AESTHETICS OF "GREEN" - PROSPECTS OF BUILDING WITH NATURE IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

There has been increasing awareness in our world today over issue of environmental damage and destruction occurring at an unprecedented rate. Ecological friendliness, ecosophy and many other associated values have pervaded our society and become commonplace, leading people to reconsider their lifestyles, actions and decisions within the light of such emergent issues.

Against this backdrop, a branch of new architecture emerges, known as “Green” architecture. Yet the term itself has become host to many different interpretations. This dissertation seeks to approach this issue of “Green” from an aesthetic point of view which is informed by socially and culturally constructed notions of the relationship between Nature and Man. Following to survey the different dominant trends of such “Green” architecture internationally and comparing with the local context of Singapore, this dissertation also seeks to consider and construct the prospect of “green” architecture in a localized and “Uniquely Singapore” point of view.

This study also seeks to survey developments in “Green” architecture which is relatively new in Singapore. As a model city for the surrounding developing cities in the tropical region the research hopes to be valuable in informing urban planning and architecture in the region.