A city's skyline is its signature, inscribed on the horizon. Singapore's is a bold, appealing one, recognised by millions around the world.

Shimmering with colour by day and glittering with lights by night, the Marina Bay is an often photographed vista that has come to represent the country. Encompassing the sky-scraping towers of the Business District and the heritage buildings of the Civic District, as well as the award-winning gardens and leisure attractions that line the Singapore River, the scene also reveals our high-rise homes and the ship-filled Strait in the background.

Just here are where the early settlements were established, based around the commerce which the River brought. The kampongs and forests have given way to streets, bridges and buildings, and the latter in turn have morphed into the steel-and-glass constructions of today. We can still trace the old amidst the new-some colonial edifices and low, red-roofed buildings of yesteryear yet hold their place among the soaring office super-structures. All are icons in the sweep of the land.

Set against the sky also are our homes, with most Singaporeans making theirs in multi-storeyed apartment blocks. The designs of the Housing Development Board and the multitude of condominiums are symbolic of our country's progress, their lofty outlines echoing Singapore's ascent from third world to first.

Ours is a skyline that evolves continuously-rapidly and sometimes astoundingly; year by year differences are seen, reflecting how the way we live, work and play has changed and is still changing. Through its transformations we have seen history unfold.

It is a charismatic skyline, one that captures the essence of our identity. It is also a skyline that, while exceptionally fluid, has through decades and centuries always evinced a palpable sense of home.