Removal of private spaces at 38 Oxley Rd won't affect historical significance: Experts

They say the site still has value even if the original structure is altered or demolished

- Isabelle Liew

Removing the private living spaces of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew from 38 Oxley Road does not take away from the site’s historical significance, said some heritage experts.

They said the site itself, where significant events that shaped Singapore’s independence took place, still holds historic and symbolic value even if the original structure is altered or demolished.

“The loss of a physical object like a building sometimes is unavoidable due to the natural, accidental or intentional circumstances,” said Associate Professor Johannes Widodo, a director of graduate programmes in architectural conservation at the National University of Singapore (NUS).

“In Singapore’s context, respecting our ancestor’s wishes is a virtue that is strongly preferred and accepted in our culture.”

Mr Ho Weng Hin, co-founder of architectural conservation specialist consultancy Studio Lapis, cautioned that in striking a reasonable balance between preserving the house and respecting Mr Lee’s wishes for privacy, the important thing is to avoid “tokenism”.

He gave the example of retaining only the basement dining room which the Government considers less private while changing the rest of the building.

“The final form of the preserved site should not diminish its heritage value. It would be important that future generations can still meaningfully appreciate the significance of the national monument beyond just an address or skin-deep facadism,” he said.

According to international heritage charters and best practices, the intactness of a historic space - that is, how much the character-defining elements and spaces have been modified could affect its heritage value, he added.

On Nov 3, the National Heritage Board (NHB) and the Singapore Land Authority announced their intention to gazette 38 Oxley Road to preserve it as a national monument, after an advisory board assessed that it has historic significance and national importance.