“In celebration of CDL’s 50th anniversary this year and in support of the Gardens’ nomination
bid as Singapore’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, we are delighted to leverage our green building expertise and gather like-minded partners to contribute to the development of these green icons as our gift to the nation."
– Mr Kwek Leng Joo, CDL Managing Director
Singapore, 29 November 2013 – The Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG) Heritage Museum, the City Developments Limited (CDL) Green Gallery featuring the ‘Living in a Garden’ exhibition will be officially opened tomorrow by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Through the interactive exhibits at the two new amenities, visitors will be able to learn more about the rich history of the 154-year old Gardens and Singapore’s greening journey over the last five decades. To mark the opening, more than 50 activities will be organised from 30 November to 15 December 2013 at the SBG for visitors to commemorate 50 Years of Greening Singapore. The new amenities and slew of activities are part of National Parks Board’s (NParks) efforts to raise awareness on Singapore’s green heritage and our City in a Garden.
Mr Poon Hong Yuen, CEO, NParks, said: “While the government is committed to sustaining our green environment, our City in a Garden would only flourish if the community is actively involved. Through the exhibits, we hope that more Singaporeans will better appreciate our green heritage, and join us in creating our City in a Garden.”
‘Living in a Garden’ exhibition
The ‘Living in a Garden’ exhibition on Singapore’s greening journey is the first exhibition to be held at the CDL Green Gallery. Open from 30 November 2013 to 30 June 2014, the exhibition features different themes of green Singapore, from its historical landscapes, to the rich biodiversity. Visitors will have the opportunity to create their own city through an interactive game. The exhibition also gives a glimpse into future developments in our City in a Garden, such as Destination Parks and Round Island Route.
The three Destination Parks, Admiralty Park, Jurong Lake Park, and East Coast Park are estimated to be completed by end 2015, end 2016, and end 2017 respectively. The three large regional parks were identified earlier to be redeveloped thematically to attract Singaporeans from all over the island. They will feature recreational elements not usually found in public parks.
SBG Heritage Museum and CDL Green Gallery
The SBG Heritage Museum at Holttum Hall and CDL Green Gallery are located next to Botany Centre in the Tanglin Core of the Gardens. The SBG Heritage Museum features interactive exhibits and panels that share little known facts of the Gardens’ rich heritage, as well as rare artefacts including botanical books, paintings, and more.
Developed as an extension to the SBG Heritage Museum on Holttum Lawn by CDL, the CDL Green Gallery is Singapore’s first purposefully built zero energy Green Gallery, making the gallery self-sufficient. It is built with several eco-friendly technologies, including two innovative features introduced in Singapore for the first time – the biomaterial known as Hempcrete (largely made from the hemp plant) and a prefabricated modular system. The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has accorded this Gallery with the BCA Green Mark Platinum status – the highest tier of green buildings in Singapore. Clad with vertical green walls, the building is planted with selected species that attract butterflies such as the Plain Tiger and Chocolate Pansy. After the ‘Living in a Garden’ exhibition, the CDL Green Gallery will feature other exhibitions on the cultural use of plants, botanical art, and orchids.
“In celebration of CDL’s 50th anniversary this year and in support of the Gardens’ nomination bid as Singapore’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, we are delighted to leverage our green building expertise and gather like-minded partners to contribute to the development of these green icons as our gift to the nation. Singapore has won many accolades on our economic success, we sincerely hope to do our part to help Singapore win international recognition of our cultural heritage,” said Mr Kwek Leng Joo, Managing Director, CDL.
Both the exhibits in the Museum and the completed Green Gallery are supported by CDL, at a value of over S$2 million, in cash and in kind, through the Garden City Fund, a registered charity and institution of public character established by NParks.
