RELIGIOUS HETEROTOPIA: COMPLEX COMPLEXITY - A CRITIQUE ON THE RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE OF SINGAPORE

Abstract

The religious landscape in Singapore is a difficult terrain to navigate. The tenuous relationship between the three different entities present in the Singapore context lends to this diffculty, namely: State, Society and Religion. At the surface, the apparent harmony amongst these different entities seem benign, and the effort and orchestration involved in the management of this fine balance is often times taken for granted. What is hidden behind this amicable facade is a State-established mechanism called the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act. The thesis postulates that the state of the relationships between the different religious groups can be further fostered beyond just the superficial line-threading of OB-markers, and move towards and expand on overlapping consensus and shared values in these overlapping communities. This project also critiques the existing State mechanisms that form the framework in which these relationships play out. The design explores religious motifs and elements that can be utilised to form a subtle backdrop onto which these issues may be addressed. Furthermore, the project also envisions a scenario whereby corporate religious worship can move beyond the confines of perimeter walls and become entry-points to greater dialogue and discussion. The nature of religion to conceal and reveal is a poignant aspect that this project attempts to capture. The elusiveness of the divine is met with the categorical nature of the State.