Singapore presentaion

1. CHAPTER 1 BASIC INFORMATION OF SINGAPORE

2. 1.MAP AND THE SIZE OF THE COUNTRY Area: total: 697 sq km land: 687 sq km water: 10 sq km Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 193 km

3. 2. CAPITAL CITY THE CAPITAL OF SINGAPORE IS THE CITY OF SINGAPORE. As a city-state, Singapore is both the country and its capital. Singapore Island is the main island of Singapore, which is also called Pulau Ujong . This island is the largest island of Singapore as well as the most populous, with a population of over 5 million. Singapore Island has an area of about 710 square kilometers. 

4. 3. POPULATION AND ETHNIC GROUP THE POPULATION OF SINGAPORE IS 5.8 MILLION Ethnic groups:  Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000 census) As of 2011, the population of Singapore is 5.18 million people, of whom 3.25 million (63%) are citizens while the rest (37%) are permanent residents or foreign workers. Twenty-three percent of Singaporean citizens were born outside Singapore i.e. foreign born citizens. There are half a million permanent residents in Singapore in 2011. The resident population does not take into account the 11 million transient visitors who visit Singapore annually

5. 4.OFFICIAL LANGAUGE MALAY IS THE NATIONAL LANGAUGE OF SINGAPORE The national language of Singapore is Malay for historical reasons but the official languages are English, Chinese (Mandarin), Malay and Tamil. Each carries equal weight under our constitution. English is widely used as the lingua franca amongst the different communities. It is also the language of administration.

6. 5. RELIGION THE MAIN RELIGION OF SINGAPORE IS BUDDHISM WITH LITTLE MORE THAN 34 % OF POPULATION FOLLOWING

7. 6.SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT THE TYPE OF GOVERNANT IN SINGAPORE IS THE PERLIAMENTARY REPUBLIC The politics of Singapore takes the form of a parliamentary representative democratic republic whereby the President of Singapore is the head of state, the Prime Minister of Singapore is the head of government, and of a multi-party system.Executive power is exercised by the cabinet. Cabinet has the general direction and control of the Government and is collectively responsible to Parliament.

8. 7.CURRENCY THE CURRENCY OF SINGAPORE IS SINGAPOREAN DOLLAR. Inflation :   5.2 % Nicknames:   Sing Coins Freq Used : $ 1, S¢5, S¢10, S¢20, S¢50 Rarely Used : S¢1 Banknotes Freq Used : $2, $5, $10, $50 Rarely Used: $1, $20, $25, $100, $500, $1000, $10000

9. 8.NATIONAL SYMBOL LION HEAD IS THE NATIONAL SYMBOL OF SINGAPORE The Lion Head symbolises courage, strength and excellence, as well as resilience in the face of challenges. It is in solid red against a white background - the colours of the National Flag. Its mane's five partings represent the same five ideals that are embodied in the five stars of the National Flag, namely democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality. Its tenacious mien symbolises resolve to face and overcome any challenges.

10. 9.NATIONAL FLAG SINGAPURIA IS THE NATIONAL FLAG OF SINGAPORE The red represents brotherhood and equality, while the white shows purity and virtue. The moon, a waxing crescent, is symbolic of the new nation, a young nation just beginning to reach its peak. The stars represent democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality, each ideals of the new Singapore nation

11. 10.ECONOMICS Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy . It has an open, pro-business environment , relatively corruption-free and transparent , stable prices, low tax rates (14.2% of GDP) compared to other developed economies , and one of the highest per-capita gross domestic products (GDP) in the world. Its innovative yet steadfast form of economics that combines economic planning of Singapore Economic Development Board with free-market has given it the nickname the Singapore Model. Singapore's sovereign wealth fund Temasek Holdings is a large investor in the economy, holding majority stakes in several of the nation's largest companies, such as Singapore Airlines, SingTel, ST Engineering and MediaCorp .

12. 11.LOCATIOIN LOCATION: Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia GEOGRAPHIC CORDINATES: 1 22 N, 103 48 E MAP REFERNCE: Southeast Asia

13. 12.MAP

14. 13. GEOGRAPHY Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 193 km Climate : tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern monsoon from June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms Terrain: lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve Elevation extremes: lowest point:  Singapore Strait 0 m  highest point:  Bukit Timah 166 m Natural resources: fish , deepwater ports Land use: arable land:  1.64%  permanent crops:  0%  other:  98.36% (2001)

15. 14.CULTURAL ECOLOGY 2.1.1 CULTURE Singapore was a part of British Malaya for many centuries. It was ruled by the Sultanate of Johor. In 1819, the British came to the Island and set up a port and colony. During British rule, the port of Singapore flourished and attracted many migrants. After World War 2, Singapore became an independent nation and a republic, which it remains today. Singapore has a diverse populace of nearly 5 million people  which is made up of Chinese, Malays, Indians, Caucasians and Eurasians (plus other mixed groups) and Asians of different origins, which is in line with the nation's history as a crossroads for various ethnic and racial groups. The temples of Chinatown can still be seen in certain towns in Singapore. In addition, 42% of Singapore's populace are foreigners, which makes it the country with the sixth highest proportion of foreigners world wide. Singapore is also the third most densely populated in the world after Macau and Monaco. Singaporean culture is best described as a melting pot of mainly Chinese, Indian, British, and Malay cultures, a reflection of its immigrant history.

16. CHAPTER 2 CULTURAL ECOLOGY AND ARCHITECTURE

17. 2.1.2CULTURAL INFLUENCE ON ARCHITECRE Vernacular architecture is commonly believed to be a quaint representation of the history and traditions of a culture, built by average people using traditional technologies over a long period of time but in Singapore there are several indications that the Modernist high rise housing and new towns have become a new vernacular. The factors that support this point of view are: I) the ubiquity of the high rise and new town way of life; 2) a shared value system and culture within the new towns that is shaped by and reflected in the architecture and planning of the new towns; 3) the importance of relationships between spaces in the new towns; 4) the ability of the architecture and planning of new towns to adapt to changes within Singaporean society; 5) the acceptance, legitimacy, and identification of the high-rise way of life by Singaporeans. A vernacular in Singapore based upon high-rise housing and new towns profoundly impocts the understanding of vernacular architecture, Modernist planning, and the industrialization of former Third World countries in response to the globalism.

18. Singapore may be a thriving modern city, but it does try to preserve buildings with historical or heritage value. These often eclectic styles are mainly the result of adapting period European architecture to the island's tropical climate. Pre-modern architecture in Singapore consists primarily of colonial civic and commercial structures in the European Neoclassical, Gothic, Palladian and Renaissance styles. Out of these styles grew the unique 'black-and-white' bungalows that dot the island, and the traditional ' shophouses ' found mainly in commercial districts. Singapore's modern buildings, on the other hand, tend to be pragmatic affairs, especially the apartment blocks developed by the Housing Development Board, the government agency in charge of public housing. Recent developments have focused on mixed-used buildings that fully utilise the island's limited land area. Some of these projects have also begun to take environmental sustainability into consideration, resulting in a generation of postmodern neo-tropical buildings that are beginning to change Singapore's skyline.

19. Architecture in colonial Singapore divides largely into four styles: Classical Revival for government buildings, Gothic Revival for churches, the Chinese chophouse, and the bungalow. One expects to find the classical style with its implicit reference to imperial Rome in government offices and buildings associated with the imperial elite, such as Raffles Hotel. Elements of the classical style, particularly pilasters, columns, and capitals, also appear vernacular architecture as well. (I write "vernacular" because, strictly speaking, Singapore has no indigenous architecture, since Sir Stamford Raffles created this thriving entrepot or trans-shipment port from a small island and invited Indians, Chinese, and Malays to settle as a work force for the new settlement, the land for which Raffles purchased from the Sultan of Johor.)

20. The shophouse , the predominant mercantile building type in colonial days (and by far kind of the largest number of individual buildings), has living quarters above a street-level shop, which is recessed beneath an arcade, thus providing protection from tropical sun and rain. Early shophouses tend to have plain unadorned fronts. These two examples of classical elements on the façades of Chinese Shophouses show how the style associated with the imperial rulers influenced vernacular structures. More surprising, perhaps, classical elements, such as Corinthian capitals also appear on at least one mosque, the Nagore Durga Shrine (1828-1830) on Telok Ayer Street.

21. 2.2. characteristic of traditional singaporean shophouse architecture The shophouse is most characteristicof the urban landscape in Southeast Asia. Evolving inthe context of colonial cities, the shophouse was the most suitable and advanced housing model in Asia during the 19th century. As it combined the living with the working space , it provided shelter for most of the urban dwellers in Southeast Asia. In the current debate on heritage conservation and urban housing, this colonial architecture has awakened interest as a symbol of national history and collective identity . Until today, the inner-city of Penang , one of the earliest British colonial settlements in Southeast Asia , off ers the most distinctive range of stylistic variations of the façade and lay out patterns dating back to the early times of the settlement. The transformation of the built environment was shaped by the legislation framework of the colonial government but also by the domestic values of a multi-ethnic community. The climate, materials and building technology have also determined the architectural form. The change in the urban fabric is most obvious within the urbanisation process in the late 19 th and early 20th century. The presentation will highlight the features of the shophouse and give an overview on the architectural history of Penangʼs shophouses from the late 18 th century to the Second World War.

22. Most Southeast Asian cities with colonial pasts contain a disparate collection of old buildings that reflect the city’s historic heritage. Although we admire, photograph and sometimes try to conserve these vestiges of the past, how often do we stop to consider why property owners commissioned certain building types or chose particular architectural styles? In this article, let me share with you how we can see the British colonial empire in its socio-economic context through the window of Singapore’s ubiquitous shophouses .

23. 2.2.1. CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE OF SINGAPORE SHOPHOUSE The shophouses of Circular Road (Boat Quay), Club Street,China Square and Far East Square demonstrate a range of styles over various periods. These periods can be classified broadly as Early Style (1840-1900 ), Transitional Style ( 1890- 1910 ), Late or Chinese Baroque Style (1910-1930) and Art Deco Style (1930-1960 ).By the 18th century, rising fortunes also enabled many households to send their sons abroad. With its splendid collection of antiquities and classical Roman ruins, Italy became a popular ‘Grand Tour’ destination for young British gentlemen seeking to further their education in the art, culture and politics of Europe. Before long, classical design became a feature of British homes, which until then, had been primarily of timber-frame construction in the Elizabethan or Tudor styles from which Singapore’s ‘black and white’houses descend. Classical ornamentation such as pilasters or Palladian windows on a home’s fa ็ ade .

24. The typical shophouse in Jalan Besar is an L-shape building with a rear court for light, air, and service access. The vertical segment of the ‘L’ contains a kitchen, a bathroom, and a toilet while the main part of the house contains the living and work spaces. This layout became a standard by 1914. The commercial development of shophouses began with the construction of nine shophouses by the Jalan Besar Land Investment Company in 1919. The project occupied the block between Kitchener Road and Maude Road. With the exception of the end units, the shophouses (18 feet 9 inches by 82 feet 6 inches long) were mostly identical. The width of 18 feet became another standard in shophouse design. The entire project was redeveloped into a part of the Jalan Besar Plaza some time in the 1980s.

25. 2.3CHANGE IN FUTURE ARCHITECURAL TREND At the cutting-edge of contemporary architecture, there are many trends, but three stand out: height, sustainability, and bio-inspired designs. Many future architectural trends are likely to unfold, but these three are currently popular, and likely to remain so for at some time, especially sustainability . Already one of the best architectural cities in the world (known as a 1:1 scale model for ideal urban planning), Singapore's architecture scene is getting extremely exciting with innovative works by many ' starchitects ' and talented local architects.