URBAN CONSERVATION AND
REGENERATION OF
Significances
Architectural Value
Shophouses are the primary feature of Chinatown's landscape. These buildings and their surrounding built environment, the five-foot ways, narrow streets, back-alleys and small, square pocket parks, represent Singapore's early forms of intimate urban living spaces.
Social Value
The commercial sector in Chinatown has also evolved over time, reflecting changes in the local economy, shifting demographics, and changing consumption patterns. This has resulted in a diverse array of businesses and services that cater to the needs and interests of a wide range of people.
Cultural Value
Cultural diversity is another key feature of Chinatown's identity. It is home to various sub-groups within the Chinese community and other non-Chinese groups, and their cultural practices have evolved in response to the lives and interests of the people. Any redevelopment proposals for Chinatown should be respectful of this diversity and celebrate it, rather than seeking to erase or homogenize it.
Ultimately, the focus of any regeneration efforts in Chinatown should be on preserving its living traditions and communal spaces, and on understanding the continuities and changes between past and present. This will help to ensure that Chinatown remains a vibrant and unique neighborhood for generations to come.