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UNLEASHING THE POWER OF THE OLD

Aritra Das 2008BARC042 IVth YEAR, SEVENTH SEMESTER School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF THE OLD

Table of contents
1) INTRODUCTION Old buildings an exploration Limitations 2) WHAT ARE HERITAGE STRUCTURES 3) AIM, OBJECTIVE, SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY Aim Scope Methodology Debate and personal agenda

4) CASE STUDY Case Study 1: The Revitalisation of Singapore River Project Location Intervention Area Project Adaptive Re-use of the Historic Boat Quay, Singapore River, Singapore Realization for conservation Hasty works and loss of heritage - a concern Project Significance, Role in the city and development Physical Descroption Structure, Material, Technology and Construction Current State Conservation Philosophy Conservation Programme Interventions Phases of the renovation effort Structural Changes to Spaces Key Players Financing Conclusion

Case Study 2:
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Case Study 3: 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) Conclusion Appendix I Appendix II Appendix III Bibliography Project Location Project Potential Objectives of the Project Scope of the Project

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INTRODUCTION
This report is an exploration of the state of old structures that are neglected, their slippery position in urban ergonomics and their numerous possibilities. According to architect and planner Arthur Cotton Moore, nothing keeps ones eyes on reality more than dealing with old buildings. Nothing grounds ones sense of the ravages of time, be it weather, government actions, foolish fads and fashion, or urban decay, like working with old structures. (The powers of preservation, 1998) Indeed the strong essence of memory that evokes within us revelation of the civilization and prediction of the future by observation and contending with old downtowns of the cities is like none other. They are the living relics that still and will (as long as they survive) continue to tell us the tales of the past and help us predict the course of the future by human response and their way of life because at the end, these buildings are the ones that have been sheltering human purpose through the ages as timeless structures. In India however, while family properties are looked after at, this outlook towards the old structures specially public related in urban areas is limited to the so called monuments only. Thus, while the privileged survive with shoddy preservation, the rest are left to rot soon to be hammered down by large real estate or other big ticket projects. And with that lose ourselves, our existence, and our history by bits and pieces. Even those which are given utmost attention, their promotion needs more to do. Here is an effort to shed light on the neglected left in the dark, and find opportunities to reappreciate their potential in a new incarnation apt for todays generation rather than leaving them dejected and relive the countrys past, present and future as the country establishes itself in the global stage.

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Old buildings an exploration

In case of architecture, past studies, information helps us to know the past and frame an outlook and knowhow to take on the challenges of the future. Through the past success new challenges are taken. With the past knowledge our problems are tried to be solved. This source of knowledge is generally building techniques, style, etc. Examples of these are old structure or buildings that have been created on these principles. These are not mere examples of the precious knowledge of architecture, they are living exhibits that represent their era and give us a glimpse of their past. Of cultural, social and economic scenario that prevailed. These are like living exhibition of a large museum called the city, whose history and heritage are learnt from them. In a way the past is known through these old structures and buildings which act like an archive in a library. The values of these structures are immense. They are repository of human past, proof of their existence of their rise and their fall, of their story that can be told to their future. They are their HERITAGE.

Limitations
Due to the vastness of the scope of the subject itself, this seminar would only be limited to urban heritage structures with a possibility of rejuvenating the urban public structure.

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WHAT ARE HERITAGE STRUCTURES

Anything is called a heritage which has the qualities, tradition or features of life that have continued over many years and have been passed on from one generation to another. India has a long continuous history and so are its structures from the past. They are archive of the past. And these archives are only fruitful when they are in good shape. In their true definition, heritage structures can be any structure that has in it the quality of representing the past. In India, as we have a rich heritage, so is the vast riches of its heritage structures and so the list of heritage structures. The government and its authorities have, created several such organizations that dedicatedly work to identify, enlist this heritage structures and then take up work to restore them to their original condition. To name these organizations would be inappropriate because in the following paragraphs what I regret would indirectly blame them for the failure for which they might or might not be responsible. This can be said knowing that, India being such a huge country, with being one such few country that has a continuous history for some thousand years that it is interestingly seems impossible to work on all of them by these authorities. Even though these authorities try their best, the number of the heritage is huge and they have been successful to penetrate into very few. They are not incompetent in any front. The government does liberally try to replenish with funds as much as possible. But there are problems somewhere or why should there be so less penetration. We try to explore it but first we try to learn in brief what the methods they identify these structures are. Because when we try to find loop holes, we find that there are two possibilities where they go wrong. Fail to identify a heritage structure. Fail to restore an identified structure.

We first see how the government identified the heritage structure. In newly excavated area ASI does the job however the identification is done by the local authorities. So it is the respective municipality or municipal corporation of that area that gives it the heritage status. There is a criteria listed from KMC gazette that gives us the detail of the enlisting of heritage structure in Kolkata city limits it is entitled to maintain. (See Appendix-I) Through this gazette we get a glimpse of how the criterion are set, however through this report what is intended is to look into the potential of the urban decay as opportunities for urban realm in Indian cities rather than into the technicalities of Heritage Conservation.

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AIM, OBJECTIVE, SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY

When we carefully go through this gazette, apparently we dont find any fault. So, is there a problem to maintain them thereafter they are enlisted. Indeed a lot. The most prominent though is financial crunch. The authority cant simply take the burden of maintaining this huge list of heritage structures. Indeed a restoration project is very cash intensive as much as it is technology sensitive. As a result of failing to take on all the heritage structures, they give importance as per the grading. The grading is initially done as per the level of danger it is in and its importance. However, we find while the grading classifies the structures, the prominent get saved, the rest get neglected. Parallel the authorities knowing their financial capability try to curtail the list so that they have fewer burdens. And knowingly or unknowingly the unfortunately delisted structures fall into darkness prey to real estate. In India every city has got its history and with the rapid growth in urbanization, the cities have been segregated into old and new parts. While new parts have got new public spaces the old still sustain and thrive. Some are in good conditions, others in various stages of decay under extensive use. Apart from these, there are many abandoned and/or buildings in decay. Some of them used to be palaces, mansions, etc. Today they lie in shambles. While there have been initiatives to restore such buildings many of them still are unattended. MUMBAI

Elphinstone Circle, Past

In shambles

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KOLKATA

Urban Decay

Restoration

Indias many cities have such urban decay spot. Some of them have the potential to turn into excellent cultural centers. One such example is the Kala Ghoda Festival organized by an NGO that is held every year in the Kala Ghoda area of Central Mumbai and their objectives as physically upgrading the Kala Ghoda sub-precinct and making it the Art District of Mumbai. The citys most prestigious art institutions are located here and together they form the Cultural Hub of Mumbai.

KALA GHODA AREA

Public Interaction

Cultural Activities

These initiatives turn the citys image into thriving urban centers and bring the best in Livability Index. Such urban areas that are historically important and are equally potent to make significant contribution to the urban fabric of the city in terms of socio-cultural and economic upgradation of the city.

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Urban Restoration

Addition to Urban Fabric

For example, Connaught Place in New Delhi is and has been a large shopping district and with time has history linked to it. But with time and history it seems it had to bear the brunt of its extensive use. As a result, it turned into an ugly urban decay. However, with the preparations of Commonwealth Games 2010, the place was restored to its former glory and it catered to the foreign tourists not only better and recreated a mark in New Delhis ever increasing list of shopping and leisure destinations but also an image of the citys improving livability through an addition to the public realm of the city. DELHI

Connaught Place restored

Connaught Place in its hay days

Livability is a term that tries to define the different criterion for the city to be a successful and among all these, public interaction with and in the city is emphasised on.

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Connaught Place as a successful urban realm for the city of New Delhi.

Aim: Through this report what is intended is to look into the potential of the urban decay as opportunities to
reappreciate their potential in a new incarnation apt for todays generation rather than leaving them dejected and relive the past through regeneration and look for the possible significance these have in context to be remerged into the citys urban fabric as functional spaces as suggestion for possibilities of inclusion as an urban realm in Indian cities.

Scope: Possible benefits that it can score for the city in terms of tourism potential, cultural and social
character of the place and retaining history and architecture of the place.

Methodology:

Study on projects that have incorporated partly or wholly any such structure or place and reaffirm its stature to new use or restore its previous function in better conditions. use this as an excellent opportunity. They either buy it from the municipality or from the owners living in these old buildings citing the opportunities and financial capacity of the plot through redevelopment. They demolish it and create monstrous piece of high-rises (taking maximum use of the land available) promising the owner (in this case people/family or municipal cooperation) a certain sum of money and some sq. feet of space in the property. They indeed turn a dejected place into a money spinner but with it the city pays the price of losing a piece of its history, of itself and its existence. This is the fate of the delisted and/or never listed old structures. Here the deliberately use of the word old and not heritage has been used because some old buildings are never listed heritage and at the end it is the municipality that holds the power to give them this status (i.e.: enlist). As an example lets see the scenario of the mills of Mumbai. All of them are being raised to create large realty property in the form of commercial or residential or mixed use complexes- highly priced and prized. From the local authoritys perspective its a boon. They earn loads of money from the otherwise structures that they had to instead pay for its maintenance and hardly earn anything from it after that. All they have to do is to delist them (the least important or never list them at all) citing reasons (now what can a defunct mill be of any heritage in a city? while these are the very reason why Mumbai
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Debate and personal agenda: Redevelopment is a catchy word. The real estate developers

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exists today) and then once sold to the real estate developers, increase the FSI or FAR of the land to get maximum money from it. Its like denying history. This is not only prevalent in Mumbai, but in other Indian cities like Kolkata, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, etc. So why is it that the authority entrusted to save these structures (the corporation) sacrifices them for money? Remember we know they had financial crunch. Another thing is the preconception of these buildings as non-productive assets. The government too in its directives talks about preservation for heritage and not realizing their relevance in contemporary as earners of dividend when restored. As a result the tourist important buildings dominate their heritage listing, the rest go into dark. But actually all of these are equally productive in one or the other way, without actually demolishing them or their identity. Through this study, an effort is being made to realize the power of the old structures in its various possible and potential ways.

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CASE STUDY
In the following, some case studies will be followed and their impact as well as the present scenario after restoration and other treatment will be assessed to see the success they have got. In most cases there are common situations and circumstances that are faced and were faced during the process of the project with that of the Indian context, as most of the cases taken are in or around Asia and have a much similar socioeconomic-cultural setting as in India. This helps us from avoiding the so called Eurocentric approach in understanding the Indian context. In fact, some exceptional efforts in India are taken into consideration as well. Through these studies, we try to learn and explore the potential in Indian context and therefore understand some possible recovery options for the same. The following are the cases taken into consideration: 1. Singapore Quayside, Singapore 2. Raas Hotel, Jodhpur, India. 3. Delhi Heritage Corridor, India The above examples (Indian Examples) are very segregated and are in various levels of realising success. While in the context of Singapores example, it has in itself created a thriving economy to sustain itself.

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Case Study 1
The Revitalisation of Singapore Riverside
Project location: Singapore River (3km) in Singapore.
The revitalisation of Singapore River is a project conceived and spearheaded by the government of Singapore. Various government agencies were involved, for example: Urban Redevelopment Authority National Planning and Conservation Authority (coordinates the overall planning, development and implementation, planning study, creates master plan, conservation guidelines and manuals, development guide plan and development control of Singapore); Ministry of Environment Drainage Department that looked over the drainage matters, river bed and river-wall repair and river clean-up (which took 10 years); Singapore Tourism Board Tourism Promotion Authority, development of tourism product and promotion in Singapore. Port of Singapore Authority Port Authority, controls boat and water taxi license; Parks and Recreation Department, Ministry of National Development develop, plant and maintain trees and parks, landscaping along the riverbank; Public Works Department, Ministry of National Development Road Authority, plan, design and build roads, bridges and walkways along the river bank; Land Office State Land Authority, controls land lease. In addition, stakeholders from the community were engaged in the planning process. Private businesses and developers were invited to develop the sites and implement the plan. The revitalisation effort speaks of public-private partnership.

Intervention Area:
The Singapore River covers a land area of 96 hectares in the heart of Singapore city. It was the site of British landing and colonisation in 1819. Until the advent of containerisation, it was the main port area of Singapore. With the development of trade, the population in the area increased. The shophouses1 and warehouses on the river banks (Boat Quay, Clark Quay and Robertson Quay) were a source of employment leading to a large number of Chinese immigrants settling in nearby Chinatown on the south-west bank of the river. By the late 19th century, the Singapore River had become one of the most popular sites for Chinese musical and opera performances, etc.

Introduced during the colonial period, the shophouse is a typical local built form. Found in Singapore and many other cities of Southeast Asia, the shophouse is usually made up of 2-3 storeys where the ground floor is used for business, i.e. shop, and the upper storeys for residence.

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MAP OF SINGAPORE RIVER (URA)

The Chinese communities with its diversity of built temples near the river to pray for safe passage in and out of the river. In addition to port activities, street hawkers, peddlers, backyard industries (such as boat repair, sawmill, gambier, sago and sea-weed processing plants), as well as squatter colonies mushroomed along the river banks. As a working port, the river was at once a domestic as well as industrial sewer leading to depletion of marine life.

Project:
With advancement in maritime transportation technology, cargo boats had by the 1970s moved to unload at the new container port (off the southwest coast away from the city centre) and stopped bringing goods to the Singapore riverside warehouses. Following relocation of docking activities, life around the abandoned warehouses and river went into rapid decline. The riverscape with its abandoned and increasingly dilapidated buildings was a visible symbol of obsolescence. The vision in the Concept Plan (1991) was to revitalize the Singapore River, so that, soon after the Year 2000, it would be a new activity corridor with shops and offices and residential development running along its flanks. The scenic and recreational potential of the river will be realized. Boating facilities and a new promenade will be built by the Boat Quay area and the old buildings will be restored. New hotels and shops will add to the life brimming alongside the Singapore River. At Robertson Quay and Clarke Quay, some of the old warehouses lining the river bank will be integrated with the new developments(Urban Redevelopment Authority, 1991, p27). A primary goal was to turn the abandoned derelict quays into popular people places, lively places to live, work and play. All 117 shophouses in Boat Quay and the remaining godowns in Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay were earmarked for conservation. The national planning and conservation authority, Urban Redevelopment Authority, was appointed as the implementation agency. Conservation manual and guidelines lead the way in ensuring that the restoration works did not compromises the authenticity of the historic districts (Urban Redevelopment Authority, 1988, p86). Accordingly, conservation building owners were required to retain the original external building profile and height, restore all the original exterior and faade elements, retain existing size and location of air well and maintain the party wall between buildings.

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As outlined in the 1992 Singapore River draft Development Guide Plan, major improvements to the Singapore River public realm include the introduction of: Promenade (6000 m) along both banks of the river to encourage pedestrian movement and access to the river.

Figure 1: Pedestrianised streets to bring people into the public realm.

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Figure 2: Public arts and sculpture add interest to the pedestrian environment

Open spaces along the river to create focal points. Improved transport links including pedestrian bridges and boat landing points within the river area and to adjacent neighbourhoods such as Orchard Road, Chinatown and the central business district. In addition, emphasis is on mixed-use development to create diversity and bring more people back to life by the river. The anticipated provision is about 20% residential developments: 2600 units for a population of 7,800 which is about double the 1990 population census figure of 3,388 and 80% commercial development: 950,000sq m. To facilitate phased redevelopment, the Singapore River is divided into three sub-zones (Table 1), each envisaged with a different thematic development.

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Table 1: Singapore River Planning Areas Sub-zone ha Boat Quay Clarke Quay Robertson Quay Total 15 30 51 96 Land area % 16 31 53 100

Source: Urban Redevelopment Authority (1994) Singapore River Planning Area Planning Report, p.5 Boat Quay: As a riverside dining and entertainment area of shophouses, outdoor cafes, historic views, and tree-lined promenades (Urban Redevelopment Authority, 1992, p25); Clarke Quay: As a riverside festival village of conserved godowns and new developments with pushcarts offering traditional food and crafts, river rides, fringe theatre, eating houses (Urban Redevelopment Authority, 1992, p28); Robertson Quay: As a hotel and residential area with condominiums and hotels located amidst historic warehouses with sympathetic new uses (Urban Redevelopment Authority, 1992, p29). The regenerated Singapore riverfront was to provide public spaces, access to the river and recreational amenities. To quote the Singapore River Planning Area Planning Report, 1994, the riverfront will provide waterfront housing, enjoyment and fun to present and future generations of Singaporeans. (Urban Redevelopment Authority, 1994, p7) .The regeneration of urban waterfront is a process that takes years. The emerging image is that of a (re)vitalized river offering hope for celebrating the public realm and access to the water edge. The so-called Singapore River was in its natural state a sluggish backwater of brackish water surrounded by murky swamp. Until a dozen years ago, it was lined by rotting slum. Today, there are imaginative statues and shade trees, kiosks and cafes, wine bars and outdoor seating. It is alive, it works and it is a joy for both visitors and local residents.(The South China Morning Post, 15 Jan 2003).

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Adaptive Re-use of the Historic Boat Quay, Singapore River,

Initial proposals for re-use of the Boat Quay began in conjunction with Singapore's Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) efforts to promote the value of conservation. On July 7, 1989 the Singapore River Boat Quay, in addition to nine other sites, was designated as a conservation area. Known previously as Public Quay, the row of shophouses here used to be a hub of commerce and trade. After undergoing careful restoration as a conservation area in 1989, Boat Quay is today a choice destination for al fresco dining and merry-making, with restaurants and pubs lining the promenade. Reclaimed from swamps in 1822, Boat Quay was the first area along the Singapore River developed to provide commercial and warehousing facilities for the thriving entrepot 1 trade. Most of the 19th century shophouses found in Boat Quay were initially two-storey buildings with simple faades. They provided business premises on the ground floor while the upper floors were residential quarters, mainly for the merchants and coolies. Over time, the shophouses evolved into a unique architectural expression incorporating Eastern and Western features and styles. The River became polluted and quayside activities were suspended to implement the Clean Rivers Project from 1977 to 1987. All the squatters, polluting industries and lighters were relocated to Pasir Panjang. In 1985, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) embarked on a master plan to increase the land value of the quays along the river, while preserving their rich architectural heritage. In 1989, Boat Quay was designated a Conservation Area and was transformed into a thriving entertainment and leisure hub. While their functions have changed, the shophouses and warehouses in Boat Quay have retained their beautiful faades and rich history. Today the Singapore River hosts a number of adaptive re-use projects which have turned the area into one of the city's best known tourist spots, with restaurants and businesses housed in the restored traditional shophouses. Although the use of the buildings has changed, the original spirit, life, and intensity of activity of the Boat Quay has been kept alive.

An entrept is a trading post where merchandise can be imported and exported without paying import duties, often at a profit. Entrepts were especially relevant in the Middle Ages and in the early modern period, when mercantile shipping flourished between Europe and its colonial empires in the Americas and Asia.

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Realization for conservation

In the 1980's, in light of rapid growth and development, the need for conservation became a great concern. With such a mix of cultures, the importance of maintaining a common heritage became an important issue. The government realized that the development of the last several decades had wiped out large historic areas and buildings, quickly changing the original fabric of the city in the desire for modernization.

Hasty Works and Loss of Heritage a Concern

In his book, Living Legacy, Robert Powell presents the background to Singapore's great surge of conservation projects. In the preface he states that there was a growing awareness that the built heritage is an important component of a cultured and progressive society. In this book, I have recorded the results of this changing ethos...as a body of work; they form an impressive record in a nation seeking to conserve its past. In choosing a past, we say something about Singapore's evolving cultural identity. (Robert Powell, Living Legacy: Singapore's Architectural Heritage Renewed (Singapore: Singapore Heritage Society, 1994), p. 12. adapted from article Singapore by Eunice M. Lin). The Boat Quay is an example of a positive conservation effort in Robert Powell's book, but there are also chances that they have suffered from the "gut and stuff" style. As a former warehouse and industrial area, its dual role as historical site and touristic site is very sensitive issue. The colors and details that distinguish this area were to be kept in mind so that they remain part of the authentic heritage which the conservation efforts of the URA attempted to preserve. There have been mixed reviews of the Boat Quay project, one local paper called it "an unremitting row of watering holes with a reputation for drunkenness and teenage catfights with little to remind one of the 'toil and tears of the immigrant generation of Singaporeans' who used to work on the river." (The Strait Times, 24 January 1996.) (Adapted from article Singapore by Eunice M. Lin). Reactions like this bring into question the appropriateness of the new uses inserted into the area. This raises a debate that is contextual in the case of Indian scenario too. However, this often overlooks the very idea of looking the old structures as means for developing public realm. In addition to the Boat Quay there were several other areas within Singapore that were designated as conservation sites. These include ethnic areas and civic monuments as well as residential areas. As comparisons, there are two other conservation projects worth noting that are true to the area's history and heritage. One is a restoration that maintains the original use of shophouses and the other is the adaptive re-use of a different building type. The Shin House located at No. 12 Blair Road is an example of a purely residential shophouse that was restored to an earlier state. The houses in this area were built in the 1930's after an influx of Chinese immigrants. They display a mix of Chinese, Malay, European and colonial elements. The area was identified as a conservation site in 1986. Minimal structural changes were made and the original spatial quality of the shophouse maintained. Other changes to the house that were not compatible with the desired original appearance were removed. Overall it is an example of restoration sensitive to both the desired appearance and the historical qualities of space and light characteristic of a shophouse.

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Interior of Shin House, No. 12 Blair Road

The Project
Significance, Role in the City, and Development
By the 1860's, three quarters of Singapore's shipping business was transacted from the Boat Quay. Cargoes were carried from ships anchored in the roads to Boat Quay by lighters or tongkang. At its peak, there were many boats moored on the water, trading in everything from rubber, tin, steel, to silk, porcelain, rice, opium, spices and coffee.

Singapore River Boat Quay in the mid-nineteenth century.

In conjunction with growing governmental concerns for the conservation of heritage in the built environment, the URA developed a conservation proposal for the Boat Quay. Their basic ideas were converting it to restaurant and commercial use. The proposal was a comprehensive scheme addressing the whole area as opposed to the way that the area was actually conserved, in a piecemeal fashion, building by building.
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In 1983 as part of the government's efforts to clean up the river, the remaining shipping industry were moved to a new site off Pasir Panjang. The presence of the industry had already begun to dwindle with the introduction of the more efficient and safe mechanized container port at Tanjong Pagar. Thus, from 1983 to about 1990 the Boat Quay was empty and unused. Once the area was designated a conservation area in 1989, redevelopment began and by 1993 every shophouse was under reconstruction.

Physical Description
The conservation area is a triangular piece of land surrounded by the Singapore River to the east, South Bridge Road to the west and North Canal Road to the south. The quay is about 110 shophouses long. In total the conservation area includes about 200 two or three story shophouses of the "Early, Transitional and Art Deco Styles." The majority of the buildings were built in the 1920's and 1930's with extensive renovations after WWII. Shipping offices, supply shops and warehouses were housed in these buildings. The area was typically covered with items such as shipping crates, stacks of rubber and rice sacks that had been unloaded from the brightly colored tongkangs1. The shophouse is a traditional architectural form in Singapore, and a building type indigenous to South East Asia, with its origins in the Chinese provinces and influenced by European colonial architecture. Typically they were used for businesses at the ground level and had living spaces on the upper floors. Spatially they are narrow, small and terraced, having exposed timber structure and staircases and a masonry party wall. The distinctive five foot covered walkways that line the quay and form a continuous path along it are actually a remnant from Raffles' original plan's concern for public spaces and pedestrians. As well as providing shelter from bad weather, these spaces, which were required on all houses on both sides of the street, were also used by minor random tradesmen such as fortune-tellers, barbers, medicine men, and traveling foodsellers.

Malay for barge or lighter.

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Structures, Materials, Technology, Construction

Even though this report does not intend to go into the details of the technicalities involved in the structural and constructional recovering of the buildings directly, a little light has been shed on it considering that it is related to the upkeeping of the originality and the spirit of the places concerned to make them more influential in the making of public realms. Typically the roofs were covered with unglazed clay tiles and the interiors were dominated by wooden floorboards, joists, staircases, doors and screens. Unlike the rest of the structure, the party wall was masonry. As set forth by the URA's conservation guidelines the key elements in the building to be respected are the following: the roof, party walls, timber structural elements, airwells, rear court, timber windows, timber staircase, and the front facade. Little specific information has been published about individual projects since typically each shophouse is privately restored, and does not come under any comprehensive proposal or master plan. The majority of the information I found was in the form of photographs and general descriptions of the changes made in the reconfiguration of the interior. Since the URA's guidelines for conservation seem to be so strict, one can assume that the use of materials, method of construction and their overall effect on the structure falls within these guidelines.

Current State
The original shophouse form has proven to be a very flexible and adaptable base for re-use. The many businesses that are now housed within the Boat Quay area are mainly restaurants, pubs and small shops. The interiors have been changed to varying degrees in response to each particular new use, with changes being made in the interior spatial layout as well as in the addition of new non-traditional interior ornamentation, materials, and colors. For example, in The Opera Cafe at No. 40 Boat Quay the interior was dramatically changed to create an ambiance similar to an opera stage set. On the other hand, the Lim Family Shophouse, No. 58 Boat Quay, is actually a shophouse that has stayed within the Lim family since 1908. (Adapted from article Singapore by Eunice M. Lin). The ground level that once housed a warehouse space has now been transformed to house a Japanese restaurant. The uppermost floor has been retained as weekend living spaces for the Lim family. The architect Mok Wei Wei opened up the space by removing some of the original partition walls but for the most part such things as the original teak floors, paint color on the window frames, wooden balcony doors, and tile roofs have been restored and maintained. All original blackwood furniture and art pieces were restored and used as well.

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Located near the business district, the Boat Quay is frequented by office workers and professionals during the day and at night becomes a popular hotspot for tourists. It has become a much publicized area with everything from restaurants with outdoor dining areas to a cyber cafe. The Boat Quay actually offers some of the best dining in Singapore, despite the extravagant prices." ("Float Your Boat: Quayside cuisine by the riverbank,"http://www.happening.com.sg/food /feature ). Another local web page echoes the same message,
View along Boat Quay area

"The new developments along the river will form the backdrop for Singapore Tourism Board's plans to develop the river as one of the thematic zones in the near future. Now Boat Quay and Clarke Quay are renowned internationally as Singapore's hottest dining spots and the hub of Singapore night life."("Singapore: River of Life", http://www.travel-asia.com/07_31_98/stories/river.html). In fact, the Singapore Government started several festivals such as The Great Shopping Festival, International Gourmet Festival, etc that added a large populace to these places. This not only revitalized the riverfront as a public space but also played an influential role in helping Singapore become a World Class City with diversity and access to different cultures with extensive opportunities and better living standards.

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Conservation Philosophy
Singapore's efforts in conservation really began in the 1970's in response to the overwhelming amount of development that was occurring and the consequent negligence of its historic built structures. In 1989 the Planning Act was amended to establish a definitive approach to conservation. As defined within the act, conservation was stated as: "The preservation, enhancement or restoration of: a) the character or appearance of a conservation area, b) the trades, crafts, customs, and other traditional activities carried on in a conservation area."(URA, Singapore.)

More specific definitions can be found in the Urban Redevelopment Authority's internet home page. The important message that the web page seems to advocate is the three R's of "maximum Retention, sensitive Restoration and careful Repair." They also state that high quality restoration involves more than just the external appearance of the building and should address the "inherent spirit and original ambiance of historic buildings. It requires an appreciation and understanding of the architecture and structure of traditional buildings, good management and practice."(URA, Singapore). Therefore, the documentation and research of existing conditions as well as of the whole process of conservation is also stressed. The URA's stringent guidelines for conservation are based on the principles set out in the Venice Charter, the International Charter for Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites. (ICOMOS, Venice, 1966) The principles established in Venice were integrated with relevant local concerns to develop today's current guidelines. The overall objective of the URA seems to be to maintain the cultural heritage while keeping economic growth alive. Consequently, a large number of the non-residential conservation projects are also expected to produce an economically viable end product in combination with maintaining a portion of their heritage.

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Conservation Program Interventions

Phases of the Renovation Effort
Initial interest in the Boat Quay area and the understanding of the need to conserve its heritage came in the form of a scheme by William Lim Seiw Wai and Dr. Goh Poh Seng in 1982 as the Bu Yet Tian Proposal. This proposal suggested maintaining heritage by re-using the shophouses for traditional types of commercial and craft activities, which were slowly losing ground within the city. It was felt that this would appropriately represent the varied culture of Singapore by providing space for such things as ethnic food sellers, craftsmen, medicine shops, fortunetellers, geomancers, and clan associations, as well as an outdoor Chinese opera performance space. As the drawings show, the character of the shophouses was to be maintained in their exterior facades. For reasons which could not be discovered the proposal was never accepted. The actual phases of conservation began with the designation of the area in 1989. This act was the first of five phases in the URA's conservation efforts for Singapore. After that point it seems that all conservation projects within the Boat Quay area were individual initiatives carried out by private owners and architects.

Structural Changes to Spaces

The URA's guidelines for conservation are very thorough. They state that in general "the existing structure should be retained by strengthening and repairing the structural elements. Any alteration or strengthening to structural elements should be done in the most sympathetic and unobtrusive way possible using original methods and materials whenever possible." (URA, Singapore). Specifically for this area, though, guidelines read: The entire building must be conserved. Change of use to commercial use is allowed. The following may be introduced: a new jack roof, skylight at the rear slope of the main roof and on the secondary roofs, a roof mezzanine within the existing building envelope, a cover over the rear court, new windows on the rear facade and the gable end wall. Addition of secondary doors and windows. (URA, Singapore).

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The Key Players

The main player is the Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority, which set the stringent guidelines for restoration and is the governing body that also approves conservation proposals. After that it seems each shophouse within the quay has been conserved individually by private owners.

Financing
The Singapore government does not make cash grants or give tax relief for conservation projects. The only aid is indirect, with the waiver of development charges, car parking requirements and car park deficiency charges, and in the provision of infrastructure and legislation of rent control. (Adapted from article Singapore by Eunice M. Lin).

Conclusion
Though these projects are costly, it is more feasible in India when private participation is encouraged. A recent story in The Times of India said that the Indian Government is eyeing tourism as a new money spinner to counter the increasing inflation rates. (See Appendix-III). While this is indeed a right step in the right direction, realizing the tourism potential of these urban structures can enhance the effort. These is more so as these often turn out to be strategically placed and so are equally important as both potential intervention areas for Urban Design and Tourism. The other case studies following this are, Indian and are examples which are piecemeal efforts to realize this.

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Case Study 2
Raas Hotel, Jodhpur
Project location: Jodhpur.

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Case Study 3
Delhi- A World Heritage City
Project location: Delhi.
This project is a part of a series of Heritage Routes as a plan to revive the heritage of the City of Delhi and use the as tourist opportunities. But in the larger picture, it is to project the city as a city that has lived through the ages and have succeeded to thrive. It is a part of INTACHs larger project for campaigning Delhi as a World Heritage City- a status awarded by the UNESCO.

Project Potential
The pilot project explores the possibility of bringing the Heritage Sites of Delhi to the forefront and provide the city an opportunity to participate in the citys urban and economic development. It is envisaged that the heritage of the city can be used as a leverage to achieve economic regeneration and cultural rejuvenation by promoting tourism and related activities. ( INTACH, Delhi Chapter)

Objectives of the Project

Define the architectural and historic significance of the heritage along this route. Leverage the heritage along this route to achieve its economic regeneration by promoting tourism and tourism related activities, adaptive re-use of buildings and urban renewal. Eliminate the gap between tourism and development projects by integrating their parameters. Use environmentally sensitive design models.

Scope of the Project

Defining an easily distinguishable Heritage Routes that includes the precincts of all heritage on this route. Identifying an Area of intervention for each Heritage Precinct and around other places of Interest. Providing or upgrading visitor amenities all along the route. Environment design and planning inclusive of landscape proposals. Identifying a Graphic Language that is used all along the route. Heritage Awareness Programmes.
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CONCLUSION
The first study looks into the redevelopment of the Singapore Riverside, conservation of the unique architecture of the place and then reinstating business through entertainment, leisure and tourism industry in the area and thus making it a paqrt of Singapores urban realm. This thus explores the tremendous potential of the area which otherwise had gone as a wasted or decayed urban land of Singapore. To test its success, it also sees into newspaper articles(here the straits) about how there is now a competitive attitude in the areas to out go the other. The second looks into an individual building or built for as a subject for redevelopment in terms of adaptive reuse. An old fort extension of Jodhpur as a boutique heritage hotel. Such examples are now getting common in Rajasthan, but still more publicity has been done to get it more acceptable in the region. Having looked into all the case studies, we see that the first case taken into consideration (in this report, Singapore Riverside) and its initiation phenomena has now dawned in India in the last project (Delhi Heritage City). Now there is an increasing perspective of looking things in terms of urban scale and morphology. Realising every development as an integral part of the urban fabric This however, should be taken actively in all other urban centres of India and as an important part of the urban renewal schemes being taken up. This way while we achieve better urban standards, we realize the importance and in a way preserve our old.

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APPENDIX -I
Guidelines For The Owners Of Heritage Buildings (KMC GAZZETTE)
Introduction:
Buildings with architectural significance and historical values are considered for their preservation and conservation. These buildings playing an important role in the history of the city of Kolkata in particular and maintained properly. For this purpose it has been realised that an inventory of such buildings upon which the heritage status has been conferred is to be undertaken. Through various process and documentation stages in assistance with the Expert Committee formed by the Government of West Bengal, a list of such heritage buildings has been prepared and being up-dated regularly. The Corporation with the recommendation of the Heritage Conservation Committee has prepared a Graded List of Heritage Buildings for Grade-I, Grade-IIA & Grade-IIB which is available in this website. i) What is Heritage Building? Under the provisions of Section 2 (42A) of the K.M.C. Act 1980 the definition of heritage building has been given. The definition runs thus "heritage building means any building of one or more premises, or any part thereof, which requires preservation and conservation for historical, architectural, environmental or ecological purpose and includes such portion of the land adjoining such building or any part thereof as may be required for fencing or covering or otherwise preserving such building and also includes the areas and buildings requiring preservation and conservation for the purpose as aforesaid under sub-clause (ii) of clause (a) of subsection (4) of the section 31 of the West Bengal Town and Country (Planning and Development) Act, 1979 (West Bengal. Act XIII of 1979)". ii) What is Heritage Precinct? Heritage Precinct may be defined as the neighbourhood or environs of a place or a group of buildings that share wholly or partly certain common physical, social, cultural significance worth preservation and conservation. Ambience can be defined as the quantitative, qualitative aspects attached to heritage building necessary for its appreciation of the space and viewing corridors. iii) How Conservation of Heritage Building is explained? Conservation may be defined as the process involved in the preservation of a building, precinct or artifact, in order to retain its architectural, historical, environmental or cultural significance. This term includes maintenance and according to necessity, may require preservation, restoration or reconstruction and may commonly be a combination of more than one of the above. iv) How Preservation of Heritage Building is explained? Preservation may be defined as the maintenance necessary in order to maintain the building precinct or artifact in its present state to prevent and retard further deterioration.

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v) How Restoration of Heritage Building is explained? Restoration may be defined as the means necessary to return the fabric to its known earlier sate (as may have existed prior to change that may have occurred by way of demolition, removal, addition etc. in contravention of the provision of the Act, the rules and regulations framed therein) by means of the removal of accretions or reassembling existing components or by the sensitive introduction of compatible materials

vi) What is the responsibility of the owner? Every owner or occupier of any heritage building declared as such by the Corporation shall maintain, preserve and conserve it and shall not change its use in contravention of the provisions of this Act or the rules or the regulations made there under for its maintenance, preservation or conservation. Elements of the building, which are not compatible with the whole or part of the building, should be removed with the approval of Heritage Conservation Committee.

Standard Guidelines:
a) Selling or leasing out of the Heritage Property No permission is required for the buildings which are already declared as heritage building (Refer to Graded list of heritage buildings). However the owner should mention the heritage status of the building in registered document during such transfer of property. The owner should apply along with the intending buyer jointly to KMC prior to transfer of any property for the buildings which are under considerations for declaring as heritage building for permission (Refer to the list of heritage buildings under consideration). b) Undertaking new construction and/or addition/alteration within the Heritage Property On prior approval of the Heritage Conservation Committee new construction in a heritage property may be undertaken on fulfillment of the following conditions :

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i)

Grade Table : Grade I SubGrade Permissible intervention of the heritage premises

No external change will be permissible. Use of the building should also be compatible with the category of the heritage building Same as Grade-I for the heritage building. But new construction may be allowed in the open land within the premises in compatible manner with the A heritage building. In no case new construction should obstruct the view of the II heritage building. Horizontal and vertical addition and alteration of the building may be B allowed in compatible with the heritage building A plaque depicting the history of the building should be provided. Where the III structure is having no architectural importance, demolition of the structure may be allowed. Note: - The HCC would be the final arbiter of the case-to-case examination of the compatibility issue. ii) If surplus buildable land is available. iii) The construction shall have to be compatible with the existing heritage building. iv) The drawings and designs for such construction shall be prepared and recommended by the enlisted Conservation Architect (Annex 'A'). v) Addition/alteration proposal shall be in accordance with the prevailing KMC Building Rules.

c) Demolition of Heritage Building Normally no heritage building shall be permitted for demolition. However, on prior approval of the Heritage Conservation Committee on the recommendation of the enlisted Conservation Architect the non-significant portion of a heritage building may be allowed to be demolished.

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d) Permission for repairing To repair any heritage building a prior permission of the Heritage Conservation Committee is required for : i) Restoration of faade, structure and interior. ii) Restoration of architectural elements/features. iii) Reconstruction of the portion which has been collapsed. iv) Reconstruction of the irreparable portion of the building to match with the existing characteristics.

e) Change of use of the Heritage Building Heritage Conservation Committee may consider change of use. The proposed change of use shall be in terms of the Act and Rules and Regulations of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. f) Restriction on the display of signage, hoardings etc. Normally no display of signage, hoardings etc. upon the heritage building are allowed. However, on approval from the Heritage Conservation Committee hoardings, signage etc. may be allowed if they do not obstruct the view of the heritage building or is in harmony with the heritage building. g) Restriction for use of material for repairing / addition / alteration Repairing /addition/alteration works shall be done through traditional building materials and construction technique. Any kind of use of new material shall be done with the approval of the Heritage Conservation Committee on recommendation of the enlisted Conservation architect. h) Benefits of being a Heritage Building It will enhance the valuation of the property if properly maintained. One can avail oneself of the national or international funds for the maintenance of such heritage buildings if properly approached through Conservation Architect. Compatible re-use of the building may be permitted for commercial benefits. In some special cases property tax may be reduced / exempted under Section 425 K of KMC Act, 1980.

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Preservation and Conservation of Heritage Buildings

425A.Owner to maintain, preserve and conserve heritage building: Every owner or occupier of any heritage building declared as such by the Corporation shall maintain, preserve and conserve it and shall not change its use in contravention of the provisions of this Act or the rules or the regulations made there under for its maintenance, preservation or conservation. 425B. Power of Corporation to declare a building as a heritage building : Where the Corporation, on the recommendation of the Heritage Conservation Committee and also of the Mayor-in-Council, is of the opinion that any building in Calcutta should be preserved and conserved for historical, architectural, environmental or ecological purpose, it may declare such building as a heritage building : Provided that during the period when any proposal for declaring building as a heritage building is under consideration of the Heritage Conservation Committee or the Mayor-in-Council, no owner of such building, or no lessee or sub-lessee to whom such building has been leased out, shall transfer such building by way of sale, lease or mortgage without the prior approval of the Municipal Commissioner. 425C.Gradation of heritage building: The gradation of a heritage building according to its historical, architectural, environmental or ecological purpose shall be such as may be prescribed. 425D.Heritage Conservation Committee : (1) The Mayor-in-Council shall constitute a Committee to be called the Heritage Conservation Committee with the Municipal Commissioner as its Chairman and an officer of the Corporation as its Convenor. (2) The Committee shall have, in addition to the Chairman and the Convenor, seven other members of whom (a) one shall be a nominee of the Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority. (b) one shall be the Director of the Department of Archaeology, Government of West Bengal, or his nominee. (c) one shall be an eminent architect, (d) one shall be an artist, (e) one shall be an environmentalist, (f) one shall be a historian, and (g) one shall be the Chief Valuer and Surveyor of the Corporation. The Committee may co-opt one person to be nominated by the concerned department of the (3) State Government while dealing with any land or building under the management of the said department. (4) The Committee shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the rules and the regulations made there under, scrutinize every application or proposal for declaration of a building as a heritage building, and recommend to, and also advice, the Mayor-in-Council in respect of the preservation and conservation of such building as a heritage building. (5) The Committee shall meet at such periodical interval as may be determined by the Mayor-inCouncil. (6) The Municipal Commissioner shall, in the case of emergency, take such measures as may be necessary for the preservation and conservation of a heritage building, provided that such
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measures shall be required to be approved by the Heritage Conservation Committee at its meeting.

425E. Powers and functions of Heritage Conservation Committee : The Heritage Conservation Committee shall have the power to function independent of the Municipal Building Committee for purpose of preservation, conservation and maintenance of heritage buildings in so far as such power does not offend any other provisions of this Act or the rules made there under relating to construction or use of building : Provided that for erection or re-erection in a heritage building or part thereof, or for restoration of any heritage building to its old shape, design or beauty in the case of unlawful demolition, or for making any change of internal or external wall, structural pattern, floor, roof, interior or exterior architectural floor, facade or skyline, or for any other change, or a heritage building, the provisions of chapters XXII and XXIII of this Act and the rules made there under shall apply mutatis mutandis. 425F. Power of Corporation to require, purchase or take on lease heritage building : Subject to the other provisions of this Act, the Corporation may acquire, purchase or take on lease any heritage building for the purpose of preservation and conservation thereof : Provided that in the case of a heritage building declared as such for the purpose of preservation and conservation as required under sub-clause (ii) of clause (a) of sub-section (4) of section 31 of the West Bengal Town and Country (Planning and Development) Act, 1979 (West Ben. Act XIII of 1979), the approval of the concerned department of the State Government shall be taken. 425G. Transfer of right of development for the purpose of acquisition by agreement : When the owner of any heritage building is not willing to preserve or conserve any heritage building, the Municipal Commissioner may, for the purpose of acquisition of such heritage building by agreement and on the recommendation of the Heritage Conservation Committee and with the approval of the Mayor-in-Council, allow the transfer of right of development of such heritage building, which shall be heritable and transferable, to the owner of such heritage building in such manner, and subject to such conditions, as may be prescribed. 425H. Right of access to heritage building acquired by Corporation: Subject to such rules or regulations as may be made under this Act, every person shall have the right of access to any heritage building acquired by the Corporation. 425I. Sub-lease of heritage building : The Corporation shall have the right to allow the transfer of right of development to the lessee of a heritage building where the unexpired period of the term of lease is for 90 years, and to take the heritage building on sub-lease by agreement, if there is provision for such sub-lease in the deed executed between the owner and the lessee, provided that the question of payment of premium or rent in such case to the owner shall not, notwithstanding any agreement in this behalf, arise, and if the owner as confirming party to the agreement waives the right to receive any further payment of such premium or rent. 425J. Permission of concerned department of State Government before acquisition of heritage building: If the Corporation considers that it is necessary to acquire any building declared as a
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heritage building for the purpose of preservation and conservation as required under sub-clause (ii) of clause (a) of sub-section (4) of section 31 of the West Bengal Town and Country (Planning and Development) Act. 1979, by agreement or under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (1 of 1894), permission of the concerned Department of the State Government shall be taken before such acquisition.

425K. Power to exempt rates and taxes, etc. on heritage building : If the owner of a heritage building enters into an agreement with the Corporation to maintain, preserve and conserve such heritage building properly at his own expenses, the Corporation may, in such case, exempt wholly or partly the owner of such heritage building from payment of rates of taxes or fees for supply of water or any other charge in respect of such heritage building. 425L. Agreement with owner of heritage building pending acquisition : (1) The Municipal Commissioner may, pending acquisition of a heritage building by the Corporation under this Act and with the approval of the Mayor-in-Council, propose to the owner of such heritage building to enter into an agreement with the Corporation for a specified period for the maintenance of such heritage building. (2) The agreement as aforesaid may provide for all or any of the following matters :(a) maintenance of the heritage building by the owner or by any other person willing to maintain the said heritage building; (b) custody of the heritage building and the duties of the person who may be employed to watch it; (c) the restrictions of the owner's right (i) to use the heritage building for any other purpose detrimental to its conservation, (ii) to charge any fee for entry into, or inspection of, the heritage building, and (iii) to build on or near the site of the heritage building. 425M.Voluntary contribution and agreement with any voluntary organisation, person or company : (1) The Municipal Commissioner may receive voluntary contributions towards the cost of maintaining any heritage building and may give order as to the management and application of such contributions for the purpose of preservation and conservation of such heritage building. (2) Subject to the approval of the Mayor-in-Council, the Municipal Commissioner may enter into any agreement with any person or voluntary organisation or company, whether incorporated or not, willing to preserve and conserve any heritage building on such terms and conditions as the Municipal Commissioner may determine. 425N. Taking over management and control of heritage building : (1) If the Municipal Commissioner, on receipt of any information, is satisfied that the owner of a heritage building fails to preserve or conserve the heritage building, the Municipal Commissioner may, when the heritage building is vacant and after hearing the owner, by order in writing, take over the management and control of such heritage building for the purpose of preservation and conservation thereof, suspending the right of the owner to transfer such heritage building for a maximum period of five years, subject to acquisition either by agreement or under the provisions
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of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (1 of 1894). (2) The Municipal Commissioner shall thereafter notify the heritage building for letting it out by agreement to any person as tenant for the purpose as aforesaid, and the owner shall be entitled to an amount equal to the reasonable letting value of the heritage building as rent less the cost on account of preservation and conservation of the heritage building. 425O. When heritage building ceases to be heritage building : If the Corporation decides that any heritage building has ceased to be of public interest or has lost its importance for any reason whatsoever, it may, with the approval of the State Government, declare that such heritage building has ceased to be a heritage building for the purposes of this Act. 425P. Penalty : (1) Any person who destroys, removes, alters, defaces or misuses any heritage building or does any act, or abets in the commission thereof, in contravention of any provision of this chapter or the rules or the regulations made thereunder, shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and also with fine which may extend to fifty thousand rupees and, in default, with further rigorous imprisonment for six months. (2) Any court convicting any person under this section shall, by order, direct such person to restore the heritage building to its former shape and beauty at his cost, and any failure to comply with such order shall be deemed to be a continuing offence and such person shall be punishable with an additional fine of rupees two hundred and fifty for every day during which such contravention or failure continues after conviction for the first such contravention. (3) Where an offence under this section has been committed by a company, the provisions of section 619 shall apply to such company.

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APPENDIX II
Article on Straits Times Quay battles
28 May 06 By Tan Dawn Wei While an overhauled Clarke Quay is drawing the crowds away from key rival Boat Quay, Robertson Quay and Marina South have their own image problems to iron out. WHEN it comes to extreme makeovers, the new Clarke Quay has really pushed the boat out... in more ways than one. With the entertainment strip's two-year cosmetic job near completion - the third and last phase will be sewn up by October - its nearby sister waterfront patch, Boat Quay, is feeling the heat. Clarke Quay now covers 280,000 sq ft and is looking spruce, thanks to the $80 million upgrade, and has a topnotch landlord to attract the best tenants and in turn, a classy crowd of customers. Boat Quay, on the other hand, is half the size, managed by a mixed bag of landlords, and is beset by annoying touts and the occasional young unruly crowd. It wasn't always this way. When it first opened in restored glory in 1993, Boat Quay was the one putting Clarke Quay in the shade. It was hot and happening, drawing crowds who loved its quaint shophouses and outdoor ambience. Clarke Quay, further along the Singapore River, opened the same year after a $220 million restoration, but without the same pizzazz. It had a family-oriented festival village concept, in accordance with its Urban Redevelopment Authority blueprint. Now, it is having its time in the sun, encroaching on Boat Quay's turf with an aggressive move into the yuppies/tourists territory through a large contingent of stylish bars and restaurants. While some Boat Quay tenants have put on a brave face, one bar, at least, admits that business has dipped 20 per cent since Clarke Quay's makeover. Indeed, human traffic at Clarke Quay has gone up from 200,000 to 300,000 a month to 500,000, now that it has completed its second phase. By the time Phase 3 is done, landlord CapitaLand projects the numbers to be between 800,000 and one million a month. 'You can say that Boat Quay is a competitor but only on a very small scale,' says Mr. Pua Seck Guan, 42, chief executive officer of CapitaLand Retail. Yes, it's a bit of a David and Goliath situation - Clarke Quay's parent is itself the mother of almost all Singapore's listed property companies with a footprint in more than 70 cities. Clarke Quay enjoys a privileged 'upbringing' - parent CapitaLand makes sure you mix with the right company (it is strict about its tenant mix), your grooming is impeccable (it hired renowned British architect Will Alsop), you're protected from the elements (part of the design includes weatherproofing) and you get to bask in the limelight (a landlord-driven marketing campaign). Boat Quay, on the other hand, has a multi-parentage of individual landlords, no complementary tenant mix to speak of and no central management infrastructure that can map out and execute promotional plans. On top of that, it suffers from an image problem, thanks to the incessant touts trying to woo customers into the many restaurants along the riverfront stretch. 'Boat Quay is too touristy and shady, and this has to do with the Lians
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and Bengs who frequent the cheaper outlets there. The touts spoil the atmosphere of the place,' says writer Jaclyn Tan, 22, who has stopped patronising the strip. The Boat Quay Business Association's president, Mr Colin MacDonald, 38, readily admits that touting is the No. 1 complaint it receives from patrons. 'Unfortunately, it's a difficult issue to counter without the support of the authorities. It's always very difficult to modify people's behaviour,' he says. Not only that, traffic is also bad, roads are narrow and parking is a problem, laments Miss Ting Ng, 29, manager of Eski Bar. Boat Quay's businesses want a solution to all their woes - top on the list being their lack of cohesion. 'Boat Quay is gradually going downhill. There is no one to stop the opening of shoddy establishments or touting. The Government finds it hard to come in and change things because there is no unity among landlords,' says Mr. Eddie Chan, 67, director of Jazz@Southbridge, a popular live jazz bar situated at one end of Boat Quay. It's a sentiment shared by Mr. Andrew Koh, 35, general manager of Harry's Bar: 'In Clarke Quay, the landlords all speak the same language. The challenge for Boat Quay is to match that and attract a bigger flow of traffic.' Which is why the Boat Quay Business Association has set the wheels of a unity plan in motion. It is working with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and is conducting a feasibility study for a 'Business Improvement District' - a management model much like Times Square in New York City, where a government-endorsed private sector body would be responsible for managing the area. 'It's similar to how a management corporation would work in a condo,' explains Mr. MacDonald, who owns Molly Malone's Irish Pub and BQ Bar. While he says Clarke Quay's facelift was not an impetus for them to get their act together, it has made them more conscious about keeping up their standards and positioning Boat Quay better. It'll be a tough fight, given Boat Quay is up against Clarke Quay's single-minded vision of being a must-stop for tourists, and also the F&B and entertainment precinct of choice for Singaporeans. Varied, quality offerings plus unmatched ambience plus continual innovation equal sustainability, so goes CapitaLand's formula. So in its first phase, it went out and courted brand names like IndoChine which has a track record of running bars and restaurants with something unique to offer. The F&B group now operates the two-storey Madame Butterfly restaurant and Bar Cocoon at Clarke Quay. There's a further boost on the horizon - literally. Above the Clarke Quay MRT station, the steel structures of Central are fast taking shape. It is Far East Organization's $500 million project, comprising a 25-storey tower for studio offices, another 25-storey office tower, two lower-rise SoHo (Small Office Home Office) blocks and a five-storey glitzy mall run by Parco targeted at hip urbanites, due to open later this year. Adding to the buzz - and critical mass - are the major renovation plans for neighbouring, recently-sold Liang Court Shopping Centre, which could see its frontage switch from River Valley Road to face the Singapore River. By STB's own yardstick, the river will become a round-the-clock fun strip by 2015, stretching from Marina Bay to Great World City. It has already called for proposals to turn the stretch into a magnet for foreign high-spenders who will splash their cash on the dining and entertainment options dotting the waterfront. For now, patrons can look forward to the return of Satay Club to Clarke Quay in October and more new retailers, including The Highlander, touted as Singapore's first Scottish bar and restaurant, and another Dashing Diva Nail Spa outlet. Current tenants are basking in the fresh hype. Mr Bill Graham, 62, owner of Quayside Dining and Peony Jade, who has been at Clarke Quay since 2002, says business is up '400 per cent' from then. 'It's like night and day,' he exclaims. Ms Roslyn Ng, marketing and communications manager of Royal Selangor, has also seen the profile of the pewter-maker's clientele changed from 2004. Before, it saw many families coming through the door. Now, it's more expats, foreigners and executives, or as Ms Ng, who is in her late 40s, describes, 'the in crowd'.
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Even so, Boat Quay still has a firm grasp on its niche - weary executives in the neighbourhood still prefer to roll out of their offices in the evenings for a pint just 20 paces away. And there are those who will toast to Boat Quay's 'organically-grown', slightly messy charm over Clarke Quay's highly-manufactured uniformity. Otherwise, there is always the third quay often overlooked Robertson Quay, a combination of residential and commercial outlets. But, as proud Boat Quay tenant, Mr. Chan of Jazz@Southbridge , puts it: 'Boat Quay has the river, when you go to Clarke Quay you get a canal, when you go to Robertson Quay you get a drain.'
(WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY EISEN TEO.)

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APPENDIX III
Article on The Times of India Government eyes on tourism sector to bail out ailing economy.
Nov 8, 2011, 04.53AM IST By Himanshi Dhawan NEW DELHI: With sluggish economic growth and burgeoningunemployment on its hands, the government is looking at thetourism sector for a bail-out. The tourism ministry has set an ambitious target of creating 24.9 million jobs during the 12th Five Year Plan to increase the sector's growth from 9% to 12%. Across the world, the tourism industry is one of the largest generators of employment. In India, the travel and tourism sector is estimated to create 78 jobs per million rupees of investment as compared to 45 jobs per million rupees in the manufacturing sector. "We want to create tourism as a poverty elimination sector. It must benefit the aam admi. We plan to create employment generation opportunities for low and semi-skilled workers," Subodh Kant Sahai, tourism minister, said. The world travel and tourism industry accounts for $7,340 billion of global economic activity, and this is tipped to grow to $14,382 by 2019. It also accounts for approximately 7.6% of global employment. In India, tourism accounts for 8% of total employment. The Planning Commission estimates that the sector can provide employment to a wide spectrum of jobseekers from the unskilled to the specialized even in remote areas of the country. Compared to other modern sectors, a higher proportion of tourism benefits (jobs, petty trade opportunities) accrue to women. Internationally, women account for 70% of the workforce in the travel and tourism industry. Sources said a holistic agenda for tourism development among departments at national level and between Central and state governments are on the anvil to create convergence and synergy. The national tourism policy should form an integral part of the poverty reduction strategy during the 12th Five Year plan. Among the schemes that are in the offing include opening of new hotel management and food crafts institutes and increasing capacity of existing institutes like hospitality education at the vocational level for class XII pass-outs and short-term courses conducted at hotels.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Chou, L. M. (1998) The cleaning of Singapore River and the Kallang Basin: Approaches, methods, investments and benefits, Ocean and Coastal Management 38:133-145. Times Books International (1983) Chinatown: An Album of a Singapore Community, Singapore: Times Books International. Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) (1988) A Manual for Chinatown Conservation Area, Singapore. Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) (1991) Living the Next Lap, Singapore: Urban Redevelopment Authority. Urban Redevelopment Authority (1992) Singapore River Development Guide Plan, Draft, Singapore: Urban Redevelopment Authority. Urban Redevelopment Authority (1994) Singapore River Planning Area, Planning Report, Singapore: Urban Redevelopment Authority. Yung, S. S. and K. B. Chan (2003) Leisure, pleasure and consumption: Ways of entertaining oneself in K. B. Chan and C. K. Tong (ed) Past Times: A Social History of Singapore, Singapore: Times Editions. Edited by: Dr Belinda Yuen, Associate Professor National University of Singapore, School of Design Environment. Figure 1: Conservation shophouses along the banks of Singapore River provide contrast to the modern townscape of high-rise buildings Figure 2: Pedestrianised streets to bring people into the public realm Figure 3: Public arts and sculpture add interest to the pedestrian environment Figure 4: River taxis provide alternative travel by water Figure 5: Outdoor recreation areas are encouraged to bring more vibrancy to the Singapore Rive Balachandrer, S.B., ed. Singapore 1997. Singapore: Ministry of Information and the Arts, 1997. Jayapal, Maya. Old Singapore. Singapore: Oxford Press, 1992. Larson, Carl G. "Adaptive Reuse: Singapore River."Mimar. no. 12 (March 12, 1984): pp. 32-39. Perry, Marin; Lily Kong, and Brenda Yeoh. Singapore: A Developmental City State. England: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1997. Powell, Robert. Living Legacy: Singapore's Architectural Heritage Renewed. Singapore: Singapore Heritage Society, 1994. Siong, Ng Poey, ed. Singapore: Facts and Pictures 1997. Singapore: Ministry of Information and Arts, 1997. "Conservation Homepage." http://www.ura.gov.sg "Float Your Boat: Quayside cuisine by the riverbank."http://www.happening.com.sg/food/feature "Singapore: River of Life."
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http://www.travel-asia.com/07_31_98/stories/river.html Illustration Credits 1a. Powell, Living Legacy, p. 50. 1b. Perry, Singapore, Cover. 2. Balachandrer, Singapore 1997. 3. Powell, Living Legacy, p. 87. 4. Powell, Living Legacy, p. 86. 5. Perry, Singapore, p. 33. 6. http://www.ura.gov.sg 7. http://www.ura.gov.sg 8. http://www.ura.gov.sg 9. Powell, Living Legacy, p. 58. 10a. Powell, Living Legacy, p. 62. 10b. Powell, Living Legacy, p. 62. 11. Photographed by Hasan-Uddin Khan 12a. Larson, "Adaptive Reuse: Singapore River," p. 33. 12b. Larson, "Adaptive Reuse: Singapore River," p. 38.

UNLEASHING THE POWER OF THE OLD