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SINGAPORE \u2013 Removing the private living spaces of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew from 38 Oxley Road does not take away from the site\u2019s historical significance, said some heritage experts.<\/p>\n
They said the site itself, where significant events that shaped Singapore\u2019s independence took place, still holds historic and symbolic value even if the original structure is altered or demolished.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe loss of a physical object like a building sometimes is unavoidable due to the natural, accidental or intentional circumstances,\u201d said Associate Professor Johannes Widodo, a director of graduate programmes in architectural conservation at the National University of Singapore (NUS).<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Singapore\u2019s context, respecting our ancestor\u2019s wishes is a virtue that is strongly preferred and accepted in our culture.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u2019s wishes for privacy, the important thing is to avoid \u201ctokenism\u201d.<\/p>\n
He gave the example of retaining only the basement dining room \u2013 which the Government considers less private \u2013 while changing the rest of the building.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to international heritage charters and best practices, the intactness of a historic space \u2013 that is, how much the character-defining elements and spaces have been modified \u2013 could affect its heritage value, he added.<\/p>\n