Cool elements = a draw for young people?

When did Peace Centre become fashionable?

Gentrification erase historical significance?

Can nostalgia be manufactured?

Successful ‘reboots’

Meaning of history and heritage

Is our celebration of old buildings, or even old-school businesses, a little too late? 

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah explores contemporary societal choices and youth perspectives.

In the last few months before Peace Centre closed in 2024, people flocked to the Sophia Road mall to soak up the vibes. Golden Mile Complex in Beach Road, an architectural icon that is conserved, also came alive with new explorers along its corridors in the lead-up to its closure in 2023.

I wanted to find out if these last hurrahs could have come earlier.

In this episode, I had history buff Dhevarajan Devadas (@historyogisg), who produces content about Singapore’s history and heritage through a newsletter, podcast and on social media. The 33-year-old is also a public policy analyst.

Meanwhile, Khair Mas’od, 26, who runs video production company Subset, did his final-year university project on Golden Mile Complex (@thiswasgmc) in 2023. 

Also joining us was John Siow, 38, who previously worked at the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) conservation department, managing outreach and education efforts. He and an ex-colleague teamed up to snap photos for @pintupagar.sg, an Instagram account featuring shots of buildings and various architectural forms around Singapore.

We discussed why people are drawn to these old buildings in their last days and how to keep young people interested in the spaces that came before.

Highlights (click/tap above)

1:40 Cool elements = a draw for young people?

3:25 When did Peace Centre and Golden Mile Complex become fashionable?

6:00 Does gentrification erase historical significance?

17:40 Can nostalgia be manufactured?

31:00 Successful ‘reboots’

36:30 History and heritage not just a collection of places, names and dates

Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

Host: Natasha Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Edited by producers: Teo Tong Kai and Eden Soh

Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong

Filmed by: Joel Chng and Marc Justin De Souza, ST Video

Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg


Read Natasha Zachariah's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm


Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

#tup #tuptr

Is our celebration of old buildings, or even old-school businesses, a little too late? Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah explores contemporary societal choices and youth perspectives. In the last few months before Peace Centre closed in 2024, people flocked to the Sophia Road mall to soak up the vibes. Golden Mile Complex in Beach Road, an architectural icon that is conserved, also came alive with new explorers along its corridors in the lead-up to its closure in 2023. I wanted to find out if these last hurrahs could have come earlier. In this episode, I had history buff Dhevarajan Devadas (@historyogisg), who produces content about Singapore’s history and heritage through a newsletter, podcast and on social media. The 33-year-old is also a public policy analyst. Meanwhile, Khair Mas’od, 26, who runs video production company Subset, did his final-year university project on Golden Mile Complex (@thiswasgmc) in 2023. 
Also joining us was John Siow, 38, who previously worked at the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) conservation department, managing outreach and education efforts. He and an ex-colleague teamed up to snap photos for @pintupagar.sg, an Instagram account featuring shots of buildings and various architectural forms around Singapore. We discussed why people are drawn to these old buildings in their last days and how to keep young people interested in the spaces that came before. Highlights (click/tap above)
1:40 Cool elements = a draw for young people? 3:25 When did Peace Centre and Golden Mile Complex become fashionable? 6:00 Does gentrification erase historical significance? 17:40 Can nostalgia be manufactured? 31:00 Successful ‘reboots’ 36:30 History and heritage not just a collection of places, names and dates
Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic:<a href="https://str.sg/8Wav"> https://str.sg/8Wav</a>
Host: Natasha Zachariah (<a href="mailto:natashaz@sph.com.sg">natashaz@sph.com.sg</a>)
Edited by producers: Teo Tong Kai and Eden Soh
Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong
Filmed by: Joel Chng and Marc Justin De Souza, ST Video
Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/5nfm"> https://str.sg/5nfm</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/9ijX"> https://str.sg/9ijX</a>
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/cd2P"> https://str.sg/cd2P</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/wEr7u">https://str.sg/wEr7u</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg </a>
Read Natasha Zachariah's articles:<a href="https://str.sg/iSXm"> https://str.sg/iSXm </a>
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn:<a href="https://str.sg/v6DN"> https://str.sg/v6DN</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel:<a href="https://str.sg/wvz7"> https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
The Usual Place: <a href="https://str.sg/wEr7u">https://str.sg/wEr7u</a>
In Your Opinion:<a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt"> https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
COE Watch: <a href="https://str.sg/iTtE">https://str.sg/iTtE</a>
Asian Insider: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Health Check: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaN">https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Green Pulse: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Your Money &amp; Career: <a href="https://str.sg/wB2m">https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
Hard Tackle: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRE">https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
#PopVultures: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad">https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Music Lab: <a href="https://str.sg/w9TX">https://str.sg/w9TX</a>
---
ST Podcast website:<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts"> http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
ST Podcasts YouTube:<a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa"> https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a>
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/i44T">https://str.sg/i44T</a>
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Invisible Asia (9 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZn">https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
Stop Scams (10 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZB">https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa">https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
---
Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
#tup #tuptr

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah explores contemporary societal choices and youth perspectives.

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis & The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah explores contemporary societal choices and youth perspectives.
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis &amp; The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

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