Project advisors: A/P Rita Padawangi, email: ritapadawangi@suss.edu.sg, tel: +65 6248 0346Dr Lye Kit Ying, email: kylye@suss.edu.sg, tel: +65 6248 0309The islands of St. John's, Lazarus and Seringat hold much historical, cultural, and natural significance as three of the southernmost islands of the Singapore archipelago. St. John's Island was at one point the largest quarantine station in the British Empire, while Lazarus and Seringat were places in which vibrant kampongs and orang lauts from the Riau Archipelago settled since at least the 1800s. The islanders were relocated to the main island of Singapore in the 1970s. Many of them still hold memories of island life and continue social interactions with former islanders.
Students who are interested to take up this project, after conceptual investigation of 'heritage' and 'place-making', will be expected to examine possible futures of the islands by integrating the aspects of history, natural and cultural heritage. The objectives of this project include increasing awareness and interest of Singaporeans on the Southern Islands, as well as to promote community-centred solutions for the future of the islands. There are several possible communities that students can engage with for this project. Students should propose which communities they wish to engage, based on background study. Besides delivering a research report, the students have to propose another deliverable that can be shared with the community/communities.