Urban Conservation in Singapore: A Survey of State Policies and Popular Attitudes

Abstract

This paper focuses on the intersection of state policies and popular attitudes towards urban conservation in Singapore. It first reviews changing state policies which have shaped the built environment from slum clearance in the 1950s and 1960s to the conservation of the city's historic districts in the 1980s and 1990s. It then explores the degree of convergence between the state and the public in terms of the meaning and purposes of conservation, the question of whose heritage to conserve and which strategies are appropriate. While there is general agreement on the need for conservation and the benefits it confers on the city, there are also divergences over specific issues such as the authenticity of the conserved landscape, the degree to which traditional trades and lifestyles can be retained, and the level to which public opinions are considered in state planning.