Wednesday, October 03, 2007

LEARNING FROM OTHERS


Overpass. Singapore (2007)

I was crossing one of Bayani Fernando's blue-and-pink overpasses when I recalled the overpasses I encountered during my visit to the Lion City. They weren't as wide, didn't require escalators (like those found in Las Piñas City) but they were clean, airy (no roof), and were full of greens!

I recall that Chairman Fernando chose to pursue the current style of overpasses so it's easy for policemen to see what's happening up there. He also removed the roofs of older ones so tinderos won't occupy them again (and we know this isn't true - see what's happened to the Cubao, Coastal, Baclaran overpasses).

Looking at a sample of a Singapore overpass, one can only wish that we had the same here. It looks simple, didn't require much concrete (hence didn't require paint), and was full of flowering bougainvillas. I don't know the reason for the double handle bars, but when you look at the handle bars on the stairs, there's one for adults and another one that's lower - for kids! Amazing.

Well, one can only wish.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

simply put, Singaporeans have better taste in art. minimalist na tipong rerespetuhin mo talaga, kase hindi lang siya artistic, functional din.

badtrip ako sa mga 'fenk' na overpass na yan ng MMDA. hindi na functional masakit pa sa mata. and what you said about removing the roof in overpass is so true. sa Philcoa na lang andun pa rin ang mga tindero sa gabi may kanya-kanya pa silang dala ng bumbilya. o di ba? napaka-ingenious. kung umuulan naman may dala silang mga beach umbrella. bukod dun, lagi na ring nagtutubig sa overpass kase nga wala ng bubong. badtrip.

Citizen of the World said...

Sa Cubao, puro kapokpokan naman at night ang overpass. So scary.