Transformation of the Singapore River and its impact on Singaporean ecology, 1970's - present day

Abstract

It is difficult to fathom that a few decades ago, the Singapore River was a stark contrast to the current tranquil and clear river space that has become a focal point in Singapore’s effort to brand itself as a sanitary and modern city state globally. This paper examines the prominent developments that have taken place since the clean-up of the Singapore River in 1977 and seeks to investigate and explore the discourse on how state-planning efforts have shaped the Singapore River region into becoming the instrumental centerpiece of Singapore’s cultural and commercial development. The history of the Singapore River region since its clean-up thus represents a broader long-term pattern of state-planning as the main function of the Singapore River region was transformed from a maritime trade entrepot to one that is primarily focused on culture and entertainment. The central argument for this thesis is that the Singapore River region has been an effective tool that state-planners utilised to modernise Singapore and build its reputation and standing as a sanitary and modern city-state globally between the 1970’s and present day. This thesis attempts to demonstrate the fluidity of the Singapore River region in adapting to changes whilst providing a glimpse of what the future entails for the Singapore River region under the guidance of state-planners.