CHRISTMAS BEARS, CANDY CANES AND TINSEL BALLS COME UP TOPS IN STB’S BEST DECORATED BUILDING COMPETITION

PARCO Bugis Junction has received top honours in this year’s Best Decorated Building Competition organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

PARCO’s winning theme features nutcracker bears holding giant candy canes, huge tinsel balls and large shimmering snowflakes. To top it off, a Christmas choir adds special yuletide magic to the shopping centre.

Second place goes to festive-favourite Tanglin Mall. Tanglin Mall has transformed Tanglin Road into Santa’s Snow Resort, complete with child skiers, ski lift rides, a snowman and Santa’s gift shop selling Christmas candies and decorations. Festive jingles played around the clock add to the lively scene.

In third place is Raffles City Shopping Centre with a massive 68-ft Christmas tree richly trimmed with giant poinsettias. To add to the excitement at street level, a giant Pegasus and carriage are poised, ready to take off.

Young shoppers can experience this decoration first hand by taking a ride in the musical carousel.

“Each of the prize winners this year added an extra special touch to make it a total Christmas experience, rather than merely putting up decorations,” Mr Yeo Khee Leng, Chief Executive of the STB said. “PARCO Bugis Junction’s decorations stretches right across the entire mall, creating a dramatic transformation. Tanglin Mall set up an authentic Santa shop while Raffles City Shopping Centre offered fantasy rides in a carousel.”

He added, “Most of the participating buildings had decorations which were in keeping with the Orchard Road theme of Icy Galaxy, adding to the winter wonderland appeal of Christmas in Singapore this year.”

Merit winners under the “Shopping Centre” category include Cathay Cineleisure Orchard and Lot 1 Shoppers’ Mall. In addition, Raffles Town Club was awarded Merit winner under the “Others” category, as well as the Best Newcomer Award with its simple and refreshing creation of a white winter Christmas.

“The efforts put in by all the participating buildings this year are most commendable. Many of them have gone a long way to demonstrate creativity at its best,” commented Chief Judge, Mr Edward Wong, President, Singapore Institute of Architects.

On PARCO’s winning entry, Mr Wong said, “The cuddly Christmas bears are irresistible. The way the decorations are naturally carried from the entrance to the open square and subsequently infiltrated into the building also captured the judges’ admiration. The multi-coloured, larger-than-life tinsel balls which appear to float in the sky, illuminate all of Bugis Square and add to the overall enchantment.”

The panel of judges led by Mr Edward Wong include Mrs Sally Chua, Head of Contract and Project Management at the Urban Redevelopment Authority; Dr Thelma Lazo-Flores, Head of the School of Design, LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts; Mrs Pamelia Lee, Senior Director, Special Projects, STB; and Dr Wong Yunn Chii, Assistant Professor of the Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore. The buildings were judged on criteria such as originality, creativity, decoration effects in the day and the night, theme, workmanship and effort.

Thanks to main sponsors Star Cruises and The Aspara, members of the public have their chance at being winners too, by participating in a competition to pick their choice of the Best Decorated Building. Contests were run in The New Paper, Lianhe Wanbao and AsiaOne.com with prizes worth over S$30,000 to be won.

From now until 5 January next year, visitors and residents can enjoy the Christmas winter wonderland throughout the city during the annual Christmas Light-up. Orchard Road, Tanglin Road and Scotts Road are decked in a canopy of stars and flashing lights which are switched on from 7:00pm to midnight on weeknights, and from 8:00pm to 2:00am on Fridays and Saturdays. The lights will be on throughout the night from 7:00pm to 6:00am on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

The Christmas Light-up 2000 is organised by the STB as part of the 13-week Celebration Singapore extravaganza, which runs from November 2000 through to February 2001. STB offices across the world are spreading the message to international travellers that there is no better time to visit the Republic, nor a better way to celebrate the year-end holiday season than with the entire island-nation here in Singapore.