We strive to create a vibrant and sustainable city of excellence, and an endearing home for Singaporeans.
Claire wanted to work at a place where she could improve the lives of people around her. Her work in the Strategic Planning department now takes her decades into Singapore’s future.
“At Strategic Planning, we chart out Singapore’s land use and infrastructural directions over the next 40 to 50 years. That’s a really long time but in Singapore’s context, it’s important to plan for the long term because land is a constraint and such a scarce resource.
"In many other cities, if land planning is not so optimally carried out, they could just identify a different location outside the city to start over or expand in a different way. And they have the space to do that. But in Singapore, all our plans and all our functions need to take place within this small island, thus we have to constantly plan for optimisation and look for new solutions.”
Protecting and celebrating Singapore’s historic districts - all in a day’s work for Conservation Planner, Jevon.
“I’ve always had an interest in old buildings and cities – anything that is historic and has a story to tell. That’s why I started out as an intern in URA’s Conservation Department, and continued to stay on after graduating with a Real Estate degree from NUS. I wanted to do my part for the evolution of historic areas in Singapore. Over 7,000 buildings come under our protection – majority of them being shophouses in the historic districts of Chinatown, Little India, Boat Quay and Kampong Glam.
"Besides regulatory and planning work, we also want to build awareness and interest in our built heritage. So we do outreach work like leading tours of conservation areas, (and) talking to stakeholders, getting to know them, and coming together to promote these areas; which in turn helps us to plan our areas better.”
Digital planning tools have advanced the way URA plans today, but people have always remained at the heart of our plans. Navin, Planner from our Physical Planning Group shares how.
"The way we plan today is quite different from planners in the past. Today, we use digital planning tools to help analyse and obtain insights into different situations, and come up with innovative solutions too. However, I’ve come to realize that the fundamental questions we ask ourselves as planners and the mission of planning remain the same – it’s about achieving better outcomes for our neighbourhoods and communities.
"In URA, you’ll find that everyone is very dedicated and passionate about their work! I have a really fun and dynamic team too – we support each other in and out of work. Among the younger planners, we’ve created a few Facebook groups where we share articles and funny planning memes.”
At our Digital Planning Lab, Data Scientists such as Songyu plug into and analyse various datasets to provide another set of eyes for our planners. “For example, in the planning of new walking paths, we analyse big data such as anonymised EZ-Link transactions to understand daily commute patterns. Beyond these patterns, we also incorporate network analysis and a commuters’ preference model to measure the potential likelihood of active mobility demand on the pathways. "These insights can then inform planners how we can build and improve existing walking paths or potentially build new walking paths, allowing them to make more data-informed planning decisions.”
To Evi, a parcel of land is not just an empty plot of land. As a Civil Engineer, she studies if land parcels are fit for its intended development. “Before a site is launched for sale, there is a lot of work and coordination with other agencies to anticipate and resolve issues that may be faced for the development. We also ensure the land parcel can be optimised to meet future needs and demands. “In a new growth area for example, we have to study and coordinate with the agencies the utilities and infrastructure network. We study how the network is able to optimise and serve all the land parcels as well as to support the overall planning vision before the sites are announced and launched for tender.”
There's more to planning than just maps for Yutian.
"One of my favourite things about my work is getting know people from all walks of life. As architects, we're used to working with maps and plans. We know all the dimensions and technicalities, but city planning is also about the people who live and work in the area - they hold rich stories and memories that make an area significant."