Unique designs, seats with backrest among features at new Thomson-East Coast Line stations
SINGAPORE – Commuters on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) will be able to entertain themselves by looking for 88 animals – long-tailed macaques and a dog – hidden in artworks around the Upper Thomson station, when the second stage of the line opens on Aug 28.
They will also get to enjoy 22 bird sculptures placed around Mayflower station.
The new stretch, named TEL2, connects Springleaf, Lentor, Mayflower, Bright Hill, Upper Thomson and Caldecott stations.
The art installations at the new stations are among the latest additions to the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) Art in Transit programme, which seeks to incorporate artworks by local artists in MRT stations.
There are now 92 stations where various pieces of art have been installed since the programme started with the North East Line in 1997.
Commuters will also benefit from practical features that have been implemented at the new TEL stations.
For example, some benches at the stations will come with armrests and backrests. Benches will also be coloured differently in different stations to help commuters identify them more easily.
Signage in the stations has been improved as well.
The new station features were showcased at a media preview on Tuesday (Aug 18).
TEL2 will start running on Aug 28. It will have two interchanges – Caldecott, with the Circle Line; and Bright Hill, with the future Cross Island Line.
LTA said the artists who put up artworks at each of the six new stations drew inspiration from the cultural and historical origins of the stations’ immediate vicinity.
The Upper Thomson art installation featuring the hidden animals was done by Mr Troy Chin, a multidisciplinary writer and artist.
Called “Lost In Our (Concrete) Jungle”, it was inspired by the long-tailed macaques at the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, which is accessible from the Upper Thomson station.
Mr Chin said he decided on depicting a total of 88 animals as Upper Thomson is the 88th station involved in the Art in Transit programme.
Explaining the hide-and-seek concept with the animal artworks, Mr Chin said: “One thing I liked doing is letting people have fun, and I started thinking if I could turn an entire station into a game.
“Some of the (artworks) are pretty hard to find. Even if it’s directly in front of you, if your angle of view is wrong, then you won’t be able to see it.”
Architects also did their part in coming up with unique designs in the construction of each station.
For example, they designed the Caldecott station such that natural daylight can filter in, even though it is one of the deepest underground stations in Singapore at 35m deep.
The two X-shaped structures over the station platform are essential to structural integrity, yet were also designed to be visually appealing.
Members of the public who want to find out more about the new stations on the TEL can check them out virtually from Aug 23 to 27, ahead of their opening on Aug 28.
Join ST’s Telegram channel here and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Source: Read Full Article
