Uploaded on 2015-06-03 by ArnaudAyral

Picture taken by me on June 2nd 2015. 1) Visible information: The picture captures a footpath/walkway in the foreground running alongside a small river lined with trees. On the other side of the river, from left to right, one can see a number of pre-fabricated buildings then followed by large, high-rise apartment blocks under construction. The building are obviously unfinished and construction cranes bear witness to the on-going process. 2) Invisible information: There are two main invisible information points that can be drawn from this picture. First of all, the pre-fabricated accommodation blocks exist due to the fact that large numbers of construction workers have to be mobilised from overseas labour pools and accommodated. The second piece of invisible information can be inferred from the large scale of the residential development which is an indication of the significant increase in population in Singapore which only boast a small land area hence drives high-density living. 3) Invisible information that can become knowledge & contribute to the planning of a more liveable urban space: The first piece of invisible information, in other words the required presence of large numbers of migrant construction workers can become knowledge in terms of how it indicates important aspects of Singapore labour force demographics. The knowledge derived from the invisible information is that the Singapore labour force both in terms of capacity but mainly competitiveness cannot generate the workforce required to man construction sites such as the one depicted on the picture. For Singapore to enjoy affordable housing, it depends on importing large numbers of migrant workers from neighbouring countries who typically demand only a fraction of the average Singaporean wages. This is a significant factor in terms of contribution to Singapore urban and even diplomatic policies. Singapore has to manage a dynamic migrant worker population, it has to maintain suitable diplomatic relations with countries that can provide this labour and this can be a mutually beneficial relationship but also is one of mutual dependency. Another important contribution this knowledge can make to the planning of a more liveable urban space is the large income gap between the different populations co-existing and potential tensions that this can generate. One could argue (which would need to he researched) that the provision of accommodation quarters adjacent to the construction site isn’t only the result of practical considerations but also a more active decision aimed at reducing the requirements for the migrant workers to venture out in the wider city. ![enter image description here][1] [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14333149514067967.jpg