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The Beginnings |
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On 18 July 1935, Associated Theatres Ltd was
incorporated which marked the beginnings of Cathay¡¯s movie empire. |
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Founded by Dato Loke Wan Tho who met his
premature demise in an aircrash in 1964. His legacy of the Cathay movie
empire has endured for 70 years. |
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Cathay has entertained generations of Singaporeans,
many of whom will remember the original Cathay Building which opened in October
1939. |
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The 1,300-seat Cathay Cinema screened its first
movie, Sir Alexander Korda¡¯s The Four Feathers and was then the tallest
structure and Singapore¡¯s first air-conditioned public building. |
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In 2000, the Cathay Building closed its doors for
redevelopment. |
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The Revitalisation |
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Tange Associates, in association with RDC Architects
Pte Ltd, was commissioned to conceptualise the architectural design for The
Cathay. The focus was to construct a building encompassing retail facilities,
including eight cinemas at the podium with a residential tower above. |
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As the Cathay Building has been gazetted
as a heritage site, the design team had to incorporate conservation
requirements that included retaining the original historical facade
with the Art-Deco features, an external Shanghai plaster finish,
canopy and cornices. |
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The front of the building when completed, will be
clad with a 40-metre-high curved glass facade which is the key element of the
building design. Termed ¡°Urban Skin¡± by Tange Associates, the structure serves
as a clear, gentle partition between the interior and exterior of the building. |
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The glass facade and strategic lighting
within will create a riveting image of the building being sheathed in
luminescence, beckoning passers-by to enter and to experience The Cathay
lifestyle. The translucent glow of the ¡°Urban Skin¡± also creates
interplay between the white and grey of the old Cathay wall. |
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A public concourse through the preserved
wall is further connected to a secondary plaza at Handy Road which
serves as a second pedestrian entrance. The retail and food & beverage
facilities are located from the basement up to the 4th level. The 8
cinema halls occupy the 5th, 6th and 7th levels. |
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The residential tower which comprises 76
units begins from the 9th level up to the 17th storey. A swimming pool,
tennis court and garden are located at the 9th level landscaped deck. |
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The Essence |
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Set to re-open its doors in early 2006, The
Cathay is more than a re-invention of an old icon. It is a whimsical
reminiscent of the past and a dynamic, vibrant expression of the present
and the future. |
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Not just a mall, The Cathay is a sanctuary
for the inspired mind. It reaches out to the individual who knows who he
is. |
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The Cathay personifies the interconnected
world we live in and how we are, without barriers, part of an integrated
whole. Inspiring the individual by being enticing, enthralling and
entertaining, The Cathay is truly, The World in us. |
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Source:
www.cathay.com.sg News 15 Sep
2005 (Excerpted) |
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Important
Notice |
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Our FrontPage
Editions are a historical record of our Web site and reflect
the changing of the times, and also of our Web site through
time. We do not and will not update the links and stories on
these FrontPages even if they have become obsolete. |
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FrontPage Edition: Sun 26 Feb 2006
All rights reserved
