Construction of new sites and demolition of old ones have become a norm amidst rapid development ... more Construction of new sites and demolition of old ones have become a norm amidst rapid development within Singapore. The common rhetoric is that the sacrificing of heritage sites are necessary trade-offs for economic progress in the land-scarce city-state. Thus, much research has been done on unsuccessful cases of heritage conservation despite civic protests against their demolition in the recent years (for example, Huang 2014). Yet Colbar remains unstudied as a successful case for conservation that responded to civic petitions and protests against the demolition, and remains the only case of relocation and reconstruction as a method of heritage conservation in Singapore. Furthermore, the conservation of Colbar remains enigmatic due to little reports and lack of research, as it is insignificant architecturally and historically, and has limited social value to the larger Singaporean population. The uniqueness of the survival of Colbar is thus worthy of research and ought to be considered in heritage discourses within Singapore. Figure
Singaporeans are familiar with Bugis Junction and its bustling back-alley pedestrian shopping str... more Singaporeans are familiar with Bugis Junction and its bustling back-alley pedestrian shopping streets. While these streets appear to be an integral part of the Bugis Junction complex, there are interesting stories to tell about their spatial morphogenesis. Their controversial vibrancy in the 1970s partially stimulated their demolition and hence, development of the shopping complex, which re-created the public memory of these streets. This essay focuses on the morphogenesis of the Bugis cluster (including Bugis Street, Malay Street, Malabar Street and Hylam Street) in streetscapes and land-use pattern to explore how Singapore’s planning agency uses the transformation of the physical to rein in the social.
Construction of new sites and demolition of old ones have become a norm amidst rapid development ... more Construction of new sites and demolition of old ones have become a norm amidst rapid development within Singapore. The common rhetoric is that the sacrificing of heritage sites are necessary trade-offs for economic progress in the land-scarce city-state. Thus, much research has been done on unsuccessful cases of heritage conservation despite civic protests against their demolition in the recent years (for example, Huang 2014). Yet Colbar remains unstudied as a successful case for conservation that responded to civic petitions and protests against the demolition, and remains the only case of relocation and reconstruction as a method of heritage conservation in Singapore. Furthermore, the conservation of Colbar remains enigmatic due to little reports and lack of research, as it is insignificant architecturally and historically, and has limited social value to the larger Singaporean population. The uniqueness of the survival of Colbar is thus worthy of research and ought to be considered in heritage discourses within Singapore. Figure
Singaporeans are familiar with Bugis Junction and its bustling back-alley pedestrian shopping str... more Singaporeans are familiar with Bugis Junction and its bustling back-alley pedestrian shopping streets. While these streets appear to be an integral part of the Bugis Junction complex, there are interesting stories to tell about their spatial morphogenesis. Their controversial vibrancy in the 1970s partially stimulated their demolition and hence, development of the shopping complex, which re-created the public memory of these streets. This essay focuses on the morphogenesis of the Bugis cluster (including Bugis Street, Malay Street, Malabar Street and Hylam Street) in streetscapes and land-use pattern to explore how Singapore’s planning agency uses the transformation of the physical to rein in the social.
Uploads
Shorts by Ly Nguyen
Figure
Figure