Best viewed in Firefox. Copyright © 2008-2009, Rubanisation. All Rights Reserved.
Tay Kheng Soon (TKS) is a practicing architect and adjunct professor at the National University of Singapore's School of Architecture. He was formerly president of the Singapore Institute of Architects and founding member and Chairman of SPUR, the Singapore Planning and Urban Research Group.
To this day, TKS continues to churn out creative, out-of-the-box ideas that he personally sees through to reality via his architectural practice, Akitek Tenggara, which he founded more than three decades ago (in 1976).
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Ideating over a large google map
Back at the office, observations gathered from the site visits were promptly mapped out. Opportunities for urban farming and more park connectors were identified, and more ideas generated.
The future of Bukit Panjang?
The early planting of fruits such as pineapples and bananas could promote community bonding over quick, shared returns.
Level differences present us with farming opportunities. Grassy slopes that are presently not utilised in any way could be terraced for the cultivation of fruit trees.
With regard to the role of the existing LRT infrastructure in a rubanised setting, it was concluded that walking and/or cycling should remain the primary mode of transportation within the town, with the existing LRT and bus lines playing a supplementary role. The Park Connectors should therefore be extended.
More sketches below:
The workshop kicks off with an overview of rubanisation.
Serial inventor Andrew Vas makes a guest appearance to talk about the algae bioreactor he developed as an alternative, autonomous source of energy.
Helen from Gawad Kalinga (GK) briefs everyone on how GK goes about eradicating slums and empowering the people.
The day's discussion culminates in a series of questions regarding rubanisation.
Historically Rubanisation has been long awaited. It is the final resolution to the problems of poverty and the obvious crisis of imagination in the world today. All ideologies have failed. On the left, the humanistic ideals were hijacked by bureaucrats and party apparatchiks and it left a bad taste in the mouth, on the right the greed of bankers, high officials and governments hobbled by short term concerns led to a financial crisis of world wide proportions. Attempts to repair the system will fail because it is fundamentally flawed. A new world has to be built out of the ashes of the old. The high consumption economy spurred by inducing demand, planned obsolence, profligate lifestyle promoted by media, the atomisation of society, the lack of family life, the treadmill of everyday life needing ever more distraction and entertainment have all contributed to the coarsening of life, neglect of nature, throw-away attitudes etc.
Rubanisation is not only poverty irradication, it does hand in hand with rebalancing work, live, learn, play and farm all together within walk able human settlements. Rubanisation offers the possibility of a shift from the old industrial economy which has defined life to a new economy that offers real community creative action, creative and fulfilling work, real family, and life for everyone. Children walk to school. Parents work nearby. Children know what their parents do. Parents are involved in their children's learning situations. Communities interact to imagine new ways to make life better and more secure. Everyone enjoys good clean organic food, know the farmers by name, know how the food is grown and adjust their diet according to seasonable crops.
The slow food idea of Carlo Patrini is more than gastronomy, it is about restoring life! As the world ages, there is also a great need to live slower. Ruban settlements will integrate slow life and good life.
Doing well does not contradict doing good. Rubanisation is that locus at which well meaning people can help themselves and others through living well in ruban settlements and thereby contribute to the well being of the less fortunate in a symbiotic social arrangement. The idea of integrating ruban settlements with urban and rural occupations is an ideal setting in which to establish a new social compact between different classes of people who benefit from living close to each other. Social integration can over ride class differences through a shared imagination and actualising community, society and their relations with nature
i have been thinking of the implications on rubanisation of corporate capitalism taking over of what i believe is inherent in rubanisation of a degree of autonomy and self determination by local people.
who of the local people?
what age groups, occupations, education level?
what role for teachers in the local schools serving as local facilitators?
where do they come from? what motivates them?
what do people think on all these issues?
how will it be possible, say in thailand, of rural people sustaining a increasingly better life through maximisation of their efforts and resources while bargaining for a better trading position from the middlemen and from the corporations to which their external economics depend?
what kind of economy and leadership position would that imply?
what is the role of relevant education and local decision making capability?
how should re-aggregation of human settlements be possible with minimum capital resources?
what synergies can be brought to bear?
what is the relationship between local capital and incoming capital? what about religious organisations?
what role should rhey play in the natural diversity of society?
under what sort of arrangements would yield best results for all parties?
what about law and order? who invigilates?
what about corruption? how to make transactions transparent?
the role of IT media in this?
can the fortune at the bottom of the pyramid really result in betterment and self determination of the local community?
what is the dynamics of local leadership formation that best suits local autonomy?
Plan B 3.0 by Lester Brown
World Development Report 2008, Agriculture for Development – The World Bank
Future Form and Design for sustainable Cities – Mike Jenks & Nicola Dempsey
Hungry City – Carolyn Steel
The Cuba Reader – Avina Chompsky and others
Getting a Grip – Frances Moor Lappe
Retreat of the Elephants – Mark Elvin
Will the Boat sink the Water – Chen Guidi & Wen Chuntao
Creating a World without Poverty – Mohd. Yunos
Deep Economy – Bill Mckibben
Design with Nature – Ian Mcharg
Emergence – Steven Johnson
The Road back to Nature – Masanobu Fukuoka
Factor Four – Amory Lovins and others
Natural Capitalism – Amory Lovins and others
From Cabbages to Condoms – Mechai Viravaidya
Banker to the Poor – Mohd Yunos
The Fortune at the bottom of the Pyramid – C K Prahalard
Garden Cities of Tomorrow – Ebernezer Howard
.
[Presentation given by TKS at the World Federation of Chinese Architects assembly at Nanning, China, November 22-23, 2008. Download full powerpoint presentation here (1.5mb).]
By Tay Kheng Soon, 11/11/08
A key issue in the elaboration of the Asean Charter in the Asian context is the question of human impact on the environment vis a vis global warming, climate change and environmental degradation due to human activities. How should humans settle upon the land and what new and better satisfactions in achieving well-being are possible are crucial issues facing human-kind? Asean and Asia have the challenge to address this question as it is a region of progress despite the financial woes of the World. If China and India and Asean are able to address Carbon neutral economic development, they will also lead in the positive transformation of the World.
It is clear that the continued consideration of the City and the Countryside as two realms is unsustainable from the perspectives of social justice, cultural justice and environmental justice. Human settlements on the landscape should be considered as one space not two. In such a conception, the distinction between farm and factory need not be distinct anymore. Indeed, a new spatial geometry of integrated development is possible once we discard outmoded ideas. This is Rubanisation. It is supported by available new environmentally sustainable technology. Rubanisation is therefore neither rural not urban. It is both; a new entity.
With the availability of the new environmentally sustainable technologies, human settlements can be reconceived as infrastructurally autonomous cells existing within a web of nature, farms, transport, communication and informational interconnectivity. The horizontal human scale, where it matters most, in these multi-functional cells is determined by an optimal walking distance of 500meters. These cells are then dispersed appropriately in the landscape as a matrix subject only to geographical and environmental specificities in between the cells. The density and use-mix within each cell is optimised according to requirements location characteristic, environment and economic requirements. The spacing between cells is variable depending on settlement densities and open land requirements. Green spaces, farms, water bodies etc, in every case, are accommodated between the cells even when they are closely packed in dense urbanised settings. Still even there, the boundaries of the cells being roughly circular allow for the pendantive spaces between them to be green. The old contestation between green and brown sites in urban planning dictated by economic imperatives is thus finally eliminated by this geometry.
All cells are endowed with their own infrastructure as far as possible: each cell generates its own power, collects and processes its own water supply and treats its own organic and non-organic waste. There are technologies available for all of these at reasonable costs. All such autonomous technologies can be networked for safety and synergy. A power and water grid connects all cells. Specific modifications and adaptations can be made according to density demands but the cellular nature of the settlement pattern remains the primary system of spatial organisation ensuring both efficiency and liveability.
Every cell is optimised socially with its own local schools, health facilities, shops and work places. Access to facilities and nature is within walking distances. Fresh farm produce is locally available. Livelihoods variety is a matter of choice. The minimum density of a cell is determined by the school population support size. A hierarchy of cell types and the proximity of cell-clusters is determined by the distribution of in the hierarchy of research, education, administration, entertainment and health activities. Major clusters will accommodate the highest level of the hierarchy while less dense cluster will have lower levels of the hierarchy. Every cell has the basic services and activities to ensure a high quality of life and choice. Rubanisation ensures that every person or family has the maximum choice in life-style and location.
Modification to existing mega-cities can and will occur over time as the concept of distributed Rubanised settlements comes about. Surgery to the existing settlement patterns can then occur progressively through selective insertion of green and blue spaces into the existing dense urban fabric leading ultimately to the establishment of the green web through the settlement area. A reversed migration back to the village is encouraged and possible through the available of viable choice. Concurrently the reorganisation of the transport system progressively into on-demand robotic transport systems from the present vehicle fleet will occur systematically phasing out the old polluting cars, trucks and buses.
These new transport systems are based on robotic electric buses serving as the transport backbone and it will be supplemented by small private electric family and individual vehicles operating either robotically or idiocyncratically as desired. All robotic vehicles will connect or disconnect automatically. When linked magnetically the vehicles form a train to maximise road space efficiency. A system of category 1 roads linked to category 2, 3 and 4 roads, streets and paths are established to carry the traffic load. There will no longer be road congestion. The system builds upon the existing roadway systems as new and or modifications are made to existing ones.
New satisfactions in life are necessary to ween people from the present environmentally destructive tendencies in the economic patterns of production and consumption. Arising from better education, the high quality of environment, improved family life and synergistic community life, these would diminish the wanton desire for material consumption. This is the crucial shift from the present disastrous existing consumption patterns. Shifting from the individualistic and materialistic value system implicit in the developmental model of the West needs fundamental innovation incorporating traditional Asian traditions brought up-to-date. The tradition Asian values of compassion, humility, care for others and the environment should all be revived through large scale environmental reconceptualisation, education, enlightenment, the rebuilding of community spirit and the joy of personal responsibility for family, environment and community. This is the basis for the new eco-regional economy.Archives
November 2008
December 2008
April 2009
May 2009
September 2009
October 2009
December 2009
Ruban Workshop II: Rubanising Bukit Panjang, 14-15 Nov, Dairy Farm
Site observations
Participants of the workshop formed smaller groups to visit various parts of Bukit Panjang, with the general intent of studying the feasibility of implementing urban farming as part of our plans for rubanising the district.
(Click on images to enlarge, and click again to close. )
Participants of the workshop formed smaller groups to visit various parts of Bukit Panjang, with the general intent of studying the feasibility of implementing urban farming as part of our plans for rubanising the district.
(Click on images to enlarge, and click again to close. )
Ideating over a large google map
Back at the office, observations gathered from the site visits were promptly mapped out. Opportunities for urban farming and more park connectors were identified, and more ideas generated.
The outcome of the workshop
In the span of two days, a future scenario for Bukit Panjang was generated. In the map below, each of the four circles represents a relatively self-sustainable ruban district with a radius of 500m (walking distance). Existing schools are denoted in blue, existing social and commercial centres in yellow, hypothetical farms in green and cycling and pedestrian tracks by the orange tape. Each ruban circle centers itself around a social/commercial centre, and this would be the basis for the organisation of bicycle tracks and pedestrian walkways within the circle. (More detailed designs for these will have to be undertaken.)
In the span of two days, a future scenario for Bukit Panjang was generated. In the map below, each of the four circles represents a relatively self-sustainable ruban district with a radius of 500m (walking distance). Existing schools are denoted in blue, existing social and commercial centres in yellow, hypothetical farms in green and cycling and pedestrian tracks by the orange tape. Each ruban circle centers itself around a social/commercial centre, and this would be the basis for the organisation of bicycle tracks and pedestrian walkways within the circle. (More detailed designs for these will have to be undertaken.)
The future of Bukit Panjang?The cultivation area required for self-sufficiency in vegetables is taken to be 1.5 sqm per person.
For a population of 100,000 people in Bukit Panjang estate, the total cultivation area required would be 150,000 sqm (as reflected in the map above). This is to be divided into three categories: a majority of 100,000 sqm for commercial farms, 40,000 sqm for community farms and 10,000 sqm for individual hobby farms.
For a population of 100,000 people in Bukit Panjang estate, the total cultivation area required would be 150,000 sqm (as reflected in the map above). This is to be divided into three categories: a majority of 100,000 sqm for commercial farms, 40,000 sqm for community farms and 10,000 sqm for individual hobby farms.
Given the extent of canals in Bukit Panjang, commercial farms could be established over them (as seen below). In this way no additional land area is required.
Rubanising urban areas calls for minimal intervention. The existing infrastructure - take, for instance, the rooftops of multi-storey carparks - should be utilised.
Rubanising urban areas calls for minimal intervention. The existing infrastructure - take, for instance, the rooftops of multi-storey carparks - should be utilised.
The early planting of fruits such as pineapples and bananas could promote community bonding over quick, shared returns.
Level differences present us with farming opportunities. Grassy slopes that are presently not utilised in any way could be terraced for the cultivation of fruit trees.
With regard to the role of the existing LRT infrastructure in a rubanised setting, it was concluded that walking and/or cycling should remain the primary mode of transportation within the town, with the existing LRT and bus lines playing a supplementary role. The Park Connectors should therefore be extended.More sketches below:
Labels: urban farming, walking distance, workshop
Share
1 Comment(s)
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Ruban Workshop, 23-24 Oct, NUS
Day One
The workshop kicks off with an overview of rubanisation.
Serial inventor Andrew Vas makes a guest appearance to talk about the algae bioreactor he developed as an alternative, autonomous source of energy.
Helen from Gawad Kalinga (GK) briefs everyone on how GK goes about eradicating slums and empowering the people.
The day's discussion culminates in a series of questions regarding rubanisation.Day Two
The workshop continues with a reflection of the previous day's discussion. Some see an urgent need to better integrate rubanisation with the existing state of the city, while others express their concerns over sustaining the equilibrium that rubanisation will eventually achieve.
The group then splits into three subgroups, each dealing with a different scenario in which rubanisation is to occur. This group hypothesizes the rubanisation of a residential estate in Singapore.
The other two groups are given scenarios based on existing GK projects in the Philippines.
On the extreme right is Paulo, a representative from GK. This group is charged with redesigning the individual housing units that are built by GK.
The third group deals with the rubanisation of Sagay City in the Philippines, where several GK villages have already been established.
After much discussion, the groups get down to work, brainstorming ways of implementing rubanisation in Singapore (above) and the Philippines.
The workshop rounds off with presentations by all three groups.
Urban farming on HDB rooftops, spaces in between blocks and balconies is proposed, along with the decentralization of retail shops and making the estate more walkable and friendly to the disabled.
This new model for the GK houses would be a more efficient use of space, by removing the back alley, allowing for a more generous garden at the front, increasing the floor-to-ceiling height and utilizing stack effect for ventilation.
The rubanisation of Sagay City begins with the provision of schools, while capitalizing on its proximity to the sea to revive the industries.
Thanks to everyone present for the workshop.
The workshop continues with a reflection of the previous day's discussion. Some see an urgent need to better integrate rubanisation with the existing state of the city, while others express their concerns over sustaining the equilibrium that rubanisation will eventually achieve.
The group then splits into three subgroups, each dealing with a different scenario in which rubanisation is to occur. This group hypothesizes the rubanisation of a residential estate in Singapore.
The other two groups are given scenarios based on existing GK projects in the Philippines.
On the extreme right is Paulo, a representative from GK. This group is charged with redesigning the individual housing units that are built by GK.
The third group deals with the rubanisation of Sagay City in the Philippines, where several GK villages have already been established.
After much discussion, the groups get down to work, brainstorming ways of implementing rubanisation in Singapore (above) and the Philippines.
The workshop rounds off with presentations by all three groups.
Urban farming on HDB rooftops, spaces in between blocks and balconies is proposed, along with the decentralization of retail shops and making the estate more walkable and friendly to the disabled.
This new model for the GK houses would be a more efficient use of space, by removing the back alley, allowing for a more generous garden at the front, increasing the floor-to-ceiling height and utilizing stack effect for ventilation.
The rubanisation of Sagay City begins with the provision of schools, while capitalizing on its proximity to the sea to revive the industries.
Thanks to everyone present for the workshop.Labels: Gawad Kalinga, workshop
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Presentation given at NUS Arch, Sep 2, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Progress Report: Elaborating on the Ideas
Under the tutelage of Mr Tay this studio explores the notion of rubanisation in the context of Singapore. Having selected a vacant site at Tuas that is large enough to accommodate 6 ruban circles, each 1km (walking distance) in diameter and projected to develop its own niche over time, we set about developing one of these circles specifically for the purpose of establishing a new tech eco-campus. This new tech eco-campus is to be sited at the highlighted circle (top left) where the presence of the sea is suitable for the creation of water-based technologies. With the objective of bringing inventors, scientists and potential investors together and attracting the occasional tourists, as well as promoting a more holistic and integrated lifestyle for a new model of industry, the campus includes farming research facilities, patent offices, hotel accommodation and even a sports hub.
A copy of the initial studio presentation can be downloaded here: part 1 of 2; part 2 of 2 (advisory: each of the two files are 5MB+ in size so please expect some lag time before the file appears on your browser or starts downloading).
Labels: new tech, studio, work-live-learn-play-farm
The Ruban Vision
Historically Rubanisation has been long awaited. It is the final resolution to the problems of poverty and the obvious crisis of imagination in the world today. All ideologies have failed. On the left, the humanistic ideals were hijacked by bureaucrats and party apparatchiks and it left a bad taste in the mouth, on the right the greed of bankers, high officials and governments hobbled by short term concerns led to a financial crisis of world wide proportions. Attempts to repair the system will fail because it is fundamentally flawed. A new world has to be built out of the ashes of the old. The high consumption economy spurred by inducing demand, planned obsolence, profligate lifestyle promoted by media, the atomisation of society, the lack of family life, the treadmill of everyday life needing ever more distraction and entertainment have all contributed to the coarsening of life, neglect of nature, throw-away attitudes etc.
Rubanisation is not only poverty irradication, it does hand in hand with rebalancing work, live, learn, play and farm all together within walk able human settlements. Rubanisation offers the possibility of a shift from the old industrial economy which has defined life to a new economy that offers real community creative action, creative and fulfilling work, real family, and life for everyone. Children walk to school. Parents work nearby. Children know what their parents do. Parents are involved in their children's learning situations. Communities interact to imagine new ways to make life better and more secure. Everyone enjoys good clean organic food, know the farmers by name, know how the food is grown and adjust their diet according to seasonable crops.
The slow food idea of Carlo Patrini is more than gastronomy, it is about restoring life! As the world ages, there is also a great need to live slower. Ruban settlements will integrate slow life and good life.
Doing well does not contradict doing good. Rubanisation is that locus at which well meaning people can help themselves and others through living well in ruban settlements and thereby contribute to the well being of the less fortunate in a symbiotic social arrangement. The idea of integrating ruban settlements with urban and rural occupations is an ideal setting in which to establish a new social compact between different classes of people who benefit from living close to each other. Social integration can over ride class differences through a shared imagination and actualising community, society and their relations with nature
Labels: ideology, slow/good life, work-live-learn-play-farm
Some Thoughts - Inputs and Comments Most Welcome [Discussion Encouraged]
i have been thinking of the implications on rubanisation of corporate capitalism taking over of what i believe is inherent in rubanisation of a degree of autonomy and self determination by local people.
who of the local people?
what age groups, occupations, education level?
what role for teachers in the local schools serving as local facilitators?
where do they come from? what motivates them?
what do people think on all these issues?
how will it be possible, say in thailand, of rural people sustaining a increasingly better life through maximisation of their efforts and resources while bargaining for a better trading position from the middlemen and from the corporations to which their external economics depend?
what kind of economy and leadership position would that imply?
what is the role of relevant education and local decision making capability?
how should re-aggregation of human settlements be possible with minimum capital resources?
what synergies can be brought to bear?
what is the relationship between local capital and incoming capital? what about religious organisations?
what role should rhey play in the natural diversity of society?
under what sort of arrangements would yield best results for all parties?
what about law and order? who invigilates?
what about corruption? how to make transactions transparent?
the role of IT media in this?
can the fortune at the bottom of the pyramid really result in betterment and self determination of the local community?
what is the dynamics of local leadership formation that best suits local autonomy?
Labels: autonomy
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Recommended Readings on Rubanisation
Plan B 3.0 by Lester Brown
World Development Report 2008, Agriculture for Development – The World Bank
Future Form and Design for sustainable Cities – Mike Jenks & Nicola Dempsey
Hungry City – Carolyn Steel
The Cuba Reader – Avina Chompsky and others
Getting a Grip – Frances Moor Lappe
Retreat of the Elephants – Mark Elvin
Will the Boat sink the Water – Chen Guidi & Wen Chuntao
Creating a World without Poverty – Mohd. Yunos
Deep Economy – Bill Mckibben
Design with Nature – Ian Mcharg
Emergence – Steven Johnson
The Road back to Nature – Masanobu Fukuoka
Factor Four – Amory Lovins and others
Natural Capitalism – Amory Lovins and others
From Cabbages to Condoms – Mechai Viravaidya
Banker to the Poor – Mohd Yunos
The Fortune at the bottom of the Pyramid – C K Prahalard
Garden Cities of Tomorrow – Ebernezer Howard
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Rubanisation - It is neither the Urban nor the Rural, it is both.
.
[Presentation given by TKS at the World Federation of Chinese Architects assembly at Nanning, China, November 22-23, 2008. Download full powerpoint presentation here (1.5mb).]
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
"Rubanisation": The Re-Conceptualisation of Human Settlements in Harmony with the Environment
By Tay Kheng Soon, 11/11/08
A key issue in the elaboration of the Asean Charter in the Asian context is the question of human impact on the environment vis a vis global warming, climate change and environmental degradation due to human activities. How should humans settle upon the land and what new and better satisfactions in achieving well-being are possible are crucial issues facing human-kind? Asean and Asia have the challenge to address this question as it is a region of progress despite the financial woes of the World. If China and India and Asean are able to address Carbon neutral economic development, they will also lead in the positive transformation of the World.
It is clear that the continued consideration of the City and the Countryside as two realms is unsustainable from the perspectives of social justice, cultural justice and environmental justice. Human settlements on the landscape should be considered as one space not two. In such a conception, the distinction between farm and factory need not be distinct anymore. Indeed, a new spatial geometry of integrated development is possible once we discard outmoded ideas. This is Rubanisation. It is supported by available new environmentally sustainable technology. Rubanisation is therefore neither rural not urban. It is both; a new entity.
With the availability of the new environmentally sustainable technologies, human settlements can be reconceived as infrastructurally autonomous cells existing within a web of nature, farms, transport, communication and informational interconnectivity. The horizontal human scale, where it matters most, in these multi-functional cells is determined by an optimal walking distance of 500meters. These cells are then dispersed appropriately in the landscape as a matrix subject only to geographical and environmental specificities in between the cells. The density and use-mix within each cell is optimised according to requirements location characteristic, environment and economic requirements. The spacing between cells is variable depending on settlement densities and open land requirements. Green spaces, farms, water bodies etc, in every case, are accommodated between the cells even when they are closely packed in dense urbanised settings. Still even there, the boundaries of the cells being roughly circular allow for the pendantive spaces between them to be green. The old contestation between green and brown sites in urban planning dictated by economic imperatives is thus finally eliminated by this geometry.
All cells are endowed with their own infrastructure as far as possible: each cell generates its own power, collects and processes its own water supply and treats its own organic and non-organic waste. There are technologies available for all of these at reasonable costs. All such autonomous technologies can be networked for safety and synergy. A power and water grid connects all cells. Specific modifications and adaptations can be made according to density demands but the cellular nature of the settlement pattern remains the primary system of spatial organisation ensuring both efficiency and liveability.
Every cell is optimised socially with its own local schools, health facilities, shops and work places. Access to facilities and nature is within walking distances. Fresh farm produce is locally available. Livelihoods variety is a matter of choice. The minimum density of a cell is determined by the school population support size. A hierarchy of cell types and the proximity of cell-clusters is determined by the distribution of in the hierarchy of research, education, administration, entertainment and health activities. Major clusters will accommodate the highest level of the hierarchy while less dense cluster will have lower levels of the hierarchy. Every cell has the basic services and activities to ensure a high quality of life and choice. Rubanisation ensures that every person or family has the maximum choice in life-style and location.
Modification to existing mega-cities can and will occur over time as the concept of distributed Rubanised settlements comes about. Surgery to the existing settlement patterns can then occur progressively through selective insertion of green and blue spaces into the existing dense urban fabric leading ultimately to the establishment of the green web through the settlement area. A reversed migration back to the village is encouraged and possible through the available of viable choice. Concurrently the reorganisation of the transport system progressively into on-demand robotic transport systems from the present vehicle fleet will occur systematically phasing out the old polluting cars, trucks and buses.
These new transport systems are based on robotic electric buses serving as the transport backbone and it will be supplemented by small private electric family and individual vehicles operating either robotically or idiocyncratically as desired. All robotic vehicles will connect or disconnect automatically. When linked magnetically the vehicles form a train to maximise road space efficiency. A system of category 1 roads linked to category 2, 3 and 4 roads, streets and paths are established to carry the traffic load. There will no longer be road congestion. The system builds upon the existing roadway systems as new and or modifications are made to existing ones.
New satisfactions in life are necessary to ween people from the present environmentally destructive tendencies in the economic patterns of production and consumption. Arising from better education, the high quality of environment, improved family life and synergistic community life, these would diminish the wanton desire for material consumption. This is the crucial shift from the present disastrous existing consumption patterns. Shifting from the individualistic and materialistic value system implicit in the developmental model of the West needs fundamental innovation incorporating traditional Asian traditions brought up-to-date. The tradition Asian values of compassion, humility, care for others and the environment should all be revived through large scale environmental reconceptualisation, education, enlightenment, the rebuilding of community spirit and the joy of personal responsibility for family, environment and community. This is the basis for the new eco-regional economy.
Labels: Asian, autonomy, ideology, walking distance
November 2008
December 2008
April 2009
May 2009
September 2009
October 2009
December 2009
Coming soon.
Publications
Behold the Countryside: The Urban/Rural Divide
published in Global Asia (Vol. 3, No. 3, Fall 2008):
Finding the Thread: Managing Urban Asia
What is 'Good' Design: Thinking about Asian Architecture, Singapore Architect (SA) issue #246, 2008 (5MB)*
Ideas for Singapore in 2009: Going Back to the Fundaments of City Living, SA issue #249, 2009 (2MB)*
Presentations
Presentation by TKS at the World Federation of Chinese Architects assembly at Nanning, China, November 22-23, 2008 (1.5MB)
Presentation (Part I) by TKS' Year Four studio at NUS, Semester 2, 2008/2009 (5MB)*
Presentation (Part II) by TKS' Year Four studio at NUS, Semester 2, 2008/2009 (5MB)*
Presentation by TKS at NUS, September 2, 2009
*(Advisory: please expect some lag time before these files appear on your browser or start downloading.)
Recommended readings
Plan B 3.0 by Lester Brown (Full text online)
World Development Report 2008, Agriculture for Development – The World Bank (Full text online)
Future Form and Design for sustainable Cities – Mike Jenks & Nicola Dempsey
Hungry City – Carolyn Steel (Excerpts online)
The Cuba Reader – Aviva Chompsky and others
Getting a Grip – Frances Moore Lappe (Excerpts online)
Retreat of the Elephants – Mark Elvin
Will the Boat sink the Water – Chen Guidi & Wen Chuntao
Creating a World without Poverty – Mohd. Yunus
Deep Economy – Bill McKibben (Excerpts online)
Design with Nature – Ian McHarg
Emergence – Steven Johnson
The Road back to Nature – Masanobu Fukuoka
Factor Four – Amory Lovins and others
Natural Capitalism – Amory Lovins and others (Full text online)
From Cabbages to Condoms – Mechai Viravaidya
Banker to the Poor – Mohd Yunos (Excerpts online)
The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid – C K Prahalard
Garden Cities of Tomorrow – Ebenezer Howard (Full text online)
Other links
The Ecotipping Points Project