Abstract
It is not uncommon to erect physical barriers to separate people of different camps with different ideology or from different social, economic strata of society; a measure to prevent wars or conflict. Precedents on a national scale include the Berlin wall, the Great Wall of China, and the Irish peace lines. This thesis seeks to assess the effectiveness of such barriers and the architect’s role in creating barriers. The proposal will draw inspiration from the audacious work ‘Exodus or the Voluntary Prisoners of Architecture’ a combined project by Rem Koolhaas, Madelon Vreisendorp, Elia and Zoe Zenghelis. In Singapore there lies the unspoken disdain of locals toward migrant workers. When brought into close proximity emotions flare. Would a physical barrier between a foreign workers’ dormitory and its adjacent landed housing cluster solve matters? This thesis will investigate the effectiveness of a ‘porous’ barrier – one which fulfils its role to prevent conflict and yet allows an exchange of ideas to bring about acceptance. Such knowledge may be of particular use in light of increasing globalisation and more people of different cultures living together in an increasingly smaller world.