Doomsday Structures (Part 11) - Cities of the Underworld. Structural inversion.

(The 'underground city' beneath Marina Bay Sands Hotel Complex, Singapore.  Images: channelnewsasia.com)

A city like Singapore, with its population now at 5.6 million, confined to area half the size of New York City, it is estimated by 2030 that the city will reach over 7 million people.  Under this dramatic change in our weather and cities, there is also the increase in birth rates and the flows of people moving into these urban environments, which have in turn exasperated the problems we face within the city boundry.  But, there is a very good example of a plan to build underground rather than upward, it is the Singaporean experiment.  Although, it has not championed itself as a focus of creating an alternative cityscape, but we do know as the city grew after independence, it chose to expand outward and reclaim sea around the core of the city, but this obviously will have to change as sea levels are now on the rise.  And I think what is interesting in understanding this motivation of the Singaporean government, is not for any Doomsday preparation as such, but, paradoxically, without the disclosure of sentiment in relation to climate change.  It is like most cities throughout the world, faces an issue in beginning to implement a dramatic change to our city environments, that still rely on the cross flows of capital; which includes offshore investment and tourism.  The core aspect of the so called individual doomsday prepper with the hysteria aside, discussed in early aspects of this series, has not always been helpful in its direction.  However the fact remains, that the necessities for human development are finite – a global change in weather will have an extreme affect on the pricing of perishable goods, foods and essential items.  In lock step with utilities, energy and water supplies will start to affect the populous on a global scale.  The economic aspects, which second rates the environment as a tangible commodity, without entering a political argument, the discussion stems back in relation to consumerism and the fallacies of increased government debt and low interest rates within its credit cycle.  Which at this point in time as global economy seemly is able to achieve a degree of economic stability, although tentatively, under the manipulation of a humancentric system of trade.  But nature doesn't care about economics nor has any attached emotion or is even conscious to the buying and selling of products and if we are affecting the climate at a dramatic rate, to the point that there is nothing can do about the amount of carbon dioxide in the upper atmospheres.  The force of play will be nature by its obvious detached impact on our lives.  That will cause everything to rise – not just sea levels, the costs of living in its illusionary sense of urban expansion, will eventually be unlivable. 

But for now, in light of our changing environments, consumption still has the center stage.  And it doesn't seem like abating without a boom and bust economical cycle, which of the last decade has been evened out by global trade and money markets.  There is a belief, which very much holds as a ground level faith that originated in the 1950s, despite the misguided insight, that technology will be the savior.  This idealism is also appealing to the climate change activist, yet it is more illusionary than not.  The social aspects of this technological idealism, carries with it the idea of interconnected change.  But also the hypocrisy more so, the industry of tourism, which of all the human industries and their impact on the environment, it is the transfer and movement of people that has had the most effect on the natural and the man-made surroundings and it has no sign on letting up, so there is a reaffirmation that we may not have the capacity to slow down our world in a controlled sense, so therefor climate change activism on the surface, although important, should stay in tune with the rational scientific perspectives; that a reduction of carbon is essential to shorten the duration of climate change, but, in the meantime, we will face a perpetuation of global warming for decades to come.

And I see this as a dichotomy, that governments and it citizens are trying to face on the principle of lifestyle change within these issues of natural world.  In seizing the Utopian concept of what was deemed a equality orientated world, was of course a myth.  We have only prefabricated a society as an imprint of belief that it could manifest an inclusive and progressive society.  To which nature, very well, as mentioned, without intent, will remove the delusional aspects of the contradictorily world, that was inscribed that consumption could be sustainable and multifaceted within its finite spectrum – and this hope was fulled by technology, which was thought would be the harbour of social change.  

The Marina Bay Sands building in Singapore is an 8 Billion dollar Hotel and Casino, this impressive 55 story three tower complex, with a huge rooftop canopy and pool that connects the 3 main buildings called “Skypark”.  It took less than 5 years to build, with an expectation that it will generate 1 Billion dollars a year in revenue from gambling and tourism.  It is no doubt a spectacle, a behemoth of scale and ingenuity – but, it's purpose is completely, beyond any structural idealism, it is built primarily to draw revenue from the many tourists that visit the complex every year. However there is something very interesting about this building, particularly what lies beneath this beacon of consumption, that by its definition holds no attesting qualities for the necessity of change; and using Singapore as an example of a city, which in a lot ways has lived beyond its means.  The concept of producing an underground city is purely in a commercial concept, so beneath this massive development there is actual underground city, which in the case of the privately owned structure has been built to house and feed the 9,500 employees of the Hotel above, titled the Heart of House.  It is a labyrinth of staff living quarters, medical clinics, 24 dinning rooms food and massive uniform storage facilities. Hidden from site, built entirely for staff and the services they provide for the people above within the above ground hotel complex.  This impressive basement area of the these massive building, has been solely constructed as a commercial enterprise – not for the end of the world.  

But, that is the point in its subtle reflection even in its grand scheme that living above ground maybe at our detriment, that not only we can't stop climate change, our society is steadfast focused on maintaining its drive towards and interconnectivity in its economic and social coherency, even in its activism.