HETEROTOPIAN SPACE CONCEPT. CASE STUDY: CHINESE LIVING SPACE APARTMENTS IN SINGAPORE.

de Yong, Sherly HETEROTOPIAN SPACE CONCEPT. CASE STUDY: CHINESE LIVING SPACE APARTMENTS IN SINGAPORE. In: International Conference on Planning and Design 2011, 22-28 May 2011, NCKU, Tainan, Taiwan.

Abstract

Heterotopian space by Michel Foucault means sites in real places. These sites are very dynamic and can be changed by even the smallest turn of events or time. Some of these changes vary from mild-changes to, what was called by Foucault, counter-sites, a site with two very profound differences of activities, even the exact opposite activities e.g. real sites to unreal sites and sacred sites to profane sites. This heterotopian space were created by phenomenon in modern living apartments where the space for living is no longer in the one-storey building but in the modern living apartments. This research is using the descriptive methodology to analyze heterotopian space’s phenomenon. As the result, the first heterotopian space created because of culture changed. The Chinese traditional houses used to separate the sacred and profane area. These separations have a philosophy meaning for the horizontal and vertical hierarchy. The culture changed in modern society and limited spaces make the Chinese Singaporean lived in an apartments. They were juxtaposing the sacred and profane area into a living area and caused the first heterotopian space’s phenomenon. The second heterotopian space created because of time or activity changed. During the festivals or special occasion, the Chinese put several decorations and ritual offerings as signage of activity changed. When there were no festivals, they dressed and acted like usual, but when there was a festival they dressed and acted different. This changing of time happened in one place (the living area in apartment) and created the heterotopian space. Keywords: heterotopian, space, sacred, profane, Chinese, apartment

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