Tweet
FOUNTAINS OF LIFE
The Straits Times, Singapore
Sept 17 2009
Leslie Koh suggests bringing life to the heart of the city - just
like in Armenia.
IT IS past 9pm on a weekday night, but it feels like a weekend.
Hundreds of people are gathered round a large man-made pool, in the
middle of the city. Many are sitting on the parapet around the shallow
pool, feet dangling almost in the water, chatting.
This is not a large city, mind you. Not New York, London or Beijing.
This is Yerevan, the capital of Armenia - which has a population
of just over 3 million, smaller than Singapore. The capital itself
houses about 1 million. There are hardly any tourists, so most of the
crowd are local. Yet they're here, teens, families, groups of old men,
turning Republic Square into a bazaar-like place.
Just what's drawing so many people to hang out in central Yerevan on
a weekday night? Doesn't anyone have to work?
The reason lights up at 9:30pm, literally.
Music blares out from giant loudspeakers hung on the imposing facade of
a building facing the square, and all of a sudden, numerous fountains
shoot up high into the air, lit up by coloured spotlights.
The crowd cheers. This is what they've been waiting for.
It's not a static fountain. These water spouts dance. As the music
plays, switching from classical tunes to local hits, the jets of
water twirl, sashay side to side, gush up high, then subside slowly,
watery ballet dancers that move in sync with the music.
Different rows of fountains explode at the four corners of the pool at
times, then fade out, like dancers that twirl onto stage and off. The
spotlights glow and fade, changing colours from red to blue, green
to yellow. It's an enthralling performance.
This goes on for more than an hour, night after night, six days a
week (Mondays off). And, I'm sure, the crowds are here, every day
that the show is on, and likely in even greater numbers on weekends.
And it's not just a gawking audience that fills the square. The crowds
in turn draw quick-thinking entrepreneurs who pack the square selling
food and drinks, toys and balloons, and renting battery-operated cars
for the kids. It's a great atmosphere.
Ah, what a simple, brilliant way to get people together. Build a nice
big pool, throw in some high-tech fountains, inject some creative
choreography, and the crowds will come.
Sure, we all know Singapore has the fountains at Sentosa. But the
Yerevan fountains are in the centre of the city, smack in the middle
of the square that forms the heart of the capital.
Perhaps we could do the same, if we want to create more buzz in our
city. A similar nightly performance would draw the crowds, I'm sure,
if they're impressive enough. But they have to be convenient. Not
just on the resort island, but downtown, so it's just an MRT or bus
ride home when the show's over. Orchard Road, perhaps? Raffles Place?
And if the pessimistic foresee traffic and parking problems, how about
the bigger town centres, then? Think of the people who would stay on
after their dinner and shopping if there were similar liquid shows in
Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio or Bedok. (Toa Payoh, I remember, used to have
something along these lines in front of the library in the 1980s,
and they worked too.)
It'll take some effort, some money and some precious land, for
sure. But in return, we'll get a little more buzz in our city,
a little more fun, and one more reason for families to come out to
town and spend some time together.
The Straits Times, Singapore
Sept 17 2009
Leslie Koh suggests bringing life to the heart of the city - just
like in Armenia.
IT IS past 9pm on a weekday night, but it feels like a weekend.
Hundreds of people are gathered round a large man-made pool, in the
middle of the city. Many are sitting on the parapet around the shallow
pool, feet dangling almost in the water, chatting.
This is not a large city, mind you. Not New York, London or Beijing.
This is Yerevan, the capital of Armenia - which has a population
of just over 3 million, smaller than Singapore. The capital itself
houses about 1 million. There are hardly any tourists, so most of the
crowd are local. Yet they're here, teens, families, groups of old men,
turning Republic Square into a bazaar-like place.
Just what's drawing so many people to hang out in central Yerevan on
a weekday night? Doesn't anyone have to work?
The reason lights up at 9:30pm, literally.
Music blares out from giant loudspeakers hung on the imposing facade of
a building facing the square, and all of a sudden, numerous fountains
shoot up high into the air, lit up by coloured spotlights.
The crowd cheers. This is what they've been waiting for.
It's not a static fountain. These water spouts dance. As the music
plays, switching from classical tunes to local hits, the jets of
water twirl, sashay side to side, gush up high, then subside slowly,
watery ballet dancers that move in sync with the music.
Different rows of fountains explode at the four corners of the pool at
times, then fade out, like dancers that twirl onto stage and off. The
spotlights glow and fade, changing colours from red to blue, green
to yellow. It's an enthralling performance.
This goes on for more than an hour, night after night, six days a
week (Mondays off). And, I'm sure, the crowds are here, every day
that the show is on, and likely in even greater numbers on weekends.
And it's not just a gawking audience that fills the square. The crowds
in turn draw quick-thinking entrepreneurs who pack the square selling
food and drinks, toys and balloons, and renting battery-operated cars
for the kids. It's a great atmosphere.
Ah, what a simple, brilliant way to get people together. Build a nice
big pool, throw in some high-tech fountains, inject some creative
choreography, and the crowds will come.
Sure, we all know Singapore has the fountains at Sentosa. But the
Yerevan fountains are in the centre of the city, smack in the middle
of the square that forms the heart of the capital.
Perhaps we could do the same, if we want to create more buzz in our
city. A similar nightly performance would draw the crowds, I'm sure,
if they're impressive enough. But they have to be convenient. Not
just on the resort island, but downtown, so it's just an MRT or bus
ride home when the show's over. Orchard Road, perhaps? Raffles Place?
And if the pessimistic foresee traffic and parking problems, how about
the bigger town centres, then? Think of the people who would stay on
after their dinner and shopping if there were similar liquid shows in
Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio or Bedok. (Toa Payoh, I remember, used to have
something along these lines in front of the library in the 1980s,
and they worked too.)
It'll take some effort, some money and some precious land, for
sure. But in return, we'll get a little more buzz in our city,
a little more fun, and one more reason for families to come out to
town and spend some time together.