On Asian Streets and Public Space

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Edited by Heng Chye Kiang, Low Boon Liang and Hee Limin

The rapid urbanization of the Asian continent and transformation of its cityscapes have incited many professionals and scholars to pay urgent attention to the study of Asian streets and public spaces in the hope of recording them, learning from their complex nature, and even applying distilled principles in new environments before they disappear under the assault of rapid urban transformation.

This volume presents articles focusing on four prevalent themes, namely transformation and modernity, the culture of streets, experiencing the street and finally, design and quality of streets. However, these themes inevitably overlap, pointing out again the complexity of what we call the "street" and the necessity for interdisciplinary research. Finally, adding "Asian" to "street" opens up the discussion about spaces in the Asian city, and even concepts of "Asian-ness", if indeed such a concept can be defined.

Believing in the importance of understanding "Asian streets" and "streets" in general for future design and planning of our cities, this collection of essays encourages greater interest in this subject, and therefore more interdisciplinary research. Accordingly, this book should interest not only urban planners, architects and other design and building professionals, but also environmentalists, sociologists, anthropologists, geographers and historians as well as the general public.


HENG Chye Kiang is Professor and currently Dean of the School of Design and Environment at the Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore.

LOW Boon Liang is Director of the MAUD Program at the National University of Singapore where he also lectures and supervises architecture and urban design studio, thesis and dissertations.

HEE Limin is Assistant Professor and Head of the Urban Studies Group at the Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore. She holds a joint appointment with the "Sustainable Cities" cluster at the Asia Research Institute.



Publication Year: 2010
192 pages, 229mm x 153mm
ISBN: 978-9971-69-490-6, Paperback

NUS Press