BUGIS SOCIAL CLUB : APPARATUS QUOTIDIAN

Abstract

The thesis embarked with a line of inquiry into the issue of Asian urbanity, especially in the context of Singapore. Post-independent Singapore saw popularity, which later became a fetish, for total clean-up and exodus of city centre dwellers. This resulted in a smoothening or blending effect of the rich texture that once existed out of the social networks or patterns. The thesis's interest is in the emergence of such a highly fragmented urban city matter and the site of Bugis was chosen for this study. The scheme is essentially broken into two parts: one deals with an urban reading of the site of Bugis, the other deals with its reaction to the issue of entertainment in Bugis via the vehicle of a social club. Site analysis focused mainly on the dislocation and disparate nature of Bugis. This culminated into an urban proposal for extensions to exist along the pedestrianised Albert Walk, which aims to work in tandem with the entertainment district the URA hopes to establish in Bugis. The Bugis Social Club is located in a disconnected part of the pedestrianised walkway. Its purpose is to demonstrate the form[s] of entertainment that will sustain itself in Bugis. It also serves to point out the ineffectiveness of the Eurocentric ideas the Urban Authority envisioned for Bugis. The programmatic organisation includes mainly community- as well as tourist based environments. A backpacker's inn forms part of the development. The amalgamation of these various programmes will encourage the immersion of both local as well as tourist culture within the site.