ASSESSING THE NEED FOR FLEXIBLE URBAN SPACES AS SUSTAINABLE URBAN SPACE: A STUDY OF SCAPE AND ITS SPACES ALONG ORCHARD ROAD

Abstract

Social sustainability as discussed by Yiftachel and Hedgcock comprises three aspects, equity, community and urbanity. Social sustainability is needed in the planning of urban space to ensure that the physical aspects of the city respond to the sociological and humane needs of its inhabitants. As a centrally located shopping belt, Orchard Road in Singapore probably has the highest concentration of different user groups with different needs from the space which would be the best situation for testing the theories of social sustainability. The youth spaces and its surroundings around Orchard Road were assessed according to 1) its flexibility of physical space in granting access to users and activities as well as the permeability of the space (physically, visually and psychologically) to different users to the space and 2) the method of creating an identity. The analysis proved that the youth area off Orchard Road was planned to be able to create an identity for the youths and contribute to the atmosphere of Orchard Road. It seemed like the youth areas of Orchard Road had intentions in a larger scale of making youth spaces accessible and attractive and thus inclusive to the rest of Orchard Road. This in turn would make it socially sustainable in getting people to use the space. However, such intentions were not carried out fully in detail. However it seems like attraction of new shopping malls nearby could have also caused the diminishing popularity of the youth spaces. A case study of Korea’s vibrant youth district, Hong-dae, is studied in comparison to the youth area at Orchard Road. Hong-dae was found to be more socially sustainable as it had an identity established naturally from Hong-ik Art College. This community helps to attract others and retain regulars and thus sustains and allows Hong-dae to thrive. The lack of rules and regulations also contributed to the identity by creating an atmosphere of freedom and flexibility in the usage of spaces allowing anyone to utilize the spaces. The dissertation thus concludes that the youth area at Orchard Road may not be socially sustainable in the near future and this may be caused by rigidness in small scale urban design of the area as well as the top-down approach of stipulating an identity for the youths in Orchard Road.