The empty land in front of the former St. Matthew’s Church and Kindergarten poses an opportunity to be reinvented as Sook Ching Memorial Park. Not only are the buildings hold significant historical and cultural value, the site is also in close proximity to the Sook Ching prisoner camps and massacre sites. The site is located at the subzone of Everton Park, sandwiched between Tiong Bahru and the equally historical Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar. A public park would not only be a tourist destination along Singapore Heritage Trail, but also a green refuge for the residents and office workers nearby.
Cratoxylum formosum trees are the focal point of the Memorial Plaza. The pink flower trees provide enough shade for different activities and gatherings, yet offering a picturesque view that can attract both locals and tourists.
The deciduous Cratoxylum formosum will shed its leaves once a year. Combined with the grid arrangement of the trees, the cemetery-like gloomy atmosphere is designed to commemorate the horrific tragedy of the Sook Ching Massacre.
