046_commercialisation of urban space

It is most likely correct to say that the success of an advertisement in the space where it is displayed is not just up to the quantity of targeted group of potential customers but also the amount of time they spend. Public transportation is probably the best advertising medium as it well captures both qualities, i.e. a great number of users per day and a rapid turnover. As an adaptation to high competition, contemporary advertising tends to be more customised and contextual in the battle for public’s attention. More and more of public spaces are being commercialised.

045_the rise of public

The Pinnacle at Duxton is the tallest public housing project by HDB (Housing & Development Board) to date. It comprises of seven 50-storey blocks linked by communal sky parks at 26th storey and roof level. The Pinnacle at Duxton was a winning scheme by ARC Studio Architecture + Urbanism and RSP Architects Planners & Engineers for a two-stage international design competition organised by URA (the Urban Redevelopment Authority, http://www.ura.gov.sg) in the year 2001 & 2002. The jury panel included, among others, Prof. Fumihiko Maki from Japan. Read more about the design concept of the Pinnacle at Duxton at http://www.ura.gov.sg/competition/results.html and http://www.arcstudio.com.sg. Other matters aside, the attempt of the organiser to realise the winning scheme is really appreciative.

044_HS

Under the CD Shelter Act 1997, developers and homeowners are required to incorporate Household Shelter (HS) in the developments. The overall surface of HS including its floor, walls and ceiling has to be strengthened RC structure with extra thickness. Walls need to be set back in from the building exterior following the requirement specified in the guideline by SCDF (Singapore Civil Defence Force, www.scdf.gov.sg). The entrance to the HS must be installed with SCDF-approved light protective steel door. Residents are allowed to use the HS for other functions such as pantry, store, wine cellar, for example, but, however, the temporary fixtures installed inside the HS must be easily removable within 48 hours in case of emergency. No permanent installation that required hacking or drilling on the floor, walls or ceiling is allowed.

043_pearlbank apartments

Pearlbank Apartments, one of a handful of unique masterpieces of modern architecture in Singapore and once the tallest apartment block in Southeast Asia, has been featured extensively in newspapers, magazines and websites since last year. It has been under threats going for en bloc sales as a result of the fast-growing economy and booming real estate market. Since the start of the incident, there have been organizations (including the Singapore Institute of Architects) and many individuals who love the building standing up to express their views and trying to stop the en bloc process. The spearhead of the individuals is Ed Poole of Poole Associates (a well-known interior design firm; http://www.poole-associates.com) who lives and works in the building. I had a chance to meet up briefly with Ed Poole in the Maldives during my work trip there and had a feeling that the guy is full of passion and energy and won’t give up until he gets what he wants. His home/office penthouse unit was featured in Wallpaper* UK and Condé Nast Traveler as an attempt to conserve the Pearlbank. Recently, I looked out of my window and saw the building had started a new paint job. This looks like a good sign. Read more about this cool building at http://www.pearlbankapartments.com.

042_fallen tree

There are always two sides to a coin. While having loads of big tree provides shading and pleasant environment, it’s quite dangerous to walk under them during a strong wind or heavy rain. Last year alone there were many reports on injuries and fatalities caused by fallen branches or even the whole tree appeared on papers. Since then NParks (National Parks Board) has allocated their manpower specially on checking the condition of big trees throughout the whole of Singapore. It surely sounds like a tough and never-ending job...

041_T3

In Singapore, the much-talked-about-lately T3 doesn’t refer to a film by the California Governor but rather to the Changi Airport’s new addition, Terminal 3. No prize for guessing, the design concept reflects the ‘garden city’ reputation. Natural light is abundant and vertical landscaping is applied to a massive wall as a backdrop for the terminal building. See 002_garden city on how they make T2 green.

040_too hot to handle

This is one of interesting creations found in Singapore I like. When you order take-away hot beverages, they’ll give you this so it’s easier to carry and you don’t burn your own hand. Would be nice if Starbucks can adopt the idea.

039_five-foot way_02

I earlier wrote about five-foot ways on the post no.036. You may think; ah… such a great idea people can walk everywhere without getting wet and burnt. It’s not really true as many of them either stop half way or don’t really get you anywhere. The alignment of five-foot ways also may not necessarily be the same, as shown on the picture. But in general it’s a very good concept for cities in tropical climate.

038_no no.4

This picture was taken from a department store. The storey numbers jump from 3rd to 5th. Wait a minute. Where is the 4th storey?! Chinese people classify no.4 as unlucky number because its pronunciation is similar to the one of the word ‘dead’ in Chinese. Such belief is even stronger in Cantonese-speaking society. I once worked on a project in Hong Kong. It was very confusing when it came to numbers of storey…

037_the self-organizing economy

Ephemeral models of economy obscurely develop themselves in major cities worldwide regardless of strict control. The behavior of these temporary programs such as street vendors tends to be self-opposed as they seek for the flow, to happen where a lot of people pass by, and, sometimes, flee from some other particular flow because they are illegal by nature. In Singapore such temporary transactions are only legally allowed in places with consent from the owner or landlord who will have to get approval from the responsible local authority. Check out the product display technique in the photo, very contextual as they cleverly make use of the glass wall.

* The title of this post is borrowed from a book by Paul Krugman with the same name.

036_five-foot way

Five-foot ways are colonnaded walkways in front of shophouses. Sir Stamford Raffles stipulated this as part of his Town Plan of 1822 to provide shelter for pedestrians from sun and rain. It is one magical space that blurs the boundary between public and private. The ownership right belongs to the owner of the unit so various decorations and floor finishes can be found on the same stretch of the walkway. It is also an extension of what happening inside the shophouse. Coffee shops and eateries use this space as their alfresco dining area, which still allow people to walk through. It’s a nice experience eating there trying to avoid people walking right into you and also, the other way around, walking through meandering pathway crated by leftover space from dining tables.

035_coupon parking

There are two types of short-term parking in Singapore, coupon parking and electronic parking system. Parking coupons can be purchased from post office, 7-eleven and some other appointed sales outlets. There are several of different denominations but the common ones are $0.50, $1.00 and $2.00. Motorists are required to display coupons at prominent location in their vehicles for checking. The tabs on each coupon will have to be torn off to indicate date and commencement time of parking. Parking rates are varied by location. Hourly charges are $1.00 per half hour in restricted zone and $0.50 per half hour outside the zone. This car in the picture was parked in restricted zone. Mathematically, it’s obvious that the owner planned to hang around for 7 hours.

034_alley cat

In Singapore it’s very rare to find a stray dog. I guess because dogs sometimes can be rather harmful. If found, they will be either put to sleep or sent to SPCA (the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) for future adoption by pet lovers. On the other hand, cats have a bit more privilege. They are allowed to stroll around. There are quite a lot of stray cats, especially around Chinatown area. However, they will be sterilized in order to control the number. Next time when you see a homeless cat, try to notice. The ones with a snipped ear are already sterilized.

033_ interiorisation of urban space_03

Clarke Quay is a must-see destination for tourists in Singapore. The Singapore River together with barge lighters, colonial-style shophouses and warehouses offer the area a perfect ambience for nightlife. The area has undergone a nip/tuck operation and reopened to public again in October 2006 with rookies like Hooters, Ministry of Sound, The Clinic, Kandi Bar, Fashion Bar, etc., reserving Singapore a spot on the world’s night-entertainment atlas. The architect, Will Alsop, inserted a new-roof with sophisticated shading and cooling system over the existing rows of shophouse to give the area a new visual icon. This giant umbrella has turned once-opened external streets into a sheltered and controlled environment. See a cool aerial view of the project at http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=467

032_queuing

Queuing is a part of everyday life in Singapore, so as in other major cities around the world, see 004_excursion on density on this Singapore blog. Many times people even have to queue for parking space in department stores. Since the whole parking place is electronically controlled, when it is full, one car can only enter when the other car from inside getting out to avoid jamming. There will usually be a sign notifying that the parking is full but nobody cares. They just don’t mind queuing on the ramp like this.

031_yong tau foo

I like Yong Tau Foo. I think it is one of the coolest foods on earth. You pick your own recipe and the variety of choices is great. The usual ingredients provided are bean curd, crabsticks, cuttlefish, fish balls, ladies fingers, chilies, bitter gourds, kangkung (water morning-glory), tomatoes, and many more. Some of these items, such as chilli, and bitter gourd, are filled with surimi (fish paste). The rule is simple, first pick the ingredients you like, usually minimum 6 items, after that select type of noodles; rice noodles, egg noodles, or bee hoon (rice vermicelli) and then you can choose either to have it dry or with soup. Yong Tau Foo is usually served with chilli sauce and brown sauce. These sauces and the soup are keys to success for a good Yong Tau Foo stall.

030_no washing car here

Inside the HDB parking facility, there will be a sign warning people not to wash their car inside. Some residents must have done that before and the whole place would be flooded. Moreover I think the drainage system is designed only for rainwater. There may be no provision for wastewater with soap and grease washed off from the car. Note the use of elongated column to provide more room for parking and corner guards for protection.

029_mass production

Remember what I said about majority of Singaporean living in HDB flats? (see 009_public housing, on this Singapore blog for more info.) Each HDB (or a cluster of them) comes with a parking structure. There are some standard details for designing this facility such as floor-to-floor height, the length and gradient of ramps and the look of the building, which they all look like the one in the photo. The only factors to be determined differently for each project are the capacity, location, connection to the residential blocks, for example.

028_the great Singapore sale

Every year Singapore organises an event called the ‘Great Singapore Sale’, usually around May to July (mid-year sale). Numerous shops island wide participate with all kinds of special offer, some shops open until midnight. I still remember the first time I came to Singapore and I wanted to buy a computer. My friends* told me to wait for this event. It is quite a big thing in this small country. The advertisement can even be painted on the road surface during the festival. Learn more about the Great Singapore Sale at http://www.greatsingaporesale.com.

* I am grateful to these people as they picked me up from the airport, provided me accommodation and showed me around during my first few weeks in Singapore.

027_green structure 02

I’ve mentioned how infrastructure such as overhead pedestrian bridge could be soften by landscape. Please refer to 008_green structure 01, on this Singapore blog. A similar trick can also be applied to something like highway impact barrier. This picture was taken from a highway leading from the Changi airport to the city centre. It is easy to imagine how much time and money the Singapore government spent on maintaining these landscape features.