What this is all about
Hi all, my name is Weixiong and I am an Architecture thesis student at the National University of Singapore. I hope to use the opportunity of my thesis, the final project of my Architectural education, to design a really meaningful place in Singapore, for Singaporeans. But I feel that these meanings should come from the imaginations of as many Singaporeans as possible.
I feel that it is unfortunate that places are demolished (like the old National Library) and built (like the Integrated Resorts) without Singaporeans taking part in the decision-making processes. Like how we go home to discover that the dinner tables we used to eat dinners with our families had been thrown away and the spots we used to read books being occupied by a cabinet without us having a say.
Therefore I hope to use this blog to talk to fellow Singaporeans to share our imaginations of places that we would like to see in Singapore, that we would like to frequent and hang out in, that we would be proud to tell our overseas friends about, that we think would be good for Singapore as a nation to have.
Honestly I am not sure if this experiment will be able to sustain itself throughout the course of my entire thesis but I hope that it will evolve with the multifarious imaginations of you and I will update the progress of the design by posting them on this blog. While this experiment marks the end of my Architectural education, I hope it marks the beginning of many new friendships and roles taken on by Singaporeans.
I feel that it is unfortunate that places are demolished (like the old National Library) and built (like the Integrated Resorts) without Singaporeans taking part in the decision-making processes. Like how we go home to discover that the dinner tables we used to eat dinners with our families had been thrown away and the spots we used to read books being occupied by a cabinet without us having a say.
Therefore I hope to use this blog to talk to fellow Singaporeans to share our imaginations of places that we would like to see in Singapore, that we would like to frequent and hang out in, that we would be proud to tell our overseas friends about, that we think would be good for Singapore as a nation to have.
Honestly I am not sure if this experiment will be able to sustain itself throughout the course of my entire thesis but I hope that it will evolve with the multifarious imaginations of you and I will update the progress of the design by posting them on this blog. While this experiment marks the end of my Architectural education, I hope it marks the beginning of many new friendships and roles taken on by Singaporeans.
posted by Weixiong at 12:28 am
3 Comments:
perhaps i can start the ball rolling here.
frankly, off-hand, i dunno what we lack in singapore. afterall, it is a much proven fact that we are very well taken care of by our leaders. our basic needs are so well covered.
i think i am more concern with the idea of 'imaginations of places'. i think i lack that from my own personal point of view. i lack the ability to imagine a place. i think i lack the passion to say clearly what i really want for a place in singapore. i get bored of wat exists and constantly seek for refreshing new places. either that or i simply do different things in the same place. Can we have a place that keeps this 'freshness' from time to time?
to end with a question, "with our basic needs so well managed, wat else can we lack?"
nice idea, love the angle of your project, even if it were residual thesis juice.
:)
there's quite an active sg forum at skyscrapercity.com (you will need to complete an easy registration process to fully access the forums) where posters are particularly keen on discussing and documenting the rise and fall of the urban culture and heritage. some of them are particularly inspired and could be of some help for your project to take flight.
the good people who bring us the seasonal Rojak event at FARM.sg have also been somewhat fixated with saving modernist buildings and capturing sg place-ness. you might want to get in contact with them, and pitch your project.
there's definitely quite a critical mass of disgruntled urban-dwellers to tap on. good luck!!!
hey...
this reply a bit late, but better than never right? ha... in any case, with regards to why schools are built back on the same few sites again also has to do with the landuse planning model of singapore. within a certain no. of hectares of land in housing estates, there has to be provision for primary schs, sec schs, etc. they r planned in such a way that for primary schools, the radius from the school is smaller than the sec sch as the planning was formulated such that the kids can walk to sch. given that sec sch students r older n have the ability to travel, thus they can be situated further apart with a larger radii and a bigger land area. given these "constraints" naturally the planners will just shift the schools around and rebuild on the actual sites.
the change in names etc also has to do with a better educated nation. more pple will want to send their kids to better schools, instead of the 'neighbourhood' schools which somehow or other is not of their so-called standard. so like u upgrade flats, schools also get their fairshare of upgrading! society is just that xian4 shi2...
Post a Comment
<< Home