Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

3-1994

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.

Keywords

Singapore, conservation strategy, cultural heritage, developing country, historic buildings, policy approach, public opinion, state policy, urban conservation

Discipline

Asian Studies | Urban Studies

Research Areas

Humanities

Publication

Urban Studies

Volume

31

Issue

2

First Page

247

Last Page

265

ISSN

0042-0980

Identifier

10.1080/00420989420080231

Publisher

SAGE

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1080/00420989420080231

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