Winning designs chosen for benches made from old National Stadium wooden planks

By Janice Heng, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2014

WOODEN plank seats from the former National Stadium are getting a new lease of life around the island - and Singaporeans have chosen the form that their reincarnation will take.

Ten bench designs using these old planks, ranging from an undulating "Kallang Wave" to the letters of the word "Dream", emerged as the public's pick in the Urban Redevelopment Authority's Pick a bench, Pick a place initiative. Over 6,000 votes were received from Feb 27 to March 31.

By early next year, 42 benches in the winning designs will be installed at 15 locations around the island, from Marina Bay and Sentosa to heartland spots such as Punggol Promenade.

"When the former National Stadium was demolished to give way to the new Sports Hub, we salvaged the seating planks," National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan wrote in a blog post yesterday. "We have an idea that if the planks can be recycled into well-designed benches, it would be a meaningful way to commemorate the grand old dame of Kallang," he added.

The public had a choice of 24 bench designs and 24 locations. The designs were by local designers, artists, architects and winners of the bench design competition held in 2012. Since last year, 26 benches have already been installed at six locations.

This project is part of the PubliCity initiative, which aims to involving the community in celebrating and livening up public spaces.

Other PubliCity projects include benches and garden swings at Kampong Glam and moveable chairs at the Asian Civilisations Museum Green and Marina Bay.