Moving to the City

Students are the heartbeat of any school; and the La Salle College of the Arts is no different. Five Foot Way got the low-down from Peter, Herman and Nathaniel from the College itself, finding a sentimental longing for the suburban cosiness of their home away from home that was the Mountbatten Campus.

What was expected to be a resounding jump-for-joy over the College’s move to the city area, appeared instead to be a predominant perception that the city represented something akin to a distopia; sometimes chaotic, crowded and confusing; at other times over-ordered, conventional and unremarkable. Albeit-victims of the clockwork momentum of the school’s plans for expansion and upward growth, the students have no choice but to take things in their stride. A city lives within its citizens, and they and their collective memories and consciousness themselves create the city.

Within city-state Singapore, buildings new and old exist side-by-side, and people mull about, between, and within them. As a city ages and grows, its citizens change; with new attitudes toward its new structure and makeup; but with a conscience that never forgets its past. The city is at once a physical and mental object; the result of a constant exchange between man, building, and urban aggregation.

 

FFW: How long have you been at the old La Salle?

PETER: 2 years

HERMAN: 2 years.

NAT: One year.

 

FFW: Describe the old La Salle in 3 words.

PETER: Fantastic Art Mansion

HERMAN: Comfortable, homey, kampong :p

NAT: Cosy. Artsy-fartsy-somwhat-dreamy. orange

 

FFW: Describe the new La Salle in 3 words.

PETER: Displaced Post-Modern Cube

HERMAN: HUGE, modern, proper

NAT: Futuristic. Somewhat-an-evil-version-of-national-library. Black.

 

FFW: What is your fondest memory of the old La Salle?

PETER: Loved the place because it is well away from the city! It is just so exclusive to

LaSallers!

HERMAN: Seeing clearly how everyone is running from the foundation block to the design block during submission.

NAT: It would be an integration project that we had to do; where the foundation students had to collaborate with seniors. Those specialising in fashion had a mini fashion show at the end of everything. That was good, it was kind of like our FIRST fashion show.

FFW: What do you think will be the best thing about the new La-Salle

PETER: Accessibility. That’s all.

HERMAN: It’s near to everything.

NAT: Hmm, I would say the air conditioning because we didn’t have much of it at the old campus.

 

FFW: How has studying/teaching in a city campus affected you?

PETER: Haven’t studied there yet.

HERMAN: I think its going to be more distracting being so near to town.

NAT: Somehow, it doesn’t feel as cosy as it was before…

 

FFW: What is the most appealing thing about having a campus in the city?

PETER: Mingle and Mix with City earthlings.

HERMAN: I can go to so many diff places for lunch!

NAT: It’s easier to get materials… Arab Street is just around the corner. Bras Basah is just walking distance.

 

FFW: What is the most undesirable thing about having a campus in the city?

PETER: Noisy. Non-exclusivity. Nothing special.

HERMAN: Having to squeeze back home after a tired day with so many other people going the same way as you.

NAT: The fact that we can’t stay over in school anymore, that’s bull. Because back in the old school, we could stay in school and do our work till we actually finish it… it’s quite annoying, especially when many don’t have machines at home and when you’re rushing for datelines.

 

FFW: What do you think is your contribution to the city centre by your presence in the area?

PETER: Spread the Word of Art and Design! =)

HERMAN: Erm…. Making it into a more crazy and lively area?

NAT: Hmm… standing out?

 

FFW: I love the city because…

PETER: I can see people from all walks of life. I can draw inspiration from little everythings and apply them in the design arena. Improving starts from studying things around you!

HERMAN: it’s easy to get to so many other places and the city is where everything happens anyway.

NAT: Actually, I don’t love the city… but I have to say, where else can I shop but the city??

 

 

JJ is the co-founder of 5ft Creatives and he is now a legal alien in the USA