ECO ARCHITECTURE IN SINGAPORE SINCE 1924 : GUESS WHAT? GLASS BOTTLES

This is an interesting fact contributed by a friend, Sheila. We found this amazing. We used to walk pass this mosque very often but never knew the sustainable story behind it. Thank you Sheila!!!
What do you get when a building in Singapore is

• designed by an Irish architect working for a British firm,
  
  
• built in a ethnic quarter marked out by an Englishman,
  
  
• surrounded by roads with Omani and Afghan names, and
  
  
• initially funded by Malays, Bugis, Javanese, Indians and Arabs?

Well, the Sultan Mosque, of course...
The architect: Denis Santry
The firm: Swan & MacLaren
The Englishman: Sir Stamford Raffles
The Roads: Muscat St, Kandahar St
One of the oldest Mosques in Kampong Glam - the area allocated By Stamford Raffles for Sultan Hussein of Singapore - Became a Malay and Arab Settlement.
The first Sultan's Mosque was built about 1824 when North Bridge Road ended at the junction of Arab Street. To erect the present Mosque, North Bridge Road was extended and Jalan Sultan was diverted to provide the space needed for the Mosque.

In the early twentieth century decision was taken by the Trustees and leading Muslim residents of Singapore to erect a new Mosque because the old one needed substantial repairs. The estimated cost for the new Mosque was $200,000 and campaign was launched to raise the funds.

The gold-coloured dome sits on a ringed structure made up entirely of glass bottles (see picture above).

The story behind this ring of bottles is very heart-warming. While the rich donated from their gold stashes to the building of the mosque, the poorer folks raised funds by collecting and selling used glass bottles. Look up at this ring of bottles today, and you are reminded of the humble folks who gave generously out of their poverty.

Today, the mosque continues to welcome people from all economic backgrounds - as was the case in 1924-1928 when it was being built.