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| Sketch, Aesop | Unbreakable, Donovan Soon (WOHA) |
Aesop | Unbreakable. Design by Donovan Soon (WOHA).
I spent the day sketching my favorite bench at the “Bench” exhibition at URA. Architect Donovan Soon cleverly uses Aesop’s fable to emphasize that while the former local landmark no longer exists, the united strength of Singapore remains. The old passes to welcome the new so that we as one nation can grow together from glory to glory.
Aesop is inspired by the children’s classic fable of how single sticks are easily broken but when put together become strong and unbreakable. This parallels the Singapore story as a small but strong nation, garnering strength from unity. The National Stadium was an emblem of that unity as Singaporeans of all walks of life gathered in celebration and common purpose. The timber planks of the stadium are bundled together to create the bench. At each end of the bench the individuality of each plank is revealed, cantilevering out at different lengths to create a unique expression that celebrates multiplicity. The planks come together in the center to form a solid, strong core. They are cinched together by steel bands inscribed with the National Pledge, symbolically and physically forming the binding rings that hold the core together.
(Description by Bench Exhibition @ URA)
