EMPS#35 : Government Building

The MICA Building, home to the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA), is a colonial landmark located at the junction of River Valley Road and Hill Street. It was officially opened in 1934 and proved to be the largest government building in Singapore during the 1930s. It used to house the Hill Street Police Station and Barracks and is thus now also known as the Old Hill Street Police Station (OHSPS).

By 1980, the police vacated the building and from 1983, the National Archives and Oral History Department, Official Trustees, the Official Assignees and Public Receiver, and the Board of Film Censors became its new tenants. With this change the building was renamed the Hill Street Building. The National Archives, its last occupant, moved out in March 1997 and occupied their new home, next to the Singapore Philatelic Museum along Canning Rise, on 1 April 1997.

On 18 December 1998, the Old Hill Street Police Station building was gazetted as a national monument by the Preservation of Monuments Board. The Old Hill Street Police Station and Barracks was officially re-opened as the new headquarters for the Ministry of Information and the Arts (MITA) by Lee Yock Suan, the then Minister for Information and the Arts, on 1 November 2000.



Just across from the building is the Singapore River with the newer shopping centre and office building called The Central .
More tall building near the MICA .


In the small courtyard there is a Big Bang, a sculpture of copper, resin and bronze, by established Singapore-based Irish sculptor Brother Joseph McNally, a brother from the Catholic La Salle Christian Brotherhood who had dedicated 37 years of his life to teaching in Singapore and Malaysia.

.This cast silicon bronze statue is a visual representation of the two major concerns of man in the 21st centuary - outer space and human genetics. A dome of running water reveals the begining of time, the Big Bang, and the spirals run in eternal motion like the never ending cycle of creative life.

Brother Sean Joseph McNally (b. 1923, Ballintubber, Ireland - d. 27 August 2002, County Mayo, Ireland), nicknamed Brother Joe, later gained renown as a sculptor and artist and was also the founder and President Emeritus of the La Salle-SIA College of the Arts.


To participated in this meme , kindly click on the EMPS logo.

Thursday Challenge : Communication

With mobile communication so advance now, why settled for just a handphone when one can have the PC right in your palm too.

For more photos on communications , do drop by Thursday Photo Challenge.

ABC Wednesday : O is for Orchid

Ruby Tuesday : Red Bus

The familiar red and purple public bus that runs every 10 minutes to almost all corner of Singapore.

My most favorite flower

Since the challenge for this week's Macro Day is outdoor, I'm combining the 3 in one entry, since the 3 photos are suitable for all three challenges. Do click on the individual logo to go the website.

ABC Wednesday : N

N is for Niece and Nephew.

EMPS #34: EARTH DAY

Carly of Ellipsis has chosen the theme Earth Day for this week, she wanted to see earth natural beauty that we appreciated in particular. Photos are supposed to be recent and not from archive.

Singapore is not known as Garden City for nothing, at every corner you turn, whether in the central business district or the public housing estates, you'll see trees, shrubs, ferns, palms, climbers ....everywhere! even on road divider and pavements.
Between the apartment block where I stay, there's a few mango trees, which right now is fruiting. Mango is in season right now, but I only see a few fruits hanging from the trees, maybe because the trees are already quiet old now, more than 20 years old I believe. Nevermind about that, at least the trees are still useful in providing shade and oxygen to us human.
The good thing about being in a tropical country is that flowers are always blooming all year round. These beauties are found at a school nearby.
I just need to walk around the neighbourhoor to see the natural beauties Earth provide us, which sometimes are taken for granted.
A new beginning, for us to enjoy.

One of my many reusable shopping bag I got from a major supermarket which sometimes I forgot to bring along. End up either using the free plastic bags provided or buy another reusable bag!

Ruby Tuesday: RED TELEPHONES

With almost everybody own a handphone, it's almost certain these will become obsolete soon.

Macro Gundam

My younger son loves the Gundam figurines, which are self-assembled. He had almost 2 display cabinets full of them, which on average takes about 2-3 hours to assembled each Gundam. They each comes with different names and armory.

Today's Flowers #36

Euphorbia Milii or commonly known as Crown of Thorns Flowers.





For more flowers around the world, click on the Today's Flowers logo.

Photo Sunday: ONE

This week theme is ONE:


A lone fisherman waiting for the fish to bite, at Desaru Beach , Johore. Well, not exactly alone by the beach because I was there watching him. So did his young daughter and son, who's more interested in playing sandcastle next to me and their mom. This man is my younger brother.

Unique's photo challenge: SAND

PhotoHunt #158 : PURPLE

I love the colour purple, all shade of it! This is not me but a good photographer friend whom I went along on a photoshoot at a park and got some good tips from her.

Round Robin Challenge : In Flight

Photo Friday : Circular

Circular

Thematic and Ellipsis

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #33 : Up Close
Carly wanted to see something up close, and I have chosen this shot of my neighbour's beautiful Jasmine Flower which is blooming all year round. I just love it's sweet fragrance . Sad to say these beauty doesn't last very long, by 3rd or 4th day, it's wilted but the slight fragrance can still be detected.

I'm also using the same photo for the Thematic Photograpic 45 - Floral challenge.

Question of the Week by Carly: What type of camera do you use most often? Is it an SLR or a point and shoot?

I'm using Canon S5 IS for more than a year now, it's just a point and shoot camera but some would call it a prosumer camera. I like it because it give me the freedom of using it's manual functions almost like a DSLR and the good quality of photographed produced. It's slightly bigger than the usual point and shoot but not as heavy as the DSLR . It can still be kept in my handbag, and I've never leave home without it.

Thursday Challenge : SIGNS

At Jurong Bird Park, Singapore.

More SIGNS can be seen HERE.

ABC Wed : M is for Multitasking

M is My son Multitasking at home, surfing and chatting with friends on the net, while playing his Playstation Portable at the same time! Who say Man can't multitask? Obviously he's following my foot step, I'm forever multitasking to keep myself occupied, right now I'm uploading my photos online while having my breakfast! Not only I need to keep my mind occupied I need to keep my fingers busy too.
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Ruby Tuesday : RED SIGNBOARD

No, you don't need to enter into her head to see images of Singapore, just follow her footsteps into the gallery.
For more reds, just click on the logo.