In consultation with the public and industry, we introduced and updated guidelines and policies to sustain a high quality living environment.
We relaxed the guidelines for mezzanine floors and attics in landed homes to allow more flexibility in the design of spaces within the permissible building envelope, while continuing to safeguard the character of landed housing estates. The computation of site coverage for landed houses was also simplified. In addition, we removed the earth berm requirement for landscaped car park decks in non-landed residential developments, as long as vertical greenery is provided along its edge to minimise visual impact.
An example of the revised site coverage computation method
2019 saw the transformation of the Development Control Handbooks into a web-based one-stop portal for planning guidelines to enhance user experience. To provide greater clarity to the industry, we refined the Gross Floor Area (GFA) rules for sky terraces, pedestrian linkages, balconies and mechanical and electrical spaces, and introduced new planning guidelines for the installation of solar panels, which also supported the national drive towards environmental sustainability.
We introduced new planning guidelines for agricultural developments to facilitate the transformation of the agriculture industry and support more intensive developments, while ensuring they are compatible with their surroundings. This will optimise the use of land and enhance food resilience. We also streamlined the planning application process to enable applicants to obtain faster approval at a lower cost.
Diagram from the Development Control Handbooks depicting building height requirements for agriculture developments
Diagram depicting guidelines for the extent and height of elevated solar panels
In anticipation of future challenges and to strengthen our resiliency as a city, we collaborated with researchers and the public to seek out innovative solutions.
The second edition of the URA-REDAS Spark Challenge sought creative ways from the public for strangers to forge connections. The winning entry brought people together with “bud-like” seats that saw adjacent seats light up when people sat down.
Musical Chairs, winner of the URA-REDAS Spark Challenge 2019
The Urban Lab exhibition ‘Designing Our Age-Friendly City’ featured research and projects conducted by agencies, researchers and architects on making neighbourhoods more age-friendly, and possible design considerations for future nursing homes. The platform allowed for further dialogue on ensuring that our city’s infrastructure and design evolves along with its residents’ needs, aided by volunteer guides for the exhibition.
[WATCH] Discover different ways our built environment has been designed to be age-friendly, and why it’s important
A “mobile kopitiam” was one of the pilots deployed to encourage more social interaction among residents of the area © Lekker Architects
Social spaces in nursing homes designed as ‘Void Decks’ allow residents to walk around and interact (artist’s impression) © FARM Architects Pte Ltd and STUCK Design Pte Ltd