Public Spaces in Singapore

In an increasingly globalised world, cities have become the forefront for a mix of different people from all backgrounds striving to make a living. Cites today have become the economic heart of every country, resulting in an ever denser makeup of people and buildings.

Singapore is no exception, with the nation-state transforming itself in radical ways within a generation. What is unique about Singapore is its multi-racial demographics, bringing the familiar story of how people of diverse backgrounds came together to build Singapore into what it is today. This diversity, however, has brought with its sources of contention between different ethnic groups, with a history of violence and tension. To mitigate these tensions, the State has directly influenced the outlook of many public spaces in Singapore to align with its multi-racial vision and cohesive social policies. Public spaces are a social glue and a “hub of activities, common grounds for forging community bonds…” (Mike Douglass, 2002). As a multi-ethnic country built with the backdrop of historical racial tensions, there is the ever-important goal of fostering racial harmony and social unity.

Thus, this report seeks to uncover how the state development of public spaces can either bring inclusiveness or reinforce the exclusiveness of ethnic groups within the Singaporean context. It also aims to critique if such public spaces are genuinely fostering greater social cohesion or are simply a catalyst for future disharmony and possible trajectories of better inclusive spaces.