A SENSE OF PLACE IN PUBLIC-HOUSING - A CASE-STUDY OF PASIR-RIS, SINGAPORE

This paper examines the sense of place in a high-rise, high-density ur ban environment. In the past, most of the public housing estates in Si ngapore had a uniform, monotonous appearance. This is rapidly changing , The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is using highly visible desi gns to add variety to the skyline of the estates and to the facades of blocks, Motifs, dormers and colours help to make each estate unique, so that residents have a sense of identity, Precincts, which comprise approximately 750 flats each, have their own focus of activities. Faci lities such as courtyards, walkways and pavilions are meant as areas f or interaction. This way, the residents have opportunities to get to k now each other better and to develop a sense of bonding and belonging. While these planning principles have been more successful in creating a distinct identity for Pasir Ris, the new-generation estate surveyed in this study, the sense of belonging is not very evident. Is it beca use HDB has taken an 'outsider's' view of a sense of place? Have the r esidents been asked what they want to help them bond with each other a nd with the locality? It may be necessary to go beyond rational planni ng principles such as cost and efficiency to examine how emotional aff ective bonds develop in a public housing estate.