Singapore
Back to Assignment 4: Landscape Concepts by country
Landscape Concept 1
by: Gabriel Seah
Original
Please add your concept of landscape in original language and the source here...
English translation
Garden City to City in a Garden
Shortly after Singapore gained its independence in 1965, numerous visions for her development were proposed. Significantly relevant to the landscape development was the Garden City concept. Initiated by the former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in 1968, it was a model that envisioned Singapore as a clean and green city. The idea of Garden City was in fact adopted from Sir Ebenezer Howard’s Garden city movement. Founded in 1898, it was a answer to reduce the hazards accumulated in urban expansion. Its concept emphasised on the balance of residences, industry and agriculture. However, the original plan was unsuitable for the small city so it was redefined to fit according to the context. Initially, the growth in Singapore was still viable by the formations of satellite cities surrounded by green belts. As the increase continues, there are simply no other ways the small city could develop according to the concept, which was planned for a population of only 250,000. Despite the unsuitability, most of the fundamental ideas were either kept or followed closely. Transportation system connects every new town, linking every town by trains and buses. The good balance of city lives emphasised in the concept is also taken as a model in the development of Singapore, providing social services, justice, work and amenities necessary for better life quality within the city infrastructure. Despite the scarce land, large area of Singapore was still allocated to nature reserve, covering an area of approximately 3,043 hectares in the middle of the island. During the early days of the movement, Singapore focused more on cleaning and greening of the space, which can be considered as more of a superficial treatment. A whole series of the green movement was set up to beautiful the Lion City. Roads and streets were all planted with vistas of green, parks were necessary community facilities in every neighbourhood and polluted rivers were also cleansed. Today, the Garden city has been redefined and renamed City in the Garden. The revised phrase was not just simply a change in theme but within, enclosed a philosophical idea for the future of Singapore. The new idea would see Singapore develop into a 3 dimensional sustainable city. It will not only grow horizontally but also vertically, merging layers of sustainable factors and environmental features into its infrastructure, changing the whole urban DNA. Today, the new movement is backed by numerous government agencies, each with its unique vision but a common goal of transforming Singapore into a City in a Garden.
Landscape Concept 2
by: Gabriel Seah
Original
Please add your concept of landscape in original language and the source here...
English translation
The Vertical Island
The following force has such immense influence that it shaped the tiny isle into sky scraping city. During its early days, the new political party was confronted with housing shortages. In order to solve this problem, the Government passed the Housing and Development Act in 1960. A statutory board, known as Housing and Development Board (HDB) was established to enforce the decree. It was an unprecedented movement which saw 54,430 housing units built between 1960 and 1965 and for the first time high-rise and high-density flats built.
It swept across the nation like an unstoppable wave, renewing and redeveloping everything on its path. Areas, which are hit by the movement saw a distinct improvement in living quality. All homes are supplied with clean water, electricity and proper sanitation. But it also came with a huge price. Many of the island's natural areas were cleared, deforested and flatted, to make way for the giant blocks. It was a total rebirth of the city, recreated into something no Singaporean has even seen. These significant changes not only created shortwave to the island inhabitants and also the environment. An effort to reduce the negative impact of the urbanization, the Garden City movement was adopted in 1968.
Along with the forest, many of the culture were also lost forever. People during the redevelopment period underwent a shock owning to the sudden change of environment. There used to be a strong community association in the old housing fabric, it was called the kampong spirit. In these kampong communities, everyone was united, resources were shared, and protections were offered. People used to have more space, more open area for agricultural activities and were also closer to nature. All these were gone since the redevelopment, and it took years for people to recover from the culture shock. There were efforts by people trying to move back into the woods, into the old way of living. Unfortunately, their efforts were overwhelmed by the rapid urbanization. Within years, urbanization has spread over every inch land, forcing everyone to relocate into these tall, hard, monstrous concrete blocks.