The Singapore River as a Psychogeographical Faultline
When prompted to reflect on the river, many find it hard to recall the geography of Singapore's most significant river – which has changed drastically in purpose, form, and colour over the last hundred years. Is it easy to overlook the river because it is small? Is it because the Singapore River has a very generic name? Would it be possible to bring it back into public consciousness?
The Singapore River is a site of historical and commercial significance for Singapore, as well as a site to socialise at and dream of things to come. Where urban Singapore is concerned, it is hard to speak of any outstanding natural physical features that remain, besides the Singapore River; the site of Singapore’s genesis.
But what does the Singapore River look like? When prompted to reflect on the river, many find it hard to recall the geography of Singapore's most significant river – which has changed drastically in purpose, form, and colour over the last hundred years. Is it easy to overlook the river because it is small? Is it because the Singapore River has a very generic name? Would it be possible to bring it back into public consciousness?
\\ is an interactive map installation exploring the Singapore River as a “psychogeographical faultline” - where reality, memories and imagined spaces interact, merge, or drift apart - like a series of tectonic plates.
I designed, built and programmed two versions of an interactive installation that allows visitors to explore and speculate on the shape of the Singapore River – a tangible touch table (2010) and a Kinect-based version (2011).
Tangible Touch Map Table
Part I was presented as part of the The Substation Open Call 2010. I researched it on my own, conceptualised, designed, and coded this entire installation on my own with just two assistants (Dominic Ho and Zhuo Hongda) who helped me with the mounting - within 2 months - whilst simultaneously holding down a full-time job as a interactive designer at a commercial agency.
