SPOTLIGHT / 30 YEARS OF CONSERVATION
Reflecting on conservation efforts over the years, Desmond Lee, Second Minister for National Development shared in his speech at the annual 25th Architectural Heritage Award and the launch of “30 years of conservation” exhibition on 21 October 2019:
“Our conservation journey started as early as the 1960s, when we began to safeguard older areas of our city. At this time, urban renewal was an urgent task, and many people did not quite see the value in keeping older buildings. I think you cannot look at it from today’s lens, but put yourself in the shoes of Singapore back then in the 1960s, and the kinds of imperatives, pressures, that Singapore then was under.
Thankfully, our pioneers saw the importance of protecting our built heritage. At the same time, they recognised that conservation had to be done pragmatically and with careful selection. Buildings needed to serve new purposes with new times, and continue to contribute to Singapore’s progress and development. Putting this philosophy into practice, URA launched the conservation programme in the 1980s, with the first phase of large-scale conservation. Since then, we have continued to expand the footprint of our conserved landscape.
At the formative stages of our journey, partnerships were key, and they remain so today. The support of building owners, the professional industry and the heritage community has been integral to our conservation efforts. Looking back on this journey, we celebrate not just 30 years of hard work, but also 30 years of partnerships, 30 years of trust.”
In remembering these 30 years, we present highlights from a special supplement featuring 30 individuals who contributed to shaping and sustaining Singapore’s built heritage. The full supplement is available here.