Golden Mile Complex

As a child, I never found this view breathtaking - the Oasis and magnificent (in my memory) Kallang Theatre on the left, our beautiful skyline to the right. The lovely breezes that wash over you as you overlook the water, dotted with its frequent visitors – sea sports enthusiasts. Running around on the balcony helping to water the plants, the splendour that splayed out in front of me was yet another backdrop of my life. The countless nights we came up to this apartment to watch fireworks and to play over the weekends, it never struck me as anything spectacular. To me, this was just a second home to run around in.
Now all grown up, I walk through the corridors and up the stairs with the spread of Beach Road all around me, and I inevitably notice the depth to which the internal atrium slopes, a complex structure of simple terraces. This lovely complex with all it’s Thai authenticity is a fascination in itself, and a joy to visit. For all it’s beauty, I never took notice of it until it was almost lost in the Nicoll Highway collapse. Now, once again I am forced to face the possibility of losing this, a place of many fond memories as developers threaten to take over. As an architecture student now, I look upon this revolutionary building with nothing but awe at the boldness and audacity of its creators. They took the leap to create something ahead of their time, ahead of Singapore’s. And I thank them for that. I can only hope and pray that its significance is likewise felt by others.

Choo Shih Pin Tiffany