Contested Modernities: Postcolonial Architecture and the Construction of Identities in Southeast Asia

In many countries of Southeast Asia, the middle years of the 20th century marked the dawn of a new era. Independence had been won from colonial powers, and young states such as Burma (Myanmar), Indonesia, Cambodia and Singapore were faced with the task of reconstituting themselves as nations and developing an independent postcolonial identity. Architecture and urban planning played an important role in this process. Local manifestations of modernism emerged that sought to reconcile universal aspirations with specific social conditions. This volume critically examines this architectural and ideological heritage and argues for the preservation and redevelopment of these particular architectures, which are at risk of disappearing amid the rapid urbanization of today.