
EF
RKE RT
CLE ANE R
KER THA IW
ER
ANE R
CL
UNT IE
ER
CHI
CHIEF CHIEF CHIEF CHIEF CHIEF LEANER CLEAN C R ANE LEANER CLE
CLILEDA ERCH DREN CLEAN CLEANER CLEANER
ILDREN CHIL
THA I WO
LDR E
STO RAG E
DR EN CH
LEA NER
DRE REN CHILDREN CHIL
N CAT
NE R
CLE
EF
CLE ANE R CLE ANTEH RAI CW LOE
TORA GE A UNT IE
AU N TIE STO RAG
R ASNKTO GE ER RA TCHLA A R EAI W N O
CL E ANE
HIE FC HRIEC F
NER CL
NC HIL
LCEAH NI E E F R CCHLI CH ILD R EEFANC R EN EHRIE HAI WO CH I R FTCL L C E D H A RE RKE IN EFERC HCILEE F AC HI
NER CLE A
ER
REN CHIL
WO HAI
C E H R I EFCL CEHAI NEFER CC
LEA
CILALDEREN TH I AWNOECHI RRKLC EDRLREETNA C HNAEHIRILDR C CHI WCOELN E H ER LEANER T REKA A EF CL E NELREAN KER AI NWEOR CHI ANE RC E KELREA C C RC FC LEA HIE NER LE A TNHEAR N F CEA IW CLOE RAKNEER R TC HLAEIA WNE
NER
ER CLE ANTEH RA THA
RC LE
DRE NC NER CLEANER H
DREN CH
I L DR EN C HILD R
I
NER CLEANER CLEA NER CLEANER
RC LEA NER N E R C LE ANE R
CH
CHILDREN C CAT MAN
CLEANER C ER CLEANER
HAI W R ATNER CLOERKER WOR CLE RKE ERRTHCLAIEANE RK ANE CLE THAI ERWO
NER CLEAN
CHIEF CHIEF CHIILDREN CH EF CH IL
CHI E
R CLEANER
I CWL OE
TV G
F
C
EN
R ASNKTO GE ER RA TCHLA A R EAI W N O
CH I
ILD R
scale 1:1250
N N CHILD HI CAT MA RE IEF C STOR ILD A G E CH A UNTIE EN STOR LD R A HILDRE ANER CLNECHI HILDREGNEACANER EANER CLEANER CLE UNTIE S
N CHILDREN
CLEANER CLEAN CLEANER CLEANER
IE S STORAGE TORAGE AUNTIE CLEANER CL
CHI EF
forgotten crisis
GIR LK TV
ANER C ERIEF CHIEF CHIEF CLEANCH CHIEF CHIEF CHIEF ER CLFEA
NHEIEF CHI EF
LEA NER
REN CH
L E A NER CLE ANE R
AIH
CL E ANE R C ER C LEANE LEA
ER TH
IECF L C E AHNIEEF RCCH LIEEFA N
CLE A
CLE lost experience ANE RC LEA NER CLE AN
OR KER THAI WOR KER THAI
KT V
AI W
IRL
ORK ER TH
E
CLE ANE R
W
THA IW
ILD REN
LDR EN CH
I AWNOECHI RRKLC EDRLREETNA C HNAEHIRILDR C WCOELN ER LEANER REKA FC NELREAN HIE C LE C FC AN HIE NER F CEA
CHI E
ORK ER THA I
free money
ORK ER
KTV G
THA IW
KER THA IW
UNT
IRL
CHI EF
ER
holy destruction
KTV G
EF
ORK ER T
CLE ANE R
AU N TIE
E AU NTIE
ORA GE A
NER
DR EN CH CILALDEREN TH
THEA CL E KER AI NWEOR ANE RC KELREA RC LE A TNHEAR IW CLOE RAKNEER R TC HLAEIA WN
STO RAG
athways
TV GIRL
CHIEF CHIEF CHIILDREN CH EF CH IL
CHI EF
F
LDR E
EF
CHI E
R CLEANER
NHEIEF CHI
CH IEF CH IEF CHIE
ANER C ERIEF CHIEF CHIEF CLEANCH CHIEF CHIEF CHIEF ER CLFEA
life and death
RESPO
PONSE
In this environment of tabula rasa, successive waves of fires and rebuilding, a “promethean enterprise” ingrained by the political climate of the late 1960s, is a willed absurdity (Koolhaas, 1995). The site’s divergent aspirations, seen from its wildly varying typologies built within a short duration of 5 years, are indicative of a collective delirium. These situated within a tight rectangle of about 520 m by 300 m give it an intense quality. The site’s historical madness, internalised by its residents, is expressed in its patina of the normalisation of insanity.
The new architecture must discern the insanity within the intensity. The new architecture must entwine itself with the site’s constant renewal, breaking free from the obligations of creating an eternal presence. It must stand as an unmoving observer, memorial almost, to the site’s past, present, and future. It must ensure a sense of separation yet inclusion in the site. But to withstand the test of time it must itself be imprinted by it- it must be able to observe or capture, or at least actively having the potential to do so, the future of the site. The
patination of time already evident in the site will continue in the new architecture. The placement of a community art museum requires questioning the nature of community. In an absurd inversion of inherent significance, the plural community is most fundamentally composed of the singular individual. Community is an ‘imagined’ rather than specific form of social interaction- it is shaped by individualist cognitive and symbolic structures. (Anderson, 1983) Community is realised upon an individual’s actu-
ation of role. Is community art by community? Is it art for the community? Or is community art from the community? To explore these questions the new architecture must serve as a reflective vessel to reveal the tension between self cognition and communal action.
COLLAGE In an attempt to understand the site in a more personal manner, I embarked on an experiment to experience the delirium myself in the context of renewal and patina. I found an A3-sized plate of copper and decided to corrode it with acetic acid (or vinegar). I created a special fume box to suspend the plate to let the gases work their full effect on the copper surface. After tarnishing it for a day, I’d clean off the blue oxidation with a scrub. This would be the renewal after an organic process of patination. And every day over the course of a week I’d do this- tarnish, clean, tarnish, clean.
And every day before cleaning the plate I’d cut out a piece of it as if to say I were excising a memory from this piece of work. After a while I discovered that this endeavor was wholly absurd and almost pointless; its cyclical nature was bringing the work no where, yet the gradual diminishing of the plate was mocking my conscientious efforts to complete the process till it was complete. In a demonstration of the pieces’ inherent stories of themeselves, and of their historical relationship to each other, I arranged them arbitrarily, suspended in mid-air, as a collage of their narratives.
ARCHITE
ECTURE
Tower For the architecture to surveil and observe the site (in order for it to make sense of the incomprehensible delirium), the historical profiles of each site are extruded upwards infinitely. This is a response to the capitalism of the site: tabula rasa will once again infect it, and it is highly likely that the next buildings to spring up will be taller towers, intensifying use of land through increased plot ratio in a continuation of the Singaporean capitalist pursuit.
Since the community art museum is programmatically divided, it must be linked with a relationship to survive in the site’s hostile and uncertain future. A visual relationship between the three indulges in a little game: Imagine as the taller, newer developments rise up replacing what exists on site, the museum towers grow upwards in response to that, re-establishing their relationship of separated programs when one tower may not function without another.
Key spaces are arranged at the top of each tower to ensure the visual relationship is established for the community art museum’s survival. They are created by tetrahedral modules enclosing the space. Vertical circulation is provided by means of an elevator. The
design for the community art museum is only but a snapshot in time- immediately after opening the public will begin to transgress the architecture, reappropriating and shifting the modules as they so wish, slowly changing the spaces designed for them.
HOW TO
The Tower’s TETRAHEDRAL modular system is the quickest and easiest way to organise all spaces. Choose from an extensive range of suggested combinations or personalise your own unique layout. TETRAHEDRAL can grow and adapt as your wants and needs change – whether you’re tired with the lighting or just want to erect a new partition. Your action is a record of time. For the finishing touches, choose lighting and fittings from the democratic PANEL TO TUBE series.
friend
2
3
steel
plastic
glass
wood
expanded mesh 4
1
5
2
6
3
7
4
8
5
9
6
10
FUTU
URE
In a regression so peculiar to human nature, and the site, the community art museum is no longer a participatory one. Instead, masses arrive to consume the next shock art. This time, a performance artist takes a 93m leap of faith towards certain doom, as crowds gathered on buildings below applaud his rush to an end. His life’s work is imprinted in concrete with flesh and bone.
To sustain the museum, the operations are taken over by a draconian government, who intends to make every success. Artists are dragged from graduation ceremonies directly to the printing press, infants manufacturing child-like art. Despite these disgusting abductions, it is all conducted in the highest point on Crawford Street.
Residents carve the tower to reclaim the river, pumping in 23,556 litres of water while sterilizing it. This elevated water body is packed with sightseers and thrill seekers. Indeed, beneath them is just a 12mm thick sheet of glass. They soon realize “true fun� is best experienced under their bellies- in the river that provided the water. The quest to rearrange the tower continues.
The institution decides to reinvent itself by printing not in 2 dimensions but in 3, and the extended network of robots soon gain sentience. It is believed that the structures are no longer able to bear their own weight as they continue to compete in height, reacting automatically to newly rising towers in the neighborhood. A seedy establishment calls the abandoned archives, dark and opaque, home. In a grotesque fashion, the printers printing themselves above mirrors the sodom below.
A site is held hostage by its deliruim. Through his project Tower Gallery, Sharne Sulaiman, tutored by Chaw Chih Wen of Hyphen Architects, attempts to discover what a commmunity museum can be. In a wild culmination, this book pieces together photographs, drawings, essays, diaries, of a compact corner of Singapore city- Crawford. The juxtaposition of words and images illuminates the condition of architecture, technology, and architectural education today.