If we’re to do something, do it well

Singapore’s pavilion at the Shanghai Expo could have done with better ideas, cohesive theme

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Perhaps that was what Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong was aiming for when he described the Singapore pavilion (picture) at the Shanghai World Expo as a “commendable effort” given the limited resources and physical constraints faced by those involved in planning and building it.

My friends and I, who visited the pavilion, saw it another way: For us it was a dismal display given the resources we have at hand, one that did not do justice to the dynamism and the rich culture of our 45-year-old nation.

In the words of Edward Pank, general manager of Bates 141 which was involved in the visitor journey, the idea was to “bring to life the soul of Singapore” with “engaging moments of interaction” that would impress upon the visitor how Singapore is “a great place to work, live and play”. In my view, the pavilion seemed a waste of time for anyone who had to queue up for two hours or more to see it.

When we entered, we were handed cardboard fans to “scoop up” images of popular foods in Singapore. Then we took a lift to the top floor of the music box that the Singapore pavilion was supposed to represent. There, we were shown a 10-minute video clip of a song by local singers who included Stefanie Sun, Ado and Tanya Chua.

The clip,

Afterward, we were taken up to the roof where a garden, with some wilting plants (despite the steady drizzle) and two dozen species of orchids, were on display.

Perhaps having a bar serving Singapore Slings could have provided visitors with a perk-me-up.

Descending, one took a ramp with bare walls on either side — a contrast with the lively and engaging ramps at the Australian and American pavilions. Indeed, none of the Singapore exhibits seemed engaging.

As I told my friends, if only the organisers had used the 3D display then that the Media Development Authority has at its Fusionpolis offices (I am glad they will be putting the display on show at the pavilion come August, albeit for only three weeks).

Ms Lim Sau Hoong, chairperson of the Advisory Panel for the Singapore pavilion, said: “In creating the ‘Urban Symphony’ (the pavilion), we wanted it to be a musical journey like none other.” It was, but not, I think, in the positive sense that was meant (though to be fair, the food stalls serving Singapore fare appeared popular).

The whole display lacked harmony and a proper theme. There were a huge display of some of Far East Development’s properties and another by CapitaLand. It looked like a hurriedly put-together patchwork by people not in sync with each other. SM Goh urged Singaporeans to avoid comparing our pavilion with others’ because “each exhibitor has its own resources, goals and themes”.

Well, if we don’t compare our efforts with others’, how can we ever improve?

Our lack of ideas has little to do with our resources. We are said to have spent well over $20 million on the Singapore pavilion.

The Americans spent US$83 million ($114 million) and the Canadians some US$56 million. China must have spent a few hundred millions. But Indonesia, which most consider a Third World nation, spent just $13 million and drew some 3 million visitors by mid-July — compared with under a million for Singapore.

To add salt to our wounded pride, the Indonesian pavilion, a journey into the archipelago’s varied flora and fauna on land and at sea, was conceptualised, built and managed by a Singapore company, Cityneon.

Another Singapore design house, Kingsmen Creatives, was involved in doing up the halls for Canada, Coca-Cola, Guandong,

Information and Communication Pavilion of China, Montreal and the United States — all of which received excellent reviews. It also had a hand in doing up the Singapore pavilion, but perhaps sadly not at the concept stage.

If we are to do something, we should do it well, or not at all.t’s good to sometimes offer words of encouragement to someone who has tried his best but failed to achieve the desired result.Every Touching Moment by Singapore artiste J J Lin, was forgettable.

The writer is editor-at-large at Today

conrad raj

conrad@mediacorp.com.sg

We are said to have spent well over $20 million.

Indonesia spent just $13 million and drew some three million visitors by mid-July — compared with under a million for Singapore. To add salt to our wounded pride, the Indonesian pavilion, a journey into the archipelago’s varied flora and fauna on land and at sea, was conceptualised, built and managed by a Singapore company, Cityneon.

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