ABSTRACT
The Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade in Singapore, and the Tsim Sha Tsui and Central District Promenades in Hong Kong are as much about creating spectacle to draw people to them at night as they are about providing a place for people to stroll during the day when the glaring sun and normal high heat and humidity in these cities can make being outside very uncomfortable. These promenades are designed to be especially attractive to tourists and great places to see spectacular nightly light shows over the water. Each of the promenades has other spectacle draws as well: a casino, an immense Ferris wheel, an Avenue of Stars. There are also nearby hotels, shopping centers, and other commercial and cultural attractions. A driving idea behind these promenades, as well as other spectacle promenades in other cities, is to be “world-class” and contribute to making their city a top travel destination. To be sure, the promenades are more than just spectacle venues. They are meant to attract people to the waterfront during the day, as well as for the evening shows, and thus are designed for strolling as well as gathering. It is useful to take note of the physical design characteristics of these high-end tourist-oriented promenades and the planning contexts in which they were created.
