IDENTITY OF PLACE, PLACE OF IDENTITY - THE NEW KAMPONG GLAM HERITAGE TRAIL

Abstract

From an architectural-historical position, the representations of build forms and cultural landscapes – comprising of human physique and activities – presents a special challenge in relation to the need to determine the degree of historical veracity vis-à-vis the license of state’s agencies in fabricating enticing fictions for the purpose of nation building, appropriately more for generating economic returns. Such an investigation will be attempted by drawing upon another source of contemporary information on the identity creation process in general, but also specifically of the Singapore Malay/Muslim community.

Kampong Glam as a locale represents one among the several core areas in the city centre, which have been conserved as ‘historic’ or ‘cultural’ districts as part of the nation’s remembrance of the past, alongside the Chinatown Historic District, Little India Historic District and the Civic and Cultural District. In the course of investigation, state’s construction of the identity of Kampong Glam as well as its position as a place of great affinity to the Malay/Muslim community was posited- the Arabian splendor, the regal aura and the Malay heritage focal, which was actively propagated and promoted by national agencies like the Singapore Tourism Board, Singapore Heritage Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority.

In designing the response to such overt spins, a new heritage trail is proposed ideally in series of ‘serambi’ or verandah-pavilion at strategic locations as an extension of the current socio-economic-leisure activities and trades within the bounded conservation area. Based on the light-hearted but thought provoking video production “Back to My Roots”, programmatic innovations are overlaid over existing environment. Injections were also made based on the Malay ‘adat’, culture and traditions. By designing and choreographing the active participation of the lived environment, awareness, knowledge and understanding of ethnicity and heritage would be better achieved.