Transforming the timber planks from the seats of the former National Stadium into new and inspiring designs

Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

1. I am happy to be here for the exhibition launch and award ceremony of “bench”.

2. All of us have fond memories of the former National Stadium. We remember the “Kallang Roar” from the football matches. We remember the energy and spirit from the many “live” music concerts, festivals, and National Day parades that were held there.
   

3. Soon we will have a new National Stadium in the Sports Hub. But it's important to remember the past, and celebrate our heritage. This is why we will have a Sports Museum in the Sports Hub, and several elements of the former National Stadium – like the Cauldron which carried the flame for special events – will be reinstated and displayed in the Sports Hub itself.

4. Through this competition, we've gone further to take a small part of the former National Stadium – the timber planks from the seats – and given Singaporeans the chance to re-create them into new and inspiring designs.

5. We received 130 entries, many submitted by our youths. One of the winning entries was from Miss Sapp Cheng, who works in the design industry. She impressed the judges with her design entitled “Bond”, inspired by the spirit of togetherness. Every horizontal segment of her bench design is intricately linked to one another, representing strength in unity, and the bonding and connections between our people.

6. In addition to these entries, the organisers also invited another 25 local designers from a variety of design disciplines, ranging from architects, product and furniture designers to photographers, to participate in the project. Students from the NUS Division of Industrial Design also produced interesting objects from the former Stadium planks based on the theme of memory and place.

7. The concepts and ideas from all of these entries are creative and innovative, and also diverse and wide-ranging in scope. In many ways, they represent our diverse multiracial and multicultural society, and how we all live and work together in harmony – united and anchored in a set of common values, memories and experiences. The bench designs also highlight the legacy of the National Stadium in bringing our people and nation closer together. They remind us that we must carry on this legacy in the new Stadium for present and future generations of Singaporeans.

8. I hope this exhibition will encourage and inspire more ground-up initiatives on heritage, design and public spaces. “bench” is a good example of how elements of our built-heritage can be reused and reinterpreted through design to enliven our urban spaces. Singaporeans increasingly want to have a stake in their community and the space to fulfil their aspirations, however humble or lofty they may be. We need more public, private and people sector partnerships to make this happen. Initiatives like “bench” can foster greater ownership of the places Singaporeans feel strongly about; it can provide the environment for us to express ourselves, reach out to others and bridge communities.

9. So I would encourage all Singaporeans to come, see and enjoy these creatively designed benches. I'm also glad that after this exhibition at the URA centre, selected benches will be displayed in other public spaces around Singapore, including in the Sports Hub and other SSC sport facilities. So there will always be a bit of the old National Stadium all over our island for us to cherish and enjoy.

10. Finally, I would like to thank creative practice FARM, URA and the Singapore Furniture Industries Council for coming up with this novel approach towards preserving our heritage. I also applaud all the designers and winners for their outstanding creative designs, and for their part in helping to preserve our heritage for more years to come. With this, I declare the “bench” exhibition officially open.