Beyond Colonialism: Macau’s Struggle for Postcolonial Architectural Identity

Student report (2022)

Authors

I.N. Lin Architecture and the Built Environment

Contributors

Rachel Lee History, Form & Aesthetics - Architecture and the Built Environment (mentor)
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment, Architecture and the Built Environment
Copyright: © 2022 Ian Neng Lin
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Published Date

14-04-2022

Language

English

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Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Abstract

Beyond Colonialism: Macau’s Struggle for Postcolonial Architectural Identity will look back at the emergence of architectural images that shaped Macau's current Special Administrative Region (SAR), particularly during the transition from colonial to postcolonial times. The 442-year colonial state and the post-colonial period, which began in 1998, have influenced architectural ideologies over time due to an evolution of self-identity, place identity, people, and material culture. Beginning with the earliest colonial settlements and progressing to current international applications. Throughout history, urban and architectural decisions have always been associated with economic prosperity and foreign culture when it comes to shaping a city’s identity.

In Macau, postcolonial architecture has been adopted, demonstrating the influence of colonial ideology and modern capitalist globalization to the present day. Gambling and tourism have transformed the city from a traditional enterprise with a self-sufficient culture to Asia’s global entertainment and financial hub. Aside from colonial architectural ideologies, the thesis seeks to demonstrate how other Western ideologies and preferences, such as Chinese and American, can influence local architectural and community identities. Furthermore, it attempts to interpret the social and cultural implications of architectural transformations. This will be investigated through a variety of sources, including books, research papers, and articles that examine both local and Western perspectives on Macau’s urban development history.

Certain economic developments added a new dimension to a city that had grown due to significant changes in local architecture. As a result, architectural meanings are evolving in unexpected ways, resulting in disparate ideas of monumental architecture that contrast with the cultural context. This thesis will also investigate the extent to which foreign perceptions of casino architecture reflect historic identities and social values brought into the modern era.