‘A STAR is born’ – Religious place making, architecture, and infrastructure in Singapore

This paper examines the intersection of religious place-making practices and material approaches in highly regulated urban contexts, focusing on the case study of The STAR Performing Arts Centre in Singapore. Originally a collaboration between CapitaLand Mall Asia and Rock Productions Pte Ltd, the business arm of New Creation Church (NCC), The STAR is celebrated as one of Singapore's architectural gems. Officially designated as ‘secular,’ it is an integrated retail and entertainment hub while serving as venue for NCC’s Sunday worship services. The analysis explores how The STAR, as a social-material assemblage, intertwines with secular, economic, religious, and cosmopolitan aspirations, serving diverse roles for various actors. The paper argues that distinctions between secular and religious spaces are fluid, challenging conventional categorizations of urban policy makers. Drawing on Marian Burchardt’s concept of ‘infrastructuring religion,’ it demonstrates how NCC’s practices imbue the building with religious significance, navigating zoning policies and bureaucratic classifications.