Tan Kah Kee MRT station

Tan Kah Kee MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the Downtown Line (DTL) in Bukit Timah, Singapore. Located directly underneath the campus of Hwa Chong Institution (HCI), this station was named after the founder of the institution Tan Kah Kee. In addition to HCI, other educational institutions within the vicinity of this station include Nanyang Girls' High School, Raffles Girls' Primary School and National Junior College.

 DT8 
Tan Kah Kee
陈嘉庚
டான் கா கீ
Tan Kah Kee
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station
Students at the platform level of the station
Location651 Bukit Timah Road
Singapore 266268[1]
Coordinates1°19′34″N 103°48′26″E
Operated bySBS Transit DTL (ComfortDelGro Corporation)
Line(s)
  Downtown Line
Platforms2 (1 island platform)
Tracks2
ConnectionsBus, Taxi
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
Platform levels1
Disabled accessYes
History
Opened27 December 2015 (2015-12-27)
ElectrifiedYes
Previous namesDuchess, Kah Kee, Watten[2][3]
Passengers
November 20202,389 per day[4]
Services
Preceding station   Mass Rapid Transit   Following station
towards Bukit Panjang
Downtown Line
towards Expo
Location
Tan Kah Kee
Tan Kah Kee station in Singapore

First announced as Duchess MRT station, it was renamed to its present name through a public poll in 2009. The name has attracted some criticism as the name was viewed as "misleading". In June 2013, Tan Kah Kee station was one of three stations affected by the sudden dissolution of Alpine Bau, who was contracted for the construction of these stations. Initially forecast to open in mid-2016, the station opened on 27 December 2015 along with the DTL Stage 2 stations. The station features two murals – Gratitude and Resilience – created by HCI students as part of the network's Art-in-Transit programme.

History
Excavation works in Q4 2012

The station was first announced as "Duchess" station when the stations on Downtown Line Stage 2 (DTL2) were revealed in July 2008.[5] The station name was finalised as "Tan Kah Kee" through a public poll in July 2009.[6] Contract 918 for the design and construction of the station and the adjacent tunnels was awarded to Alpine Bau GmbH (Singapore Branch) at a sum of S$350.04 million (US$240.58 million) in September 2009.[lower-alpha 1] Construction was targeted to begin in early 2010.[7]

During the construction, the 10-metre (33 ft) tall granite gateways for the Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) have to be dismantled and relocated temporarily.[8][9] It was initially considered to underpin the gateways, but it was figured that it will be unfeasible because of the extensive excavation for the station.[9] The arch consists of emerald-green tiles, which were first removed and mounted on temporary pillars located 40 metres (130 ft) away, while the metal gates were removed.[8] The relocation was closely supervised by a safety and lifting team.[9] The gateways were later reinstated when the station was completed.[8][10]

The station has additionally affected about 15,000 m2 (18,000 sq yd) of the school campus. The sports complex was demolished while the Land Transport Authority (LTA) paid for the rent of the sports locations being used for the school's sports activities. A new indoor sports hall was rebuilt with a grant by the Ministry of Education and funds raised by the Singapore Chinese High School director board.[8][10]

Between July and August 2012, concerns were raised on the structural integrity of terraced and semi-detached residences of Watten Estate surrounding the station, with complaints of "hairline cracks" appearing on walls inside and outside the affected properties. The LTA made an inspection and reported that the houses were found to be structurally safe. Additional steps were taken to repair damages to the properties and stabilise the ground in the area.[11]

Contractor's insolvency
Construction site of the station as of March 2015

On 19 June 2013, the main contractor for the station Alpine Bau went bankrupt.[12][13][14] The sudden insolvency caught the LTA by surprise, as the contractor had assured that it would finish the construction. The progress was reported to be going well by then.[13][14] Described to be an "unprecedented situation",[14] the LTA immediately took action to salvage the situation.[15] A security firm was employed to protect the sites and the incomplete structures, while the LTA worked with experts to preserve the tunnel boring machines and recharge wells. As the LTA seek for a new contractor, the contractor for Beauty World station, McConnell Dowell South East Asia, was temporarily appointed as the caretaker contractor to carry on tunnelling works. 400 workers affected were reassigned or sent home through engagement with the Ministry of Manpower.[15]

On 29 August 2013, the LTA announced the appointment of two new contractors for Tan Kah Kee and the two other stations.[16] The contract for the completion of Tan Kah Kee station and associated tunnels was awarded to SK E&C (Singapore) at a contract sum of $222 million (US$177.6 million).[16][17] The contractors were appointed just eight weeks after the insolvency, whereas usually, a tender needed at least six months for evaluation and processing. The quick appointment was to reduce the delay for the completion of DTL2.[18]

To speed up the construction as much as possible, manpower for the construction of these stations was raised by 25%, with workers taking up additional graveyard shifts so that works could keep going throughout the day and night.[19] To reduce inconvenience to residents, wire saws were utilised, rather than conventional breakers, to break up the concrete struts as they were quieter.[19]

Opening
Concourse level of the station

On 28 June 2015, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew announced that the DTL2 would be opened earlier,[20] with works completed by 95%.[19] The LTA managed to bring forward the completion as the staff worked through many weekends and "sleepless nights". The engineers were reported to be "equally proud and relieved" of the achievement and they were credited for their cooperation and hard work.[19] In August that year, Lui announced that the DTL2 segment will open on 27 December 2015.[21][22]

At the DTL2 open house on 5 December 2015,[23] the LTA was informed by netizens that the Tamil translation of the station was incorrect. An apology was issued for the error and spelling was rectified.[24] The station opened on 27 December along with the other DTL Stage 2 stations.[25][26]

Station details

Name
Exit A of this station, which is directly outside Hwa Chong Institution

The station was provisionally named Duchess, after a road nearby. In August 2008, when the LTA was seeking suggestions for the DTL2 station names, there was an online campaign for the station to be named "Hwa Chong" after the school, although LTA stated that station names should not be named after public structures. While some HCI students and the surrounding residents have criticized the campaign as being too "narcissistic" and "unfair", it has the support of the students of HCI and the other surrounding schools, as they agreed the school has been there for about 80 years throughout Singapore's history.[27]

Following the consultation exercise, the LTA shortlisted two other names in addition to the holding name – "Watten" and "Kah Kee".[3] "Kah Kee" was eventually chosen through the public poll and subsequently changed to its current name "Tan Kah Kee" after the HCI's founder and philanthropist Tan Kah Kee. This comes after the school board suggested adopting the full name, as they felt "Kah Kee" does not reflect the "historical significance" of the founder and added that it sounded too similar to kaki, a Malay word for leg.[28][29] Then principal of the school Ang Wee Hiong congratulated the station name as a "tribute" to their founder and many HCI students felt the station name was something to be "proud of".[29] The name was also praised for recognising of Tan's selfless contribution to the local education and the Chinese community as a businessman, community leader and philanthropist.[28] A road within the school was also named after the founder.[28]

The name, however, has attracted criticism. Ang Swee Hoon, an associate professor at the NUS Business School, said that the station might not be meaningful to those who do not graduate from Hwa Chong, and unlikely to foster any "appreciation" to the philanthropist's contributions. He added that an MRT station should be named after the location it is, like how a name should be reflective of the quality of a product in marketing parlance. He also indicated that the name might be even more perplexing should Hwa Chong move from its current location.[30] A journalist from the Straits Times and student from HCI, Jeremy Au Yong, has also criticised station name and the new system of naming stations, saying that there is now no direct link to the station name and its location. Au Yong has also warned that the name could set the precedent for stations being named after "glamourous cities", "aspirational goals", "abstract ideology" and "corporate sponsors".[31] In response to such criticism, the LTA defended the naming of the station, stating that the name was one of the shortlisted names able to reflect the history and heritage of the area and garnered the most votes through the voting system. However, it agreed that station names should be "commuter-friendly" and pledged to consider public feedback and seek more meaningful names in subsequent naming exercises.[32]

Location

The station is located along Bukit Timah Road[1] and is partly underneath the HCI campus.[33] In addition to HCI, the station serves other schools such as Nanyang Primary School, St. Margaret's Secondary School, Nanyang Girls' High School, National Junior College and Raffles Girls' Primary School.[34] It is also close to the two retail centres of Coronation Plaza and Crown Centre, and the two other landmarks of Poh Ming Tse Temple and Kuan Yin San Temple.[34]

Services

Tan Kah Kee station serves the Downtown line (DTL) and is situated between the Sixth Avenue and Botanic Gardens stations. The station code is DT8 as reflected on official maps.[35] The station operates between 5:44 am and 12:34 am daily,[34] with headways of 2 to 5 minutes.[36]

Station design
A pedestrian overhead bridge linking to Exit B of the station

Designed by the architectural firms of SAA Architects and Ong & Ong, the station was intended to be a grand yet compelling structure, to reflect the youthful ingenuity of the students while keeping in mind the historical background. Additionally, the station is to accompany the existing greenery in the area.[37] The station has an "open, park-like" setting with clear geometric lines and green geometric panels giving the station a contemporary impression.[38][39] The entrances are designed with an overarching canopy to highlight the design theme of "nature and flow". The critical structures of the station - the pedestrian bridge, ventilation shafts and covered linkway - converge at the main entrance rotated around a pivot. Vertical plants and planter boxes around the station bring nature to it. A well-known game Jenga inspires the forms and textures of the station, which has random and orderly patterns of the blocks.[37]

Station artwork

Comissioned as part of the MRT network's Art-in-Transit Programme,[lower-alpha 2] Tan Kah Kee station features two murals – Gratitude (named 饮水思源 in Chinese) and Resilience (自强不息) created by HCI students.[40] The artwork consists of handwritten text regarding determination (for Resilience) or appreciation of those of the past and present (for Gratitude).[41] The texts for Resilience, when viewed from afar, dissolve into bands of white and yellow, creating a "blazing sun" that shines throughout any circumstances.[40][41][42] Gratitude, characterised by its motifs of stormy waves,[40][42] was intended to reflect the principle of giving back to society,[43] "connecting" everyone to the rich history and cultural heritage of the area.[41]

Notes and references

Notes
  1. The contractor was also awarded contract 917 for the construction of Sixth Avenue and King Albert Park stations and tunnels.
  2. Public art showcase which integrates artworks into the MRT network

References
  1. "Tan Kah Kee MRT (MRT Station) - 651 Bukit Timah Road (S)266268". www.streetdirectory.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  2. "Annex 1: Final Station Names" (PDF). www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 March 2013.
  3. "Downtown Line 2 Station Names Shortlisted for Public Polling | Press Room". www.lta.gov.sg. 10 October 2008. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016.
  4. "Land Transport DataMall". mytransport.sg. Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  5. "Downtown Line 2 Station Sites Named". www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2009.
  6. "Circle Line, Downtown Line 1 and 2 Station Names Finalised". www.lta.gov.sg. 16 June 2009. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016.
  7. "LTA Awards 2 Downtown Line Contracts". www.lta.gov.sg. 23 September 2009. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016.
  8. "Gateway to stay despite MRT works". The Straits Times. 17 July 2010. p. 22.
  9. Feng 2017, p. 97.
  10. Feng 2017, p. 98.
  11. "MRT works cause cracks in Bukit Timah homes". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  12. "Stage 2 of Downtown Line to open in first quarter 2016". TODAYonline. Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  13. "Key MRT project contractor goes bust". The Straits Times. 25 June 2013. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  14. Feng 2017, p. 72.
  15. Feng 2017, p. 73.
  16. Sim, Royston (29 August 2013). "New Downtown Line 2 contractor appointed, entire stage to be ready in mid-2016". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  17. "New Contractors Appointed for Three Downtown Line 2 Stations". www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016.
  18. Feng 2017, p. 75.
  19. Feng 2017, p. 76.
  20. "Thumbs Up For Downtown Line's Earlier Opening". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  21. "News Room - News Releases - The Rail Report: 12 Stations of Downtown Line 2 to Open on 27 December". www.lta.gov.sg. 6 August 2015. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  22. Lim, Adrian (7 August 2015). "Phase 2 of Downtown Line to open on Dec 27". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  23. Lin, Melissa (5 December 2015). "Downtown Line 2 opens to the public for the first time". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  24. "LTA apologises for incorrect Tamil translation of Downtown Line 2's Tan Kah Kee station". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  25. "LTA | News Room | News Releases | Downtown Line 2 is Coming to Town….this December". www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 4 September 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  26. Jo, Yeo Sam (28 December 2015). "Thousands check out Downtown Line 2 on opening day". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  27. "Next stop on Downtown Line: Hwa Chong station?". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 6 September 2008. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
  28. chinanews. "纪念先贤贡献　新加坡地铁站将命名"陈嘉庚站"——中新网". www.chinanews.com (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  29. "Station named after Hwa Chong founder". The Straits Times. 18 June 2009. p. 34.
  30. "Playing the name game with MRT stations". The Straits Times. 13 January 2011. p. 38.
  31. "Take MRT from Milan to communism". The Straits Times. 27 June 2009. p. 118.
  32. "Tan Kah Kee topped public poll for station's name". The Straits Times. 21 January 2011. p. 28.
  33. "Tan Kah Kee MRT Station (DT8)". OneMap. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  34. "Train Service Information". SBSTransit. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  35. "MRT System Map" (PDF). Land Transport Authority (LTA). Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  36. "Transport Tools - MRT/LRT". www.lta.gov.sg. 6 May 2020. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  37. "Duchess MRT station". SAA Group Architects. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  38. "Project". Ong&Ong. 29 December 2020. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  39. "Tan Kah Kee MRT Station". architizer.com. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  40. Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh (29 November 2015). "Art Galore on Upcoming MRT Downtown Line". Straits Times. Straits Times. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  41. Feng 2017, p. 92–93.
  42. Massot, Gilles (7 April 2020). "Getting Around - Public Transport - A Better Public Transport Experience - Art in Transit". www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  43. "Your Guide to the New Downtown Line". HC Unite. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.

Further reading
  • Feng, Zengkun (2017). Downtown Line: Soaring to new heights. Singapore: Straits Times Press Pte Ltd. ISBN 978-981-4747-66-0. OCLC 1003852882.
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