Structure to be placed at entrance of new access road near its original location
By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 30 Sep 2015
The iconic cast iron gates that greeted visitors entering Bukit Brown Cemetery for close to a century have been removed from their posts to make way for an eight-lane road.
Still, the good news for heritage groups is that the rusting metal structure in Lorong Halwa will be refurbished and eventually relocated at the mouth of a new access road near its original location.
On Monday, construction firm Swee Hong removed the iron gates and placed them in an on-site Land Transport Authority (LTA) storage facility alongside other cemetery artefacts such as tombstones. The concrete columns will be removed in the coming weeks.
By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 30 Sep 2015
Still, the good news for heritage groups is that the rusting metal structure in Lorong Halwa will be refurbished and eventually relocated at the mouth of a new access road near its original location.
On Monday, construction firm Swee Hong removed the iron gates and placed them in an on-site Land Transport Authority (LTA) storage facility alongside other cemetery artefacts such as tombstones. The concrete columns will be removed in the coming weeks.
After that, the National Heritage Board (NHB) will hire a contractor to carry out refurbishment works.
The Bukit Brown entrance gates comprise several components including a pair of cast iron gates through which cars used to drive in, two side gates for pedestrians, and four free-standing square columns.
Likely prefabricated in Britain, the cast iron gates were shipped to Singapore while the square columns were cast on the spot. The cemetery opened in 1922.
The refurbishment is an initiative by a recently formed multi-agency work group chaired by the Ministry of National Development (MND). It includes the NHB, LTA and civic organisations All Things Bukit Brown and the Singapore Heritage Society (SHS).
Some parts of Bukit Brown have been razed as the LTA constructs a major eight-lane road through the cemetery to connect the MacRitchie Viaduct to the Adam Flyover. The LTA said the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2017.
NHB assistant chief executive of policy and development Alvin Tan said the gateway is significant: "It is one of the last remaining cemetery structures of its kind and serves as an iconic place marker for the cemetery and its heritage."
SHS president Chua Ai Lin said said the SHS played an "important role advising the working group on conservation best practices".
Among its suggestions: to construct a wooden frame to support the iron gates' structure upon removal and during storage; to minimise handling and movement; and to enlist a specialist metallurgy conservator.
SHS president Chua Ai Lin said said the SHS played an "important role advising the working group on conservation best practices".
Among its suggestions: to construct a wooden frame to support the iron gates' structure upon removal and during storage; to minimise handling and movement; and to enlist a specialist metallurgy conservator.
On the gates' future position at the mouth of a smaller road, Dr Chua said this would affect the visitors' sense of arrival.
"The old entrance was majestic and had a sense of grandeur as you stepped forth down a wide road to the historic graves beyond," she said.
But she added that "the relocation of the original gates does help to preserve some sense of continuity".
A spokesman for MND said the working group is looking at issues such as future use of the cemetery's artefacts and enhancing the site for visitor access.
All Things Bukit Brown's co-founder Catherine Lim said the group's discussions have been "fruitful and productive" so far.
She added: "Our belief is that Bukit Brown is definitely a heritage site worth preserving. We are contributing ideas to the working committee to see what we can do for it in the short and long term."
Said the MND spokesman: "The Government will continue to support the efforts of civil society, interest groups and interested individuals to discover more about Bukit Brown, and for the heritage of Bukit Brown to be shared and celebrated with more Singaporeans."
Iconic gates to greet visitors to Bukit Brown Cemetery again
They will be relocated near original location after six-month refurbishment, likely in June
By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 3 May 2016
Visitors to the Bukit Brown Cemetery will soon be greeted once more by its iconic cast-iron gates.
Removed from their Lorong Halwa posts last year to make way for a major road, the structure now lies in a workshop but will go up in a new access road near its original location, likely next month.
At the workshop in the north of Singapore, workers have been gingerly brushing away the layers of rust that have accumulated in the grooves of the cast-iron gates.
Supported by wooden frames, the brittle gates are undergoing a six-month refurbishment by a team from Fusion Clad Precision - a contractor hired by the National Heritage Board (NHB).
The refurbishment, which started in January, has five core steps. Rust is first removed before coatings are applied to reduce future corrosion.
The gates' lock and latch components as well as lampholders are then repaired before missing parts are replaced. The last step is to reinforce the gates' structural integrity.
The team, comprising four master craftsmen and three other members, is at step two of the process.
A specially commissioned documentary.Year-round, Chinese dates and customs are observed at the Bukit Brown...
Posted by National Heritage Board on Monday, September 28, 2015
Iconic gates to greet visitors to Bukit Brown Cemetery again
They will be relocated near original location after six-month refurbishment, likely in June
By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 3 May 2016
Visitors to the Bukit Brown Cemetery will soon be greeted once more by its iconic cast-iron gates.
Removed from their Lorong Halwa posts last year to make way for a major road, the structure now lies in a workshop but will go up in a new access road near its original location, likely next month.
At the workshop in the north of Singapore, workers have been gingerly brushing away the layers of rust that have accumulated in the grooves of the cast-iron gates.
Supported by wooden frames, the brittle gates are undergoing a six-month refurbishment by a team from Fusion Clad Precision - a contractor hired by the National Heritage Board (NHB).
The refurbishment, which started in January, has five core steps. Rust is first removed before coatings are applied to reduce future corrosion.
The gates' lock and latch components as well as lampholders are then repaired before missing parts are replaced. The last step is to reinforce the gates' structural integrity.
The team, comprising four master craftsmen and three other members, is at step two of the process.
Its managing director Teo Khiam Gee said the gates need a lot of attention as well as "the human touch".
"Skilful hands are important as the parts are in varying states of disrepair. Its original state was very fragile. It is like handling a baby," he said.
The structure is made up of parts, such as a pair of cast-iron gates through which cars used to pass, two side gates for pedestrians, and four free-standing square columns.
It was likely prefabricated in Britain and shipped to Singapore. Its square columns were cast on the spot.
Bukit Brown Cemetery opened its doors in 1922.
About 20 per cent of the structure will be replaced to address the damage to its structural integrity and functionality.
NHB told The Straits Times that the gates will likely be relocated next month to the mouth of a new access road near its original location.
NHB's assistant chief executive of policy and community, Mr Alvin Tan, said retaining and refurbishing the gates are important as they "provide a sense of arrival to the cemetery and preserve a sense of continuity for visitors and interest groups".
The refurbishment is an initiative of a multi-agency work group chaired by the Ministry of National Development. It includes NHB, the Land Transport Authority (LTA), and civic organisations All Things Bukit Brown and the Singapore Heritage Society (SHS).
The effort is guided by conservation best practices shared by SHS. The heritage board also has its own in-house metals specialist, Mr Ian Tan, manager of the heritage research and assessment division.
When ready, the gates will be painted black - a common colour for outdoor use.
Mr Tan said its original colour is hard to determine. Exposed layers of paint show that it had changed colours - which included a shade of blue - a few times over its history.
Mr Tan said the structure is one of the rare large-scale ornamental iron gates in Singapore. "It shows how technology flowed across countries. It is also likely that its ornamental parts were done here in Singapore. Each coil and twist are different and clearly done by hand," he said.
Some parts of Bukit Brown have been razed as the LTA constructs a major eight-lane road through the cemetery to connect the MacRitchie Viaduct to the Adam Flyover. This project is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
NHB launched its documentary on the relocation of the gates on its heritage portal Roots.sg yesterday.
* Bukit Brown gets back its 1920s gates
Cemetery's cast-iron gates reinstalled after 6-month conservation project
By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 8 Aug 2016
The historic 1920s cast-iron gates of Bukit Brown Cemetery have been carefully reinstalled after six months of conservation and refurbishment work.
The gates, perched on gateposts, now boast a shiny coat of black paint, a far cry from their previous state as badly corroded structures caked in layers of rust.
Years of exposure to the elements had resulted in paint deterioration, plant growth and corrosion.
The gates were reinstalled last week following the refurbishment project by a team from Fusion Clad Precision - a contractor hired by the National Heritage Board (NHB).
Fusion Clad Precision's conservation manager Serene Lee said the gates were carefully hoisted onto their old posts at the new location - a new access road near Lorong Halwa.
Ms Lee said other precautions taken included securing the gates with specially designed frames that came with strips of padding before installation.
"The gates were loaded and then off-loaded using an overhead crane vehicle."
The refurbishment was an initiative by a multi-agency work group that the Ministry of National Development chaired.
The group includes the NHB, the Land Transport Authority and civic organisations All Things Bukit Brown and the Singapore Heritage Society (SHS).
The heritage community is glad the gates have been reinstated.
SHS executive committee member Yeo Kang Shua said the structures were among the few historic public gates still standing.
He said: "Gates and doors demarcate and delineate boundaries both physically and conceptually. This is a symbolic entry way for Bukit Brown Cemetery, which does not have a fence or boundary wall."
All Things Bukit Brown co-founder Catherine Lim said that while the gates' fresh, new look will take some getting used to, reinstating the structure "is the first step in restoring visitors' sense of arrival".
The whole structure is made up of two cast-iron gates through which cars used to pass, two side gates for pedestrians and four free-standing square columns.
About 20 per cent of the structure has been replaced to fix damage to its structural integrity and functionality.
The NHB said the original structure was likely prefabricated in Britain and shipped to Singapore, while its square columns were cast on the spot.
Bukit Brown Cemetery opened its doors in 1922.
The NHB also uploaded the second video documentary of a three-part series about the refurbishment project on its heritage website Roots.sg on Saturday.
The board said the documentary will provide viewers with a behind-the-scenes look at the steps and techniques used at each stage of the refurbishment process.
NHB's assistant chief executive of policy and community, Mr Alvin Tan, said the refurbishment project is part of NHB's ongoing efforts to safeguard and preserve the country's tangible heritage.
Some parts of Bukit Brown have been razed as the LTA constructs a major eight-lane road through the cemetery to connect the MacRitchie Viaduct to the Adam Flyover.
This project is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
* Bukit Brown gets back its 1920s gates
Cemetery's cast-iron gates reinstalled after 6-month conservation project
By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 8 Aug 2016
The gates, perched on gateposts, now boast a shiny coat of black paint, a far cry from their previous state as badly corroded structures caked in layers of rust.
Years of exposure to the elements had resulted in paint deterioration, plant growth and corrosion.
The gates were reinstalled last week following the refurbishment project by a team from Fusion Clad Precision - a contractor hired by the National Heritage Board (NHB).
Fusion Clad Precision's conservation manager Serene Lee said the gates were carefully hoisted onto their old posts at the new location - a new access road near Lorong Halwa.
Ms Lee said other precautions taken included securing the gates with specially designed frames that came with strips of padding before installation.
"The gates were loaded and then off-loaded using an overhead crane vehicle."
The refurbishment was an initiative by a multi-agency work group that the Ministry of National Development chaired.
The group includes the NHB, the Land Transport Authority and civic organisations All Things Bukit Brown and the Singapore Heritage Society (SHS).
The heritage community is glad the gates have been reinstated.
SHS executive committee member Yeo Kang Shua said the structures were among the few historic public gates still standing.
He said: "Gates and doors demarcate and delineate boundaries both physically and conceptually. This is a symbolic entry way for Bukit Brown Cemetery, which does not have a fence or boundary wall."
All Things Bukit Brown co-founder Catherine Lim said that while the gates' fresh, new look will take some getting used to, reinstating the structure "is the first step in restoring visitors' sense of arrival".
The whole structure is made up of two cast-iron gates through which cars used to pass, two side gates for pedestrians and four free-standing square columns.
About 20 per cent of the structure has been replaced to fix damage to its structural integrity and functionality.
The NHB said the original structure was likely prefabricated in Britain and shipped to Singapore, while its square columns were cast on the spot.
Bukit Brown Cemetery opened its doors in 1922.
The NHB also uploaded the second video documentary of a three-part series about the refurbishment project on its heritage website Roots.sg on Saturday.
The board said the documentary will provide viewers with a behind-the-scenes look at the steps and techniques used at each stage of the refurbishment process.
NHB's assistant chief executive of policy and community, Mr Alvin Tan, said the refurbishment project is part of NHB's ongoing efforts to safeguard and preserve the country's tangible heritage.
Some parts of Bukit Brown have been razed as the LTA constructs a major eight-lane road through the cemetery to connect the MacRitchie Viaduct to the Adam Flyover.
This project is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
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