Handbook on GROSS FLOOR AREA

6 Items partially counted as gross floor area

6.1 Communal landscaped areas on the 1st storey

To encourage a more generous provision of covered landscaped communal areas and greenery on the 1^st storey, such landscaped areas at the 1^st storey that are shaded by a structure or a floor or overhang above can be exempted from GFA. The maximum area to be exempted is defined by a 45-degree line taken from the edge of the overhead projection. The communal landscaped areas within this 45-degree line must be unenclosed and accessible and can be used for communal activities.

The communal area to be exempted from GFA should have a luxurious provision of quality landscaping with a variety of vegetation, turfing or simulation of natural terrain. These landscaping should enrich the identity of the communal area with elements of nature and contribute substantially to the greenery of the environment.

To enable us to evaluate the application, the architect has to submit a landscaping plan for URA's consideration. In addition, the extent of the areas to be exempted from GFA is to be shown by indicating the 45-degree line with dimensions on the 1^st storey floor plan and sectional drawings. See Figure 6-1.

[Updated as at July 2008]

Figure 6-1

6.2 Major public space

The entire covered area dedicated for public space can be excluded from GFA computation if they satisfy the eligibility, locational, urban design and operational guidelines spelt out below.

Eligibility criteria	- Office, shopping, hotel and institutional developments (civic & community institutions) and tertiary educational institutions only
Locational criteria	- Must be located within commercial areas in the Central Area, Regional Centres (Tampines, Jurong East & Woodlands) & major commercial areas around Bishan MRT Station, Buona Vista MRT Station, Paya Lebar MRT Station & Serangoon MRT Station - Must be located at a pdestrian node along a heavy pedestrian route - Must be located at the focal point of a visual corridor - Must be located at the 1^st storey level of a prominent building
Urban design guidelines	- Must be easily-accessible and well-linked to adjacent developments and pedestrian network - Must not affect the flow of shopping and pedestrian activities - Must have a high volume ceiling height - Must have appropriate public amenities
Operational guidelines	- Must be open to the public at all times - Public spaces cannot be enclosed and cannot be converted to any other uses in the future

6.3 Secondary public space

The 45-degree exemption can be applied to the covered public spaces which satisfies the following:

(i)	the space must face a main road (excludes service road and backlane, public pedestrian promenade/ mall and/ or public open space/ landscape area.

(ii)	width of the external opening of the covered public space should not be more than *40% of the length of the same building façade.

(iii)

the space must be kept open at all times for public use as part of the public pedestrian network.

(iv)	*it shall be kept open at all times and not rented out.

The 45 degrees is measured from the building edge or the canopy, if applicable. For cases where there are drop panels constructed of permanent and opaque structures; for example brickwalls or rc beams, the 45 degrees is to be measured from the edge of the brickwalls or rc beams. See Figure 6-2 and 6-3.

Figure 6-2 Secondary public space

Figure 6-3 Secondary public space

[*Updated as at Apr 2005]

6.4 Lift lobbies in car park floors

GFA computation is limited to an area equivalent to the size of the lift shaft or to the actual size of the lift lobby, whichever is smaller. This is intended to provide flexibility in design and ease of computation.

6.5 Lift shaft

Lift shaft including the thickness of the walls are computed as GFA. They are counted once at the 1st storey level. See Figure 6-4.

Figure 6-4 Lift Shaft

6.6 Service ducts

Service ducts including the thickness of the walls are computed as gross floor area. They are counted once at the 1st storey level. Service ducts are counted once provided the vertical space is hollow. If the service ducts starts from the 2nd storey, the service ducts at the 2nd storey are counted as gross floor area. Service ducts are to be counted at every level if they are slabbed over.

Non load-bearing fire-stop material to compartmentalise the service duct will not be deemed as gross floor area.

Figure 6-5 Service duct

6.7 Sky terraces

Sky terraces are open-sided areas at the intermediate floors of a building. The floor area of the open-sided terrace which can be excluded from gross floor area computation,is defined by the 45-degree line taken from the underside of any permanent or opaque structure, and not from the underside of a drop panel. See Figure 6-6.

The 45-degree can only be applied from the external wall inwards and not from the recessed walls. See Figure 6-7.

In granting the GFA exemption, URA will take into consideration the quality of the landscaping and the design of the space as a communal area. The sky terrace must satisfy the following:

(i)	the sky terrace is to be lushly landscaped.

(ii)	the sky terrace is used for communal activities and access to the sky terrace must be from the common areas.

at least 40% of the perimeter wall of sky terrace must be open. See Figure 6-8.

Landscaping*

- The sky terrace is to be lushly landscaped with a suitable variety of plants;

- The greenery on the sky terrace should be enjoyed by the building users as well as be visible from the surrounding envirionment;

- Planting should be incorporated on permanent and preferably sunken planting, planned with sufficient soil depth based on the types of plants proposed. Some space should be set aside for the provision of communal facilities and furniture to enhance the usage of the sky terrace.

Communal usage*

- The sky terrace should be as meaningful and effective communal gathering and activity spaces.

- The sky terrace must be accessible to all occupants of the building and there should be at least one set of communal access via a lift or staircase serving the sky terrace. Secondary access to the sky terrace from strata units can be supported.

- The sky terrace should be of a meaningful size and configuration to facilitate communal usage. As a guide, the proposed depth of the sky terrace should be at least 5m.

- For sky terraces in residential developments that occupy less than 60% of the floor plates, the sky terraces should serve a minimum of 2 strata units to ensure that they remain as communal space.

* A Landscape Plan and relevant sections for the sky terrace showing the proposed landscaping scheme and communal facilities is to be submitted as part of the development application. (See Sample in Figure 6-9)

Drop Panel

In order to ensure that sky terraces still appear as lofty and voluminous spaces that provide effective visual relief to the façade of a development from the surrounding area, the drop panels within the 45 degree line shall be subject to the following:

(a)	The drop panel shall be a maximum of 1/3^rd of the height of the external opening (see Figure 6.6); and

(b)	The drop panel shall be visually transparent and may be in the form of louvres, fins, transparent glass, or other sun shading/wheather protective devices. Drops panels of solid or opaque façade elements will not qualify for such GFA exemption.

Additional Residual GFA for Sky Terraces outside 45-degree line

On top of the GFA exemption defined by the 45-degree line, additional residual GFA, subject to a cap of 20% of the area of the floor plate, that form part of the sky terrace but fall outside the 45-degree line can be exempted from gross floor area computation subject to the following criteria:

(a)	The sky terrace areas within the 45-degree line must occupy at least 60% of the foor plate. The remaining 40% (max) of the floor plate can be used for ancillary/complementary uses.

(b)

The residual area (outside 45-degree line) eligible for GFA exemption under the revised guidelines must form an integral part of the sky terrace, which must remain unenclosed, communal and non-commercial in nature. Residual areas which serve as corridor spaces to residential units, commercial units or other ancillary/ complementary areas will not qualify for GFA exemption.

(c)	The At least 60% of the perimeter of the sky terrace floor should be kept open with low wall.

See Figure 6-10 and 6-11.

Sky terraces occupying less than 60% of the floor plate can continue to enjoy the current GFA exemption based on the 45-degree line. The additional 20% GFA exemption for the residual areas would not apply in such cases. See Figure 6-12.

Corridors provided within 45-degree line contiguous to Sky Terrace

GFA can be granted for the barrier-free access and fire-escape corridors located within the 45 degree line subject to the following:

a)	The corridor serves both the sky terrace and the ancillary / complementary uses.

b)	The sky terrace areas within the 45-degree line must occupy at least 60% of the floor plate.

c)	At least 60% of the perimeter of the sky terrace must not be enclosed.

All corridors provided outside 45-degree line are to be computed as GFA. See figure 6-13.

Plan presentation for GFA computation

To facilitate the evaluation of whether GFA exemption is applicable for sky terraces proposed, the following are required to be incorporated in the Calculation Floor Plan and Sectional Drawings:

(i)	the extent of the areas to be exempted by indicating the 45-degree line with dimensions;

(ii)	computation details for the residual area and the extent of perimeter opening (at least 60 % must be opened); and

(iii)

the sky terrace areas that are within the 45-degree line and the residual areas are to be clearly illustrated and annotated as shown in Figure 6-14.

The above detailed plans / sections supplement the landscape plan.

Figure 6-6 Sky terrace

Figure 6-7 Plan of a sky terrace

Note:
45 degree can be applied from the external wall inwards as illustrated by the arrows provided the perimeter wall is open sided. 45 degrees cannot be applied from the recessed walls marked with a cross.