BLUE GREEN in RED DOT
Singapore, the “Little Red Dot” – a term conferred by a foreign leader, arguably to frame the hard reality of Singapore’s size and precarious position amidst its giant neighbours. Red was not its chosen colour; it has since morphed along divergent visions of its future. For some, Singapore shall be the Blue Dot, as a city with a unique relationship to its hydrology. For others, Singapore shall be a Green Dot, venturing the frontier of sustainability to be the ‘City in Nature’. What shade of blue and green it may be, deep down, Singapore remains the Little Red Dot. No amount of progress can remove the inherent conditions, along with its challenges, that determine Singapore’s paradigm, character and identity. The French-born novelist, Anais Nin wrote, “We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
The disruptions emerging from the present Covid-19 pandemic have created a moment to reflect upon not only human mortality, but also the fragility of young economies and nation states within the greater region. Yet these conditions present fresh possibilities in engaging with a dynamic context, to (re)position the practice of architecture.
Three short films are presented here to frame the different scales and notions of time, converging on the present moment to elucidate what ‘resilience’ means for us and for Singapore. The first 2, ‘Singapore Spectre’ and ‘Weaving’ consolidate the conversations revolving around notions of memory, the city and placemaking. These represent a possible trajectory of architectural practice as it deepens its community and creative engagement through advocacy and agency.
The last film, ‘Subterranean Singapore’, a thesis work by Finbarr Fallon explores a utopian vision of underground Singapore, addressing themes that are familiar with present-day planning. Since its independence in 1965, Singapore has embarked on particularly ambitious infrastructural development, from the extensive terraforming of landscape into industry and housing, land reclamation, port development and the present/future Underground Masterplan. Underlying these projects is an attitude of resilience that confront the realities of urban Singapore, as an island city-state where space remains scarce; a continuation of narratives including the taming of nature and primacy of technology that construct glimpses of the future. Yet beneath its majestic veneer, resilience exists in the smallest of scales that can be nurtured by the actions of individuals.
“A Moment of Anguish”
In 1965, Singapore found itself “expelled” from the Federation of Malaysia in view of social and political tensions. Since its founding, the island had been governed as part of British Malaya. Measuring barely, 582km and without a hinterland, the island’s survival appeared uncertain.
The Garden City
Newly-independent Singapore was a landscape of slums and villages that was aggressively transformed into a modern Garden City. Extensive planting of trees and anti-litter programme, involving harsh penalties for offenders, were intended to remake Singapore’s image that would be attractive to foreign investment and tourists.
“Suppose we could capture every drop of rain in Singapore ...”
With a significant portion of water imported from Malaysia, Singapore embarks to ensure water self-sufficiency. The port, traditionally centred around Singapore River, was to be relocated to modern facilities elsewhere and to allow the river to be cleaned between 1977 to 1987. Today, Singapore captures rainwater that falls to two-thirds of its land area.
Industry
To kick-start the development of the economy, the swamplands of Jurong was identified and transformed into a modern industrial estate. Facing the retreat of industrialisation in recent years, Jurong continues its path of transformation and was proposed as both the second Central Business District in the city and the potential site of the Malaysia-Singapore high speed railway terminus.
NEWater
In 2003, reclaimed water purified through reverse osmosis (branded as ‘NEWater’) was introduced to the public. Today, NEWater supplies up to 40% of Singapore’s water needs and is a core component of the ‘4 National Taps’. The development of water technologies for survival has since translated to emergence of a water resource industry exported internationally. Turning limitations into strengths remain a key character of Singapore’s resilience.
From ‘City in a Garden’ to a ‘City in Nature’
The Garden City vision was adjusted to reflect a shift in attitude towards Singapore’s relationship to its natural environment. The vision was further updated as ‘City in Nature’ to capture the experimental paradigm seeking to redefine the limits of sustainability and biodiversity within a dense urban environment.Marina BarrageThe completion of Marina Barrage in 2008 marked the conversion of Singapore and Kallang rivers and Marina Bay into a freshwater reservoir.
Underground Masterplan
Singapore’s present land area is currently estimated at 726km2 (almost 50 times smaller than Taiwan)achieved through reclamation.Singapore is presently inhabited by a population of some 5.6 million people, making it the third most densely populated place in the world. The importation of resources to continue reclamation has stoked political tensions around the region. An underground masterplan was announced in 2018 as an alternative to ensure Singapore will not run out of space. Existing underground developments such as the Jurong Caverns have ‘freed up’ land by relocating certain storage and activities underground.
Singapore Spectre
Following 2 unsuccessful collective sale attempts, GoldenMile Complex was proposed for conservation. Completed in 1973, the building is a post-independence architectural landmark that was in recent years called a “national disgrace”. The building was slated to be Singapore’s latest victim of redevelopment following the sale and demolition of Pearl Bank apartments. The architecture community then banded together to demonstrate Golden Mile’s cultural and historic significance, that in turn drew a positive response from the authorities.
Weaving
‘Weaving’ is part of the ‘Life in a Cloud’ series of works curated by Natalie Hennedige. The film documents how individuals are impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and how each can respond resiliently. As an act of reflection, the act of weaving was explored both at home and within a ‘wayang’ (street theatre) structure built in the middle of a repurposed school field. The space of ‘wayang’, a vernacular structure often built for festivals such as the birthdays of deities and ‘Hungry Ghost’ festival is a theatre intended both for the living and departed. The construction itself is a disappearing craft. Special ‘Belontong’ wood is assembled through a tying technique, in contrast to the present widely-used aluminium scaffolding. The fate of these structures is perhaps a poignant reflection of how pragmatism, efficiency and compliance have overwritten traditions and heritage. Resilience is posited as rethinking and reconnection with our past, where the ‘wayang’ stage could be a refuge for storytelling again. Weaving here explores a sense of duality in time and space. Both are intimately bounded by the repeated act of moving around the woven object at two different locales that adds a further dimension to resilience –examining our daily rituals and how we can make time and perform to maintain empathy and humility.
Alluding to greater themes and narratives, the three films present a paradigm for resilience that transcend the notions of scales, actors and forms. In the face of climatic, political, social and economic challenges, resilience suggests new forms of practice that adapts to our changing conditions and contexts.