This article was downloaded by: 10.3.98.104 On: 02 Oct 2021 Access details: subscription number Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG, UK

The Routledge Companion on Architecture, Literature and The City

Jonathan Charley

Domestic digressions

Publication details https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315613154-4 Lilian Chee Published online on: 17 Aug 2018

How to cite :- Lilian Chee. 17 Aug 2018, Domestic digressions from: The Routledge Companion on Architecture, Literature and The City Routledge Accessed on: 02 Oct 2021 https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315613154-4

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR DOCUMENT

Full terms and conditions of use: https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/legal-notices/terms

This Document PDF may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproductions, re-distribution, re-selling, loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden.

The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The publisher shall not be liable for an loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 has generated literary structures and narrative plots spun around such contradictions. such around spun plots narrative and structures literary generated has architecture its self-definition, and autonomy individual control, power, state institutional of intersections the at Located contradictions. with laden asite creates mundane, the of tecture distributions, planning statistics and rigorously fine-tuned unit dimensions. As a corollary corollary As a dimensions. unit fine-tuned rigorously and statistics planning distributions, occupancy densities, environment built ratios, plot calibrated finely into research cy’s ongoing agen the housing through evidenced precision, efficacious and quantitative its through nar ratives planning urban and architectural in delineated been has typology housing The literature. and architecture in opposed diametrically are housing public on views because possible are readings Such surfaces. and forms effects, architectural housing’s public upon bear to aspects these It brings biases. or desires embedded and relationships spatial of patterns emerging ures, Trust. Improvement Singapore the predecessor, colonial its of output 32-year the surpassed which achievement an units, built 51,000 newly in people 400,000 rehoused HDB the years, four first its 1960. Within in inception its since island the on housing public managed has which body astate-regulated (HDB), Board Development and Housing the by administered and commissioned is architecture housing public threads, legal and ideological architectural, political, social, fiscal, of anetwork in Embedded ence. national pride’. national of source aconstant remain(s) and society Singaporean of success the ‘epitomise(s) project the that programme housing the of year 40th the in Yew Kuan declared Lee Minister Prime Republic’s founding The exemplar. built state-directed strident most the as precedents European its exceeded programme housing public widespread and enduring Singapore’s wellbeing, general population’s the improve to and conditions living urban poor obliterate to ambitions its in (1930–60s) Kingdom United and (1920–30s) Germany including Europe in experiments housing social modernist earliest the to 1965. in Comparable self-governance nation-state’s the after chiefly produced latter the literature, post-independence Singapore’s in subject recurring a unexpectedly, not is, estate housing public the of setting the flats, housing public in residing population Singaporean the of percent over eighty-two With simultaneously a formidable political instrument of reform and control, and reform of instrument political aformidable simultaneously This chapter argues that Singaporean literature raises new architectural readings and fig and readings architectural new raises literature Singaporean that argues chapter This influ and subscription production, of its terms in prolific is Singapore in housing Public 1 housing through literary its forms Interrogating Singaporean public public Singaporean Interrogating Domestic digressionsDomestic 2 The fact that public housing is is housing public that fact The 3 as well as the archi the as well as Lilian Chee Lilian 3 37 - - - - -

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 economic gains and capitalistic stakes. capitalistic and gains economic by undergirded being change, and revolution towards ambivalence its for peculiar is argues, Huat Beng Chua sociologist ‘model’, as Singapore the latter, the for liberation and dernity mo to way the signaled progress urban while because colonies independent other from ated differenti be can nationhood and identity for struggle postcolonial its reason, same the For administrative structures, particularly those that had proven to be economically strategic. economically be to proven had that those particularly structures, and administrative legal infrastructural, educational, colonizer’s its of some retaining, points at and lating, emu by itself fashioned Singapore Britain, and States United the with relationships trade and diplomatic close Maintaining hinterland. own its without country a for one a befitting that ‘poetry is a luxury we cannot afford.’ we cannot aluxury is ‘poetry that emphatically adding nation, resource-scarce and aland-hungry for development economic of necessity over the literature of futility patent the Yew 1969, In Kuan declared Lee fraught. is imperatives. planning urban successful Singapore’s given widespread unsurprisingly are which models, planning urban and architectural normative through exclusively modernity housing’s public describing of impossibility the it raises perspective, alternative an than more Offering architecture. this in life daily of effects psychological and sociocultural physical, the understanding to as key emotion and subjectivity precarity, emphasize and affect, and lence ambiva as such themes on focus drama) and poetry (fiction, works literary approach, this to Chee Lilian 38 been bolstered by a persistent rhetoric of crisis and survival, and crisis of rhetoric apersistent by bolstered been has narrative growth environment’s built Singapore’s 1980s, the of miracle economic Rim’s Pacific Asian the for responsible Tigers’ Asian ‘Four the of One island. the of capacity tal developmen the increase to works reclamation land sensitive politically managing and stock housing public huge its growing included strategy This infrastructure. public competitive urban formations transform social relationships and cultural production. cultural and relationships social transform formations urban ­ these how show significantly to fails ultimately a‘model’), as model HDB the tout which discourses planning urban and (e.g. architectural economy the miraculous ends. its and nation’smeans the both became indeed power fiscal and prowess, within the city-state’s wider postcolonial and developmentalist contexts. developmentalist and postcolonial wider city-state’s the within considered be must architecture its with literature Singaporean pairing of irony The fluence. in it asubversive according simultaneously while activity, amarginal to production literary tenets of a developmental nation adevelopmental of tenets the exercised strategically and actively (PAP) Party People’s Action ruling The resources. natural of lack and smallness its for compensation as base economic its up building in vested in heavily was ambition singular earliest nation’s independent the (1963–65), Malaysia with superiority. economic to deference in poetry of denial Lee’s of prophetic seeds the against its literary forms, the literary theorist Jini Kim Watson attempts to tease out differences differences out tease to attempts Watson Kim Jini theorist literary the forms, literary its against knowledge? architectural to importance critical of be being, it into calls that space the about uneasy so is which literature, Yet, a model. how can HDB the of narrative stable the to discourse a counter as posing ing, hous public about literature Singaporean into percolated has impermanence of sense acute This space. to one’s of relationship sense make to urgency an is there sea, the from grows land and disposable are buildings where acity In forms. aesthetic own their create congestion and compression speed, amnesia, of grammar urban cityscape’s the to respond that shifts Yet particularly in the Singapore context, the use of literature as a critique for architecture architecture for acritique as literature of use the context, Singapore the in Yet particularly Nonetheless an explanation that overemphasizes the forces and outcomes of Singapore’s Singapore’s of outcomes and forces the overemphasizes that explanation an Nonetheless Part of the British Straits settlement (until 1959), as well as the short-lived federation federation short-lived the 1959), as well (until as settlement Straits British the of Part In her monograph that juxtaposes the urban formations of Singapore, Taipei and Seoul Seoul and Taipei Singapore, of formations urban the juxtaposes that monograph her In 6 by forging a formidable economy and installing globally globally installing and economy aformidable forging by 9 For Singapore, modernity was a route to economic economic to aroute was modernity Singapore, For 4 This statement has since relegated ­ relegated since has statement This 7 a melodramatic rhetoric if also also if rhetoric amelodramatic economically-driven economically-driven 10 5 Here, we glimpse we glimpse Here, The sociocultural sociocultural The Singaporean Singaporean ------8

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 on Henri Lefebvre’s Henri on draws argument Watson’slatter, the ‘reflects’ former the that such reality physical and text between correlation aclose uncover to attempt which analyses literary from itself entiating one and the same time, areaction’. time, same the and one at also, is it which to situation very that being into brings time, first the for though as object, cultural or work literary that the in ‘… contexts, political and social the work’s of figuration’ ‘indirect an necessarily is literature that argument Jameson’s Frederic critic literary the to corresponds reading This them. inspire that cities the physical of critical also are but reflect which spaces, (representational) other produce might literatures the that rather but forms physical cities’ the of annotations or derivations mere not are cities these of forms literary the than civic struggle that influence the formation of such cities, such of formation the influence that struggle civic than between [them]’. between interstices the ‘occupies what with concerned it is insists, Lefebvre as Or planning. urban multaneously on ‘material, practical, historical, ideological and imaginative levels’. imaginative and ideological historical, practical, ‘material, on multaneously Jeffrey Kipnis’ Jeffrey critic architectural the on Drawing about. written is space postcolonial how industrialized in frequently traumatic ‘urban and architectural processes as principal social forces’. social principal as processes architectural and ‘urban traumatic frequently and rapid mammoth, the through constructed not than often more is City Asian New the of literature the Thus, constructions. aesthetic and artistic equally are cities these terms, technocratic and infrastructural through described persuasively be might cities such though al that argues She cities. these with associated spaces representational and physical the or literary, the and material the between oppositions binary the challenges Watson so, saying In ‘contradictions of spatial formations are narrated and imagined in [them]’. in imagined and narrated are formations spatial of ‘contradictions the way the for particular in matter, cities these of literatures the that emphasizes she regard, necessity of steady and stable development for national prosperity: national for development stable and steady of necessity (poetry). space representational for longing the and development) architectural and (urban space of representations efficient the between dichotomy the describe spectives per these and Singapore, in ‘survival’ of possibility the bracket which views polarized two are there Lefebvre, per As discourse. architectural in spots blind the illuminate can literature that –Icontend literature towards architecture from –moving Watson to direction opposite the from texts literary the reading in Also, knowledge? of forms as offer intersections these do what and (literature), space representational and planning) urban (architecture, space cities and their ‘aesthetic forms’. ‘aesthetic their and cities Asian New these of configurations’ ‘material the between relationship intrinsic an is there that contends Watson Taipei, and Seoul Singapore, as such countries Asian industrialized This essay shares Watson’s dialectical positioning of literary texts to architecture and and architecture to texts literary of positioning Watson’s dialectical shares essay This On the one hand, the current Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong articulates the the articulates Loong Hsien Lee Minister Prime Singapore current the hand, one the On civic, ceremonial or economic transactions. economic or ceremonial civic, traditional of asite as less –and subjects national and bodies, laboring values, surplus of production the for – platform production as a foremost and first conceived is …the city a small country in this part of the world and to survive you have to be exceptional. be to you have survive to and world the of part this in country a small we are because nation exceptional an creating people ordinary be to we have country …We achieved. we have what on a as building building, state, constructive and a stable We in are scratch. from starting destroying, down, tearing a revolution, We in not are 11 use of the term ‘New Asian city’ to categorize the metropolises of newly newly of metropolises the categorize to city’ Asian ‘New term the of use 19 In other words, what are the intersections between representations of of representations between intersections the are what words, other In 15 multi-dimensional conception of space as something that exists si exists that something as space of conception multi-dimensional 12 She argues that it is productivity and production rather rather production and productivity it is that argues She 18 13 Domestic digressions Domestic 17 It implies that that It implies 14 16 Differ In this this In 20 39 - - - - Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 for action and life: and action for poetry of fluidity and vitality the to attests Lorde Audre writer and poet the comparison, In Chee Lilian 40 Poh Goh Seng novelist Malaysia-born Kun, Pao Kuo playwright Singaporean of works early the Through ability. vulner and fragility tactility, obduracy, housing’s public on insist excursions Yet, literary its modes. moralistic even or authoritative detached, abstract, through delineated is housing HDB of subject the architecture, In perspective. apragmatic from exclusively almost read) (and written is housing public on discourse architectural prevalent the state, a developmental of agendas key as architecture and planning urban on emphasis Singapore’s with Consistent ity’. acontemporane as people the of principles living ‘prodigious, the as well as pedagogy’ a‘nationalist incorporates ultimately voices individualized and nationalist competing has which writing’ ‘double this that underscores Bhabha Homi critic literary postcolonial The collective’s. national the from voice personal writer’s the differentiating also while guage, lan and imagery anational for demands with contending constraints: and challenges its in particular also is city Asian a new in literature of role the time, same the At Singapore. like economy adevelopmentalist dominates that pragmatism architectural an by eluded aspect an dimension, imaginative an it offers because critique architectural any for important is vitality literary that I argue polarities. two these in-between itself situates chapter This outlines why a profoundly productivist understanding of space of understanding productivist aprofoundly why outlines essay this Rozario, de Tania curator and writer artist, Singaporean from writing porary symbolic space: symbolic ashared, of formation literary the in participate to writer the obliges also yet feeling or action individual it inspires that given literature Singaporean in position a contradictory occupies environment built the that emphasizes Goh B.H. Robbie theorist literary The lives’. daily our of experiences ‘the from carved spaces through enacted is expression individual for yearning the hand, other the on results; ‘exceptional’ achieve to necessary apragmatism by controlled is space of conception and construction the hand, one the On above. epigraphs the by outlined ways two the in out played frequently is struggle how this too striking it is And Singapore. in asset contested mentally and physically most the be to continues Space home. of space the especially space, of question the by foregrounded 22 our daily lives. daily our of experiences rock the from carved poems, our by cobbled are fears and hopes our of horizons external farthest The thought. be it can so nameless the to name give we help way the is Poetry action. tangible more into then idea, into then language, into made first change, and survival toward dreams and hopes our we predicate which within light the of quality the It forms existence. our of necessity avital It is aluxury. not is …poetry ideology… national of by, akind reinforced is and reinforces, again once nationalism emergent of poetry Singapore’s sense this In space. national ultimately and communal a shared ing construct of means the as role symbolic acentral on taking instead but out, played are feelings and thoughts internal of articulation the and action which in site passive and tral aneu merely not forming foregrounded, becomes often space of treatment poetic The Read in this light, it becomes evident why much Singaporean literature is often often is literature Singaporean much why evident it becomes light, this in Read 23 21 Singaporean poet and painter Arthur Yap, as well as more contem more Yap, as well as Arthur painter and poet , Singaporean marked by efficiency and efficiency by , marked ------Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 (1985). A satirical account of cultural tradition tradition cultural of account (1985).Hole the for Big Asatirical too is Coffin Kun’s Pao Kuo The 3.1). (Figure its occupants 1960s, his own anecdotal account cohered with official documentation: official with cohered account anecdotal own his 1960s, present and latent; ideological and whimsical. and ideological latent; and present immaterial; and concrete figural; and literal time same the at being space: representational and space of representations between entanglements become housing public of architecture the texts, these Through modes. affective to technocratic from depiction HDB shifts ture litera Singaporean that Iargue futures. spatial desired towards amanifesto as second and history, spatial affective of document as a –first architecture to critical is literature too, sense this In living. and housing with intersects it when particularly fractured, and flawed is space postcolonial aproductivist such of conception The global. becoming on bent city capitalist a of nature evolving the towards ambivalence atense instead show literatures early These assumed. as psyche Singaporean the in uncontested and monolithic as not is standardization standards living regularized that guidelines policy new by transformed was landscape housing the HDB, the by undertaken eventually were projects housing public all As landowner. ant import most the became gradually state the that meant it also stock, housing public of ply sup asteady enabled legislation the While parcels. land large acquire to State the allowed Act The land. that of value the with commensurate it deemed aprice at good, public for land private acquire to right sole state the gave that alegislation 1966, of Act Acquisitions Land the by supported were changes Sweeping sentiments. private to unsympathetic often also if widespread were poverty and squalor such combat to reforms urban ensuing The tenements. crowded in thrived which tuberculosis of spread the combat to also but living of standards the just not alleviate to required were measures Radical area. same the in live to chose ter thereaf and jobs seek to centre city the into flocked immigrants Chinese Southern because rampant was Overcrowding dire. 1960 was in HDB’s takeover to prior situation housing The space postcolonial in psyche national the and Standing dominoes: standardization, serialization city area…’ city the within shophouses ramshackle in 250,000 another and facilities health basic the of any or water sanitation, no with areas squatter in dwellings squalid temporary in …living people The struggle against such conformity and homogeneity is the central theme of playwright playwright of theme central the is homogeneity and conformity such against struggle The shoes off the dead to sell them. sell to dead the off shoes and clothing pulled which shops were there days, those In clothing. afford to poor too were They pants.’ my wearing is My brother undershorts. only wearing you. I am for respect of out myself covering ‘I am He replied: blanket?’ athick with yourself covering you are ‘Why sick: hewas if him ask to Ipaused China. in made blanket red thick the ablanket; by covered down lying hewas And home! his was That it. rented He had plank. the on lying was Aman plank. asingle was staircase the Underneath existence. degrading and inhuman an It was damp. and dark so It was there. living tenants 200 We counted bathrooms. two and lavatory one with shophouse athree-story into I went that 24 25 Chinatown was the crucible of urban squalor with approximately ‘300,000 ‘300,000 approximately with squalor urban of crucible the was Chinatown When the first HDB Chairman, Lim Kim San, visited Chinatown in the early early the in Chinatown visited San, Kim Lim Chairman, HDB first the When . standards and the status quo, not difference difference not quo, status the and standards were State the for priorities The flattened differences and homogenized both the domestic environment and environment domestic the both homogenized and differences flattened 26 Domestic digressions Domestic 41 - - - -

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 one, or just burying the deceased without acoffin: without deceased the burying just or one, ornate the of bits excess the away sawing coffins, changing things, other amongst suggests that bureaucracy Singaporean of absurdities the with struggles grandson’s the details play Lilian Chee Lilian 42 housing national for reserved land versus dead the bury to land for contest the around revolves metanarrative Its in. buried be to meant is hole it the for big too is that acoffin house to thereof lack the or space, about is tussle The audiences. Chinese and English for versions bilingual in written was stage, on actor asingle by amonologue as play, performed the progress, national with clashing Figure 3.1 We looked at each other. All the crying suddenly stopped. But no one dared to laugh’. to dared one no But stopped. suddenly crying the All We other. each at looked hole. the at looked We coffin. We the at ‘We there. looked stood cemetery, the at hole burial the into fit cannot size, and type standard with noncompliant is which coffin, The it. hoist to men sixteen of strength the requiring quality, substantial of acoffin into translates wealth grandfather’s His coffin. acustom-made in grandfather his bury to attempts futile his about Four, simply remove the body and bury it wrapped in bamboo sheets.’ bamboo in wrapped it bury and body the remove simply Four, coffin. the of sides the on wood extra the off chop ‘Three, cemetery. aprivate to ‘Two, change coffin. asmaller to change ‘One, exist… options several with, me provided have you two data the to ‘According …’Umm,’ said. he ‘Yeah. Too small.’ small?’ too hole ‘The Too‘Yeah. big.’ asked. he big?’ too is coffin The

Singapore’s public housing flats (HDB) in the foreground. Photo: Lin Derong, 2017. Derong, Lin Photo: foreground. the in (HDB) flats housing public Singapore’s . This is manifested in a young grandson’s recurring dream dream recurring grandson’s ayoung in 28 27 The The Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 spontaneously, doing what is necessary to ‘save face’. ‘save to necessary is what doing spontaneously, act to forced is He bureaucracy. and standardization modernization, of cogwheels efficient as being hard and unaccommodating to even the dead’. the even to unaccommodating and hard being as traditions, of disrespectful ‘being were authorities the that amisunderstanding want not did and grave the at waiting people 200 are there that herealizes because only end the in lents re officer The flats. HDB for bricks of laying the or sauce, soya bottled pineapples, canned unlike not object, amass-produced than better no treated being grandfather deceased his at disgust his out blurts grandson the burials, of charge in representative To government the competing subject positions at stake. at positions subject competing the despite subjectivity’ fixed and a unified of myth the maintain to a desire of displacement a as read be also can burial Chinese atraditional with go that rituals the and body the of containment ‘The State. the of laws over the grandfather his honour to decides grandson the when tension in are stance aConfucianist by demanded loyalties and hierarchies the Chinese family ‘life’ beyond the house, and into the grave. the into and house, the beyond ‘life’ family Chinese of continuity the with concerned imagination aspatiotemporal truncates It also tradition. a curtailing than effect agreater thus has columbaria the in body the of containment The area. the weeding and grass cutting surroundings, the up tidying tombstones, the cleaning day the spend They ancestors. their of space resting final the to flowers and wine food, bring particularly in the observance of Qingming of observance the in particularly reinforced is This quarters. domestic family’s the of extension an like almost acts space tery ceme the Indeed, rest. of place new ancestor’s their visit to family his of right the and ash’), to (‘ash land the with acommunion to deceased the of right –the space to one’sin right embodied are self and subjectivity of notions abstract play, the his In ‘State’. and ‘family’ of for standardization with the tangibility and irregularity of the human body. human the of irregularity and tangibility the with standardization for need the and scarcity land of justifications abstract development, national of hegemony the contrasts play the – cemetery the in hole burial and a –acoffin objects embodied but dane mun two these Through encounter. farcical this recalls serious, and bizarre light-hearted, with the pragmatism and social hierarchy demanded in Singapore. in demanded hierarchy social and pragmatism the with compatible as seen is family’ his and patriarch the between and subject, the and ruler the between relationship a‘mirror on emphasis its with Confucianism purposes. progressive and productive more towards geared policies land against chance little stands tradition Chinese adiasporic preserve to plot aburial for argument the case, this In tolerated. are subjectivities productivitist only where web capitalist apostcolonial in caught society migrant diasporic character. in spatial markedly is for Nevertheless, criticism. political overt or heavy had works Kuo’s 1992, in previous reinstated it was until citizenship Singapore his of stripped and activities communist alleged 1980 for 1976 and between Act Security Internal the under previously Detained wrong. gone ritual a­ perspective, embodied aparticularly –through spatial and institutional –­ pragmatism of forms abstract the iterate to chose Kuo standardization, with sion Despite all efforts to mitigate the impasse, the young man’s pleas are thwarted by the by thwarted are man’s pleas the young impasse, the mitigate to efforts all Despite Touching on Singapore’s growing homogeneity, relentless bureaucracy and distinct obses distinct and bureaucracy relentless homogeneity, growing Singapore’s Touching on The disjuncture between coffin and hole stand for the spatiocultural displacement ofa displacement spatiocultural the for stand hole and coffin between disjuncture The The Coffin The the drawing of rectangles for your carpark lots. carpark your for rectangles of drawing the not is it and flats HDB your for bricks of laying the not it is cubes; pineapple of canning the not it is sauce; soya of bottling the not It is buried. getting grandfather my is … this , he employs for the first time, a more open allegorical mode of address, which which address, of mode allegorical open more a time, first the for , heemploys 32 Here, Kuo distinguishes the often-conflated entities entities often-conflated the distinguishes Kuo Here, , a yearly tomb-sweeping ritual where descendants descendants where ritual tomb-sweeping , ayearly 29 30 The monologue, which is by turns turns by is which monologue, The 31 The Coffin The However in Domestic digressions Domestic Chinese burial burial Chinese ideological, ideological, 43 - - - - , Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 geometries, graveyard sites and their specific orientation. specific their and sites graveyard geometries, tombstone of principles geomantic propitious and rites burial proper through appeased be must dead the customs, these to According dead. the and living the between relationship agood sustaining of importance the emphasize that customs Confucian traditional with odds at is practice modernized This columbaria. nondescript in located niches identical and feng-shui favourable with aligned being these landscapes, hilly and open wild, their for distinguished were sites burial once Where Singapore. in rituals burial replacing entirely almost cremation nation’s rapid progress’. rapid nation’s the observe but do to little has citizen average the where ascendancy, Party’s) Action (People the types and numbers of amenities were mathematically determined. mathematically were amenities of numbers and types the and occupants of number the estate, each of density built the functionality, on solely focused estate HDB the of designs earliest the As blocks. identical and units identical of landscape urban avast formed and repetitive, strikingly was estate housing public the regularized, and formalized was housing public before population Singapore’s of majority alarge housed removed. and suppressed were productivity, and efficiency hamper to appeared which customs, and habits practices, traditional but eradicated squalor prioritized, was hygiene sent critically contemporary Singaporean experience’ Singaporean contemporary critically sent repre to attempt serious first ‘the as novel world’. –hailed new Goh’s a‘brave of precipice the at tethered is character main Goh’s inevitable, as standardization accepted protagonist Kuo’s Coffin The like text, novel coming-of-age or proto-Bildungsroman Singaporean earlier the in perceptions and details psyche. Singaporean the in indistinguishable and twined inter seamless, as portrayed frequently been contrary, the on has, which –arelationship self family/ the of space the and nation the of space the self; and state between split irrevocably is that psyche anational of dilemma the It outlines ideologies. developmentalist postcolonial Singapore’s with coping of struggles extraordinary and mundane simultaneously the bodies Coffin The plot. burial appropriate an securing and rituals funeral elaborate often of costs the bearing to aview with made are preparations and inevitable, as viewed is life mundane Lilian Chee Lilian 44 calibrated and living, healthy transport, efficient were standardization such of outcomes The zones. rationalized to according planned and agrid in arranged blocks, identical in set units apartment of repetition strict the by underpinned form’ a‘perfect envisioned Corbusier economies of uniformity: economies the emphasized that (1933),idea Radieuse an Ville unrealized Corbusier’s Le of efficiency and geometries formal the echoes land, cleared forcibly on constructed often environment, ticularly for public housing. public for ticularly par development, urban for exhumed been had graves 120,000 and grounds 21 burial from The Coffin The that year same By 1985, the In contrast to the organic layout and growth of informal settlements or kampongs or settlements informal of growth and layout organic the to contrast In The same fracturing of self and state can also be traced through competing spaces, spatial spatial spaces, competing through traced be also can state and self of fracturing same The by these units would then extend, … to vast architectural compositions. architectural vast …to extend, then would units these by formed pattern quiet and regular The it. produce mass and module right the determine and dwelling, human the unit, basic the closely study We therefore must districts. entire streets, entire build we must peculiarities; own its having each buildings, custom-made individual, construct longer no we can methods, construction industrialize to we are If (1972) by Kuala Lumpur-born writer Goh Poh Seng. This This Poh Goh Seng. writer Lumpur-born Too (1972) WeIf Dream Long Kuala by (geomantic) elements, cremated remains are now contained in small, standardized standardized small, in now contained are remains cremated elements, (geomantic) 36 The newly constructed public housing was both boon and bane: bane: and boon both was housing public constructed newly The , is currently part of the Singaporean school curriculum. If Kuo’s If curriculum. school Singaporean the of part currently , is 33 Exhumation exercises continue to be carried out today, with with today, out carried be to continue exercises Exhumation was first staged, the HDB had expropriated land land expropriated had HDB the staged, first was 35 – charts ‘the early years of the PAP’s the of years early ‘the –charts 34 Customarily, the journey beyond beyond journey the Customarily, 37 This rationalized rationalized This 38 which which em - - - - Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 have buildings set in a parking lot’. aparking in set buildings have we now apark, in set buildings of ‘Instead site, and building between disconnect the gravates tious land reclamation works, and a city consciously remodeling itself to become global. become to itself remodeling consciously acity and works, reclamation land tious ambi neighbourhoods, HDB identical of construction the including infrastructure public of overhaul arapid by matched was development economic of rate the 1970s where the of sky through large windows, trees he can see from his house’. his from see hecan trees windows, large through sky the of aview house; the in Sun pleasures… essential man age machine bring to proposes laws, human and physical by inspired city, radiant ‘The consumption: and leisure work, for spaces grounds of overcrowding and poor health. poor and overcrowding of grounds (‘ hamlets informal and tenements crowded of landscape indigenous an with jar not would and tradition eschewed which one international, flexible, neutral, become opportunistically could which one thetic, aes aparticular for preference the signals Style International the of HDB’s adoption the that said be it could time, same the At demographics. changing and function to response in forms variant its of evolution the and plan, urban the to contribution and impact its on primarily focused technical, however, remained has housing public on discourse The housing. public Singaporean for language architectural quo status the as adopted was Style International The its people up at night? What dreams do they dream? they do dreams What night? at up people its keeps then what poverty, and crime filth, without homes and streets of construction utopian a is Singapore one’s postcolonial to If body? sense makes which that to understand, can one what to relates that away in changes these about one’s talk one How home? can inside even one’s and in city, happening upheavals spatial major such of sense make one How does aloud: wonder to attempt its in critical novel is Goh’s perspective, architectural an from Read lic. pub and politics minus housing public of adiscourse is result The decoupled. neatly been had modernity, of ideologies with paired normally modernization, of forms and tools the that meant 1960s the in HDB the by adoption wholesale its choice, counter-establishment a was Style International the Europe, in If project. architectural enduring most and est and subsequently erected 900 flats for lower-income families. lower-income for flats 900 erected subsequently and area the in provision 1931. over housing in took HDB 1960, the In constructed were unit housing colonial the by designed flats Improvement Trust Singapore first the and housing, public for acquired land private removed, systematically were settlements squatter Here, sites. renewal urban colonial earliest the of one was Bahru 1925, Tiong in administration colonial the by cleared it was before cemeteries Chinese with dotted previously low hills and swamps mangrove of area An estate. Bahru Tiong the at blocks HDB domino-like identical the of one in siblings and parents his with lives and clerk ashipping as works who ager surreptitiously because he fears the social repercussions of their partnership. His angst is is angst His partnership. their of repercussions social the hefears because surreptitiously only but heloves whom Lucy girl abar with arelationship He has education. and class terms. renewal urban in significant symbolically fact in is based novel was this which upon neighbourhood actual the perspective, occupant’s the from forgettable is estate nondescript Ideologically, it is significant that a modernist aesthetic is represented in Singapore’s larg Singapore’s in represented is aesthetic modernist a that significant it is Ideologically, The protagonist of Goh’s novel is 18-year-old Kwang Meng, a lower-middle class teen class alower-middle Meng, Kwang 18-year-old novel is Goh’s of protagonist The The novel follows Kwang Meng’s unsettled existence and yearning to surpass his social social his surpass to yearning and existence Meng’s unsettled Kwang novel follows The beside the other identical blocks arranged in a pattern of standing dominoes. standing of apattern in arranged blocks identical other the beside stood, flats of block their where corner the around road main the at off him dropped bus [T]he exasperation… quiet a with buses, for up lining offices, of out pouring dreds hun and Hundreds bus. the for queuing people of line a long was him of front In kampong ’ housing) that had been obliterated or remodeled on the the on remodeled or obliterated been had that ’ housing) 40 Goh’s novel traverses a post-independent Singapore Singapore apost-independent novel traverses Goh’s 39 42 Yet this tabula rasa vision ag vision rasa tabula Yet this Thus, while Kwang Meng’s Kwang while Thus, Domestic digressions Domestic 41 45 ------

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 bulant state, ‘once more back in his world’, his in ‘once back more state, bulant somnam in a bed his to retires and flat, family the to he returns as night each suppressed Chee Lilian 46 Figure 3.2 balcony or while he is swimming in the sea (Figure 3.2). (Figure sea the in swimming heis while or balcony his on as such flat, family the outside happen habitually dreaming and weeping thinking, Meng’s Kwang Significantly, blocks. housing identical those in seem, may lives their nificant insig how matter no living, eke a out must who him like those all from different no be will he that and life, mundane father’s his escape never will he that reconciled finally horizon, the in flats housing public identical the out at looking man young the with novel closes The anation: of aspirations the and family, of needs the accommodate to aside set are individual an of dreams The dreams. wandering with those accommodate cannot and work, home between indefinitely shuttle must who people with and bicycles without streets by criss-crossed trees, manicured from grown acity that terms to boy’s He comes the of youth. prime the at breadwinner sole the son his rendering stroke, a suffers Meng’s father Kwang day. Then, the during him assailed that emotions the thetize the the survey and development national for reclaimed shoreline areceding observe ements, On his balcony, he is free to contemplate the shrinking labyrinthine Chinatown ten Chinatown labyrinthine shrinking the contemplate to free heis balcony, his On 81). (p. manage how to know not hedid time of coming a and dissipate, to how not knew he restlessness a felt Meng Kwang flats. of blocks other the in usual as on went group…. Life family aneighbourhood like stood street the down alittle and below trees of clump The balcony. over the leaned and up got Meng Kwang

The common access balcony or corridor of a HDB flat. Photo: Lin Derong, 2017. Derong, Lin Photo: flat. aHDB of corridor or balcony access common The 43 as though the confines of the flat could anaes could flat the of confines the though as - - - - Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 qualities of life. of qualities intangible more over other rationality’ ‘economic and mobility’ ‘social ‘materialism’, oritized pri that syndrome’ a ‘transition demonstrated who citizenry the from resistance any hardly was there because only possible were reforms housing radical such that argues Hassan Riaz sociologist power. The state to solely attributed be cannot standards, any by high unusually is which housing, public Singaporean in conformity of Yet, degree the conform. to bound now contractually were they homeowners, as which nationhood, and community of values new the for and state the for precisely stood block the estates, HDB new the of residents the where the mass mobilization of resources is unmatched by necessary public engagement: public necessary by unmatched is resources of mobilization mass the where order asocial creating thus withdrawn, is experience HDB the that argues similarly Hassan become. should Singapore modern what define novel increasingly the in told persistently are we whom tourists, unlike not city, their consume They participation. their without evolve to continues that acity from distant physically are they but fabric city disappearing the about emotional be may They observers. passive are Too We If Dream in Long characters The cence. acquies passive of a state in experienced often and inconvenience, anecessary as accepted was housing public of existence atomistic the particularly city, the of forms estranged The nation. whole the across built and planned systematically were towns HDB new as resources of tion floors’. twelfth and eighth fourth, the of landings the on stops had however, only which, lifts two by neighbourhood stands for an authority. an for stands metonymically which object an into block and unit every render playground, the and ridor cor the lift, the including components standardized their and flats HDB the of seriality the that argues, object’, Watson the ‘practico-inert of concept Sartre’s Paul on Jean Drawing flat. HDB his to lift the taking is he while Meng to back Kwang comes memory the Significantly, individual. was what with collective was what merging regions, and boundaries indefinite more had home childhood his of memory the existence, HDB Meng’s atomistic Kwang in defined starkly were public and private between threshold the If lodgings. multi-tenanted and multi-family to dwellings, single-family from ranged These occupants. their of densities and was typologies, architectural domestic of smells and tastes colours, of acacophony Such persons, above a provision shop selling: shop aprovision above persons, thirteen numbering family extended his with together cramped helived There, born. he was which replace direct human relationships with something more ordered and indirect’. and ordered more something with relationships human direct replace which institution, an like function which objects] are these [and calendar… sidewalk, checkbook, ualism, apathy and a sense of general insecurity. general of asense and apathy ualism, individ personality, dwelling, inward-looking by characterized is which environment aspecial creating thereby world, aprivate into withdraw to tend communities housing public high-rise high-density, new the in autonomy, by people pulled stress, by Pushed cially during high tide, wafted back to him. to back wafted tide, high during cially espe gutters, monsoon rubbish-choked often the of smells the with mingling smells those all Chicken; of Essence Brand’s of bottles and margarine tinned ducks, oiled dried joss-sticks, red, vermillion of candles ash, black in preserved eggs ducks’ salted of boxes sauce, soya black of bottles curd, bean of dishes oil, coconut of tins rice, of sacks hooks, wire from hanging sausages Chinese reddish-brown of strings fish, salted …dried 44 It is a starkly different world from the double-storey shophouse in Chinatown where where Chinatown in shophouse double-storey the from world different astarkly It is 48 that he will inherit. His own housing block is neat and orderly. It is ‘served ‘served It is orderly. and neat is block housing own His inherit. hewill that As such the city evolved from top-down interventions and mass mobiliza mass and interventions top-down from evolved city the such As 46 Practico-inert objects include ‘[the] subway, policeman’s uniform, uniform, ‘[the] subway, policeman’s include objects Practico-inert altered to accommodate the changing composition composition changing the accommodate to altered , once common to the organic development development organic the to common once 45 49 Domestic digressions Domestic 47 For For 47 ------Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 repetitive high-rise and high-density architecture, defined primarily by their similar forms forms and functions:similar their by primarily defined architecture, high-density and high-rise repetitive into space and time of compression the through precipitated instead It is space. of alack by is usually shaded by trees, and although it is visible, it has some measure of privacy. Other Other privacy. of measure some it has visible, it is although and trees, by shaded usually is playground The anewsagent. and abarber shop, asundry as such shops smaller other several and coffeeshop a office, People’s Association state-run the akindergarten, as such facilities 3.3). (Figure benches and wooden play-structures fibre-glass asandpit, is there playground the In blocks. HDB surrounding by overlooked usually facilities playground generic the of one in place takes conversation The a daughter. and a mother a wife, a woman, is She gendered. is ‘heartlander’ the Here, other. each with –play Cheong Kim and Beng – Ah sons their as women’s the conversations through children their and mothers these of existence banal also if saccharine-sweet the (1980). recounts poem ahdbplayground The in 2mothers titled lines congruous, looking over a vast stretch of yellow earth where the sea used to be’. to used sea the where earth yellow of stretch over avast looking congruous, in pathetic, now ‘stood bungalows seaside the that regretting also but Siglap’ of hills the into ‘eating works reclamation land the in used machines the with impressed simultaneously ­ physical city’s the towards ambivalence an heexpresses Meng, Kwang in interested romantically is who Anne teacher trainee upper-middle-class an with ride abus On Chee Lilian 48 majority’. class working ahomogenous forming in role ant import an plays mechanism housing public ‘The strategic, politically were facilities, and spaces of provision identical and aesthetics, homogeneous housing’s public that argued also have scholars importantly, more But classes. social different across standards housing izing regular of role egalitarian an fulfilled estates housing public new the of aesthetic serial The literary scholar Yeo Wei Wei calls an ‘exclusionary space’ with ‘native’ origins. ‘native’ with space’ Yeo ‘exclusionary an scholar Wei Wei calls literary the what into status their elevate which myth’ ‘origin of akind acquired also have ‘heartlands’ the or estates HDB The efficiently. running Singapore keep who citizenry working-class the – occupants of its trustworthiness the with flats HDB the of pragmatism the correlated He complains that ‘his days have no spaciousness’. no have days ‘his that He complains off. shake cannot which he piety filial suffocating and ethic work over-rationalized an by constrained are family his with shares that he flat the and cubicle office His Meng. Kwang on effect claustrophobic a inflicts city The city. post-independent the of forms changing and pace frenetic the against contrasted is self-definition for struggle the narrative, the out cess. suc homeland ensured who ‘heartlander’ the it was front, global the on Singapore resented rep citizen cosmopolitan the although that emphasized ‘heartlander’, term the introduced Tong, Chok Goh first who Minister Prime former address, Rally Day 1999 National his In citizen. ‘cosmopolitan’ mobile socially and financially the of antithesis the are ‘heartlanders,’ The playground is typically next to a carpark, and surrounded by other public housing housing public other by surrounded and acarpark, to next typically is playground The Yap’s forty of poem Arthur in feature which ‘heartlander’ the and space aheartland It is 54 level. psychospatial the at claustrophobia in –results survival national of name the in market international the toward directed is production power –where of concentricity the of version different aslightly Here, life. of aspects all permeates productivity toward tion orienta nation-state’s new the way the of indication an it is than renewal urban violent of asignifier less is space of rationalization The renewal. urban through reduced much actually was city the of density the claustrophobia; of feelings Meng’s unique Kwang produces that space functional abstract, the of standardization overwhelming the …it is Despite echoing a modernist bias towards mobility, Prime Minister Goh’s statement statement Goh’s Minister Prime mobility, towards bias amodernist echoing Despite 52 51 Yet this is not claustrophobia caused caused claustrophobia not is Yet this 53 This majority, known as the the as known majority, This transformations – transformations 50 Through 55 ------Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 domestic chores – cooking, bathing, tuition, cleaning, child minding and doing laundry. doing and minding child cleaning, tuition, bathing, –cooking, chores domestic their by defined continually are lives their where flats their of claustrophobia the escape to visit women the that aspace also is Yet, playground banter. the cheerful through out played is women’s two the rivalry where a setting as playground Yap the blocks. uses identical in units identical the to contrast in relief, of aspace is playground The beer. drink to or a gathering it for use who workers foreign sometimes, and chat to benches the at meet to opportunity the take and dogs owners’ their walk who helpers domestic foreign spot, aquiet for looking lovers young arendezvous, for gathering teenagers include groups These night. the during day, especially the of times busy less at groups other by used is playground the children, than Figure 3.3 like don’t want to get up. so expensive./ nearly two thousand dollars. sure must be good’. be must sure dollars. thousand two nearly up. expensive./ so get don’t to want like sit all/ they sit. not idare soft/ so is sofa the diethelm./ from bought furniture, new got also what. or // we terrazzo make to wants/ & floor mosaic the out takes much, so spends father beng’s power, and ‘ah ownership claim they which through fittings and luxuries domestic imported the and drive, husbands their cars the sons, their feed they supplements and vitamins the – ‘things’ through defined and consumed is home how on the focuses poem the half than more that is significant more even is what fact, in But, exam?’ the hein is boy what smart/ quite also is cheong story// whole the kim &know your tv watch hecan already smart/ so is beng ‘ah sons, young their for aspirations housewives’ the about talks poem the of part first The roles. their given are they where title the in except no ‘I’) is (there individuals as defined not are mothers the poem, the Throughout husbands. their and sons their around revolve clearly that lives have housewives, as who, women the of limitations spatial and social the of In Yap’sIn 2 mothers

A HDB playground. Photo: Lin Derong, 2017. Derong, Photo: Lin playground. A HDB , the seemingly mundane chat may be read as a parody or as a critique a critique as or a parody as read be may chat mundane seemingly , the Domestic digressions Domestic 56 49 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 claim to be. to claim can family the stable howemotionally or presentable, is flat family the whether school, in perform children how the to pegged remains ‘value’ their mothers, working for even deed, In caregiver. affective as roles well-defined play women where structure familial triarchal pa dominant a underpins functionality and productivity efficiency, of rubric this couples, alternative and unmarried more and parents, single in increase an include that structures family and demographic changing Even today. with housing public Singaporean of image families. their through defined completely are They themselves. for desire they what do, they what are, they who told not are We success. academic such for scaffold the provide to is mothers as duty their and school, in excel sons their for are aspirations Their flats. their for fittings and furniture of selection the to children, their to fed supplements vitamin of type the –from decide husbands their what by also and television, on see they what by controlled Yap’s of are mothers worldviews two and imaginations the tow. in Similarly, achild with often estates, housing their of landscape extended the within chores daily their running filmed were as women amenities of list HDB’sgrowing the from most benefitting as mother housewife/ the showed footages the too, Significantly heartland. the of heart the as family nuclear the espoused representations early These predictable. and orderly as life domestic captured housing public Singaporean on footage propaganda black-and-white series, News) Singapura Berita archival 1960s iconic the In heartland. HDB the within ceived per are how they and on, take to obligated are women and wives mothers, as heartlanders these that roles –the women two the between said not is what about acritique as read be also might poem The work. at fathers the home, at mothers –the spaces and roles of typing stereo the to wedded is language spoken the Here, heartlands. HDB the in heard monly conservative gendered divisions. gendered conservative reinforce to continues that landscape a domestic within wives or mothers as roles their in sequestered remain who women, to visibility gives poem the citizens, cosmopolitan the to secondary remain who heartlanders the by spoken is Singlish as just Moreover, sound. ing comfort and endearing an it remains readers, local many for and recognizable immediately is conversation Singlish The life. HDB of perspective critical and affective also but populist living. of ways modern and liberated to linked ideologically were which flats, HDB the of aesthetics tural architec Style International the and programme urban modernizing island-wide an despite home, at roles traditional their in women entrenched further and normativity, heterosexual ondhand through imported objects such as the sofa and the new car. new the and sofa the as such objects imported through ondhand sec evoked them, to foreign seems city Even the large. at world the to existence hermetic largely their connect to keen are who women, the by recasted and reimagined are families two the of potentialities the playground, the At motor-car’. new in you chya-hong take to wants pah ah &bathe./ home go quick ‘come, cheong, heartland, HDB the of out son her for trip a and car new family’s the about talk with conversation the ends other the flat, their refurnished and refurbished completely has husband her that casually adding save’ to want we It’sthat/ ‘money’s not problem. no remarks mother one As city. the playground, the flat, the – spaces specific of poetics and politics the against thoughts hidden their contextualize to reader the allows and represented, or heard rarely are whom women, of voices the gether Lilian Chee Lilian 50 The poem converses through Singlish, a colloquial form of the English language com language English the of form acolloquial Singlish, through converses poem The This productive (biological and economical) heterosexual coupling retains its hold on the the on hold its retains coupling heterosexual economical) and (biological productive This 2 mothers Further, discloses the burdens and biases that plague the HDB heartland. It brings to It brings heartland. HDB the plague that biases and burdens the discloses 57 2 mothers The archival architectural representations of family life reinforced a familial afamilial reinforced life family of representations architectural archival The is exceptional in that it offers, through the figure of the mother, a mother, the of figure the through it offers, that in exceptional is (Singapore (Singapore ------Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 estate itself regulates life and purpose. The poem opens onto, opens poem The purpose. and life regulates itself estate the of architecture the how also but estate HDB in a life into view a just not us offers poem the discourse, architectural to input literary of value the about argues Stead Naomi theorist architectural the As milieu. aHDB within ‘home’ of conceptualizations conservative and proclivities domestic biases, gender certain suggest to sound and Yap space uses style, malist mini characteristic his In playground. of a children’s expanse open the into aflat of privacy the from carried are life family of preoccupations similar how collectively articulating by when literary texts about HDB housing are read ekphrasistically as architectural texts? architectural as ekphrasistically read are housing HDB about texts literary when happens what genres, unrelated two as texts these distinguish than Rather design. on focus exclusive its in suppresses often discourse architectural normative which atechnique space, a of telling the into emotions and smells textures, colours, atmospheres, ephemeral compels were perceived as well-designed. The publications reminded homeowners that decorating decorating that homeowners reminded publications The well-designed. as perceived were that flats selected of features included Tips city-dwellers. modern be how to them taught crete or the tangible world dissolves into language.’ into dissolves world tangible the or crete con become words edge, the on operating communication; of limits the of atesting involves and poetic traditionally is ekphrasis in involved ‘Language writes, Treadwell Sarah theorist architectural as or textures, such with laden thing the to substance and stillness give to concreteness, attempts description Ekphrasistic sculpture. and ornaments, architectural chitecture, ar art, of works example, for describe, to it seeks which thing the and writing poetic tween be arelationship articulates which genre aliterary is Ekphrasis construct. atechnocratic as completely almost treated been recently until has which typology architectural an of reading ‘reality’? perceived architecture’s of amirror or architecture, of illustration an merely not is literature that such architecture and literature between relationship the is What architecture? to all at matter literature should why and conversation, architectural the into enter literature how so, can If programme. housing the of success the by endorsed ultimately are decisions architectural the that given housing, public Singaporean of case the in true particularly is contrast This form. architectural of certainties absolute the against set when slippery also but evocative is Literature literature. with, difficulty the equally, and power of, the demonstrates speculate and persuade suggest, to ability The desire. and ideology occupancy, and space body, and building between place take that configurations ephemeral significant towards awareness acute an bring also enactments literary ‘home’. of These perception a fractured suggests literature The households. own their of consumers are housing public of occupants that perception the challenges literature Such occupancies. embodied and practices household objects, domestic of constellation aperipheral through housing public of architecture sonal imper and abstract the enacts critically literature how Singaporean trace to attempted I have Conclusion The conversation gestures towards how pervasive a regulated HDB existence might be, be, might existence HDB a regulated how pervasive towards gestures conversation The By the end of the 1980s, all the HDB tenants were distributed were tenants HDB the all 1980s, the of end By the Early Singapore literature about public housing begins to offer, I suggest, an ekphrasistic ekphrasistic an suggest, I offer, to begins housing public about literature Singapore Early architectural thought. architectural of strand mytho-poetic or metaphysical alternative, dominant the attend that tialism essen and nostalgia the of some avoids yet modernism, of framework techno-rational the outside stands that architecture of understanding an is This malign. and friendly both ghosts by haunted exalted, or feared hated, loved and whether emotions, human of register the within acting buildings of – architecture of understanding affective …an 58 59 By ‘ekphrasistic’, I mean that literature literature that Imean By ‘ekphrasistic’, free publications that that publications free Domestic digressions Domestic 51 ------Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 writes about the irony of these instructive publications: instructive these of irony the about writes Rosario de Tania poet-writer Singaporean The attachment. emotional with seamless as tion consump domestic in investments It framed result. same the incur would home their in cat a keeping that and fines, in hefty result would contractor non-approved a using flats their Chee Lilian 52 preferences: unconventional and groupings sexual unorthodox their accommodated space derelict slightly this living, HDB of demanded restraint the Unlike flat. walk-up old an in housemates some with ‘house’ lover started her and she family, non-heteronormative a Forming arrangements. housing tenuous more into neighbourhoods housing public orderly the from away moving herself found Rozario de sexuality, her discovered she As herself: being by just wrong afoot put to it was how easy muses sky’, Rozario de the ‘in dwelling new their in parents grand Eurasian her by raised was she when childhood her about Writing being. of modes and patterns behavioral also but furnishings, interior only not influences, how architecture with entwined intricately are these biography, Rozario’s de in to alluded is estate housing apublic in propriety of sense and order the While memories. her and story her construct They houses. these through story life her of part each frames Rozario De histories. pational occu their through perceived be can how architecture about memoirs architectural also are stories three –the genres between acrossover performs writing Rozario’s De block. HDB a in living grandmother her with spent childhood her of amemory and partner, her with shared once she rooms the through told relationship alesbian of breakdown emotional the in, lives she house the of deterioration physical –the journeys parallel three traces she piece, In (2016), De Rozario’s part memoir and part poetic poetic part and memoir (2016), part Rozario’s De Down Crumbling Walls come the And this? Who doesn’t want this? You must want this. We should want this. We want should You this. want this? must doesn’t want Who this? Don’t Don’t you want this? you want children. smiling these at Look have. you should families of sorts the are These cover pictures. the at look Here, how you adapt. is This cook. to things the are Here act. how you must is this and home, our is this Remember, Home Our formica working-spaces. That dirty wooden easels stood upon polished marble floors. floors. marble polished upon stood easels wooden dirty That working-spaces. formica upon looked gods fortune glossy three That matched. nothing that matter not It did myself. to mostly I kept air, of storeys twenty-five through carry could voice my that convinced Iwas and eyeline, of out walked had mother my once And day. the for Imade noise only the was that because accommodating, generally was hold house My ears. mother’s my meet to storeys twenty-five of height the screaming child, ­ ambiguous, racially This me. was there … [A]nd then Holland. in bought she’d clogs miniature to furniture darkwood trendy from ranged that kitsch with it furnished She flat. five-room loved her again, born and single newly My mother, gone. had father my born, Iwas time the sky. …[B]y the in living be would nation entire the soon, and before, decade the built been had flats thousand forty and hundred two Almost prosperity. of decade be a to going clearly novelty. was It their for valued were flats prefab and born I was before year the up built been had Mo Kio Ang bank. the and courts ball basket the between fell that over everything watched neighbourhood, over the towered We privacy. of terms in them eclipsed and height in sisters twelve-storey their surpassed that marvels new these days; those in rage the was block point of a floor top the on Living , it was called. … Not my home, not your home, and certainly not theirs. theirs. not certainly and home, your not home, my …Not called. , it was single-parented, girl- 61 60 - - - - - Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 ing, home. ing, unmak and making, of modes tell-tale these for look how to and where on clues discourse architectural offer to able being from comes criticality Its home. call many so where space anationalistic in denied and repressed it is because partly ephemeral altogether is that udice her free, her set will believes she which thing very the from disengage cannot Rozario de end, the In chapter. this in earlier discussed authors other three the than emboldened and embodied more much is writing her space, with obsession by its defined Still emotions. and bodies space, with entangled text aliterary is Rozario’s de behind, left being and leaving moving, evictions, Through families. happy, of thriving thousands accommodate would sky the in houses those that policy manifest State’s the through and experiences, alienated creasingly in her own through configured –both space proverbial this became grandparents her of flat HDB the ‘at home.’ Indeed, itself how it makes housed, is entity how this and ‘family’ of meaning the for search existential is her novelthe Underpinning figured. and perceived are houses other her all which from flat this against it is that argue might one but book of her middle the in somewhere once only appears flat HDB the of memoir Rosario’s De 3 2 1 N R-295-000-131-646. WBS Fund Seed (HSS) Sciences Social and Humanities Singapore’s of University tional Na the by supported was paper this for Research poetry. his from excerpts reproduce to permission for Kun Pao Kuo of estate the and Kuan Lay Goh Madam to thanks With Acknowledgments family. heteronormative the of realms the outside operating those particularly thrive, to subjectivities other allow to spaces own their create to need subsequently how they and themselves, being by norm the from deviated have –how they failings occupants’ the through housing public of asense novelHer articulates otes (London: St Martin’s Press, 1994), 45–73. Press, Martin’s St (London: Singapore in Control Social of Economy Political The in Barracks,’ Class Working The Housing: ‘Public Tremewan, Christopher 1997); Routledge, (London: Singapore in Stakeholding Housing: and Legitimacy Political Chua, Huat Beng 1966), 3. Board, Development and Housing (Singapore: People the for Up: Homes 50,000 unpaginated. 2000), Media, Times Board, velopment De and Housing (Singapore: Neighbourhood of Kind Toa in Our Payoh: Yew ‘Foreword,’ Lee, Kuan my mother, to whom do Ibelong? do whom to mother, my Idon’t to …If belong rejected. being Iwas that understand to house the of out thrown be to need not …Idid desperate. was Iwas, what part, most the For true. completely is these of Neither brave. called was but cowardly Ifelt house, mother’s my of out Walking the fumigation downstairs. fumigation the from away get to trying apartment, the of walls exterior the climbed them of hundreds as shut windows the away, blocks slamming two from screaming housemate my heard I once severe so problem roach underground an with lived area whole the That clogged. constantly toilet the That other. each only matched that monstrosities modern the with terribly clashed Bedok, in avoid deck from up picked we had furniture retro That 62 63 64 De Rozario’s words give concreteness to aprej to concreteness give words Rozario’s De Domestic digressions Domestic 53 - - - - - Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 19 18 17 16 6 5 4 Chee Lilian 54 36 35 34 33 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 8 7 31 30 29 28 27 13 12 11 10 9 32 15 14

The Production of Space of Production The Lefebvre, 1982), 82. Press, University NY: Cornell (Ithaca, Act Symbolic aSocially as Narrative Unconscious: Political The Jameson, Fredric 15. Ibid., City, 12. Asian New The Watson, 1991). Wiley, (London: Space of Production The Lefevbre, Henri Democratization ­ of Party People’s Action the and Representation Culturalism, ‘Political Chua, Huat Beng 1997). Wiley, York: (New State City ADevelopmental Yeoh, A. Singapore: S. Brenda and Kong, Lily Perry, Martin 1984): 137. (1 January Audience,’ Critic, Poet, ‘Singapore: Hyland, Peter by 1969. in Cited Singapore, of University National the at students the to speech his in this said Lee The New Asian City Asian New The Watson, 131. 1994), Sword the than Mightier Is Pen The No. 2: Anthology fica Paci Skoob in English,’ in Novel Singapore The Values: Expressing Stories, ‘Telling Koh, Tai Ann 1967), 85–104. F. Cass, Firth Raymond to Presented Essays Organization: Social in Case,’ Chinese the Two of Worship: Facets ‘Ancestor Freedman, Maurice Yeoh, Singapore and Kong, Perry, 157. Ibid., Times Straits The Urban Development Magazine 50,000 Up ronment Envi Built Urban the and Relations Power Singapore: Colonial in Space Yeoh, A. Contesting S. Brenda 34. Nation,’ the ‘Imagining Goh, 1994), 145. Routledge, (London: Culture of Location The Bhabha, Homi 1985), 36. Press, Crossing CA: (Berkeley, Speeches and Essays Outsider: Sister in Lorde.’ Audre by aLuxury” Not Is ‘“Poetry Lorde, Audre transcript-prime-minister-lee-hsien-loong-may-day-rally-speech-1-may-2015. www.pmo.gov.sg/newsroom/ 2015, May 1 Singapore, Office Minister‘s 2015’,1 May Prime on Speech Rally Day May Loong’s Hsien Lee Minister Prime of ‘Transcript Lee, Loong Hsien 21. Watson, in Singapore Difference Social and Space Culture: of Contours doi:10.1177/0021989406065770; Goh, H. B. Robbie Nationalism”,’ gent “Emer in English in Poetry Singapore of Role The Nation: the ‘Imagining Goh, H. B. Robbie 1971). Press, University Oxford 1965–1967 (Singapore: Survival, of Politics The Singapore: Chan, C. Heng Kong University Press, 2004), 156. 2004), Press, University Kong (Hong Kong: Singapore Hong and Malaysia in Theatre Language English Nation: Staging Lo, Jacqueline 70. Ibid., 69. Ibid., 67. Ibid., 62. 2000), International, Books Times (Singapore: Kun’sPao Plays Kuo of A Collection Margins: the at Hole,’ in Images The IsFor Big Too Coffin ‘The Kuo, Kun Pao Watson, 3. Watson, 2011), 2. Press, Minnesota of University ( Form Urban and Space of Fictions Three-Dimensional City: Asian New The Watson, Kim Jini 1996), 168–74. Press, MIT Corporation; Anyone MA: ­Cambridge, SeOUL’,’n ‘BEijING in Anywise Kipnis, Jeffrey Wee C.J Wan Ling. critic literary and Huat Beng Chua so the by ciologist works include housing HDB of discourse architectural technocratic the to Exceptions 2011),Wiley-Blackwell, 27–54. Global Being of Art the and Experiments Asian Cities: Worlding in Experts,’ Knowledge Innovations. Planning Model: as ‘Singapore Chua, Huat Beng (Singapore: NUS Press, 2003). Press, NUS (Singapore: , 30, cited in Belinda Yuen, ‘Squatters No More: Singapore Social Housing,’ Housing,’ Social Singapore More: No Yuen, ‘Squatters Belinda in cited , 30, (Hong Kong University Press, 2005), 19–20. 2005), Press, University Kong (Hong 14, no. 5 (2007): 911–927. 14, 5(2007): no. , 9 Aug 1997, cited in Yuen, ‘Squatters No More’, No 3. Yuen, ‘Squatters in 1997,, 9Aug cited The Journal of Journal CommonwealthThe Literature 3, no. 1 (2007): 3. 1(2007): no. 3, , 114. , , ed. Maurice Freedman and Sir Firth Raymond William (London: (London: William Raymond Firth Sir and Freedman Maurice , ed. , 43. , , 169. , , ed. Ananya Roy and Aihwa Ong (Malden, MA: MA: (Malden, Ong Aihwa Roy and Ananya , ed. , ed. Cynthia C. Davidson (New York, NY; (New Davidson C. Cynthia , ed. , ed. C.Y. Loh and I.K. Ong (London: Skoob, Skoob, (London: C.Y. Ong , ed. I.K. and Loh 23, no. 1 23, English in Written World Literature 41, no. 2 (1 June 2006): 24–25, 24–25, 41, 2006): no. 2 (1 June Minneapolis: ­Minneapolis: Singapore,’ Singapore,’ Global Global - - - -

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 Singapore: The Politics of Survival, 1965–1967 Survival, of Politics The Singapore: C. Heng Chan, Culture of Location The K. Homi Bhabha, People the for Up: Homes 50,000 References . ‘Singapore as Model: Planning Innovations. Knowledge Experts’, In Worlding In Cities: Asian Experts’, Knowledge Innovations. Planning Model: as ———. ‘Singapore Singapore in Stakeholding Housing: and Legitimacy ———. Political Singapore’. of Party People’s Action the and Representation Culturalism, ‘Political Huat. Beng Chua, 47 46 45 44 57 50 49 48 64 63 62 61 60 59 58 55 54 53 52 51 56

MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011. Wiley-Blackwell, MA: Global Being of Art the and Experiments Democratization 1971. If We Dream Too We If Long Dream Goh, SIP_1700_2010-08-11.html. 2017, 14 March http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/ accessed |Infopedia’, Bahru ‘Tiong Too We If Long Dream Goh, Poh Seng 1961), &World, Brace 576. Harcourt, York: (New Prospects Its and Transformations, Its Origins, Its History: in City The Mumford, Lewis Corbusier, 104. 1981), 99. Braziller, York: Georges (New Guiton Margaret Planning Urban and Architecture on Corbusier Le of Ideas The Corbusier, Le Study -AMulti- Singapore in Housing Public in Conditions,’ Living Better for ‘Design Liu, Ker Thai The New Asian City Asian New The Watson, in Cited Frederic Jameson, Marxism and Form Jameson, Frederic City Asian New The Watson, 35. Ibid., 33. Ibid., Studies Review Asian Singapore,’ in State the and Yeoh, A. Childcare ‘Women, S. Brenda and Huang Shirlena 2013), 126–27. Press, NUS Yap (Singapore: Arthur of Poems Collected The in ahdbPlayground’, in Yap, Mothers ‘2 Arthur If We Dream Too We If Long Dream Goh, 260.Hassan, 1976), 248. Press, University Oxford in Transition Society Singapore: in Housing’, ‘Public Hassan, Riaz 00379.x. doi:10.1111/j.1475-5661.2009. 2010): 256–68, 2(1 no. 35, April Geographers British of Institute the of Transactions Geography,’ AQueer Singapore: in Home at Family Model Modern ‘The Oswin, Natalie 115. Ibid., 65. Ibid., 39–42. Ibid., 2016), 108–9. Press, Paper Math (Singapore: down Crumbling Come Walls the And Rosario, de Tania doi:10.1080/13264826.2010.524307. 271, 2010): Review Architectural Theory Descriptions,’ White and ‘Pink Treadwell, Sarah Quarterly Research Arq: Architectural Austerlitz,’ W. in Sebald’s G. Memory and ‘Architecture Stead, Naomi Space Historicity Singapore Description: Beyond in Narratives,’ Singapore’s Wei-Wei Heartland: the Yeo, and Trees ‘Of 1999, www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/speeches/view-html?filename=1999082202.htm. August 22 of Singapore, 1999: Archives Home,’ First-World Economy, National World-Class Tong ­ Chok 22 on Goh Minister Prime by Address Rally Day Tong ‘National Chok Goh, Cities Singapore’, in Housing Public for Strategy ANew Neoliberalism: of Hegemony Global the in State Developmental ‘The Wang, Jun City Asian New The Watson, 21. Ibid., , ed. S.H.K. Yeh (Singapore: Singapore University Press and HDB, 1975), 117–81. HDB, and Press University Singapore Yeh (Singapore: S.H.K. , ed. 19, no. 1 (March 2015): 47, 19, doi:10.1017/S1359135515000263. 1(March no. 17, no. 3 (1 April 1994): 50–61, doi:10.1080/03147539408712950. 17, 1994): 50–61, 3(1 no. April 14, no. 5 (2007): 911–27. 14, 5(2007): no. , ed. Ryan Bishop, John Phillips, and Wei-Wei Yeo (Routledge, 2004), 27. 2004), Wei-Wei and Yeo (Routledge, Phillips, John Bishop, Ryan , ed. , 66. , 121. , . Singapore: Housing and Development Board, 1965. Board, Development and Housing . Singapore: , 116. , , 115. (New Jersey, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1971), p. 245. Press, University Princeton NJ: Jersey, (New . 2nd edition. London: Routledge, 1994. Routledge, London: edition. . 2nd , 116. , , c. 1972 (Singapore: NUS Press, 2016), 33. Press, NUS 1972, c. (Singapore: , edited by Ananya Roy and Aihwa Ong, 27–54. Malden, Malden, 27–54. Ong, Aihwa Roy and Ananya by , edited 29, 6(2012): no. 371. . Singapore: Oxford University Press, Press, University Oxford . Singapore: . London: Routledge, 1997. Routledge, . London: , ed. Riaz Hassan (Kuala Lumpur: Lumpur: (Kuala Hassan Riaz , ed. , ed. Jacques Guiton, trans. trans. Guiton, Jacques , ed. 15, no. 3 (1 December 15, 3(1 no. December Domestic digressions Domestic Disciplinary ­Disciplinary August August 55 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 The Ideas of Le Corbusier on Architecture and Urban Planning Urban and Architecture on Corbusier Le of Ideas The Le. Corbusier, Chee Lilian 56 Hassan, Riaz. ‘Public Housing’. In In Housing’. ‘Public Riaz. Hassan, . ‘Imagining the Nation: The Role of Singapore Poetry in English in “Emergent Nationalism”’. Nationalism”’. “Emergent in English in Poetry Singapore of Role The Nation: the ———. ‘Imagining Singapore in Difference Social and Space Culture: of Contours H. B. Robbie Goh, Too We If Long Dream Poh Seng. Goh, Tong Chok August 22 on Goh Minister Prime by Address Rally Day Tong. Chok ‘National Goh, Social Organization: Essays Essays Organization: Social Case’. In Chinese the Two of Worship: Facets ‘Ancestor Maurice. Freedman, The Political Unconscious: Narrative as a Socially Symbolic Act Symbolic aSocially as Narrative Unconscious: Political The Fredric. Jameson, Studies Asian Singapore’. in State the and Yeoh. A. Childcare ‘Women, S. Brenda and Shirlena, Huang, Kipnis, Jeffrey. ‘BEijING ‘n SeOUL’. ‘n In Anywise ‘BEijING Jeffrey. Kipnis, Toa Payoh: Our Kind of Neighbourhood of Yew. Kind Toa In Kuan Our Payoh: ‘Foreword’. Lee, 1May on Speech Rally Day May Loong’s Hsien Lee Minister Prime of ‘Transcript Loong. Hsien Lee, Pao Kuo of ACollection Margins: the at Hole.’ The InImages IsFor Big Too Coffin ‘The Kun. Pao Kuo, Pacifica Skoob In English’. in Novel Singapore The Values: Expressing Stories, ‘Telling Tai Ann. Koh, The Production of Space of Production The Henri. Lefebvre, Staging Nation: English Language Theatre in Malaysia and Singapore and Malaysia in Theatre Language English Nation: Staging Jacqueline. Lo, - A Multi- Singapore in Housing Public In Conditions’. Living Better for ‘Design Ker. Thai Liu, Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches and Essays Outsider: Sister In Lorde’. Audre by aLuxury” Not Is ‘“Poetry Audre. Lorde, Oswin, Natalie. ‘The Modern Model Family at Home in Singapore: A Queer Geography’. Geography’. A Queer Singapore: in Home at Family Model Modern ‘The Natalie. Oswin, The City in History: Its Origins, Its Transformations, and Its Prospects Its and Transformations, Its Origins, Its History: in City The Lewis. Mumford, Stead, Naomi. ‘Architecture and Memory in W. G. Sebald’s Austerlitz’. Arq: Architectural Austerlitz’. W. Research in Quar Sebald’s G. Memory and ‘Architecture Naomi. Stead, Down Crumbling Come Walls the And de. Tania Rosario, State City ADevelopmental Yeoh. Singapore: S.A. Brenda and Kong, Lily Martin, Perry, Architectural Theory Review Architectural Theory Descriptions’. White and ‘Pink Sarah. Treadwell, 2017. 14 March http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/ Accessed | Infopedia’. Bahru ‘Tiong Wang, Jun. ‘The Developmental State in the Global Hegemony of Neoliberalism: A New Strategy for for Strategy ANew Neoliberalism: of Hegemony Global the in State Developmental ‘The Jun. Wang, of Economy Political The In Barracks’’. Class Working The Housing: ‘Public Christopher. Tremewan, The Journal of Journal CommonwealthThe Literature 2005. Press, University 1999. www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/speeches/view-html?filename=1999082202.htm. August 22 of Singapore, 1999: Home’. First-World Archives Economy, World-Class National 1967.F. Cass, Presented to Raymond Firth Raymond to Presented 1981. Braziller, York: New Georges Guiton. Margaret by Translated Review 1976. Press, University Oxford Lumpur: Kuala University Press, 1982. Press, University prime-minister-lee-hsien-loong-may-day-rally-speech-1-may-2015. www.pmo.gov.sg/newsroom/transcript- 2015. May 1 Singapore, Office Minister’s 2015.’ Prime Kun’s Plays 1994. Skoob, London: Sword the than Mightier Is Pen No. 2: The Anthology 1996. Press, ; MIT Corporation Anyone Ma: Cambridge, Times Media, 2000. Media, Times Board, Development and Housing Singapore: unpaginated. Mealin, Peter and Ahmed Munshi Study Kong University Press, 2004. Press, University Kong Harcourt, Brace & World, 1961. &World, Brace ­Harcourt, 36–39. Berkeley, CA: Crossing Press, 1985. Press, Crossing CA: Berkeley, 36–39. Wiley, 1997. Wiley, 2009.00379.x. doi:10.1111/j.1475-5661. 2010): 256–68. 2(1 no. 35, April Geographers British of Institute the of tions SIP_1700_2010-08-11.html. doi:10.1017/S1359135515000263. 2015): 41–48. 19,terly 1(March no. Public Housing in Singapore’. Cities Singapore’. in Housing Public Singapore in Control Social doi:10.1080/13264826.2010.524307. 266–80. 2010): , edited by S.H.K. Yeh, 117–81. Singapore: Singapore University Press and HDB, 1975. HDB, and Press University Yeh, Singapore 117–81. S.H.K. by Singapore: , edited 17, no. 3 (1 April 1994): 50–61. doi:10.1080/03147539408712950. 17, 1994): 50–61. 3(1 no. April , 60–71. Singapore: Times Books International, 2000. 2000. International, Books Times Singapore: , 60–71. , 45–73. London: St Martin’s Press, 1994. Press, Martin’s St London: , 45–73. , edited by Maurice Freedman and Sir Firth Raymond William. London: London: William. Raymond Firth Sir and Freedman Maurice by , edited Singapore: Society in Transition Society Singapore: . C. 1972. Singapore: NUS Press, 2016. Press, NUS Singapore: 1972. . C. . Wiley, 1991.. Wiley, 29, 6(2012): no. 369–78. 41, no. 2 (1 June 2006): 21–41. doi:10.1177/0021989406065770. 41, 2006): no. 2 (1 June , edited by Cynthia C. Davidson, 168–74. York; New Davidson, C. Cynthia by , edited . Singapore: Math Paper Press, 2016. Press, Paper Math . Singapore: , edited by C.Y. Loh and I.K. Ong, 129–45. 129–45. C.Y. Ong, by I.K. and , edited Loh , edited by Riaz Hassan, 240–68. 240–68. Hassan, Riaz by , edited , edited by Buck Song Koh, Koh, Song Buck by , edited , edited by Jacques Guiton. Guiton. Jacques by , edited . Hong Kong: Hong Kong Kong Hong Kong: . Hong 15, no. 3 (1 December 15, 3(1 no. December . Ithaca, NY: Cornell NY: Cornell . Ithaca, . Hong Kong: Hong Hong Kong: . Hong . New York:. New . New York:. New Disciplinary ­Disciplinary Transac - - ,

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 15:38 02 Oct 2021; For: 9781315613154, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315613154-4 The New Asian City: Three-Dimensional Fictions of Space and Urban Form Urban and Space of Fictions Three-Dimensional City: Asian New The Kim. Jini Watson, The Collected Poems of Arthur Yap Arthur of Poems Collected The In ahdbPlayground’. in Mothers ‘2 Yap, Arthur. Beyond Description: Singa Description: Beyond In Narratives’’. Singapore’s Yeo, Heartland: Wei-Wei. the and Trees ‘Of Contesting Space in Colonial Singapore: Power Relations and the Urban Built Environ Built Urban the and Relations Power Singapore: Colonial in Space Contesting A. S. Yeoh, Brenda Magazine Development Urban Global Housing’. Social Singapore More: No ‘Squatters Yuen, Belinda. University of Minnesota Press, 2011. www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/the-new-asian-city. Press, Minnesota of University NUS Press, 2013. Press, NUS Routledge, 2004. ­Routledge, pore Historicity Space ment January 2018) ­January (accessed www.globalurban.org/GUDMag07Vol3Iss1/Yuen.htm unpaginated. 1(2007): no. . Singapore: NUS Press, 2003. Press, NUS . Singapore: . , edited by Ryan Bishop, John Phillips, and Wei-Wei and Yeo, 17–29. York: New Phillips, John Bishop, Ryan by , edited Domestic digressions Domestic , 126–27. ­ , 126–27. . Minneapolis: ­Minneapolis: Singapore: Singapore: 57 3, 3, - -