Project name: Tiong Nam Chinese Opera House Project Type: Urban Open Space & Architecture | Semester: Master Sem 02 | New Spirit Adviser: Dr. Sharifah Salwa Syed Mahdzar |
New Chinese Opera Park for Tiong Nam Neighbourhood
Rejuvenating Tiong Nam Neighbourhoods through Public Space
Rejuvenating Tiong Nam Neighbourhoods through Public Space
Public space had long been the important entertainment venue and cultural nodes for Chinese opera during major Chinese festivals, in both urban and rural areas. Recently, this traditional art form has suffered from a drastic decline in popularity. In addition, the current audience has been limited to the elder generation, especially in Tiong Nam neighbourhood. Urban park has been known as the catalysts to revitalise neighbourhoods and communities. It is also a place where people from different socio-cultural background meet. Gradually, it becomes a melting pot to showcase the diversity of different culture and identity. Hence, this project will examine on the architectural integration of urban park and theatre which provide a common ground for local residents to gather and interact with one another around the Tiong Nam Neighbourhood.
It is an open space, a social place for local residents and neighbourhood to enjoy the performances and get together. By locating a theatre in an urban park has the advantage of large flow of human activity. People always engage with one another in public activities. During the morning, elderlies came to do their morning exercises. Sometimes the park is filled with groups of people dancing or doing some aerobic exercies. In another way they are performing on a ‘stage’ in public because they enjoy the moment.
Previously the space below the elevated LRT trail is underutilized. In the master plan, we intended to make the space below the elevated LRT trail become a potential linkage from a LRT station to another. This can promote walkability among the Tiong Nam neighborhood. With the existing elevated structure itself, it is the best shelter for public to walk beneath it. Meanwhile, the pathway leads the public to explore the Tiong Nam settlement.