Singapore star kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder wins European Championships, retains title
SINGAPORE: Singapore star kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder successfully defended his Formula Kite European Championships title on Monday (May 19) after holding his nerve to snatch victory on the final day of racing.
The 18-year-old pipped Italy's Ricardo Pianosi, winning the first two races in the medal series to take the crown.
In the opening series, Pianosi topped the fleet with 18 nett points, landing him one match point and automatic qualification to the medal series. 18-year-old Maeder scored 40 nett points and placed second, which meant that he too qualified automatically.
Going into the final day of racing in Urla, Türkiye, Pianosi needed just one more match point in the four-man final to take the title.
However, it was the Singaporean who kept his nerve and sealed the victory after two straight race wins. Pianosi took silver and Switzerland's Gian Andrea Stragiotti the bronze.
Maeder started the year by retaining his title at Trofeo Princesa Sofia Regatta in Palma, Mallorca, last month.
He finished ahead of Pianosi and Austria's Valentin Bontus.
The Singaporean then took silver at the French Olympic Week event in Hyeres, France, in late April behind Pianosi.
The world's top-ranked kitefoiler had a sensational run of form in 2024.
In August last year, he ended Singapore's eight-year wait for an Olympic podium finish since swimmer Joseph Schooling won gold in 2016. Maeder, then 17, also became Singapore's youngest Olympic medallist.
He then went on to win four consecutive titles after his bronze showing in France, taking the Austrian leg of the KiteFoil World Series, the 2024 Formula Kite Asian Championships in Daishan, China, the Italian leg of the Kitefoil World Series and the Formula Youth European Championships in October.
Maeder's compatriot Ryan Lo notched a significant milestone at the ILCA 7 Men's World Championships in Qingdao, China, over the weekend.
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CNA
8 hours ago
- CNA
'A city without history is harder to love': The emotional case for preserving Singapore's heritage through conserved buildings
For former national shuttler Wong Shoon Keat, the Singapore Badminton Stadium along Guillemard Road is more than just a sporting venue. It was here in 1983 that Mr Wong, then 26, made history clinching Singapore's first men's singles gold medal in badminton at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. Recounting those days, he said: 'After winning the SEA Games gold medal, a lot of people came to me to congratulate me. But the first one I ran to … (was) my wife who came down from (the stands). 'After I met her, I went to see my dad, my mother and my uncle. A lot of them … they carried me and threw me up in the air.' The 68-year-old said the hall holds 'very good memories' – not only for him but also other shuttlers. 'To any badminton players, ex-national players and all that, this is something like our hometown,' Mr Wong said wistfully. His fond memories of the Singapore Badminton Stadium also extend to his son, Derek. It was here where his son first picked up a racquet as a five-year-old and developed a love for the game. Derek, now 36, and his brother Jason, 28, have since followed in the footsteps of Mr Wong and his wife Irene Lee, who is a former national badminton champion. The couple has two other sons. As a child, Mr Derek Wong would spend many afternoons after school at the Guillemard Road stadium, where his parents ran a badminton shop. Later, as a member of the national youth team, he would return to the same hall for training. He went on to represent Singapore at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics. Likening the badminton stadium to his 'second home', the younger Mr Wong said the hall carries deep meaning for the local badminton community. It has long served as a dedicated space where players of all levels – from casual enthusiasts to national athletes – can train, compete and share their love for the game. '(The stadium) started from so long ago, when Singapore was still a developing country, and somehow it's still standing up till now and serving the same purpose of giving people a place to play badminton or to compete in it.' The Singapore Badminton Stadium is among five sites that have been long on the national radar and have in recent weeks been thrust back into the public eye. On May 14, then-Minister for National Development Desmond Lee announced that the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is proposing to conserve five locations of heritage significance. Alongside the badminton stadium, the other sites are the former Royal Malayan Navy administrative block, Jurong Hill Tower, six public housing blocks in the Dakota Crescent estate, and the North and South Grandstands at Bukit Timah Turf City. In a joint response to queries from CNA TODAY, URA and the National Heritage Board (NHB) said on Jun 4: 'The five sites that will be proposed for conservation as part of the upcoming Draft Master Plan 2025 reflect our continued efforts to protect and enhance Singapore's heritage assets to anchor our sense of place and identity, as the city evolves to meet the changing needs of current and future generations.' Since Singapore's urban conservation programme was launched 36 years ago in 1989, URA has conserved more than 7,200 buildings and structures in more than 100 areas. Experts said that conserving key sites provides tangible markers of the evolving Singapore story – physical reminders of how the nation has changed over time. But conservation should go beyond just preserving the bricks and mortar, they noted. Safeguarding the social memories and intangible heritage tied to these spaces is just as important. Dr Yeo Kang Shua, vice-president of the International Council on Monuments and Sites Singapore (ICOMOS), said: 'Conserving physical buildings is often more straightforward than preserving the memories they hold. Yet we rely on these spaces to anchor our experiences and give form to the intangible. 'Retaining the buildings is only the first step; their continued relevance depends on how they are used to sustain the memories and meanings associated with them.' Noting that the five sites are neither 'monumental' nor 'visually striking', heritage educator Ho Yong Min, founder of The Urbanist Singapore, a content platform dedicated to heritage storytelling and urban design, instead pointed to their value in grounding Singaporeans in the nation's shared past. 'The sites are some of the earliest reflections of Singapore designing for itself. They speak not just of nation-building, but of everyday life in the decades after independence. 'They are also located in different parts of the island. This geographic spread allows a wider public to feel connected to our heritage. These are not buildings found in the central area as most people might associate conserved heritage buildings with. They are landmarks of the people and that makes them deeply human.' Located within Jurong Hill Park is a lookout tower which once offered visitors panoramic views of the surrounding industrial estate. Built in 1969, Jurong Hill Tower was developed by JTC Corporation as part of the broader plans for Jurong New Town and the Jurong Industrial Estate. The concrete structure features a spiral ramp held up by 18 columns. At its peak was an enclosed meeting room with a skylight, which used to house models and exhibitions showcasing the government's industrialisation plans for Jurong, said URA. Between 1969 and 1984, the tower was a popular stop for foreign heads of state and dignitaries touring the industrial estate. Some of them also marked their visits by planting trees in the Garden of Fame located at the foot of the tower. 'The tower's view therefore served to impress upon visitors that Singapore was a place worth investing in as they could literally see industrial progress taking shape,' said public policy analyst Dhevarajan Devadas, who also runs Historyogi, a newsletter, podcast and social media account on Singapore history, heritage and politics. He added that Singapore built several such observatory towers in the 1960s and 1970s – including the ones in Upper Seletar Reservoir and Toa Payoh Town Park – which served as good vantage points to observe the young country's rapid development. 'Interestingly, the final tree (at Jurong Hill Tower's Garden of Fame) was planted by Dr Albert Winsemius, Singapore's economic adviser who played a crucial role in the country's industrialisation,' said Mr Devadas. Dr Nikhil Joshi, a senior lecturer in the Department of Architecture at the National University of Singapore (NUS), also noted its architectural uniqueness. 'It is the first 'garden folly' in Singapore. Follies began as decorative accents on grand estates in England and France during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, but they particularly flourished in the two centuries that followed.' The Jurong Hill Tower and its surrounding Jurong Hill Park grounds were opened to the public in 1970. It grew to be a popular recreational spot for locals, and was later included in the Jurong Heritage Trail – one of 24 trails developed by NHB to offer the public deeper insights into Singapore's built heritage and the stories behind them. Today, however, the area is cordoned off to prevent members of the public from accessing the tower, likely due to pending construction works. In a bid to shape the future of Jurong Hill and the adjacent former Jurong Bird Park site, URA and JTC launched a competition in October 2024 calling for fresh ideas to rejuvenate the area. The competition closed in January this year, but its results have not been publicly announced. Business adviser Loh Pui Wah, 61, used to visit the tower and park regularly with his father as a child. During his primary school years, it became a natural stop after excursions to the former Jurong Bird Park, located nearby. As an adult, Mr Loh worked as a project manager in contract manufacturing and was based in the Jurong industrial estate. The tower remained a part of his routine – this time as a venue to host visiting clients. He recalled business luncheons at the Japanese teppanyaki and Indonesian restaurants once located there, followed by walks up the spiral ramp to take in sweeping views of the estate below. Recounting how the site had often served as an introduction to Singapore's industrial ambitions at the time, Mr Loh said he felt a sense of pride to speak about the nation's achievements to foreign friends and overseas business clients. While Mr Loh has fond memories of growing up in the area, he noted that few landmarks from his youth remain today, as much of the landscape has been reshaped by redevelopment. This is why he strongly supports URA's proposal to conserve the tower, calling it a way to remind younger generations of Singapore's post-independence industrial growth and social evolution. Mr Alex Yew, who similarly frequented the tower over the years, said he was 'overjoyed' to learn about the proposal to conserve the tower. The 53-year-old human resource consultant recalled spending time at the tower with three generations of his family – from birthday celebrations at the restaurants there during his childhood, to date nights with his wife taking in the lights from the surrounding industrial estate, and more recently, visiting the spot with his own children. His most recent visit to the tower was in August 2022, when he made a stop there with friends during a night cycling trip. He returned in 2023, only to find that the tower had been cordoned off. 'I would say that (the tower) forms part of what makes Singapore today ... as a silent observer of the industrial growth that took place beneath the tower and hill, and the history of the place and the memories that they ignite in many Singaporeans.' Built in 1958 by the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT), Dakota Crescent is one of the island's oldest public housing estates. SIT was set up in 1927 to tackle infrastructure and housing challenges in Singapore. It was subsequently dissolved in 1960, with its public housing programme taken over by the newly formed Housing and Development Board (HDB). Tucked away off Old Airport Road, the Dakota Crescent estate is marked by its white-bricked blocks – a mix of two-, three- and seven-storey buildings that are now hoarded up. Constructed just before Singapore's independence, the estate was part of early efforts to ease overcrowding in the city and offer more affordable homes to residents. The estate and road were named after the Douglas DC-3 Dakota, a 1930s passenger aircraft that frequently took off from and landed at the former Kallang Airport runway along Old Airport Road when Singapore was under British colonial rule. In 2014, the government announced that it would demolish the estate, and that existing residents would be relocated to the neighbouring Cassia public housing development. The move prompted a wave of protests from residents and members of the public. Some, such as social entrepreneur Cai Yinzhou and architect and Dakota resident Jonathan Poh, took it upon themselves to fight for the preservation of the iconic estate. Mr Cai, who is a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Bishan-Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency, founded Dakota Adventures in response to the 2014 announcement. The educational tours were co-guided by Dakota Crescent residents – mostly seniors living in rental housing – and highlighted the estate's historical and social significance. In 2017, Mr Cai also set up the Cassia Resettlement Team – a volunteer group that stepped in to support elderly residents and former Dakota Crescent dwellers in adjusting to life in their new homes. He said: 'If we look at it from a social memories and social history point of view, the bigger case for conservation is actually the lessons that we can learn from heritage and history, and the lessons that Dakota Crescent has undergone in terms of its historical timeline, that enables us to be where we are today. 'It's kind of a snapshot of history, where that was where we were back then," said the MP. As for the educational tours organised by Dakota Adventures, Mr Cai said there was much to learn from the real-life stories from the residents who lived through that period, benefitted from the government's policies and "saw for themselves the transformation of Singapore relative to where they were living". "I think that's the most powerful part of heritage,' he said. Meanwhile, Mr Poh led the Save Dakota Crescent movement, advocating the estate's preservation due to its historical value and unique architectural features, such as the butterfly-shaped blocks and aesthetic influences from the British Modern movement. The founder and principal architect at Provolk Architects added that the estate also embodies the collective memory of Singaporeans who have lived in public housing estates. Together with a group of fellow architects, Mr Poh and Mr Cai published and submitted a conservation report to then-MP for Mountbatten, Mr Lim Biow Chuan. Speaking to CNA TODAY, Mr Lim said: 'I was initially looking at it from the government's point of view, which is that we need to develop this. This is prime land – a plot of land close to town, a plot of land of high value because it's very attractive, next to the MRT Station, next to the river, right next to town. How do you balance giving up this plot?' In this case, conserving part of the estate could mean less prime land is available to be redeveloped into new build-to-order flats. But he was eventually convinced after discussions with the group. 'I think one lesson that we all have to learn is there are always trade-offs ... And I think the group of them persuaded me that if we keep knocking everything down, then something will be lost forever." Mr Lim subsequently filed an adjournment motion in 2016, where he made a case in parliament for the estate's conservation. In 2017, the government announced plans to redevelop Dakota Crescent into new public housing, while retaining some of its iconic buildings and features. URA is now proposing to conserve six of the blocks that had been kept. These buildings frame the estate's central courtyard, home to the dove playground that has become a symbol of Dakota Crescent. The estate is significant as one of the last public housing projects built by SIT, said the authority, adding that it reflects the evolution of public housing in the years before Singapore's independence. It also reflects the government's post-war push to provide affordable mass housing with proper sanitation facilities, URA added. Parts of Tiong Bahru and Kampong Silat – two other SIT estates built around the same period – have also been conserved in earlier years to commemorate Singapore's public housing journey. SINGAPORE BADMINTON STADIUM – SECOND HOME TO SHUTTLERS In 1949, a team of Malayan shuttlers won the inaugural Thomas Cup in Britain – earning Malaya (later Malaysia) the right to host the next edition of the tournament. This paved the way for the creation of the former Singapore Badminton Stadium at 100 Guillemard Road. Designed by Singaporean architect Ng Keng Siang, the building features a protruding box-like structure at its entrance. Inside, its key features include a spacious open hall topped with a metal roof supported by steel trusses, along with tiered grandstand seating. Although the hall was not completed in time for the second tournament, it was ready by June 1952, and later hosted the third and fourth Thomas Cup tournaments in 1955 and 1958. By the 1950s, the stadium had become a cradle of local badminton greats such as Wong Peng Soon, Ismail Marjan and Ong Poh Lim. Beyond badminton, the venue also hosted other sporting competitions such as gymnastics, sepak takraw, table tennis, billiards and wrestling. It doubled up as an entertainment venue for plays, movie screenings, and talent-search and dance competitions. In 1962, the badminton hall was repurposed as the vote-counting centre for the referendum on Singapore's proposed merger with Brunei, Sarawak, Sabah and the Federation of Malay States to form Malaysia. Given its rich sporting legacy, the venue was marked as a historic site by NHB in 1999 – the first sports facility here to receive such recognition. In 2007, the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) announced it would be closing the hall, as the 30-year lease between the Singapore Sports Council and URA was set to end in January 2008. The association later moved its operations to the Singapore Sports School. More than a decade on, SBA returned to its roots. In 2023, it signed a tenancy agreement with the Singapore Land Authority to take over the Guillemard Road site for redevelopment. After renovations, the hall reopened to the public in 2024, sporting a fresh coat of paint and a colourful mural on its exterior that pays tribute to Singapore's badminton greats. A group of Montfort Junior School alumni – who represented the primary school in national badminton competitions in the 1980s – recount spending several afternoons training at the stadium for their extra-curricular activity. One of taxi driver Patrick Chua's fondest memories of the badminton stadium was a school match against the Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) team. Representing Montfort, his team had lost the first two of five games but made a comeback – winning the next three matches to secure overall victory. Mr Chua, 52, said: 'Because ACS is a boys' school and we are also a boys' school, on the day of the finals, the whole hall was filled with mostly boys. 'Every time they won, they would bring their (school) flag around to our side and start showing off their flag. 'Those were the days. It was really quite enjoyable.' FORMER ROYAL MALAYAN NAVY ADMIN BLOCK – A SYMBOL OF MARITIME PAST Sitting in a corner of Woodlands North today is a cream-and-green-coloured building. The lone structure once formed part of the Royal Malayan Naval Base, which operated beside the former British Royal Naval Base. During the colonial days, the site was a key training ground for generations of naval personnel – from locals recruited by the British in the 1950s, to those serving under the Malayan government following the handover of the Royal Malayan Navy (RMN) in 1957, and later, RMN recruits who continued to train there even after Singapore's independence in 1965. Notably, the Malaysian Navy remained in Singapore until 1997, even after the countries' separation, said Historyogi's Mr Devadas. The site was eventually returned to Singapore in that year, and later repurposed as the now-defunct Admiralty West Prison, which operated from 2011 to 2018. URA is proposing to conserve the three-storey admin block – the only structure left standing from the former naval base – and is studying ways to give the building a new lease of life as part of the upcoming 'Housing by the Woods' public housing project. The admin block captures seven decades of naval history – from Singapore's colonial era to its early years post-independence – and reflected the 'urgent need' post-World War II for Malaya to build up its own defences, said URA. Built in 1953, the building was designed in the Art Deco style, reflecting the architectural trends of the time. The symmetrical structure features a central tower topped with twin flagstaffs and an observation deck on the third storey. Flanking it are two two-storey wings with open, naturally ventilated corridors that once served as a viewing gallery overlooking the parade square. It was at this parade square that several important figures – including Singapore's Chief Ministers David Marshall and Lim Yew Hock, as well as Louis Mountbatten and Tunku Abdul Rahman – inspected naval troops, said Mr Devadas. Louis Mountbatten, who held the title Lord Mountbatten, was the Supreme Allied Commander in South-east Asia during World War II, while Tunku Abdul Rahman was Malaysia's first prime minister. Mr Devadas added: 'The block is therefore a symbol of the deep naval history present across Singapore's northeast coast which also includes the former British naval base in Sembawang. 'These facilities remind us that Singapore was not just a maritime trading port but was also a key pillar of British and Malayan naval power. Thousands of Singaporeans once worked in these bases.' Since 1998, the site has been earmarked for future housing, to allow residents to tap on job opportunities at the upcoming Woodlands Regional Centre. URA said it is engaging agencies and stakeholders on how to 'sensitively integrate' the site's naval heritage with future developments. GRANDSTANDS AT BUKIT TIMAH TURF CITY – VESTIGES OF HORSE RACING In its heyday, the Bukit Timah Turf City was home to Singapore's second racecourse from 1933 to 1999, and was a popular venue for horse racing. At the height of horse racing in Singapore, the grandstands there drew thousands of spectators – including Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, who attended the Queen Elizabeth II Cup during her state visit in 1972. The classical-style South Grandstand, which opened in 1933, stands in contrast to the North Grandstand. Built in 1981, the latter is a striking example of Modernist architecture, with its bold, brutalist design. Professional racehorse trainer Jason Lim recalls his first visit to the racecourse with his father as an 18-year-old in 1997. '(The grandstand) was packed with punters and spectators,' said the 44-year-old. 'The horses were galloping past the grandstand and punters were shouting the different numbers they bet on. It was exciting and fun.' He remembered how it took them nearly an hour just to get into the club after buying their entry tickets. 'The atmosphere there was amazing,' he added. As the country progressed, however, the land on which the racecourse sat became more attractive as a site for redevelopment. It was eventually announced in 1993 that the club's Bukit Timah site would be used for residential development, and that it would have to find a new home. Following the relocation of the Singapore Turf Club to Kranji in 1999, the Bukit Timah Turf City was repurposed as a recreational and commercial hub, with spaces leased out for interim lifestyle and leisure activities until the end of 2023. Still, that first visit left a lasting impression on Mr Lim, sparking his passion for horses and set him on the path to a related career. In 2004, he went to Australia to learn more about horse racing and the ropes of the trade, before returning to work at the Kranji Turf Club. Today, URA is proposing to conserve the North and South Grandstands at Bukit Timah Turf City – two structures that reflect Singapore's transition from its colonial past to its post-independence years, and serve as reminders of horse racing's development as a popular spectator sport. A Heritage Impact Assessment was carried out in consultation with heritage interest groups to study and guide plans for the site. The assessment attributed Bukit Timah Turf City's heritage significance to its 66-year history as one of Southeast Asia's top racecourses and its ties to horse racing in Singapore. With this in mind, the grandstands will be adapted for new uses and serve as focal points for the future community. A central open space in front of the grandstands will honour the site's sporting legacy and is intended for sports and recreational activities. Together, the conserved grandstands and the open space are envisioned as the civic and recreational heart of this future precinct. URA said agencies will continue to document the site's heritage and explore ways to tell its story – including through storyboards and heritage trails – as a tribute to the former Turf Club. Agencies are also studying the potential retention and adaptive reuse of 25 other structures on site, including the former Secretaries' Bungalows and the Bukit Timah Saddle Club clubhouse. SINGAPORE'S APPROACH TO HISTORICAL CONSERVATION Singapore's limited land means a 'highly selective approach' is taken when it comes to conserving built heritage – one that balances preservation with future development, URA and NHB said in a joint response to queries from CNA TODAY. In deciding which buildings or sites are gazetted for conservation, the authorities consider whether retaining them contributes to Singapore's development story and if it helps to strengthen national and cultural identity. 'In particular, we would review the feasibility of adapting these heritage buildings for new uses to serve our needs when we integrate them with future developments to make them more accessible to the general public,' they added. At the same time, URA and NHB acknowledged that some buildings or structures hold value in contributing to the 'collective history of our memories and creating a sense of place'. Beyond physical conservation, the agencies also work with stakeholders to find ways to honour and celebrate the heritage and legacies of these spaces. This includes 'heritage interpretation' in various forms, such as through digital documentation, physical markers like storyboards and walking trails, and sensitive urban design. The agencies said they regularly engage stakeholder groups and expert panels – including URA's Heritage and Identity Partnership and NHB's Heritage Advisory Panel – to involve the community upstream in the planning process. 'We also work closely with building owners and industry stakeholders to ensure that conserved buildings are sensitively restored and well-integrated with future developments to ensure their relevance in the years to come,' they added. Under the Heritage Impact Assessment framework introduced in 2022, public projects that could significantly affect key heritage sites are required to undergo additional 'in-depth consultation' with URA and NHB. This process helps determine whether more detailed heritage studies or other mitigation measures are needed. For selected sites, URA and NHB may recommend conducting heritage studies to provide a more holistic understanding of the heritage significance of these buildings and structures, as well as how future developments may impact them. The findings from these studies may then be factored into shaping subsequent development plans. On what the most important aspects of a site that should be conserved are, NUS' Dr Joshi said that "significance" is an important factor in heritage management. This refers to the sum of various values, including architectural and aesthetic, social, communal, scientific, historical, rarity, associational and environmental. These are values that heritage professionals have to weigh when deciding what should be retained. Giving the example of Dakota Crescent estate, Mr Poh said that while conserving the estate's authentic form is important, it is just as critical to adapt to the needs of users today. This includes considering how much of its original design – including the fact that lifts were not built on every floor – should be retained. 'After all, I think we have to also balance the fact that people are going to live in this building, people are going to use the building,' said Mr Poh. 'Even if we are purist in our conservation intent, I think we shouldn't also discount the fact that people need to use it.' On a whole, heritage and architectural experts said that the proposals reflect a growing national emphasis on balancing conservation with development needs. Mr Devadas said that there is 'much greater awareness and appreciation' for heritage today, compared to the past where the focus was squarely on 'urgently needed progress'. Taken together, the sites provide a tangible and holistic snapshot of Singapore's development over the years. Dr Yeo of ICOMOS said the conservation of the five sites adds to a fuller and more nuanced narrative of the era that they were built in. Their architecture, he noted, also coincided with major global shifts such as World War II and Singapore's own independence and urban transformation. For instance, the post-war focus on defence in the 1950s coincided with the expansion of the Royal Malayan Navy and the completion of the former naval base. In the same decade, SIT also worked to address urgent post-war housing needs, as seen in developments like the Dakota Crescent estate. He then added that there are other sites beyond the five that are worth considering too. "It is essential to consider other conserved buildings, those yet to be conserved, and even those lost to history. Together, they offer a more comprehensive understanding of Singapore's architectural and developmental journey.' The experts also noted that there is a shift towards valuing everyday heritage – beyond just colonial-era monuments – in Singapore's conservation efforts. Mr Ho of the Urbanist Singapore said: 'We are seeing a broader recognition that heritage includes not just colonial buildings or shophouses, but also post-independence spaces tied to nation-building and community life.' He added that the five sites reflect a willingness to conserve not just the 'monumental or visually striking', but also spaces with emotional resonance and everyday significance. 'It reflects a growing recognition that places tied to daily life and collective memory deserve as much attention as grand landmarks. That is an encouraging step forward.' Agreeing, Mr Devadas said that the proposals acknowledge that buildings that once served more functional purposes are also important sites of heritage and memory, alongside the more familiar state and cultural monuments. NUS' Dr Joshi highlighted that nearly all of Singapore's 75 gazetted national monuments are colonial-era structures. The repurposing of such 'less significant' 20th-century buildings could represent a 'democratisation of heritage', he added. On Jun 25, URA will unveil the Draft Master Plan 2025, a blueprint outlining Singapore's detailed land use plans for the next 10 to 15 years. The conservation proposals for the five sites will be presented as part of its public exhibition. Ahead of that, experts told CNA TODAY that some key principles to guide conservation efforts include ensuring that any new use of the site aligns with its original purpose, and that any new design respects the heritage significance of the original structure. Where possible, original materials and building techniques should also be employed in restoration works. Equally important, they said, is involving the community early in the process – to ground conservation in shared memory and to ensure it stays accessible. Mr Ho from the Urbanist Singapore said: 'Make (the site) accessible, meaningful, and visible. A conserved building that no one enters is little different from a demolished one. 'Additions or interventions should also be reversible. Future generations should have the freedom to update, not be trapped by our decisions.' Mr Devadas also highlighted the importance of the site not becoming part of a 'private fenced-off development'. 'The sites should become part of the surrounding area's community life rather than being monuments to gaze upon,' he added. Agreeing, Mr Ho said: 'Preserving only the shell without public access risks turning heritage into a backdrop rather than a lived experience. A meaningful conservation project keeps the building in motion. It remains part of daily life.' Beyond the physical conservation of the sites, the experts also pointed to the need to preserve the intangible heritage and social memories tied to these places. Ultimately, the sites carry 'emotional memory', and losing these would mean losing the physical evidence of stories that have shaped the nation, said Mr Ho. 'Conservation is not about freezing time. It is about keeping history visible and usable. Every building we preserve gives Singapore more cultural depth and more space to reflect.' For the Merdeka and Majulah generations, returning to the sites could bring back memories of who they were, who they were with, and what Singapore was striving to become back then. For younger Singaporeans, these places offer a tangible glimpse of the country's early years – which must also be paired with 'thoughtful heritage interpretation and storytelling', said Mr Ho.
CNA
13 hours ago
- CNA
Britain's Wiggins says he owes recovery from addiction to Armstrong's support
Five-time Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins said that disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong has played a key role in his recovery from cocaine addiction, saying he feels "indebted" to the American. Last month former Tour de France winner Wiggins said he became addicted to cocaine after his retirement from the sport in 2016 and was "lucky" after getting sober a year ago. The 45-year-old described Armstrong, who was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles for doping, as a "great strength and inspiration" after receiving his support since ending his career. "Lance has been very, very good to me. That's not something everyone wants to hear because people only like to hear the bad stuff," Wiggins said in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live on Friday. "It's on a human level. You can only take someone how they treat you. "Lance has been a source of inspiration to me and a constant source of help towards me and is one of the main factors why I'm in this position I am today mentally and physically, so, I'm indebted to him for that." Wiggins became the first Briton to win the Tour de France in 2012 and collected a then-British record eight Olympic medals, including gold in the time trial at the 2012 London Games. He is now collaborating on Armstrong's podcast The Move, where they will be covering this summer's Tour de France, and said their relationship has been grounded in mutual understanding beyond cycling. In December last year, Wiggins said Armstrong had offered to fund his therapy for mental health issues.
Straits Times
18 hours ago
- Straits Times
Ekaterina Guliyev to be stripped of 2012 Olympic medal after CAS dismisses appeal on ban
Ekaterina Guliyev to be stripped of 2012 Olympic medal after CAS dismisses appeal on ban MONACO – Ekaterina Guliyev is set to lose the 800 metres silver medal she won for Russia at the 2012 Olympics after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed her appeal against a four-year doping ban, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on June 6. Guliyev, who competed for Russia before switching allegiance to Turkey, was banned for two years in April 2024 for the period from March 2023 for the use of a prohibited substance, with the AIU disqualifying her results from July 17, 2012 until Oct 20, 2014. The 2012 Olympics were held from July 27-Aug 12. Competing as Ekaterina Poistogova, she finished third in the 2012 Olympic final. But Guliyev was upgraded to silver when Russian winner Mariya Savinova was found guilty of doping offences, before she herself was also banned for doping. 'In reaching its judgement, CAS upheld the decision to disqualify the 34-year-old's results from 17 July 2012 to 20 October 2014, confirming the loss of her reallocated Olympic silver medal,' the AIU said in a statement. 'World Athletics and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are now proceeding with the next steps.' World Athletics' competition department will now disqualify her results and then notify the IOC. The IOC may then proceed with the reallocation of Olympic medals, with Kenyan Pamela Jelimo set to be awarded the silver while American Alysia Montano will be moved up to the bronze medal position. The women's middle distance events at the London Olympics were heavily tainted by doping with two other runners in the 800m final since having had their results voided – Savinova and Russian Elena Arzhakova. Guliyev is one of hundreds of athletes who have been sanctioned following the 'Operation LIMS' investigation into Moscow's anti-doping laboratory which uncovered widespread institutionalised doping. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
