Abstract
In the shift towards regionalisation in Southeast Asia, an increasing number of cross border projects has taken place in the region, legitimised by ASEAN’s narrative of fostering a regional community. Yet on the ground, these purely economically driven projects result in the further exploitation of the environment and marginalised communities, widening the divide between developed and developing cities. Recognising the sea as a connective body between archipelagic and maritime Southeast Asia, this project speculates the formation of a transborder region within the Singapore Straits, where social and environmental goals form the foundation for a cross border community between Singapore and Batam.