5 teams on shortlist to design Founders’ Memorial
Competition attracted submissions from 193 architects from around the world
A competition to design a memorial to honour the pioneer leaders of Singapore has attracted submissions from a total of 193 architects here and overseas.
Five of the teams have since been shortlisted for the next stage of the architectural design competition, the committee for the Founders' Memorial said in a statement yesterday.
The five are 8DGE Design in collaboration with Ong Ching Ying; Cox Architecture in collaboration with Architects 61; DP Architects; Johnson Pilton Walker; and Kengo Kuma & Associates in collaboration with K2LD Architects.
Chief executive officer of DP Architects Angelene Chan, 54, said participating in the contest was a matter of national pride.
"This is a special project with deep social and historical significance. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to design and develop a project like this," she said.
The competition was launched in January to seek the best design for the new landmark located in a 5ha site in Bay East Garden in the Marina Bay area. The memorial, which will be housed in a garden, will cover the period in Singapore after World War II to its first few decades of independence, focusing on key milestones and stories in the country's growth.
The first stage of the competition lasted 12 weeks till April 5 and involved an anonymous judging process. The identities of the five teams that will move on to the second stage were revealed to the jury panel after they were shortlisted.
Mr Lee Tzu Yang, who is chairman of the Founders' Memorial committee and jury panel, said the submissions during the open design competition were strong and creative.
"Besides Singapore, we had many entries from overseas," said Mr Lee, who is also chairman of Esplanade.
There will be public engagement workshops on May 25 and 26, when Singaporeans who previously took part in similar sessions will be invited for an exclusive peek at the five shortlisted conceptual designs.
Those keen to join the workshops may e-mail Founders_Memorial@nhb.gov.sg
The five teams will refine their ideas and submit them at the end of the second stage of the competition on Sept 30.
The designs will be displayed for public viewing in November and more feedback will be sought.
The jury panel will evaluate the designs and choose a winner next year. Construction of the memorial is expected to start from 2021.
The committee had previously indicated that the Founders' Memorial could open by 2025, in time for Singapore's 60th year of independence.
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