Singapore Real Estate and Property

Monday, May 5, 2008

Former Christian college born again as arts complex

May 5, 2008

Former Christian college born again as arts complex

National monument site in Mount Sophia will house creative and artistic ventures

By Tessa Wong

THE winds of change have breathed new life into the old premises of the Trinity Theological College in Mount Sophia, which will reopen this month as a creative arts complex.

The site, designated a national monument in 2001, has been vacant since the college moved out that year.

At that time, the Government had acquired the locale for the development of the North East Line. It finally put the leasehold site up for tender in August last year.

In February, private school owner Jimmy Tan became the highest bidder for the site, which covers close to 80,000 sq ft.

Mr Tan, who has yet to come up with a new name for the complex, intends to bring in tenants from artistic and creative fields such as dance, music and design.

He said he saw it not only as a good business opportunity, but also as a way to express his personal interest in the arts.

'There are art schools and galleries in the Middle Road area and the School of the Arts and the Singapore Art Museum nearby. So it fits in with this area, which has been designated an arts and creative hub,' said Mr Tan.

It follows in the footsteps of another school site just next door, which was also turned into an arts centre. The old site of Methodist Girls' School now houses art galleries and offices for creative businesses and is known as Old School.

Six tenants are set to move into the Mount Sophia complex this month, when internal renovations are complete. They include a digital animation studio, a major advertising agency, an artists' lodge, a photography studio and a video production house.

The distinctive Art Deco church sanctuary, which features graceful sweeping arches, will be the new office for Union, an architecture and interior design collective.

Mr Mark Wee, one of the three directors of Union, plans to hold monthly design talks and workshops so that the public will have the chance to explore what he calls 'a beautiful historical building'.

The non-denominational college was set up at 7 Mount Sophia in 1948 by the heads of the Methodist, English Presbyterian and Anglican churches, who had been interned together in Changi Prison during the Japanese Occupation. The Lutheran Church joined the fold in 1963.

Reverend Ngoei Foong Nghian, an alumnus of the Trinity Theological College who became its principal in 2001, said he was heartened that the college was being put to good use again.

'It's a sacred place. The arts is something that touches the inner soul and stability of man, just like what faith tries to do,' said Rev Ngoei.



NEW INCARNATION: The church sanctuary, which has a special sloping ceiling (above), will house Union, an architecture and design collective. The new arts complex will join similar hubs and art schools and in the area. -- ST PHOTOS: ALAN LIM




NEW INCARNATION: The church sanctuary (above), which has a special sloping ceiling, will house Union, an architecture and design collective. The new arts complex will join similar hubs and art schools and in the area. -- ST PHOTOS: ALAN LIM


twong@sph.com.sg

Copyright © 2007 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement & Condition of Access


EastLiving.com.sg

Contact Stuart Chng: (65) 9691 9907
Email: stuart.chng@eastliving.com.sg

EastLiving - Singapore Property and Real Estate DB

No comments: