Asian Alterity: With Special Reference to Architectur + Urbanism Through the Lens of Cultural Studies Case Studies of Asian Cities, Part II

327 Pages·2007·33.43 MB·English

by  William S. W. Lim

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Asian Alterity
With Special Reference to
Architecture + Urbanism through
TThhiiss ppaaggee iinntteennttiioonnaallllyy lleefftt bbllaannkk The Lens of Cultural Studies
William S W Lim
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Asian Alterity
With Special Reference to
Architecture + Urbanism through
The Lens of Cultural Studies
William S W Lim
AsianAlterityBook1.0.FA.indd 5 12/3/07 5:42:59 PM
About the author Asian Alterity With Special Reference to
William S W Lim graduated from the Architectural Association (AA) London and continued his graduate Architecture + Urbanism through
study at the Department of City and Regional Planning, Harvard University. Lim is a citizen of the
Republic of Singapore. His professional work involves architecture, planning and development The Lens of Cultural Studies
economics. He was principal architect at Malayan Architects Co-Partnership from 1960-1967,
Design Partnership (later renamed DP Architects) from 1967 to 1981, and William Lim Associates
from 1981 to 2002.
Lim is president of AA Asia and co-founder and chairman of the Asian Urban Lab (2003). He was also
president of the Singapore Heritage Society from 1988 to 1997, and of the Singapore Planning and
Research Group (SPUR) from 1966 to 1968. Presently, Lim is Adjunct Professor of the Royal Melbourne
Institute of Technology (RMIT) University, Australia, and Guest Professor of Tianjin University, China.
William S W Lim Forewords by
Lim was conferred a Doctor of Architecture Honoris Causa by RMIT University in 2002 and Honorary
Professor of LaSalle-SIA College of the Arts (Singapore) in 2005. Andrew Lee + Leong Teng Wui
Linda Lim
Currently, Lim writes and lectures on a wide range of subjects relating to architecture, urbanism
Lim Teck Ghee
and culture in Asian cities as well as on current issues relating to the postmodern, glocality and
social justice.  
Lim is the author of the following books:
Architecture, Culture, Ethics — A Workshop in NUS (2006) (Lee Kah Wee ed.)
Contesting Singapore’s Urban Future (2006)
Asian Ethical Urbanism: A Radical Postmodern Perspective (2005)
Architecture, Art, Identity in Singapore: Is There Life after Tabula Rasa? (2004)
Have You Been Shanghaied? Culture and Urbanism in Glocalized Shanghai (2003)
Alternative (Post)modernity: An Asian Perspective (2003)
Alternatives in Transition: The Postmodern, Glocality and Social Justice (2001)
Asian New Urbanism (1998)
Contemporary Vernacular: Evoking Traditions in Asian Architecture, co-authored with Tan Hock Beng (1997)
Cities for People: Reflections of a Southeast Asian Architect (1990)
An Alternative Urban Strategy (1980)
Equity and Urban Environment in the Third World (1975)
About the designer
Jackson Tan is co-founder of Black Design, an award winning visual communications agency based in
Singapore. Black specializes in branding,design and design content development. He has worked with
brands such as Discovery Channel, MTV, Diesel, Nike and Daimler Chrysler. In 2004, He was commissioned
by DesignSingapore Council to conceptualize, curate and design a highly successful landmark exhibition
called 20/20. It is an ongoing showcase of 20 of Singapore's finest creative talents and charts
the paradigm shifts that has occurred within Singapore's creative landscape.
AsianAlterityBook1.0.FA.indd 6 12/3/07 5:42:59 PM
About the author Asian Alterity With Special Reference to
William S W Lim graduated from the Architectural Association (AA) London and continued his graduate Architecture + Urbanism through
study at the Department of City and Regional Planning, Harvard University. Lim is a citizen of the
Republic of Singapore. His professional work involves architecture, planning and development The Lens of Cultural Studies
economics. He was principal architect at Malayan Architects Co-Partnership from 1960-1967,
Design Partnership (later renamed DP Architects) from 1967 to 1981, and William Lim Associates
from 1981 to 2002.
Lim is president of AA Asia and co-founder and chairman of the Asian Urban Lab (2003). He was also
president of the Singapore Heritage Society from 1988 to 1997, and of the Singapore Planning and
Research Group (SPUR) from 1966 to 1968. Presently, Lim is Adjunct Professor of the Royal Melbourne
Institute of Technology (RMIT) University, Australia, and Guest Professor of Tianjin University, China.
William S W Lim Forewords by
Lim was conferred a Doctor of Architecture Honoris Causa by RMIT University in 2002 and Honorary
Professor of LaSalle-SIA College of the Arts (Singapore) in 2005. Andrew Lee + Leong Teng Wui
Linda Lim
Currently, Lim writes and lectures on a wide range of subjects relating to architecture, urbanism
Lim Teck Ghee
and culture in Asian cities as well as on current issues relating to the postmodern, glocality and
social justice.  
Lim is the author of the following books:
Architecture, Culture, Ethics — A Workshop in NUS (2006) (Lee Kah Wee ed.)
Contesting Singapore’s Urban Future (2006)
Asian Ethical Urbanism: A Radical Postmodern Perspective (2005)
Architecture, Art, Identity in Singapore: Is There Life after Tabula Rasa? (2004)
Have You Been Shanghaied? Culture and Urbanism in Glocalized Shanghai (2003)
Alternative (Post)modernity: An Asian Perspective (2003)
Alternatives in Transition: The Postmodern, Glocality and Social Justice (2001)
Asian New Urbanism (1998)
Contemporary Vernacular: Evoking Traditions in Asian Architecture, co-authored with Tan Hock Beng (1997)
Cities for People: Reflections of a Southeast Asian Architect (1990)
An Alternative Urban Strategy (1980)
Equity and Urban Environment in the Third World (1975)
About the designer
Jackson Tan is co-founder of Black Design, an award winning visual communications agency based in
Singapore. Black specializes in branding,design and design content development. He has worked with
brands such as Discovery Channel, MTV, Diesel, Nike and Daimler Chrysler. In 2004, He was commissioned
by DesignSingapore Council to conceptualize, curate and design a highly successful landmark exhibition
called 20/20. It is an ongoing showcase of 20 of Singapore's finest creative talents and charts
the paradigm shifts that has occurred within Singapore's creative landscape.
AsianAlterityBook1.0.FA.indd 7 12/3/07 5:43:00 PM
Published by THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE
World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.
5 Toh Tuck Link, Singapore 596224 MILLIONS OF URBAN POOR IN THE
USA office: 27 Warren Street, Suite 401-402, Hackensack, NJ 07601
UK office: 57 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HE
ASIAN EMERGING ECONOMIES WHO
DESERVE AN EQUITABLE SHARE OF
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lim, William Siew Wai, 1932–
THE DEVELOPMENT BENEFITS
Asian alterity : with special reference to architecture and urbanism through
the lens of cultural studies / by William S.W. Lim ; forewords by Andrew Lee . . . [et al.]. -- 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-981-277-107-0 (alk. paper) -- ISBN 978-981-270-771-0 (alk. paper)
1. Architecture and society--Asia. 2. Urbanization -- Asia.
3. City and town life--Asia--Cross-cultural studies.
4. Cities and towns--Asia--Growth--Case studies. I. Title.
NA2543.S6L55 2008
720.95--dc22
2008043869
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Copyright © 2008 by William Lim Siew Wai
All rights reserved.
How to go to your page

This eBook contains two volumes. Each volume has its own page
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Printed in Singapore by Mainland Press.
AsianAlterityBook1.0.FA.indd 8 12/3/07 5:43:00 PM
Published by THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE
World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.
5 Toh Tuck Link, Singapore 596224 MILLIONS OF URBAN POOR IN THE
USA office: 27 Warren Street, Suite 401-402, Hackensack, NJ 07601
UK office: 57 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HE
ASIAN EMERGING ECONOMIES WHO
DESERVE AN EQUITABLE SHARE OF
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lim, William Siew Wai, 1932–
THE DEVELOPMENT BENEFITS
Asian alterity : with special reference to architecture and urbanism through
the lens of cultural studies / by William S.W. Lim ; forewords by Andrew Lee . . . [et al.]. -- 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-981-277-107-0 (alk. paper) -- ISBN 978-981-270-771-0 (alk. paper)
1. Architecture and society--Asia. 2. Urbanization -- Asia.
3. City and town life--Asia--Cross-cultural studies.
4. Cities and towns--Asia--Growth--Case studies. I. Title.
NA2543.S6L55 2008
720.95--dc22
2008043869
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Copyright © 2008 by William Lim Siew Wai
All rights reserved.
Printed in Singapore by Mainland Press.
AsianAlterityBook1.0.FA.indd 9 12/3/07 5:43:00 PM
CONTENTS
008 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
010 OUTLINE OF BOOK
PART I ASIAN ALTERITY PART II CASE STUDIES OF ASIAN CITIES
015 NOTE ON FOREWORD WRITERS AND REVIEWERS 002 INTRODUCTION
William S W Lim
016 FOREWORDS
Andrew Lee and Leong Teng Wui 004 COMMENTS ON WORKSHOP
Linda Lim Chua Beng Huat
Lim Teck Ghee
Selected Quotes from Reviewers 008 BANGKOK: A CITY IN FLUX
Kanika R’kul (Ratanapridakul)
033 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND THE RISE OF ASIA
036 Introductory Notes 020 HO CHI MINH CITY (SAIGON):
042 The Relevance of Cultural Studies BEFORE THE DOORSTEP OF GLOBAL ASSIMILATION
048 The Rise of Asia Tran Khang
052 CHAPTER 2 MODERNITIES 028 HONG KONG: CITY OF MAXIMUM QUANTITIES
056 Multiple Modernities and Contemporariness Li Shiqiao
066 Democracy, Human Rights and Social Justice
037 ISTANBUL: OBSERVATIONS
074 CHAPTER 3 SELECTED CULTURAL STUDIES Tan Kay Ngee
080 Cultural Identities, Diasporas and Memories
083 Globalization and Inequalities 046 THE MELBOURNE CASE STUDY:
090 Sustainability and Affordability THE CONSULTANT ARRIVES (AND SEES)…
096 Popular Culture and the Contemporary Leon van Schaik
100 CHAPTER 4 ASIAN ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM 0058 SEOUL: GANGNAM ALTERNATIVE NATURE ––
104 Creativity of the Contemporary THE EXPERIENCE OF NATURE WITHOUT PARKS
112 Asian Urbanism –– Challenges Ahead Yoon-Jin Park and Jungyoon Kim
144 Asian Architecture –– Challenges Ahead
0068 SHANGHAI ASSESSED:
184 WHAT OTHERS SAY SIX ARCHITECTURAL NODES OF THE CITY
Ryan Bishop Rahul Mehrotra Eunice Seng, Wee H Koon, Soh E Keat
Iain Borden John W P Philips
Chua Beng Huat Saskia Sassen 080 SINGAPORE: IN SEARCH OF TRANSPARENCY
Cui Kai Sharon Siddique Kaw Jon Kher
Randolf S David Edward W Soja
Hsia Chu-Joe Michael Sorkin
Kenneth Frampton Zhu Jianfei 088 TOKYO: AN URBAN COLLAGE OF CHAOS AMIDST ORDER
Sumet Jumsai Takeo Muraji
205 ENDNOTES
214 WORKS CITED
218 INDEX
222 IMAGE CREDITS
Shanghai, 2007
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