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Colonial Planning and Design of Parks and Gardens in Singapore

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Singapore’s Park System Master Planning

Part of the book series: Advances in 21st Century Human Settlements ((ACHS))

Abstract

British colonial strategic plans influenced Singapore’s planning policy, and in specific urban green-provision, which followed the British public parks movement. The colonial organization of urban form, including public parks and gardens, posed an emphasis on the social and cultural aspect of public space, defining it with urban aesthetics and the expression of governmental order and authority. Landscape was represented and regimented by synoptic objectification (master planning and the perspective view) and by using the aesthetic conventions of the picturesque. The two most influential landscape architecture styles were the English landscape park and the Victorian ‘gardenesque’. However, eastern intellectuals conceptualize pleasure gardens in an eclectic style, expressing an oriental understanding of nature and society.

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Correspondence to Raffaella Sini .

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Sini, R. (2020). Colonial Planning and Design of Parks and Gardens in Singapore. In: Singapore’s Park System Master Planning. Advances in 21st Century Human Settlements. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6746-5_3

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