Founders’ Memorial likely to open two years later than envisaged

SINGAPORE — It was scheduled to be completed in 2025 at first, but the Founders’ Memorial that will be built at Bay East Garden is likely to open in 2027 at the latest, possibly missing the 60th anniversary of Singapore’s independence. 

This was revealed on Thursday (Jan 10) by Mr Lee Tzu Yang, chairman of the 15-member committee in charge of conceptualising the memorial, which is expected to attract a million visitors yearly once open.

The committee had earlier hoped that the memorial could be completed by 2025, so as to "capture public enthusiasm and hopes for the memorial" when the 60th anniversary celebrations comes around.

However, the 2025 estimate was provided “before any site and ground studies were conducted”, Mr Lee said.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference to launch an international architectural design competition, he explained: “Given the extensive infrastructural works taking place around the site, we want to provide sufficient time to properly develop the site and the Founders’ Memorial, so that we can achieve the vision and visitor experience desired.

“We don’t want to rush this. We want to make sure that everything comes up together, so that the public has an ease of access and has other things... Although the memorial will be first on site, we don't want it to be leading everything else by years, (such) that it becomes isolated.”

On Monday, the Land Transport Authority announced that a new MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line will be added between Tanjong Rhu and Gardens by the Bay, catering to visitors of the future Founders’ Memorial.

The station will open in tandem with the memorial, which will sit on a 5ha site.

Mr Lee said it is more important that the committee got the planning “right, rather than to get this on time”.

“Unlike other public sector projects which are driven by a need for housing or roads and so on, (for this project) I think we want it to… last and sustain, and to have public support,” he added.

WANTED: FUNCTIONAL DESIGN, X-FACTOR

The architectural design competition, which was launched on Thursday, calls on architectural firms — both local and foreign — to come up with design proposals for the memorial.

At the first stage of the competition, participants will have to submit their proposals to a jury. Six finalists will be shortlisted by the panel and their proposals will be put out for selected members of the public to critique.

The finalists will have to further develop their concepts and submit their works by Sept 30.

The winning design for the Founders’ Memorial will be announced around January next year and a public exhibition will be held.

Jury member Tai Lee Siang, executive director of the BuildSG national movement under the Building and Construction Authority Singapore, said that designs should be “functionally superb”, be of excellent construction quality and possess an X-factor.

Mr Tai, who is also part of the committee, said: “It has to work as a memorial… meaning that the pedestrian flow, the whole experience must be fantastic, seamless.”

He said that the winning design should meet the budget for the memorial, which is still being worked out. The cost “should be similar” to other institutional buildings such as museums and galleries, he added.

Once operational, the Founders’ Memorial will boast temporary and permanent galleries, a visitor centre, as well as various multi-purpose rooms.

The area surrounding the memorial will include the new MRT station, a new pedestrian bridge linking the area around the F1 Pit Building to Bay Garden East, as well as a water-taxi stop. There will be various amenities such as food outlets and an event plaza.