clifford pier meditations
reflections on a once vibrant but now virtually deserted pier in singapore
Built in 1933, Clifford Pier was originally a landing point for immigrants and other sea passengers in Singapore. It had a unique roof structure of concrete arched trusses in a riband form. As Singapore progressed, the pier was later used as a terminal for tourists and day trippers who boarded small boats and ferries heading for the Southern Islands. But mostly it was occupied by the elderly and transient workers. Land reclamation around the pier further relegated its use, until it finally ceased operations on 1 April 2006 with the construction of the Marina Barrage which dammed the artificially created Marina Bay.