COURSES

Ac 5001

Ac 5004

Architectural Heritage Management

Units: 4

Tutor: Wong Yunn Chii

This module is a close study of architecture and related built environments in Singapore since its founding as a colonial trading settlement by Stamford Raffles, through various stages of physical development from independence to the present day. It examines how particular edifices and places were understood, studied, and described, from within and without, under various kinds of discursive structures. They will be studied in the context of the historical moments of the island state as a colony, a nationstate and a global city. It covers architects and their works, unbuilt projects, lost buildings and places - by consulting various sources of evidence.

The module will consult a variety of historiesinstitutional, professional, social-political - to develop a more robust narrative of the making of Singapore’s architecture within a landscape history.

Architectural History of Singapore AC 5002

Conservation Approaches and Philosophies

Units: 4

Tutor: Ho Puay-peng

This module aims to introduce students to current conservation philosophies and approaches. Defining architecture as cultural heritage for conservation has a long history. The development of architectural heritage conservation underwent a checked history and was guided by different philosophies and approaches. The module will outline these ideas within different cultural traditions’ cultural and temporal contexts.

Various approaches and tools from the guiding philosophy will also be introduced, such as Historic Urban Landscape, Heritage Impact Assessment, and Conservation Management Plan. While these tools are rooted in Western society, the module will focus on understanding how and why these approaches are adopted and modified within the Asian context.

Units: 4

Tutor: Nikhil Joshi

This module introduces the background and key concepts of cultural heritage, heritage management actions that consider multiple hazards and risk factors related to disasters (including those resulting from climate change) and being able to solicit management solutions for risk mitigation, adaptation, and preparedness.

It will also provide the students with an understanding of three closely interlinked components: disaster risk management, cultural heritage management, and urban planning and development. It will encourage the students to engage critically and creatively with the current debates and potential futures of management of the region’s rich and varied architectural heritage.

Ac 5007

Dissertation

Units: 4

Tutor: Johannes Widodo + Nikhil Joshi + Ho Puay-peng + Wong Yunn Chii

The dissertation is an opportunity for students to engage in a critical reflection on what they already know. It should be seen as an exciting venue to apply different research methods and critical thinking tools to extend their understanding of the various topics relevant to architecture as a discipline, especially about conservation. Students will be encouraged to build upon and further develop the body of knowledge gained from their taught coursework in a dissertation (a detailed written discourse of 8,500-10,000 words) under the guidance of assigned supervisors.

Ac 5008

Design for Conservation

Units: 8

Tutor: Johannes Widodo

Conservation is the management of permanence and change. This semester’s project is about a new intervention on a historical site, with conserving significance as the primary objective. The design intervention should reveal the qualities of the site and the place, including historical, architectural, cultural, and social relevance. The new function should add economic viability to the existing site/building/neighbourhood and be compatible and appropriate in responding to its immediate physical, social, and environmental contexts. Architecturally, the new design intervention or insertion should integrate well with the existing built and natural context in terms of typology, material, aesthetics, functionality, and environment

Ac 5009

Design for Adaptive Reuse

Units: 8

Tutor: Nikhil Joshi

This design studio focuses on the adaptive reuse of a modernist building in a traditional context. Traditions are often socially constructed and perceived differently across generational and cultural boundaries. Encountering rich cultural phenomena challenges our understanding of tradition and our own culture. While heritage is a valued part of the tradition, creating heritage often leads to a narrow and static view of tradition. This studio questions the typical approach of solely focusing on traditional forms in this context. It encourages the exploration of different ways to engage with tradition through literature, crafts, rituals, and worldviews. The goal is to propose a new use for the building within the urban and cultural context of the site while designing new facilities to support the functional program and enhance the heritage’s significance through adaptive reuse.