Chinatown MRT station

NEL platform level

The Garden Bridge was underpinned during the construction

The station was first announced as People's Park station along with the 16 other NEL stations on 6 March 1996.[3] Contract 709 for the design and construction of the two-level civil defence underground station was awarded to a joint venture between Gammon Construction and Econ Piling (now Econ Corporation Ltd)[4] in June 1997 at a contract sum of S$141.5 million (US$95.3 million).[5]

The construction of the NEL station was one of the most challenging projects on the line. The arterial routes of New Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Street and the connecting streets were rerouted, closed and reinstated several times, through seven major phases and numerous sub-stages from December 1997 to March 2002. The bus stops had to be shifted accordingly as well.[6] The road diversions and the construction barriers erected had impacted foot traffic to the business in the area.[7] Moreover, the businesses had to put up with the noise and dust affecting their goods.[8][9] The contractor made efforts to minimise these effects, such as using quieter machinery and cleaning the vehicles exiting the worksite. During the Lunar New Year period of 3002, a temporary bridge was constructed to connect the two sides of Pagoda Street, so that the pedestrians could walk over the entrance work site.[7]

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) had also engaged with the local community through press releases, personal discussions and local community events.[10] Taking into account the feedback received, the LTA had implemented measures such as shifting worksite hoarding to maximise walking space, working with artists to paint the worksite panels to enhance the scenery, minimising the worksite space at Pagoda Street and renovating the Garden Bridge to allow its integration with the station.[7][11] In addition, the LTA added a temporary taxi stand at Upper Cross Street to serve the retail development of Chinatown Point and built a temporary pedestrian staircase from the shops along New Bridge Road to the Garden Bridge.[9][10]

Prior to the construction, the utilities at the site had to be diverted at a cost of S$7 million (US$4.71 million). This was to ensure that the utilities were not damaged during the station's construction. Preventing disruption to the power and water supply and telecommunications during the manoeuvre, the utilities had to be cautiously protected or substituted. The complex diversions took some time due to the poor documentation on the location of the old pipes and cables.[6]

The Eu Tong Sen Canal, running through the station site, had to be taken apart and diverted into four 300 m (980 ft) steel pipes connecting between the unaffected parts of the canal.[9] It was initially considered to support the canal with steel beams during ground excavation and the station's construction.[12] However, this option would risk damaging the canal, causing a flood to the site. The more time-consuming and expensive alternative to divert the canal into the 2.1 m (6.9 ft) diameter pipes would minimise such risks and allow sufficient space for the construction machinery. Going with this alternative, this was one of the largest drainage diversions in Singapore. The pipes were suspended below the temporary road decking. After the station's construction, the canal, now wider and deeper, was rebuilt above the station.[13]

The construction also involved the preservation of Garden Bridge which spans over the New Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Street. A social and cultural landmark built in 1995, it was initially considered to dismantle the bridge as the columns and foundations were in the way of MRT works.[12] Eventually, the LTA reversed its decision and decided to underpin the bridge using massive steel trusses. Certain sections of the bridge's central support were cut away to allow more space for efficient excavation and construction. The support columns were rebuilt after the station's completion.[13]

Due to the soft marine clay above the stable sedimentary soil, the construction works had resulted in a few cave-ins at the site. On 3 July 1999, an unused section of the old canal caved in, forming a 3-metre (9.8 ft) deep hole. Several I-beams, a compressor and a small machine, which fell into the hole, were retrieved using a crane. It was discovered that soil has seeped through a gap in the perimeter wall of the new station, resulting in the collapse of the structure. The gap was made to accommodate a sewer pipe.[14] In the evening of 22 November, a section of the Eu Tong Sen Street caved in, resulting in its closure along with the connecting streets. The collapse formed a 8-by-5-metre (26 by 16 ft) hole with a depth of up to 1 metre (3.3 ft). No one was injured while the surrounding building structures remained intact.[15] Subsequently, on 2 December, a 2 cm (0.79 in) suppression was discovered on the road 15 metres (49 ft) away from the cave-in site, resulting in another road closure. The depression was discovered through an inspection detecting soil movement above the tunnelling machine underneath the street. One of the lanes remained open for buses.[16] The road was dug open to inspect the utility pipes, cables and the two steel pipes underneath the road. Discovering the cracks on the road, cement mixture was pumped into the ground to stabilise the soil before reopening the road to traffic on 5 December.[11][17]

By mid-2002, the major roads were reinstated with most of the construction work complete.[9][18] In light of the station's opening, the surrounding shopping complexes of People's Park Complex and the OG Shopping Centre went through renovations and redevelopment. The former Majestic theatre near the station had also been refurbished and converted into a retail mall.[7][9][19] With the opening of the station on 20 June 2003 along with the other NEL stations,[20][21] it was expected that the station would bring further development to the area with more investments and crowds.[4]

DTL Platform D

Exit F of the station constructed to serve the DTL station

During the construction of the NEL station, it was proposed for Chinatown station to link with a future MRT line. In October 1997, it was announced that the station will be the terminus of the proposed 12-kilometre (7.5 mi) Marina Line.[22] In subsequent plans, however, the Chinatown branch was scrapped as the project was scaled back to six stations that will be part of the Circle Line (CCL).[23][24][25]

On 26 April 2004, Today reported that soil tests were being conducted around Chinatown station, raising speculations of a possible rail link between Chinatown and Marina Bay via a new developing downtown. The LTA, however, said that they had yet to decide on building such a line.[26] Subsequently on 14 June, the LTA announced that Chinatown station will be the terminus of the Downtown Extension (DTE) from Milennia station (now Promenade).[27][28] The DTE, initially planned to be a branch of the CCL,[29] was later revised to be the first stage of the Downtown line in 2007.[30]

In preparation for the DTL construction, the utilities underneath Cross Street and Upper Cross Street were diverted to a 500-metre (1,600 ft) Common Utility Trench (CUT). The 7 metres (23 ft) wide and 3.5 metres (11 ft) deep CUT, which was located along Pickering Street and Church Street, was constructed using the cut and cover method. The contract for the CUT construction was awarded to Hwa Seng Builder Pte Ltd on 18 August 2006 for S$6.4 million (US$4.31 million).[31]

Contract 909 for the construction of Chinatown DTL station and associated tunnels[32] was awarded to Gammon Construction at a contract sum of S$160.3 million (US$107.96 million) in August 2007.[33][34] On 12 February 2008, the LTA marked the beginning of the DTL construction with a groundbreaking ceremony at this station.[35][36]

During the construction, traffic was diverted along Cross Street and Upper Cross Street from 22 March to end of June 2008. The area in front of Hong Lim Complex and Chinatown Point had been closed off to build the support wall for the station and tunnels.[37] Subsequently, a section of Upper Cross Street between Yue Hwa Building and Block 34 was realigned from 18 January 2010 until the station's completion in 2013.[38]

On 17 January 2013, then Minister of Transport Lui Tuck Yew visited the station, where he announced the 2013 Land Transport Master Plan.[39] An open house was held on 7 December 2013[40][41] before the DTL station commenced operations on 22 December.[42][43] The station was the terminus of the DTL until the opening of DTL Stage 3 to Expo station on 21 October 2017.[44][45]

Extending the DTL tunnels from Chinatown to Fort Canning station was a challenge, due to the narrow space between two Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks and the State Court along the route. In addition, it was necessary to divert the Singapore River for the tunnels’ construction.[46] The DTL tunnels had to be stacked to overcome the space constraints, while being constructed near the foundations of the State Courts and a HDB block.[47]

Before deciding on the alignment through the Singapore River, 20 other tunnel routes were considered but they were deemed unsafe and/or damaging to the environment. The diversion of the river was necessary as tunnelling underneath would risk ground subsidence or tunnel flooding. The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) used could be obstructed by debris that remained stuck into the riverbed. There were considerations to dam the river but it would have disrupted people’s livelihoods and tour boat operations on the river.[48]

The river diversion, which started in 2012, involved removing components of the river embankment, constructing a series of dams, strengthening the soil and excavating a new 40-by-100-by-7-metre (131 by 328 by 23 ft) canal on the river’s west bank.[49][50] A new embankment was built across the original river, which was drained and filled with soil. The debris along the tunnels’ route were removed using piling rigs before tunnelling works commenced.[50] To ensure the works did not pollute the river (which is connected to the Marina Reservoir), the LTA had maintained adequate hydraulic flows to keep the water clean.[51] After boring through the area, the river was realigned to its original course.[50]

Exit C of the station

As the name suggests, the station is located within the ethnic enclave of Chinatown. The NEL station is situated underground between Eu Tong Sen Street and New Bridge Road, while the DTL is underneath Cross Street.[52] The NEL site was chosen as such to avoid acquiring the historical shophouses and buildings in the area.[6]

In addition, the station site allowed closer links to shopping centres and busy pedestrian areas.[53] Surrounding landmarks of the station include the religious sites of Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Masjid Jamae (Chulia), Fairfield Methodist Church, the Sri Mariamman Temple and the Sri Layan Sithi Vinayagar Temple. In addition, Chinatown station is close to various retail developments such as Chinatown Complex, Chinatown Point, Hong Lim Complex, People's Park Complex, OG Building, The Majestic and Furama City Centre & Shopping Centre. Other public amenities surrounding the station include the State Courts, Family Justice Courts, Chinatown Visitor Centre and the Kreta Ayer Community Centre.[52]

Chinatown station is served by the North East (NEL) and Downtown (DTL) lines. The station code is NE4/DT19 as reflected on official maps.[54] On the NEL, the station is between the Outram Park and Clarke Quay stations,[54] with trains running every 2.5 to 5 minutes depending on peak hours.[55] On the DTL, the station is between the Telok Ayer and Fort Canning stations,[54] with trains on the line running every 2.5 to 5 minutes depending on peak hours.[55]

The station has two underground levels[56] and six entrances.[52] The NEL station has a length of 281 metres (922 ft) and a depth of 25 metres (82 ft). The unusually long length is to allow the station's connections to the various entrances serving the surrounding places of interest.[53] The DTL station is 450 metres (1,480 ft) long, with plans to connect the station with the adjcanent Telok Ayer station via an underground retail link.[57]

Reflecting the rich oriental culture of the area, the station is decorated with Chinese calligraphy on the floors of the station's platforms and concourse, alongside the mural on the wall across the concourse.[56] Exit A of the station at Pagoda Street features a pavilion-style, high, transparent roof structure which provides an unobstructed view of the shophouses and allows natural light into the station.[58][4][59] As Pagoda Street is on a low-lying area vulnerable to flooding, the entrance also adopts an innovative mechanical flood barrier, instead of elevating the entrance that will be obstructive to the street view. Flood water would flow into a chamber underneath the barrier's floor, which causes the barrier to rise and act as a gate against the water.[60] The other station entrances employ glass structures which allow viewing of the surrounding developments and natural lighting.[4]

Chinese calligraphy on the concourse floor and the mural in the background

The station showcases two artworks as part of the MRT network's Art-in-Transit programme.[lower-alpha 1] Tan Swie Hian's The Phoenix's-Eye Domain is a wall mural representing the journey of Singapore's Chinese immigrants, supplemented by a poem written in three sets of rhyming couplets.[61] The colourful mural, depicting a soaring phoenix in various forms, is displayed at the NEL concourse level, while the poem is engraved on the floors of the NEL platforms and concourse. As the artist explained, the poem was intended to be a "footnote" to the mural, while the mural is a visual realisation of the poem.[59][62][63]

Taking inspiration from a description of the mythical phoenix in the Chinese classic text "Shan Hai Jing", the artist adopts the phoenix as a symbol of perseverance and strength of the first Chinese settlers. Not intending to just use recognisable depictions of old Chinatown, Tan wished to capture the enduring and noble spirit of the forefathers, which helped build today's Singapore, in this artwork. In the mural, the phoenix flies over the waterfront of Singapore, depicted by two kris-shaped rocks. These two rocks, which once existed at the waters' edge, were used as indicators by early Chinese navigators, who referred Singapore as "Dragon's Teeth Gate". Written on the phoenix's body are five characters meaning Virtue, Righteousness, Civility, Benevolence and Credibility, regarded to be the five core values of men.[59]

At another section of the artwork, the phoenix was shown in full glory, being surrounded by a myriad of birds. This was intended to be an auspicious sign of Singapore's prosperity. In the concluding segment of the mural, the birds and phoenix combined into one, symbolising the "universal energy" of the cycle of life.[59][64] The coolies on the mural were portrayed as victorious strong men draw in Greek classical style rather than defeated labourers, as the artist felt the labourers were already well-built. Drawing out the work by hand, Tan had oil and acrylic paints directly applied on the canvas instead of watering them down via a painting medium. This was to accomplish the vibrant colour transitions for the work. Reproducing this colour treatment, however, was difficult during the mural's production in the United Kingdom. Through experimentation, the specialist company in Birmingham adopted a seven colour process to closely match the original's colours on the final artwork in vitreous enamel.[64]

The poetry, composed in semi-cursive calligraphic script,[62] employs the literacy form of the couplet - a pair of complementary verses set side by side. A complex combination of visual symmetry, linguistic precision and calligraphic talent, the adjacent characters in each of the verses are well-matched in meaning. The calligraphy was first written in ink on rice paper, before being scanned into a computer and reproduced on the 1.2 m² (13 sq ft) granite tiles. Each of the Chinese characters was cut out from grey slabs and inlaid into slabs of darker tone hollowed out for the characters. Placing the work on the floor, however, was considered unusual, as calligraphic works were usually placed on walls in auspicious positions. Tan explained that since life comes from earth, the earth is as auspicious as the sky. The artist intended to lay the characters on the same earth the first settlers had set foot on.[64]

Flying Colours by Cheo Chai Hiang displayed across the DTL concourse level

The DTL station features Flying Colours by Cheo Chai Hiang displayed across the DTL concourse level.[63][65] The artwork is a lenticular print of a clothes line which changes slightly when viewed from different angles. The clothesline is a typical scene in Singapore high-rise Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats, and the artist sought to transform the "mundane" aspect of it into something "festive and celebratory". The intended effect was to create an illusion where the clothes would seem to be "flying in the wind".[66][67]

The DTL artwork has drawn mixed reactions from other artists. Jeremy Sharma, the artist of Holland Beat at Holland Village station, regarded the work as "original and attractive with a lot of playful humour". On the other hand, Yek Wong, a painter who created the artwork at one-north station, felt that the work did not quite deliver the concept and suggested it could be more "visually engaging".[67]

• Leong, Chan Teik (2003). Getting there : The story of the North East Line. Singapore: Land Transport Authority (LTA). ISBN 981-04-5886-X. OCLC 53383062.
• Tan, Su (2003). Art in transit : North East Line MRT - Singapore. Singapore: Land Transport Authority. ISBN 981-04-7384-2. OCLC 52771106.
• Feng, Zengkun (2017). Downtown Line: Soaring to new heights. Singapore: Straits Times Press Pte Ltd. ISBN 978-981-4747-66-0. OCLC 1003852882.