Back in the past, there was a small island called Pulau Saigon, located between the banks of Robertson Quay. This island was known for its abattoir, where pigs were slaughtered. Pulau Saigon was considered the “sick heart” of the Singapore River — while it played a crucial role in supporting the surrounding areas, it also generated strong smells, waste, and pollution. The situation became so bad that the government eventually removed the island to make way for the construction of the Central Expressway (CTE).

That’s the story of Pulau Saigon.

Inspired by this history, my project references the idea of the island once being the sick heart of the river. But instead of leaving it as a symbol of pollution and unpleasant memories, my proposal transforms this place into a space that embraces things typically seen as taboo or avoided.

So the sick heart no longer remains a sick heart but actually becomes the heart of Clarke Quay. This new culture hub which will be proposed look at the something that is taboo as well, which is the topic of death. Instead of viewing death negatively, people often avoid it, just like they would avoid the abattoir or the pollution of Pulau Saigon. This culture hub change the perspective of how people look at something that’s taboo, which is death.