Contemporary Singapore towns and the neo-kampung spirit: understanding practices of neighbourliness

Abstract

Over the decades, there have been concerns about the loss of the kampung spirit due to urban development in Singapore. Prioritising liveability and affordable housing for a growing population, Punggol New Town was developed to meet those needs and is a model for future urban development projects. This paper explores how urban planning policies in Punggol has impacted its culture of the kampung spirit and will focus on the aspect of neighbourliness. The two-pronged method of interviews and direct observation reveals that neighbourliness is experienced through convenience, togetherness, doing things and the built environment. These findings highlight the relationship between this experienced neighbourliness, social life and urban planning goals. This paper concludes by proposing the existence of the Neo- Kampung Spirit, which evolved from the entrails of modern urban planning in Punggol, and what this means for Singapore to be a ‘good city’.