Construction on the Founders’ Memorial has officially begun.

"Our nation-building journey deserves to be commemorated and remembered," Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a speech at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Memorial on Jun. 5.

The memorial is envisioned as "an integrated gallery and gardens experience" to commemorate the values and ideals exemplified by Singapore’s first-generation leaders.

Constructed in the Bay East Garden of Gardens by the Bay, it will occupy reclaimed land fronting Marina Bay.

It is slated to open its doors in 2028.

Honouring Singapore's founding leaders

In his speech, SM Lee praised Singapore's founding leaders for their contributions in building modern Singapore.

He talked about Singapore's development from the post-WWII years to the modern era, revisiting milestones such as separation from Malaysia, building up of Singapore’s defence forces and transforming the economy from Third World to First.

SM Lee added that the memorial would focus on the key leaders in Singapore’s first two decades of nation-building — the 1950s to 1970s.

This would include founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew and his core team, as well as other important leaders in the public, private, and people sectors.

SM Lee also noted that Singapore had other memorials to mark significant events in the nation's history, such as the Civilian War Memorial, the Kranji War Memorial, and the Konfrontasi Memorial.

"But we do not yet have a memorial to commemorate our nation-building journey – to tell the story of how Singapore became what it is today, and to bring to life the ideals, impulses, and spirit that drove our founding leaders," SM Lee said.

"Now, almost 60 years after separation [from Malaysia], and 80 years after World War II, the time has come for us to build one."

What will it look like?

The memorial had been mooted in 2015, after Lee Kuan Yew's passing, but construction was delayed due to the pandemic.

An international architectural design competition was launched in 2019 to shortlist designs for the project.

In March 2020, the winning design by Kengo Kuma & Associates in colloboration with K2LD Architects, was announced.

The design features a "bold and imaginative" memorial which "rises out of the landscape", said the National Heritage Board (NHB) in a press release.

It will be made up of a pair of two-storey buildings and an outdoor amphitheatre.

The buildings will house the likes of exhibition galleries and a viewing gallery with a city skyline view.

Multiple intertwining paths will also connect the two buildings, representing "a journey that traces the legacy of Singapore’s founding leaders and generation", NHB said.

'A space to reflect on our ongoing nation-building journey'

SM Lee, who officiated the groundbreaking ceremony at Bay East Garden, thanked some 200,000 Singaporeans who contributed their views and ideas to the project.

The ceremony on Jun. 5 featured the planting of saplings from species that were originally planted in the early years of Singapore's greening journey.

SM Lee also lauded the architects for designing "a dignified, understated memorial that expresses well the spirit of our nation".

"I hope this Founders’ Memorial will become a space where Singaporeans reflect on our ongoing nation-building journey; appreciate our precious inheritance from the founding generation; and resolve to continue building a harmonious and successful Singapore, based on our foundational values and ideals, for generations to come," he added.

A mural called “Our Memorial, Our Singapore” will also be set up at Gardens by the Bay for visitors to pen their well-wishes for the memorial.

It will be displayed at Bay South Garden, near the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome, between June and December 2024.

Top image from Founders’ Memorial, NHB