Civic spaces convey different meanings to different people. An architect or designer may view it very differently from a sociologist or a politician. An architect’s definition of civic spaces would likely reflect his interest in the physical aspect of the space from the design point of view, whereas a sociologist and politician might be more interested in the nature of the activities supported by such spaces.

For my talk this morning, I am adopting a very broad definition of civic spaces as public focal points that draw people together. They are communal spaces and a kind of a magnet, exerting a force that pulls people from all walks of life together.

Thus, civic spaces could be pedestrian malls, open spaces like town squares or public parks and even covered spaces within buildings. They are a little like a city’s living room, if you like, where people interact. They are hubs of activities, common grounds for forging community bonds, and a foundation upon which social cohesion and national identity can be built.

A small young country in a big hurry

Singapore is a small city-state with 660 sq km of land, which is about the size of the City of Chicago. Planning is a big challenge and is accorded high priority due to our land constraint. Since our independence in 1965, the Government has taken a very hands-on approach in planning to give our country a fighting chance to succeed.

Rome was not built in a day. In fact, the Roman empire evolved over a period of more than 500 years under the rule of various emperors. During this period, the Romans excelled at town planning and architecture, creating ambitious public spaces like the Colosseum, piazzas and of course their famous public baths.

Modern Singapore was built, literally, in forty years. In the early sixties, we eschewed the assumptions of the 1958 Master Plan drawn up by a UN team that there should be a slow and steady rate of social and economic change. There was no time!

Our conditions in the 1950s were chaotic. Housing, sanitation and road conditions were dismal. People in the central area were crammed into two or three-storey shophouses in varying degrees of dilapidation. Conditions were exacerbated by the rent control legislation that discouraged landlords from investing in the properties. There was massive overcrowding in the city; 25 percent of our population was squeezed into just 1 percent of our land area.

The congestion also spilled over onto the streets due to inadequate living space. There were common sights of children playing, people doing their washing and cooking on the streets and alleys.

We needed to get on with urban development in a speedy and orderly manner as a whole nation needed to be housed and fed.

The Government’s role was to prepare a master plan for redevelopment, clear the slums and resettle squatters into proper public housing, assemble the fragmented pieces of land and make them available to the private sector for development. In addition, the government would put in the requisite infrastructure; and provide necessary guidelines to guide private sector development in order to achieve planning and urban design objectives.

These egalitarian spaces, where `Everyman’ can be found, bridge social divides and enable shared experiences. They became the arenas for us to engage in common social, political and economic activities or issues; they accommodate and support activities among the citizenry and civil society groups, helping to build emotional ties and national identity.

I am going to look now at the different kinds of civic spaces that we have in Singapore and how they have been planned for and how they have taken on a life of their own and evolved with the times.

Civic spaces in the heartlands

In the heartlands of public housing estates, planners have provided for spaces for residents to interact. You will find town squares, pocket parks, children’s playgrounds, pavilions and amphi-theatres for community concerts. In these places, especially the playgrounds, children of various races and backgrounds, share a common space for interaction and play.

Many organised community activities also take place in these civic spaces. These spaces and activities draw people from the confines of their own flats into the larger community living rooms to interact with others. This is a very positive use of civic spaces and a trend which we would like to encourage and facilitate.

Community centres are very important focal points for people. I still remember scenes of people gathering in front of black and white television sets in these centres in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s to watch the nightly news. In those days when homes were a lot more cramped than now, when few families can afford to have their own television sets, people often went to the community centres to chit-chat and watch television. As time went on, community centres became places for people to learn new skills, to pick up a new hobby, to keep fit and to celebrate key festivals like Chinese New Year, National Day. Today, community centres are rich centres of community and civic life.

A uniquely Singaporean civic space is the ubiquitous neighbourhood coffee-shop and hawker centre; these are amenities which planners have provided for in each housing estate but which have taken on a life of their own.

Even in our hurried pace of development, this spontaneous civic space for people to associate freely has sprung up. This enduring institution we call the kopi-tiam is the real Speakers’ Corner; here you will see the true colours of Singaporeans and hear their uncensored, unsolicited opinions. This is where the common man rules the space, and may I add, an important space, so much so that no politician will overlook it while campaigning during elections!

The ground floors of most public housing flats have been left void; they have thus been named ‘void decks’, which to me, is a misnomer. They are a uniquely Singaporean kind of civic space for social and community gatherings. For example, they are often used for community celebrations, weddings, funeral wakes. During the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, some of these void decks are temporarily transformed into prayer halls for Muslims within that community to gather each evening to pray and break fast together.

Some of the void decks have been turned into childcare, after-school and elder corners by voluntary welfare organisations. Other civic groups that use the void decks include the National Kidney Foundation for dialysis centers, Salvation Army and Rotary Club for family services centers. At certain times of the year, these void deck spaces are turned into bazaars in conjunction with festival celebrations or charity events.

Next, I turn to public parks. Our public parks have become very important spaces for our people. They are no longer mere green oases providing relief from urban Singapore.

The Botanic Gardens, for example, is a very popular spot for joggers and strollers. It is also a choice place for family outings and school trips. On many weekends, open-air concerts are held at its amphi-theatre, drawing thousands of locals and foreigners.

The Government has set up the Speakers’ Corner on 1 September 2000 at the Hong Lim Green Park. This is where Singaporeans can speak on any topic without the need for a permit as long as the speeches do not arouse racial or religious strife.  The Speakers' Corner is an addition to existing channels of expression, such as the forum pages of local and international media, Internet discussion groups and seminars to discuss public issues organised by various organisations.  

The point here is, public parks are not just passive places; they actively engage the communities in the recreational, social and political aspects of life.

On a different scale, certain streets in Singapore have also become important civic spaces. The historic streets of Chinatown, Little India, Kampong Glam and Albert Mall, for example, reflect our ethnic activities. They are places where the ethnic communities people shop, celebrate festivals, and worship.

In Chinatown and Albert Street, the authorities have pedestrianised some streets to facilitate the community life that has spilled over to the streets. These streets are brimming with the sights and smells and hubbub of activities.

Orchard Road is another street for the people, but with a totally different character – a kind of more cosmopolitan flavour. Its wide, shady boulevard is almost ‘home’ to those of us for whom Orchard and shopping are synonymous. Orchard is more than just a shopping street; it is also where many Singaporeans "hang-out", meet friends, people-watch. It is the stage for Singapore’s most well-established street parade, the Chingay procession, which involves many local and overseas civic and community groups.

Squares have become familiar features of new towns and our shopping and Central Business Districts. The most well-known and monumental square is the Padang. Every two years, the National Day Parade returns to this symbolic and historic ground.

In planning for our city, our planners have tried, wherever possible, to inject civic spaces even into private developments. When the Ngee Ann City was being developed, planners specified that an open plaza should be provided as part of the development. That plaza has since become almost a "stage" in Orchard Road. All kinds of events take place here – commercial promotions, launches of books, concerts and performances. This space, with its cooling fountains and year round activities, has become an important landmark along Orchard Road. It has contributed much to the life and character along our premier shopping street.

In a similar vein, Raffles Square just above the Raffles Place MRT station is a great meeting and hang-out place for people. Each morning, during lunch time and just after business hours, the square is abuzz with people. Events and promotions also take place on this turf.

Some squares within institutional developments are very successful in spurring civic activities. One fine example is the quadrangle at the National Institute of Education which used to house our university. The square was set aside as part of the original planning of the former Bukit Timah campus.

This square is a focal point and an identity marker. For those who studied in the Bukit Timah Campus, the mere mention of it brings back memories of friends and the various activities which the square witnessed.

Civic spaces are important spaces for us to build social and community ties. They are `thermometers’ of the wellness of our society as they reflect the state of community ties and relations. In addition, they are also ‘catalysts’ to facilitate such ties to grow. We want to encourage the development of these spaces.

Greater diversity could lead to the development of "little bohemias" in Singapore where people can `do their own thing’. This point was brought up by our Senior Minister at a public lecture recently, in reply to a question on how Singapore can move from a regulated to a free-wheeling environment to foster an entrepreneurial spirit. However, SM Lee cautioned that the bohemians must have regard for the heartlanders. While they were at liberty to stretch their creativity to the fullest, they have to be aware of our unique cultural and religious sensibilities here. In these little bohemias, then, the role of the government would change to that of a referee.

We recognise that designating a space for civic use does not guarantee its success, as communities determine how these spaces would grow and evolve. Thus, in the next phase of planning for such spaces, the Government will identify more opportunities for public involvement and find new ways to gather public inputs even before planning for such spaces.

Arising from public feedback, we have incorporated five more focal points than what was proposed in the original plan. These additional focal points include Hong Lim Park (where the Speakers’ Corner is housed), Raffles Place Square, Esplanade Park, open space at People’s Park and the Marina Bay. These were highlighted by the public as important civic spaces which they would like to see safeguarded even as the city redevelops in the future.

At the local level, the new drive for the future would be to progressively engage the public in the shaping of civic spaces in their own precincts.

Through past experience, we have found that active engagement with the local residents spurs further participation, as the process instills a sense of ownership and rootedness among the people. This in turn encourages greater active citizenry and volunteerism at the community level.

The time is perhaps also right for us to recognise local spaces which have spontaneously developed into focal points for people to congregate. Some of these spaces found in areas such as Katong, Siglap and Anak Bukit, have evolved over the years and they have become special to significant groups of people; there is a sense of place and history and identity about spaces like these. For some, these places evolve a sense of history and of social and community bonds.

In our next stage of planning, such spontaneously developed civic spaces will be identified and we will try to incorporate these into our plans so that they will not be erased with development but rather kept or perhaps even enhanced.

We had to build Singapore in a great hurry to meet the economic imperative. Nevertheless, civic spaces were provided to meet the social and cultural needs of our population. Centralised planning and grassroot evolution of civic spaces occurred side by side. In the future, we will see greater diversity, spontaneity and choice. This will have to be balanced against our unique multicultural and multireligious sensitivities.