Synopses & Reviews
This book is the first of its kind to examine the design and use of public space such as streets, squares, and parks in the cities of contemporary Asia Pacific, which has experienced the fastest urban and economic growth in the world during the past three decades. This collection of eighteen essays, all written by experts in their own fields, provides timely and first-hand reports on the unique characteristics of Asia Pacific public places (as compared to those in Western cities), current problems and debates, and newly proposed design/planning solutions. The discussions cover all important aspects of the subject matter, such as the creation of indigenous identity amid the tide of globalization; the search for design/planning strategies to address high density, mobility, sustainability, and other functional issues; and the proper roles of the government, local community, and privatization in the development of public space. Audience: Filled with case studies and illustrated with some 250 drawings and photographs, the publication is a necessary research and learning tool for architects, planners, public administrators, developers, and everyone involved in the making of public places. The volume also provides rich material for scholars and students of other disciplines related to Asia Pacific cities.
Synopsis
PUMIAO 1. The Subject Matter: Urban Public Places 2. The Location: Asia Pacific Region 3. The Purpose of the'"Book: For the Makers of Public Places 4. The Three Perspectives of the Book: Description, Criticism, and Intervention 5. Perspective One: Characteristics of Asia Pacific Cities and Their Public Places (1) High Population Density (2) Large Cities (3) Mixed Uses (4) Government-Centered and Pro-Development Culture (5) The East-versus-West Bipolarity (6) Small Amount of Public Space (7) Absence of Large Nodes and Overall Structure in Public Space (8) Intensive Use of Public Space (9) Ambiguous Boundary between the Public and the Private Summaries of Chapters 1-5 6. Perspective Two: Current Issues and Debates (1) Identity Formal Identity Functional Identity (2) Sustainability High-Tech versus Low-Tech High-Density versus Low-Density (3) Equality Equal Participation Equal Accessibility Summaries of Chapters 6-9 7. Perspective Three: Major Trends in Design and Theory (1) The "Grey" Relationship between the Public and the Private (2) The Transformation of Traditional Typology (3) Indigenous Decoration, Color and Material in New Applications (4) The Tropical Public Place Summaries of Chapters 10-17 8. Conclusion Pu Miao (ed. ), Public Places in Asia Pacific Cities, 1-45. (c) 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers. 2 P. MIAO 1. The Subject Matter: Urban Public Places A visitor to Kuala Lumpur will hardly forget the experience of strolling among the fragrant fruits sold under the overhang of the five-foot walkway during a tropical downfall.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 367-379) and index.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments. List of Contributors. Introduction; Pu Miao. I: Unique Public Places of the Asia Pacific Region. 1. The Waterfront as a Public Place in Tokyo; H. Jinnai. 2. The Street Market as an Urban Facility in Hong Kong; H. Kinoshita. 3. The Roles of the Plaza: The Philippine Experience; N.I. Alarcon. 4. Japanese Public Space as Defined by Event; T. Hidaka, M. Tanaka. 5. Rukun and Gotong Royong: Managing Public Places in an Indonesian Kampung; D.H. Rahmi, et al. II: Problems in Public Space. 6. The Vanishing Streets in the Malaysian Urbanscape; A.B. Sulaiman, S. Shamsuddin. 7. Endangered Street Life: Building Frontages and Street Activities in Hanoi, A. Casault. 8. The Quest for Better Public Space: A Critical Review of Urban Hong Kong; C.Q.L. Xue, K.K.K. Manuel. 9. Public Domain, Private Interest: Social Space in Hong Kong; A.R. Cuthbert, K.G. McKinnell. III: New Design/Planning Strategies. 10. Architecture in the Pacific Century; C. Abel. 11. Multi-Dimensional Planning and Public Space in the Philippines; G.C. Ramos. 12. Place-Making and the New Mobility of Asian Cities: The Bangkok Plan; G. Hack. 13. Design with High-Density: A Chinese Perspective; Pu Miao. 14. A Question of Local Models: Public Spaces in Mae Hong Son, Thailand; B. Bell. 15. The Alley as a Spiritual Axis for the Community: The Hikifune Project, Tokyo; S. Hagiwara. 16. Vision of a 21st-Century Public Place: GigaWorld, KL LinearCity, Kuala Lumpur; D. Chew. 17. The Next Generation of Singapore's Public Space: The New Downtown; J.K.H. Chan. Bibliography. Index.