Wednesday, May 6, 2009

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

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 eradication, 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.

In place of the totalistic and industrial designs of the defunct age, local initiative and individual creativity govern the implementation of building projects, and local materials and techniques define the design aesthetic. This natural localism will come to characterise the architecture of ruban settlements.

Labels: architecture, ideology, slow/good life, work-live-learn-play-farm

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

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