A few months back, Denise school organised an outing to the Guan Huat Dragon Kiln, located off Jalan Bahar.A little history....
In the early 1980's Singapore still had three Dragon Kilns, Sam Mui Kwang, Thow Kwang and Guan Huat. The latter two remain today, while the former gave way to urbanization.In 2001, this Dragon Kiln was saved through a joint effort.
The Singapore Tourism Board financed and project-managed the restoration of the kiln and roof, the then Ministry of Information & the Arts secured the title deed, and URA gave approval for the site as a pottery park-cum-arts education centre. Other participants were National Heritage Board, the then Land Office, and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.In 2004, Focus Ceramic Services won the tender to run the kiln as a pottery arts centre.
The Guan Huat Dragon Kiln measures 43 metres long, 2.2 metres high and 2.5 metres wide. In the past the dragon kiln was fired fortnightly to meet the demand for latex cups needed by the rubber plantations which surrounded the area around Jalan Bahar. Other wares fired in this kiln included water containers, pipes, flower pots and crockery. Flower pots became very saleable in the early 1970s. Decreasing demands for such wares was the main reason for its closing down.
The children saw pottery demostration and even had a change to do some simple pottery which they can bring home!
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