Planning and Development : Others

Three global events held together for the first time offer a wider and deeper platform to discuss cities? future sustainable strategies

A city's liveability starts from citizens themselves. Professor Marilyn Taylor, a new member of the Nominating Committee for the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize talks about how citizens can change their living environments, memorable projects in Singapore and what fuels her passion in transforming cities.

Six schools awarded best city ideas in annual planning competition

If you have time for just one museum visit this month, do pop by the newly revamped Singapore City Gallery. Trace Singapore?s remarkable physical development while marveling at one of the world?s largest architectural models.

As we go about our daily lives, we might not notice the interesting scenes happening around us, the little things that make this island distinctively Singapore.

Searching for information on land use and transacted prices of private housing projects in Singapore has now been made easier with URA's Master Plan and property market mobile applications. Both were among the top noteworthy applications in the iTunes lifestyle category within a week of their releases.

At the annual Corporate Plan Seminar, URA shared its workplans and initiatives with key stakeholders and service partners from the public and private sectors, including media. With the draft Concept Plan due to be released at the end of 2011, Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan outlined some of the key thrusts in the planning of Singapore for the next 40 to 50 years.

The Singapore City Gallery tells the story of Singapore's planning efforts, showing its remarkable physical transformation ? past, present and future. Following a recent face-lift, the newly upgraded gallery is now open to the public.

Official opening held in conjunction with The New Paper Big Walk @ Marina Bay and weekend carnival

More than 20,000 Singaporeans were among the first to stroll through Singapore?s most exciting waterfront promenade at Marina Bay when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong opened it on 18 Jul 2010. With cool mists, delightful fountains, stunning panoramic views and beautifully sculpted artworks, the new promenade offers yet another opportunity for all to experience more of Marina Bay.

As the pace of urbanisation around the world increases, the quest is now on to develop sustainable and liveable cities for future generations. The challenge is complex and diverse and there is no one solution that fits all. URA?s first-ever urban planning forum in Pudong, Shanghai on 30 Jul 2010 offered a chance for all to share best practices and experiences on this critical issue.

URA has been working steadily to make Singapore into one of the world?s most liveable cities. The findings from two recent surveys are proof that our efforts are paying off. At the annual URA Corporate Plan Seminar on 30 Apr 2010, Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan shared the findings and spelt out the ingredients for Singapore to grow into a city with soul.

- Close to 85 per cent agree that Singapore offers a great live-work-play environment - Close to 90 per cent have a strong sense of belonging to Singapore

A vision has been crafted for Singapore - a vibrant and distinctive global city; a home that is endearing with an outstanding quality of life for its people; a city with highly-skilled people and an innovative economy, open and diverse, the best place to grow and reach out to a rising Asia. How can we achieve this tall task?

As the national land use planners of Singapore, URA is constantly striving to make Singapore a great city to live, work and play in. It is heartening to know that many other cities hold Singapore in high regard; and that they see us as an exemplary success story where integrated planning and facilitating mechanisms were instrumental in transforming Singapore into a vibrant and distinctive city.

Spouses of APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Leaders as well as youth leaders from the APEC economies were in town to participate in programmes specially designed to showcase our city to them. URA had the honour of sharing with them our role in making Singapore a great city to live, work and play in.

Human resource consulting group, Mercer, recently named Singapore as the most liveable city in Asia. As the agency responsible for land use planning in Singapore, URA has always planned for sustainable growth, a key idea that has guided land use plans to accommodate continued economic growth for Singapore while providing a good quality of living environment and ensuring that we grow in an environmentally responsible way.

Practical and effective solutions and ideas that can generate impactful social, economic and environmental benefits can be replicated across cities and communities worldwide. Encouraging and showcasing innovative urban solutions can certainly help to promote excellence in city management and planning whilst enhancing the quality of living for people globally.

By the time you are reading this, the My Endearing Home Exhibition would have concluded its grand tour around Singapore and reached out to more than 200,000 people. Whether you live in the west, north, northeast, east or central region, you would have had a chance to see the exhibition in Marina Square, HDB Hub, Causeway Point, VivoCity, IMM, Compass Point, Punggol Plaza, or Parkway Parade.

Singaporeans have much to look forward to. As our city transforms, there is also much to treasure. This was the key message delivered by Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development, at URA?s Corporate Plan Seminar on 17 April 2009, a yearly affair that outlines URA?s key initiatives in the coming year.

The night before, curious onlookers stood at the edges, transfixed by visions of the gleaming future painted in the artist impressions of a new downtown and an upcoming lake district. By the time the ?My Endearing Home? Exhibition was finally launched the next day, a substantial crowd had formed, with many clamouring to find out more about the physical transformations that were soon to take place in Singapore.

Creating cherished and memorable places and spaces for Singaporeans in what we call home is a big part of URA?s business. In this issue, read all about how we have been sharing our exciting plans through the ?My Endearing Home? roving exhibition.

URA's challenge has always been to harmoniously accommodate all the land use needs of the city, as well as that of a nation.

One of my favourite images of Singapore is the Singapore River : With its lovely little shophouses buzzing with eateries, flanked by gleaming and tall skyscrapers as a backdrop.

If modern-day Singapore conjures up images of a living, growing city, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) might well be considered its architect. Few planning agencies in the world have done quite as much to coordinate city planning efforts and bring a sense of coherence to the urban landscape.

It is hard to imagine today, but there was a time when few believed that Singapore could become a cosmopolitan home for its people, a host to numerous multi-national corporations and the location of financial institution headquarters. After all, it had severe land limitations and a lack of natural resources.

What makes Singapore an endearing home for us? Do we anchor our sense of belonging on places or structures that we easily identify with and have loved all these years? Perhaps, it is an up-and-coming development that we are excited about and can build our future on. Skyline brings you 35 hotspots that are dear to us, in one way or another. We hope that you love them as much as we do.

The challenges in physical development faced by Singapore over the last 35 years and how we responded to them can be reflected in the organisational development of URA. Over the last 35 years, URA has played a key role in shaping Singapore into one of the most vibrant global cities in the world.

We may never be able to predict the challenges we will face in the future with complete accuracy. But by having a vision for Singapore, we craft our plans to make it a better place to live, work and play in. Here, we have invited our partners in the public and private sectors to share their vision for Singapore with us.

?Winning the Singapore Quality Award (SQA) is a significant milestone for URA. It celebrates URA?s 34 years of contribution to Singapore?s physical transformation, to become one of the world?s most liveable cities, with sustained growth and a high quality of life for Singaporeans,? said Mrs Cheong Koon Hean, URA CEO. The SQA is the most prestigious award in Singapore, conferred on world class organisations with the highest standards of business excellence. Skyline takes a look at URA?s winning ways.

From salt lakes, wastewater ponds and barren land, to an Eco-city that is economically vibrant, socially harmonious, environmentally-friendly and resource efficient. This is the goal for the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city.

URA has been blessed with a slew of prestigious awards in the last two months. We pride ourselves on being a learning organisation, with passionate people and innovative processes that enable us to carry out our work efficiently and effectively.

URA played a strong supportive role at the inaugural World Cities Summit, which was held in conjunction with the Singapore International Water Week and the East Asia Summit Conference on Liveable Cities. Skyline recaps the key issues discussed at the Summit.

The area's highly successful transformation has won URA the prestigious Urban Land Institute Award for Excellence 2008 : Asia Pacific. It is easy to see why.

Breakout Session on "Urban Planning and Conservation : Planning for a Distinctive and Vibrant City"

Tapping on the latest information technology, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)'s Integrated Planning and Land Use System (iPLAN) so impressed the Geographic Information System (GIS) industry that it was recently conferred a prestigious award.

Singapore has earned a place among the world's top 20 most liveable cities, according to a recent article in Monocle magazine. Read on to find out more about what sets us apart.

The fourth meeting of the International Panel of Architects and Urban Planners (IPAUP) was convened on 14 and 15 May 2007 at the URA Centre. Many valuable insights and ideas were shared through a lively exchange of views at the discussions.

Almost 6,000 visitors celebrated International Museum Day at the Singapore City Gallery this year. The myriad activities lined up not only brought back many cherished memories of our city from a time gone by, but also conjured up stirring images of how we will live, work and play in the future.

Many urban centres aspire to be creative global cities, but they should be prepared to embrace the tensions and turbulence of genuiue change.

Visionary urban planning transformed a tiny island nation into a bustling business hub. Now Singapore has set its sights on becoming a distinctive global city.

Singapore's new waterfront business district will feature state-of-the-art infrastructure and urban design features.

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan recently announced that with careful land-use planning and appropriate investment in the necessary infrastructure, the Singapore of the future will become a more cosmopolitan and endearing home for all, even with a larger population.

Free guided tours and talks were some of the highlights at the Explore Singapore! campaign held at the Singapore City Gallery in November. Skyline takes you through the adventures and activities.

Visitors to the Singapore City Gallery rose by 100% in 2005. Skyline drops in on two Saturdays recently to check out the buzz.

The American philosopher Anthony Quinton once said : "Architecture is the most inescapable of the higher arts" (The Times, Mar 1982). Yet, how many of us are actually aware of our surroundings as we negotiate, helter-skelter, our daily commutes through the city between home, workplace and the in-laws?

Mention Singapore and several images come to mind ... small and modern city state, clean, efficient, multi-racial and a Garden City. Visitors, just arrived from the airport, are first greeted by lush greenery along the East Coast Parkway. Everywhere in this city are green streetscapes, urban parks and pockets of green lungs. Why is Singapore so big on greening the island? Caroline Seah traces the history and explains.

How would you rate Singapore as a place to live in? Going by the results of URA's first lifestyle survey, the living environment and leisure opportunities here score well with the majority of Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PRs), even though there is still room for improvement.

Within seven months of its opening, it has seen 67,000 visitors and was also shortlisted for United Kingdom's prestigious Museums and Heritage Awards 2005. Where is this?

URA regularly hosts overseas visitors who are keen to know about the work we do, and occasionally have an exchange of learning points with us. Skyline looks at two groups of visitors who recently dropped in on URA.

What makes a city great, special, memorable? What is it that draws you to it, leave you with a lingering sense of delight but still wanting more of it? What is it that makes you want to work, raise kids and retire there? The quest is on for the X-factor that will propel Singapore into the league of global cities.

Catch a spectacular bird's eye view of Singapore's city centre and find out how Singapore has been planned in the past and for the future. The Singapore City Gallery is a must-do destination for Singaporeans as well as overseas visitors. Re-launched last December after an extensive refurbishment, the upgraded Gallery offers a captivating, brand new experience for visitors.

The Shaping Singapore exhibition, with the revamped Singapore City Gallery, was opened by PM Lee Hsien Loong on 3 Dec 2004 to mark URA's 30 years of urban planning. Receiving more than 30,000 visitors, it won praises from many who found the comprehensive showcase extremely informative and useful, and giving new insights about the future of Singapore. Skyline gives a snapshot of some of the distinguished visitors during the four-month long exhibition which ended on 26 Mar 2005.

In less than 40 years, we have gone from rundown urban slums to modern metropolis. Poised for greater physical transformation, we may ask, "what's next for Singapore?". Before we charge ahead, now is perhaps the best time to pause and reflect on what is it about Singapore that makes us special? This issue of Skyline checks out URA's biggest exhibitions by far.

One key thing that distinguishes each city is that memorable image. Close your eyes and try describing the "face" of Singapore. What are some of the signature images that come to mind? Skyline showcases some favourites from URA's latest exhibitions.

There is more to just memorable images that make a city stand out. What is unique about Singapore is that despite being a small island with big needs, we continue to enjoy a high quality of life and a variety of choices when it comes to living, working and playing in Singapore. Skyline celebrates these choices we have today, a result of visionary planning and public-private sector collaboration.

Historic gems, gracious spaces steeped in memory, quaint streets and handsome landmarks - these have become an important part of Singapore's character and soul, without which, we would become faceless and anonymous. Skyline uncovers some of Singapore's precious gems and discovers it is not just these gems that have been making our city so alive and charming.

So Singapore has got many distinctive "faces", a small "body" with great variety of choices to offer, a "heart" of a city alive, with people warming up to shaping Singapore's unique identity. So what's next, beyond offering the good life, providing sound infrastructure, efficient and transparent administration, cost-effectiveness and proximity to markets? One word - design.

On 1 Apr 2004, URA welcomed its new CEO, Mrs Cheong Koon Hean, a veteran in planning. Skyline quizzed her on how URA can help Singapore stay ahead of competition.

Relentless efforts in delighting customers and connecting with the public have paid off as URA earned multiple honours locally and overseas.

In URA's 30 years of planning Singapore and shaping its future, what has helped Singapore rise to immediate challenges and yet stay primed for the long haul? Sound principles, prudent planning and creative solutions.

From obscure fishing village to bustling metropolis, in barely over a century. This summarises the meteoric rise and growth of Singapore and is reflected in the city's changing skyline over the decades.

Where can you find more plant species than the whole of North America? That's right, at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Where can you find 8 extinct plant species in a rainforest just five minutes away from the city? At Singapore Botanic Gardens Rainforest. Skyline highlights how we are safeguarding nature areas in the current Master Plan 2003 and how planners help us enjoy more of these gems.

The Draft Master Plan 2003 says you can look forward to more homes, facilities to learn and play, and natural areas to be safeguarded on our land use plans. What's more, there will be greater leeway for businesses through a new business zoning system.

Members of URA's International Panel of Architects and Urban Planners, or IPAUP, met at The URA Centre for a two-day meeting on 24 and 25 Feb 2003.

With so many ideas for green spaces and memorable places in Singapore, what's in store in the near future? The outcome of the public consultation on the Parks & Waterbodies Plan and Identity Plan was revealed with the announcement of key responses to the Subject Groups' recommendations on 22 Jan 2003.

After an extensive three-month public consultation period, how well do the public and Subject Groups like URA's proposals under the Parks & Waterbodies Plan and Identity Plan? Skyline brings you the highlights.

After the announcement of the Concept Plan 2001 key proposals last July, what's the next step to bring them closer to reality? Skyline gives you a low-down on the Parks & Waterbodies Plan and Identity Plan drawn up to focus on "heartware" issues - quality of life and identity

If you had just returned to Singapore after being away for a few years, what are some of the places which you would marvel at and consider 'beyond recognition'? Skyline relates the story of the transformation of some of these places, where you can 'see' the fingerprints of URA imprinted on them - Tanjong Rhu, Singapore River, China Square and Albert Mall.

Singapore has a distinctive city skyline admired by many all over the world, with its inspiring skyscrapers, some designed by world renowned architects. Our city, however, was not magically built overnight. Here's the story of our evolving skyline.

URA has carefully planned for the city's skyline over the past decade. Going forward, how will we be shaping this city we call home? Here's a little peek.

Help us to make Singapore a great city to live, work and play!

The new URA mission 'To make Singapore a great city to live, work and play' was launched on 8 Apr 2002. What does it mean for URA?

Logged on to URA Online lately? The website is now more customer-friendly. Check it out!

One year ago, URA exhibited the Landmark and Gateway plan to obtain public feedback. Skyline takes a look at the final product.

One day, Singapore will not just be a city remembered for its greenery, cleanliness or cultural variety. Like Australia which has its magnificent Sydney Opera House or Hong Kong with its contemporary Bank of China building, Singapore will have its brand of awe-inspiring landmark buildings, going by URA's Landmark and Gateway Plan unveiled.

At the annual dinner of the Singapore Institute of Architects on 22 Apr 2000, Minister for National Development, Mr Mah Bow Tan, spoke to the architectural profession on the strategies URA is adopting to create a distinctive city of excellence. We bring you some highlights from his speech.