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What's Gone - Thanks For The Memories!
Places - National Theatre
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The National
Theatre, in Clemenceau Avenue, was built by
the architect Alfred Wong and Partners(2)
in 1963. It had a capacity of 3,420 seats.
Its demolition was carried out in June-August
1986.(3)
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It was
one of the great symbols of nationhood of the
1960s celebrating the emerging independent
Singapore. The money for its construction was
collected by public subscription and the building
was given a revolutionary new design. |
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The
great cantilevered roof and the auditorium open to
the air signified the freedom and collectiveness
of the nation. At the beginning of 1984, a new era
in the development of the community was reached
when the National Theatre was condemned on
structural grounds and on the ground that it had
outgrown its usefulness. Certainly it had become
too hot for audiences now accustomed to
air-conditioning, and traffic noise had been
effectively excluded, a disturbing distraction
from the performances being held there.(1) |
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The
National Day Rally was held here from 1966 to
1982. It was delivered by Mr LEE Kuan Yew who was
Prime Minister then.(4) |
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Credits: |
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(1) Page
159, 160 A History of Singapore Architecture - The
Making of a City by Jane Beamish & Jane Ferguson.
(ISBN 9971 947 97 8) |
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(2) Alfred
Wong and Partners was one of the first post-war
generation of architects to return to Singapore. The
firm was also the architect for Catholic Church of St
Ignatius, Catholic Junior College, Church of St Francis
of Assissi, Church of the Holy Spirit, Furama Singapore
Hotel & Shopping Centre, Garden Hotel, Marco Polo
Hotel, Peninsula Hotel, Peninsula Plaza, School for the
Blind, Scotts & Ascott, Singapore Mint, Singapore
Polytechnic, & Whitehouse Apartments. - Page
586,
Singapore - A Guide To Buildings, Streets, Places by
Norman Edwards & Peter Keys. (ISBN 9971 65 231 5) |
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(3) Page
239 Singapore - A Guide To Buildings, Streets, Places by
Norman Edwards & Peter Keys. (ISBN 9971 65 231 5) |
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(4) Page
3 The Straits Times, 1 Aug 2001 |
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What's New - What's Gone