Ekhoneni likaStamford Road noNorth Bridge Road, enkabeni yesifunda somphakathi namasiko eSingapore, kulele iCapitol Theatre esanda kulungiswa. Kuyigugu le-art-deco eliqale impilo yalo ngo-1930 futhi lenzelwa abakhi bezakhiwo zakudala be-Keys no-Dowdeswell, bathatha ugqozi enkundleni yezemidlalo i-Roxy theatre eNew York.
Abantu bendawo asebekhulile ngokwanele ukuba bangakhumbula, babheke emuva esikhathini lapho izinkanyezi ezinjengoCharlie Chaplin, Ava Gardner noDouglas Fairbanks bevakashele inkundla yemidlalo ukuyoqhakambisa amafilimu abo. IMickey Mouse Club yabamba imibukiso yabo lapho ngawo-1930, futhi noma ngubani oseSingapore ongaphezu kweminyaka engama-70 uzokhumbula izinsuku zabo zokuqala esitolo samakhekhe saseFrance eceleni kwale nkundla yemidlalo.
Manje, lesi sithonjana se-art deco sivuselelwe njengengxenye yeCapitol Singapore, intuthuko yokuqala yokuphila ehlanganisiwe yezwe. Idizayinwe ngabakhi bezakhiwo abawine imiklomelo iPritzker Architecture, uRichard Meier noPartners, yonke intuthuko ihlanganisa iThe Patina, ihhotela; I-Eden Residences Capitol, indawo yokuhlala; kanye neCapitol Piazza, indawo yokudayisa yokudla neziphuzo. ICapitol Theatre iyigugu lomqhele wale ndawo.
Namuhla, iCapitol Theatre isilungiswe kakhulu futhi ivulekele ukwenziwa kwazo zonke izinhlobo kubandakanya ama-movie nemihlangano. Iwebhusayithi ethi "Ukuvakashela eSingapore" ithi "kungcono kakhulu emicimbini yokuklonyeliswa, ubusuku bemigala, izingqungquthela ezinkulu nezingqungquthela, okokuqala ngqa kwamafilimu, neminye imicimbi esezingeni eliphakeme yompetha obomvu."
Mhlawumbe umklomelo omkhulu walesi sikhungo sodumo ukwembulwa kweCapitol Kempinski Hotel okwase kuyisikhathi eside ilindelwe, eyayaziwa ngokuthi iCapitol Building. "Sijabule ngokufaka uhlobo lokuqala lweKempinski eSingapore," uChristian Gurtner, uMqondisi Ophethe wehhotela, ungitshele ngokuziqhenya ngesidlo sasekuseni endaweni yethusi ebuyiswe kahle. Ngokusho kukaGurtner, "Ihhotela lizokwethulela iminikelo yokudla neziphuzo kumhlaba naseCapitol Piazza ezinyangeni ezizayo."
Ihhotela lihlangana kahle nendawo elizungezile njengetshe eliyigugu lobuciko elihlinzeka ngokunethezeka okungafani nalutho, futhi wonke amakamelo ezivakashi ahluke ngokukhethekile komunye nomunye. Ukufakwa okuphezulu kubuyisela emuva emuva esikhathini lapho isikhala sasisho ukuzitika.
Isikhulu sempahla, uPua Seck Guan, nenkampani yakhe iPerennial Real Estate Holdings bagcina ukulawula yonke le phrojekthi ebandakanya indawo yaseshashalazini nehhotela, futhi uyajabula ukuthi iCapitol Kempinski ekugcineni izokwamukela izivakashi. "Kungaba ngcono kuneRaffles," esho. Ngaphezulu kwamaketanga ayi-15 abhida inkontileka yokuphatha, kepha uPua wayethanda iKempinski, okuyilona hlobo oludala kunawo wonke lwaseYurophu. Isizathu esiyinhloko ngemuva kokukhethwa kweKempinski ukuthi leli chungechunge ligxile kuphela ekunethezeka, ngokugwema ukuphazanyiswa kwezakhiwo zezinkanyezi ezi-3 nezine.
