When Heritage Meets Creativity: A Tale of Two Urban Development Strategies in Kampong Glam, Singapore

Abstract

In recent years, cities around the world have increasingly relied on culture‐based development strategies for the revitalization of urban areas, such as urban heritage and the development of a creative economy. Typically, either one of these practices is put in place; however, in Kampong Glam, Singapore, both heritage development and creative economy strategies have been adopted by the national government and local organizations. This paper studies the coincidence of the two main culture‐based urban development strategies and its implications in the same physical urban place. Drawing on geospatial mapping techniques and archival data, we aim to illustrate how the two cultural urban redevelopment strategies manifest and interact in urban space. We find that stakeholders draw on each strategy to counteract the excesses of the other, given their different aims and audiences, so as to regulate the interaction between the two and achieve balance among competing interests in the neighborhood.

Cultural Policy Formation and State-Society Relations: Culture-led Urban Redevelopment of Enninglu in Guangzhou

“…Shortly thereafter, cultural/creative cities began to diffuse as a "universal policy" and "best practice" to Asian countries such as Singapore, South Korea, and China, becoming a key strategy for these emerging markets to build global cities and actively integrate into the global economy (Kim 2017:314;Lin and Chiu 2019:320;Oakes and Wang 2016:1). In Singapore, for example, the creative economy has been effective in promoting urban development by combining it with heritage conservation (Kumar 2020). In pre-reform China, culture mainly served revolutionary politics.…”

“…In Singapore, for example, the creative economy has been effective in promoting urban development by combining it with heritage conservation (Kumar 2020). In pre-reform China, culture mainly served revolutionary politics.…”

From Dichotomies to Dialogues

“…State institutions and local stakeholders encourage diversity of occupants and usage. Having learnt from past mistakes, they prevented it from becoming an exclusive tourist hub that has no relevance to the resident population (Kumar, 2020). The emergence of a mixed cluster typology in the northern part of the district promises a neighborhood steeped in culture and diversity.…”

The functions of urban design social attributes in creative placemaking: the case of Kuala Lumpur event festivals

“…For example, a degree of comfort and attraction involving a place may affect users’ physical or emotional responses. Creative approaches potentially stigmatized and displaced disadvantaged groups, such as the poor, racial-ethnic minorities, the elderly and individuals with disabilities (Kumar, 2020). Lyons (1983) indicated that demographic and social factors could significantly influence the definition of user preferences toward a specific environment.…”