Arts, CCA Events, Culture

Do You Dream? Runway RPROJ Showcase 2026
Reading Time: 10 minutes

By Tang Ziya Rena (27A01B) and Tu Meiyi Mary (27S06O)

All photos courtesy of Skyler Chen Yuanzhe (27S03A), Esther Ho Yee Yeow (27S03B), Ayyaatharan Srinivasan (26S06D), Zhu Taiwu (26S06K),  Kylie Chong (26S03E), Kaylea Tan Kai Xuan (26A01E)

If you had been anywhere near the Multi-Purpose Hall (MPH) on the 25th of May, you may have spotted crowds of students (and even a few teachers) milling about the entrance of the hall with bouquets of fresh flowers in tow. 

While this sight is indeed not out of the ordinary, but rather, highly characteristic of most in-school performance events, you, the ever-observant onlooker, might have noticed something that sets this one apart from the others.

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Compilations, Culture, Features, Go Where?, Prexcursion

Where Past Meets the Present — Gentrification in Joo Chiat 
Reading Time: 8 minutes

By Georgia Ong (26S03O), Lerraine Neo (26A01A), Looi Ee Xin (26S03M) 

What comes to mind when you hear “Joo Chiat”? Perhaps it’s the many cafes adorning the streets, or the Peranakan shophouses that are abuzz with tourists. Or maybe, you’re more familiar with Joo Chiat’s sisters, the neighbouring Katong and Marine Parade estates, with malls like i12 Katong or Parkway Parade. 

Regardless, there’s one common thing that all these things share—the vitality they bring to the neighbourhood. When one thinks of mature, culturally significant estates, characteristics like TCM shops, playgrounds, worn-down buildings, wet markets and places of worship may arise, but that’s not the case for Joo Chiat. 

Joo Chiat, Singapore’s residential Peranakan neighbourhood, has managed to pull off the unthinkable—effortlessly weaving culture with culture, past with present, allowing for a cohesive identity that remains culturally relevant even with the evolving times. 

This is gentrification in Joo Chiat. 

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Compilations, Culture, Prexcursion

Peranakan Glamour: Singapore’s Kebayas
Reading Time: 4 minutes

By Nicole Lee (26S05A), Christian Adriel Tan (26S07B), Tomi Peh (26S06P) and Teng Yifan (26S06H)

A garment iconic enough to be nominated by multiple nations to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, to have been one of Southeast Asia’s oldest existing attire–it’s none other than the kebaya. 

Historically, the kebaya was a loose-fitting, tunic-like garment which was worn for everyday occasions. Being knee-length and mostly plain, it proved to be a comfortable and simplistic outfit fashioned from light and airy materials, making it just as common an attire as T-shirts and blouses today. 

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Commentary, Compilations, Culture, Features, Go Where?, Prexcursion

Joo Chiat Road: Sign of the Times
Reading Time: 6 minutes

By Huang Han Cheng (26S05B) and Kunchur Bharat (26A01B)

Taking a walk in Joo Chiat, one might form a rather simplistic image of the area. Rows of mixed-use shophouses inhabited by chic cafes, a mishmash of restaurant options and inoffensive street art make for a pleasant weekend itinerary. Behind this quaint facade, however, is a neighbourhood which plays a larger role in Singapore’s history than many expect. 

Joo Chiat might be best described as an architectural palimpsest. Like a parchment scroll that has been consistently scraped and washed for reuse, the neighbourhood has assumed many identities throughout history.

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Arts, CCA Events, School Life

Alpenglow: The Road to the Summit
Reading Time: 9 minutes

By Dara Tan (27A01A) and Sophie Sim (27S05A)

All photos courtesy of Ma Qihang Jackie (27S03H) 

“May tonight’s performance leave us all in the glow of music and shared wonder,” Principle Aaron Loh mentioned in his foreword. And indeed, the band enthralled us, completely immersing us in their world for a short 2 hours and leaving us in awe. 

10 minutes before the concert, the audience was slowly filing in and there was a low buzzing hum of chatter and anticipation. As the band stepped neatly into the SOTA concert hall, exuberant cheers and shouting erupted, with friends and family gathered in full support of the members. 

Concert A Tempo is the band’s annual concert, a particularly momentous one for the seniors as their last performance with Raffles Symphonic Band. The concert was themed “Alpenglow”, illustrating an arduous journey up the Alpine peaks. This reflected (many of) the senior batch’s six long years of dedication to the band, and the “glow” signalled the bright new era for the juniors as they stepped up in the band. 

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