Singapore Tropicana

 

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Singapore Tropicana describes the zeitgeist of the Singaporean nation- state from its full internal self- governance in 1959 to 1976, when the SPUR magazine was discontinued.

In the context of these critical early years, Singapore Tropicana refers to the actions and attitudes exerted by exclusively local characters, for a collective national agenda, and made manifest in symbols, architecture, events and social behavior during this era.

Singapore Tropicana realizes the deliberate intent of local ambition to reconcile notions of progress and modernism derived from the West and the tropical realities and naiveties of a young nation on the fast track to success. Singapore Tropicana was short-lived, yet it is in architecture that we can identify the most tangible traces of its legacy in the city.

Queensway Cinema and Bowling was designed during this tropicana period but it distinguishes itself by also being inspired by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto.

In this project I first tried to synthesize the style from Aalto and design a project that would more closely resemble his own architectural style.

After this it became apparent that a new element had to be introduced in order for it to regain its tropicana feel. this was achieved by making the project into a tower using the already established facades.