UNFINISHED CANVAS, AN: LIFE OF KOH SEOW CHUAN

Koh Seow Chuan likes to see his life as a continuous painting, and himself as the painter. An Unfinished Canvas is about a unique individual who sees life as just that — a canvas that is never finished. This book traces his remarkable life from the age of four, following his journey as a stamp collector, national swimmer, architect and art collector. In all his endeavours, he reached the very top on a global field. The book makes clear how he lived and continues to live his life guided by two principles, his strong belief in the power of knowledge and the power of teamwork, which he found and followed relatively early in his life. Through stamps, he saw what knowledge could do for him academically and how it would always put him in a position of strength in whatever he did later in life. But it is in his absolute embrace of the power of teamwork that sees him succeeding in project after project. People see in him a leader they rarely see in the world of architecture, the leader who insists on we over I, group glory over personal glory. The architecture firm he founded, DP Architects, is more than 50 years old — and is now one of the biggest in the world. In his 80s now, he reminds us that his canvas is still unfinished.

Contents:

• Foreword
• Prologue
• Introduction
• A Head Start in Life
• People's Park Complex
• The Golden Mile Complex
• Esplanade — Theatres on the Bay
• Change and Consolidation by Design
• Talking About the Founder
• Lee Kuan Yew at 100
• Collecting Art, Supporting Artists
• A Patron's Role
• The Support He Did Not Make Public
• National Gallery Singapore
• The Art of Negotiation
• Conversations with God

Readership: Readers interested in Singapore history, art collection, stamp collection and architecture.

'People who know him, from the early days when he was a student and competitive swimmer, to people in the art world, and his former colleagues in DP Architects, all agree that Koh Seow Chuan has been successful in life because of one signature trait: that he places teamwork above individual glory.' - Jane IttogiChair, Tasek Jurong Limited, and wife of President Tharman Shanmugaratnam

'Most young artists find it tough in the Singapore art market, especially those without a name. Seow Chuan buys their works, keeps them, so that they can continue to create. With some artists, he even gives them allowances, and tells them they can pay him later in kind. So, while he has a lot of known artists in his collection, what is not known is, he has a lot of unknown artists too.' - Melvin PohArt Collector

'He has built an ecosystem with people like Melvin and us; he encourages us, involves us, and influences us, and in turn we have cultivated a lot of collectors along the way. After he retired, he has been tirelessly spending time sitting with people and talking to people about art. In the two decades since he retired, he has imparted a lot of experience and knowledge. Invaluable.' - Linda Neo and Albert LimArt Collectors

'I associate Seow Chuan with future building. He ensured that DP Architects would grow from strength to strength in the future years. According to our corporate constitution, individuals are mandated to initiate the process of relinquishing their shareholdings once they reach the age of 60. By the time they reach 65, their shareholdings must be reduced to zero. This embodies the epitome of honour and selflessness. It entails relinquishing ownership of the very company one founded, thereby affording the younger generation the opportunity to steer the organisation's growth. We can count ourselves exceedingly fortunate to have a founder of Mr Koh's calibre guiding our path.' - Angelene ChanChairman

'The power of storytelling is something we cannot underestimate. For instance, the story of Mr Koh mortgaging his stamps to the bank to get the firm out of a very difficult situation. These are powerful stories that stay vivid in our minds. He has countless stories, from People's Park Complex and Golden Mile Complex to the Esplanade, stories that foster the DP identity and sense of belonging because they speak of our common and collective past. When I first met Mr Koh, he was about to retire and not as active in DP. But the stories I heard made him relevant. These are stories I will share with the next generation.' - Seah Chee HuangCEO, DP Architects

'For a high-profile person, he is unassuming, very in touch with the ground. Very accessible.' - Chin Thoe ChongDirector, DP Architects

'Mr Koh Seow Chuan truly does not ask for anything in return, doesn't make you feel bad if you don't reciprocate. He gives, that's all. That's such a simple thing — yes, simple, but very hard to find these days. For a lot of people, they give you something, but you know they would ask you for something in return later. But not Mr Koh; he gives and tells me this is for Singapore. He always reminds me that whatever I am doing, it's for Singapore. It's not for him. Generous. And very curious. His mind is always curious. I really admire that. I am in my 30s, he is in his 80s, yet we are working so well together. Just incredible.' - Dr Diana TayPhD in Art ConservationConservation Consultant

Key Features:

• Tells the never before told life story of Koh Seow Chuan, one of Singapore's pioneering architects
• Recounts, from Koh's perspective, the story of Singapore's formative years, and how he steered the country away from colonial dependence to nation building through rapid urban renewal and transformation
• Captures key developments in Singapore's history through the lens of architecture and urban planning
• Sheds light on the world of stamp collecting and art collecting, and the key takeaways Koh learned from these hobbies