TRANSITIONAL PRODUCTIVE LANDSCAPE : REDRESSING HOMELESSNESS IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Homelessness in Singapore Despite the official claims that there are no homeless, destitute or starving people (in Singapore), the condition of homelessness in singapore is by no means eradicated. Through the survey of housing typology in Singapore in relationship to their real estate values, establishing HDB’s economic aspiration, the emergence of gaps in the housing types addressing the lower income strata of Singapore. Current provisions for homeless individuals/families are largely reactionary and deficient.

The constant deficiencies in facilities/institutes to address the condition suggest that the needs of the marginalized demographic of homeless are not static and the solution should not be a means to an end. Instead, by rethinking normative land use convention, activating the abundant plots of land that are currently pending for development in and around the periphery of Singapore’s public housing towns, the hybridized type of transitional & low cost public housing can be argued as a more sound architectural solution to address the condition.

Significant studies had been made about the relevance of agriculture to contemporary living. The thesis focuses on the less discussed societal aspect to agriculture.

While the central emphasis of the thesis is to provide dwelling for the lower income demography in Singapore, agriculture is utilized to drive the project to provide beyond the physical needs of the target group, addressing sub-issues such as social integration, sustainability and land use contingencies. The social recast (homeless into urban farmers) is a conscious act to redress the common social stigma that comes along with the condition of homelessness.