PUBLIC SPACE: A RESPONSE TO THE DEVELOPMENTAL STATE

Abstract

Public spaces have always generally been encouraged in the field of architecture and urban planning as these are spaces where the public gets to interact with one another, thus encouraging the formation of community and togetherness. In Singapore, however, as a developmental state, the public space has largely been nothing more than an urban planning tool that has been utilised for urban planning needs rather than for the fostering of a community. Public spaces are planned as part of a greater urban masterplan. This has led to instances were these spaces have become under-utilised, as it might not really cater to the needs of the public. In order to draw more people to public spaces, public spaces are also becoming heavily programmed with the introduction of retail outlets and organised events, thus leading to a certain rigidity of the public space. Thus, these spaces are largely seen as controlled and orchestrated environments where nothing out of the ordinary happens. This essay thus seeks to look at the effects of these planned public spaces and how the public today has chosen to respond to these spaces. This entails an understanding of the development of public spaces through time in Singapore, and analysing what other factors come into play when looking into public spaces. The changes of society in Singapore will also be studied, as the role of the public is key to the success of a public space. The paper will also compare a planned and an unplanned space in Singapore, in order to find out what exactly is lacking in the current planned spaces. As an unplanned space is where the free will of the user flourishes, analysing it could point to what a public space could be. From these studies, a conclusion would be drawn to understand the strengths and weaknesses of planned public spaces, and suggestions will be made to improve the effectiveness of public spaces.