ACT Guest Seminar 3rd May 2023

The Architecture, Culture & Tectonics Research Group warmly invites you to attend their Seminar on Wednesday 3rd of May at 13pm in B5 Marmont Centre  

CITIES IN THE SKY: ELEVATING SINGAPORE’S LAYERED URBAN SPACE NETWORK

Guest speaker: Swinal Samant 

Abstract:

Swinal Samant is an educator and researcher with a diverse global experience in the UK, India and Singapore. Prior to her move to Singapore where she was the Co-Programme Director of the Masters in Integrated Sustainable Design at the National University of Singapore, Swinal was an Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham.

Biography:

As cities reach for the skies, so do our urban spaces.  This research focusses on the Asian symptom of high density, high rise urban environments and the layered urban spaces, particularly within Singapore. It examines the effectiveness of elevated urban spaces/pedestrian networks and their ability to contribute to urban transitions, accessibility and urban vitality. A system of spaces within the Marina Bay Sands and Jurong Gateway projects were critically analysed using the Integrated Urban Space Framework.  The study highlights certain constraints inevitably placed on such spaces and networks due to their location at height with the accompanying issues of restricted accessibility, privatization, over-management, and their utilitarian attributes.  It then seeks to outline strategies to address these issues, largely advocating for a systemic approach, and a range of specific design and programmatic interventions and management strategies.