Co-creation with the community brought onboard more fresh and relevant ideas for our planning process. We engaged students, architects and the public to transform selected areas, and welcomed inventive proposals for certain state buildings and spaces.
We opened up areas that had opportunities for creative developments or enhancements, such as the Pasir Panjang Power District, Paya Lebar Air Base and Bukit Timah Fire Station, to proposals from architects and the public through competitions that garnered enthusiastic responses. We exhibited ideas for the power district, and built on them to seek further feedback on the site from the industry before redevelopment begins.
An idea for two new towers for living spaces and hotel use that pay tribute to Power Station A’s demolished chimneys at Pasir Panjang Power District, clinched one of the ideas competition’s top prizes (artist’s impression) © Swee Yew Yong, Dang Bao Bao, Stephan Shen Yi Zhe
Sustainable proposals for Bukit Timah Fire Station were sought under the C40 Reinventing Cities global competition
Selected State-owned sites will be transformed into attractive places that will inject vibrancy and enhance the characters of the precincts, under the Reinventing Spaces into Vibrant Places (RSVP) programme launched in May 2019. Ranging from shophouse units and standalone buildings to utility infrastructure and public spaces, these sites will be creatively adapted for different uses. The programme welcomes innovative proposals from business owners, architects and designers to turn vacant sites into delightful and endearing places for the community.
45 Sultan Gate, two conserved shophouses, were the first State properties to be released under the RSVP programme
The gazette of Master Plan 2019 concluded the review of the Draft Master Plan, with over 25,000 visitors to the exhibition at The URA Centre to find out more about our proposals to rejuvenate key areas. Curated proposals also made their way to the heartlands in the form of roving exhibitions. Feedback and suggestions from visitors as well as those received from stakeholders through earlier engagements were incorporated into the plans where appropriate.
[WATCH] Take a look back at our Draft Master Plan 2019 roving exhibitions
Planners and volunteer guides explained what was upcoming in the Master Plan to visitors
Our dedicated volunteers were our continued partners in sharing the Singapore planning story with visitors at our Singapore City Gallery. They also brought visitors into heritage districts on regular tours, to tell stories of Singapore’s past and our approach to conservation. In addition, we collaborated with students from LASALLE College of the Arts to develop a storytelling project centred around art interventions in Telok Ayer.
Volunteers leading the Singapore City Gallery tour (top) and Bukit Pasoh heritage walk
‘Stories of the Sea’, one of the art interventions in Telok Ayer created for the LASALLE project
We envisioned how to further energise some of our most iconic commercial areas through diverse offerings and enhanced greenery.
One of the key thrusts in our ongoing plans to enhance Orchard Road is to ‘Bring back the Orchard’ – transforming Singapore’s signature street into an attractive lush green corridor. Plans are underway to introduce new green spaces and lush planting along Orchard Road. People can enjoy a 6km-long green connection linking historic green and blue spaces in the city centre. The public can look forward to taking a seamless and pleasant stroll from Orchard Road to Singapore River, while enjoying the many attractions in the city’s green oasis, including new recreation options at Dhoby Ghaut.
As part of efforts to rejuvenate Orchard Road as a lifestyle destination, the car park at Grange Road will also be transformed into a well-designed multi-functional event space, where visitors can look forward to events and activities throughout the year.
6km-long green connection from Orchard to Singapore River
Orchard Road to be enhanced through a curated showcase of vibrant trees and shrubs depicting the colours of the tropics (artist’s impression) © National Parks Board
New event space at Grange Road (artist’s impression) © Singapore Tourism Board
Students took on the challenge of learning what it takes to plan for Singapore, and came alongside us to devise educational content that would help to inform others.
The Urban Planning Festival featured projects from the 10th CUBE Student Workshop, where students from 16 schools addressed the challenge of coming up with an inclusive town centre and vibrant gateway at Serangoon Central. The festival also featured projects from My Urban Backyard, where students came up with urban visioning projects using key strategies from the Draft Master Plan 2019.
The Urban Planning Festival showcased students’ urban planning proposals
Working with the NUS Geographical Society, we co-created three workshops based on themes of Conserving Built Heritage, Going Car-lite and Enlivening Public Spaces, to grow and deepen youth interest in shaping Singapore.
Youths discovered more about our historic districts through field interviews at Chinatown