Temasek Hall’s crest is a design that has a regional imagebility and is also particular to its origins.
The heraldic lion in the NUS arms is transcribed onto a capital “T”, symbolizing the hall as upholding the value of the State in its own ideals and aspirations.
The five green bands – green defining the geographical insularity of Singapore – represents the five residential blocks “banded” together in unity and commonality to form the backbone or setting for the Hall.
The chevron is a shield which encloses the scroll – the symbol of learning – and represents the knowledge quest. The tip of the chevron is known as the “honour point” and it upholds the capital “T”. The decorative motifs on the chevron are the Javanese origins and form a link to our own cultural past. “Temasek” being seatown in Javanese.
The continuous escrol beneath the crest bears the Hall motto and acts as the base for the crest. The motto reads “Inspirare, Conficere”; that is “To inspire, To achieve”. The arms can abstracted into simple line forms; a triangular base upon which the apex sits at “T” which in turn bears the lion symbol. The symmetry of the design is further reinforced by the shape of the shield which becomes the “ground” for the “figure”. The symmetrical design serves to emphasize the clarity of forms and proportions of the arms.
It must be mentioned at this point that the various connotations and iconographic contents of the arms require the passage of time and events before it can be imbued with the Hall’s traditions and before the Hall coat-of-arms can leave the world of artistic motifs and enter the realm of values conveying symbols.
We are the Temasek Family
Together we’re making history
Together we’re reaching for the sky
No river too deep nor mountain high
Chorus
Stand tall for Temasek Hall
Full of the spirit that binds us all
As one big family
There’s no other place that we’d rather be
We raise our voices high in song
Temasek is where we all belong
Proud of this hall we call our own
Some call it a hostel, we call it home
Repeat chorus x 3
