Is this a waste of public funds?

[Terence]

A couple of months back, several new street signs and lamp posts were installed in the vicinity of my home. Some fella with no taste at some public works department must've drawn up the designs for these hideous things. Now everytime I drive or walk by these ugly things, I am just overcome with dread... see for yourself.

Fig. 1 - Did you ever wonder why a road sign would need a roof? To keep it from getting wet??? And why is the roof only over part of the sign? There aren't even any lights installed in the roof to light the sign at night. Notice the puke ugly aluminium grille designs. There's more ornate grilles than there is information from the signs! What's with all that curly wurly stuff???

Fig. 2 - Not only is this sign ugly, it's also misleading. It's situated at the junction of Still Road/Joo Chiat Place but points more towards Joo Chiat Place. It's led a lot of people to believe that Joo Chiat Place is Still Road.

Fig. 3 - I suppose this street light matches the ugliness of the street sign. That's the only thing it's got going for it. That Chinky baby blue/turquoise colour... yeeecchhhh. I find the plain old ones much nicer.

Do you ever wonder how much of public funds is being wasted on such ugly street fittings? If you've got some equally ugly signs/lights/homes around your area, feel free to stick em in here. It'll be good for a laugh if nothing else.

 

[AReality]

Do you ever wonder how much of public funds is being wasted on such ugly street fittings?

I think they saved some funds from the design stage...

 

[sehsuan]

yucks.

how about writing to ST Forums?

 

[Larry]

all i can say is, taste is subjective. don't be so fast to condemn the design, some people might like it. also, you have to understand govt purchasing practices - that might be the model with the lowest price or best value. design considerations might be a low priority, so don't be so quick to point that it's a waste of funds. for all you know it might be cheaper than the old-type street signs.

my 2 cents.

 

[sehsuan]

i sure recall serangoon gardens' residents making a din in the papers couple of years back though.

 

[Terence]

all i can say is, taste is subjective. don't be so fast to condemn the design, some people might like it. also, you have to understand govt purchasing practices - that might be the model with the lowest price or best value. design considerations might be a low priority, so don't be so quick to point that it's a waste of funds. for all you know it might be cheaper than the old-type street signs.

my 2 cents.

Sure taste is subjective... I hate the design, that's my opinion. Sure some chinky people will love it, I pity them. And I cannot see how a humongous sign such as that can be any cheaper than a simple one.

I feel that asthetics as well as practicality are important for any public fittings. They should blend in with the rest of the environment, not stand out like a sore thumb.

Larry, don't tell me you're the fella behind the design of the signs and the lamp posts ah? Or are you a civil servant?

 

[Larry]

Larry, don't tell me you're the fella behind the design of the signs and the lamp posts ah? Or are you a civil servant?

:what:

hahaha no i'm not the designer, nor the supplier or the distributor, and no i'm not in govt employment. in fact AFAIK i have nothing to do with street signs at all.

just trying to bring a little objectivity to this discussion. but i think you should bring up the matter of the positioning of the Still Road/Joo Chiat Place sign though. that's fairly serious as it's misleading.

 

[Papilio]

A couple of months back, several new street signs and lamp posts were installed in the vicinity of my home. Some fella with no taste at some public works department must've drawn up the designs for these hideous things. Now everytime I drive or walk by these ugly things, I am just overcome with dread... see for yourself.

Do you ever wonder how much of public funds is being wasted on such ugly street fittings? If you've got some equally ugly signs/lights/homes around your area, feel free to stick em in here. It'll be good for a laugh if nothing else.

Terence, for one thing, the government organisation that was called the public works department ceased to exist since 1999. There is no more public works department as such. A lot of these signs that you've pointed out, are very much the domain of the respective town councils, who hire their own architects and designers for "estate improvement" schemes.

The green road signs that you've shot is the brainchild of the LTA. It's apparently more "aesthetic" and more visible with the green background. Personally, I still prefer the simplicity and colours of the old black and white signs which LTA auctioned off. Anyway, it's like what Larry said, these things are rather subjective.

For the design of that Kembangan/Teluk Kurau thingy, I must agree with you that it's rather overdone, and unnecessary. You can write to the government's Cut Waste Panel website (but you can't hide behind a pseudonym though) to register your displeasure. Or check out the Town Council responsible for that and write to the Member of Parliament to give your feedback.

There are other channels that the public can provide feedback to the organisations responsible for such things. It's part of improving Singapore. If you feel strongly about something, then voice it out to the relevant parties. After all, if you're a taxpaying Singaporean, you're also paying for these things! :think:

 

[Terence]

OMG, I didn't even know there was such a thing as a Cut Waste Panel. Anyways, found their website at http://app.mof.gov.sg/cutwaste/index.asp

Guess it's a good avenue to voice out suggestions and dislikes. I submitted my complaint, would be interesting to see if anything would be done about it.

 

[Papilio]

OMG, I didn't even know there was such a thing as a Cut Waste Panel. Anyways, found their website at http://app.mof.gov.sg/cutwaste/index.asp

Guess it's a good avenue to voice out suggestions and dislikes. I submitted my complaint, would be interesting to see if anything would be done about it.

Good for you! They're obliged to reply... sooner or later... cos the boss has committed that all feedback will be responded to. However, if the reply is not to your liking, that's another matter altogether. But at least you get to register your comments to someone! :what:

Perhaps when they DO reply to you, you'd like to share it with us here.

 

[clive]

it looks ok

 

[AReality]

2nd look, I saw someting fishy in the street sign... :think:

 

[Spectrum]

Hi to all who is reading this post,

I do agree to Terence regarding the fishy metal sign board deco. It really looks awful. But then, they might decorate something else when there's festive season around the corner(which I hardly think so). And when this metal get rusty, it will look like sh*t. But I don't mind the new street light look(maybe the colours a bit annoying, it's fine with me), they can even hang banner or flags way ahead before our national day!
Anyway, this is just to my personal preference only. But I do hope those people who is doing there job to beautify our neighbourhood must really know what is useful & practical. That's all I have to say. Cheers...

 

[Papilio]

Hi to all who is reading this post,

I do agree to Terence regarding the fishy metal sign board deco. It really looks awful. But then, they might decorate something else when there's festive season around the corner(which I hardly think so). And when this metal get rusty, it will look like sh*t. But I don't mind the new street light look(maybe the colours a bit annoying, it's fine with me), they can even hang banner or flags way ahead before our national day!
Anyway, this is just to my personal preference only. But I do hope those people who is doing there job to beautify our neighbourhood must really know what is useful & practical. That's all I have to say. Cheers...

The variety of comments here stand testimony to the fact that beauty is indeed in the eyes of the beholder. There are some who like it, some who think it's ok, whilst others say that it's crap. Larry has made a point earlier in this thread about the subjectivity of aesthetics.

BTW, Spectrum, the metal grilles are in stainless steel. If it's the correct type, then it's not likely to rust so easily. However it's gonna cost a lot more than mild steel which does rust. :what:

 

[AReality]

3rd look... The design is actially 3D...
There are poles in the z axis.
Maybe they designed it in such a way that a banner can be hung in front of the metal grilles to cover the "welcome to" sign?

 

[Terence]

3rd look... The design is actially 3D...
There are poles in the z axis.
Maybe they designed it in such a way that a banner can be hung in front of the metal grilles to cover the "welcome to" sign?

If it is, it's the most chinky modular sign I have ever come across. That still doesn't explain how that half-a-roof fits into the picture. I can't believe this thing is giving me so much grief. The only banner they should hang on it should read "Welcome to Bad Taste".

2nd look, I saw someting fishy in the street sign.

Hahahaha!

 

[Papilio]

If it is, it's the most chinky modular sign I have ever come across. That still doesn't explain how that half-a-roof fits into the picture. I can't believe this thing is giving me so much grief. The only banner they should hang on it should read "Welcome to Bad Taste".

Hahahaha!

If you reaaaaallllllyyy want to know the designers behind that thingy, PM me. Then perhaps you can write to the firm to ask them why they decided to put up such a controversial structure, to say the least. :angel: Or maybe there are some town councillors at the Teluk Kurau area who really thinks that they've put up a masterpiece in design?

Heard anything from the CWP website yet?

 

[ghibli]

If it is, it's the most chinky modular sign I have ever come across. That still doesn't explain how that half-a-roof fits into the picture...
Hahahaha!

My guess is: they want that to be a milestone, so that ppl can say:"Let's meet at the signboard", and if it rains while they waited, that teeny shelter can help to shelter the top half of their bodies. Hee hee hee... :bsmilie: :flush:

 

[yowch]

I can't comment on specifics without implicating my work place and colleagues, but being in the private sector working on some government jobs, there is certainly much superfluous expenditure in the name of "safety, aesthetics and improvement". Then again, although I pay tax, I am not even citizen, so I should just be glad to be here.

Anyway, look around, the roads, trees, signs, schools, government buildings, etc are all tip-top world-class second-to-none in quality, but "we are in difficult times and we need to be prudent", all from the same mouth! Not to mention GST up, CPF down etc. (All facts here)

Beauty may be in the eyes of the beholder, but there are things that 95% will say is "beautiful" and others where 95% will say is "ugly". I see the Gateway building at Beach Road as modern and beautiful, but I can't say the same now, because a large brown lump is now permanently infront of Gateway.

"sigh"

 

[Terence]

If you reaaaaallllllyyy want to know the designers behind that thingy, PM me. Then perhaps you can write to the firm to ask them why they decided to put up such a controversial structure, to say the least.
Heard anything from the CWP website yet?

Thanks Papilio but I don't think my input is going to put a dent in their design philosophy (although I would like to ask em why there is a half-a-roof thingy and why a road sign would require the services of a roof). Like so many have said in the thread, beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder... who am I to pass judgement on their works no matter how hideous I think they are.

Haven't heard a peep from the folks at the Control Waste Panel (haha, I still can't get over the fact that they exist). Perhaps they decided not to waste a reply on me.

It's funny how no one here seemed to have question the practicality of such a sign. I'm guessing it cost anywhere from $2000 - $6000 to put that thing up (do correct me if I'm not even in the ball park)... what use does it serve other than the fact it's a sign with a road name on it. At the angle at which it is situated, it looks as if it's meant for motorists travelling down Still Road from the Marine Parade direction. The Telok Kurau area began a lot sooner than where the sign is situated if you were travelling along Still Road from that direction. Would it not be more practical to have it situated along the East Coast Road/Still Road junction? In fact why is there a need to put up a sign welcoming folks to this part of Singapore?

Just passed it not long ago and saw a couple of crows perched on the sign... glad someone or something found some use for it.