THE SYMBIOTIC CATALYSTS : NEW URBAN RHYTHM : NEW INTERACTIONS.

Abstract

This thesis project is fueled by the interest to investigate a new urban design alternative to the conventional top-­‐down urban design planning technique that is widely used upon historic and cultural districts in the region, such as Singapore’s Chinatown and Kampong Glam, resulting in a gentrification process. This thesis proposes an alternative bottom up design method, by responding and preserving the existing multiplicities and intricacies of the urban fabric, such as the interconnected activities, social dynamics, and urban character and phenomena. In the process, the old fabric is kept in its utmost authenticity, yet synergized with new urban rhythms and interactions brought along by the new urban catalysts. These urban catalysts are governed by a new experimental programmatic model that re-­‐examines the potential of synthesizing the existing multiplicity of activities, social players and time. The result is a celebration of existing phenomena and activities, hyped up with new programmes and new user profiles across the different time. The process involves hybridization, intensification, collision and neutralization of programmes and activities, setting a new spatial condition that spurs new unexpected social rapport. The selected site of Little India was chosen for its urban richness that possess such interesting social dynamics and complexities and intricacies as a testing and breeding ground for the catalysts and new programmatic model. The ultimate thesis product is a demonstration of three urban catalysts of different urban typologies derived from the understanding of the site and readapts itself from the programmatic model based on its specific urban role, social/cultural/commercial tensions, site conditions. The vision of this systems of urban “planning” is an exciting city with an agglomeration of unique and distinct urban character that is smothered with its own energy and growing organically the way its wants to be, giving Little India a new set of urban rhythms and new social interactions.