Ernest Chin Y5
Idealistic Pragmatism
In Singapore, buildings are often prematurely demolished. While buildings are built to last, they rarely stand for more than 30 years. A culture of starting over, rather than improving what exists, is the prevailing modus operandi.
Using the demolition of my childhood home to validate the relationship between social objects, collective memory and architectural value, Idealistic Pragmatism proposes the implementation of Immovable Social Objects (ISOs) and Best Friends within a prototypical landscape. The former are protected structures whose function is distilled from aspects of the social fabric, while the latter are housing attachments that envelop and protect the ISOs through form and orientation, proposing an approach where even with continued renewal, the ISOs remain in place over time. Collectively, these resist indiscriminate redevelopment.
The project suggests an alternative future where progress is measured not only in terms of tangible metrics, but also in terms of the intangible qualities arising from interaction with and within the city. While redevelopment is ever-present, perhaps one can consider radical possibilities to protect what remains dear to everyday lives.
