SPATIAL TRANSFORMATIONS IN TIONG BAHRU: HOW FOOD AFFECTS THE COMMUNITY

Abstract

This paper explores how the presence of food in Tiong Bahru is able to create a sense of community and generate spatial transformations. It highlights 4 key factors – government policies, economic drivers, tradition and demographics. These instruments, which have a casual sequential relationship, possess a direct influence in changing the general urban landscape in Tiong Bahru. The existence of food however, brings forth a more intangible force of space sculpting. Although Tiong Bahru’s physical form has remained largely unchanged since the 1940s, there are many intangible forces that continue to shape the district, one of which is: food. The type of food, the manner in which it is served, attracts varying groups of people with distinct sociographic traits which eventually contribute to how these spaces evolve. The aim of this paper is to sieve out correlations between food, community and space within Tiong Bahru. A comprehensive coverage of newspaper articles, online articles and literature reviews is done to understand chronological changes in the area. To further understand the mechanism on public spaces in Tiong Bahru, field studies have been conducted, coupled with interviews done every bimonthly with questions tailored to the scope of my research question. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, Tiong Bahru’s spatial transformations through food trends are documented.