Rediscover.
Record.
Remember.
Singapore's heritage is fading as neighborhoods modernize and traditions begin to fade, but the places that hold the voices of history deserve to be protected.
What We're Preserving
As Singapore modernizes, historic neighborhoods disappear. Minority communities lose their gathering places. Cultural memories vanish under redevelopment. This raises difficult questions: Whose stories get preserved? What does it mean when the places that defined generations are erased?
Voices of Vanishing Places captures the stories of Singapore's heritage before they're lost. Through oral history interviews, documentary photography, and community collaboration, we're building an archive of the memories, traditions, and voices that deserve to be remembered.
This isn't just about looking back. It's about understanding what we're losing and taking action to preserve what matters.
How We're Making a Difference
Record
We conduct interviews with people who experienced Singapore's vanishing places firsthand—from elderly residents with childhood memories to community members watching their neighborhoods change. Every voice matters.
Document
We create a permanent digital archive combining oral histories, photographs, articles, and podcasts. These stories become accessible to researchers, students, families, and anyone who wants to understand Singapore's true cultural history.
Advocate
We don't just preserve memories—we work to protect what's still here. Through exhibits, community initiatives, and partnerships, we advocate for the places and traditions that deserve a future.
Lee Yong Soo's Story
Our first interview isn't set in Singapore, but it's the story that inspired this entire project. Meet Lee Yong Soo, a South Korean comfort woman survivor living in Daegu. During a visit to the House of Sharing museum, her resilience and the power of that physical space sparked a realization: when places disappear, stories disappear with them.
Lee's story reminds us why preservation matters. Her experiences during World War II, the trauma she endured, and her strength in sharing her truth all depend on having spaces where these memories can be told and heard. Listen to her interview to understand what's at stake when we lose the places that hold our histories.
Explore Singapore's Vanishing Places
Coming Soon
Do you have memories of a Singapore neighborhood that no longer exists? Photos from a place that's been redeveloped? A family story about traditions that are fading?
We want to hear from you. Your memories, your photos, and your voice can become part of this archive. Together, we can preserve what might otherwise be forgotten.