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Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)

Realising Urban Design Plans

Urban design is embedded throughout Singapore's planning and development processes. Learn about the processes and mechanisms — from design panels and concept tenders to design competitions — that help bring quality urban environments to life across the city.

Last updated 1 July 2026

Embedded in planning and development

Urban design work is integrated into every stage of Singapore's planning and development processes. In the early stages, urban designers explore different ideas, layouts and scenarios for future developments, translating them into strategic plans and policies.

As developments move closer to implementation, more detailed guidelines and street block plans are drawn up to guide the finer details, ensuring that urban design visions are realised across key districts, neighbourhoods and key corridors.

Urban design through the URA's functions

URA uses three main levers to realise urban design outcomes around Singapore.

Shaping well-designed buildings

The State Courts Towers

The State Courts Towers

The Design Advisory Panel (DAP) provides independent expert advice on the architectural and urban design aspects of significant development proposals. Comprising professionals from both the public and private sectors, the panel helps guide projects towards better design outcomes and ensures they contribute positively to the city. Notable projects that have benefited from DAP's input include ION Orchard, Marina Barrage and the State Courts Towers.

One Holland Village

One Holland Village

The Concept and Price Tenders (CPT) is a two-envelope process in which design concepts are evaluated and shortlisted before prices are reviewed in a second stage. By placing greater emphasis on design as a key criterion in Government Land Sale tenders, this approach for strategic sites has delivered projects that are well-designed and responsive to their surroundings. Examples include the award-winning Fullerton Heritage, Capitol Theatre and One Holland Village.

The Quality Fee Method (QFM) is a transparent tender process that evaluates both fees and quality attributes, including design. It is adopted for most Government design consultancy tenders for public sector projects. To place greater emphasis on design excellence, the evaluation criteria can be adjusted to accord more weightage to design quality and other qualitative considerations. One example is NS Square, which used the QFM with a higher weightage for design quality, and will become an integral part of Marina Bay’s necklace of attractions in future.

The Pinnacle@Duxton

The Pinnacle@Duxton

Design competitions attract innovative ideas and design talent from Singapore and around the world in shaping significant projects. Notable competition-winning projects include Henderson Waves, Pinnacle@Duxton, National Gallery and the Founders’ Memorial.

To encourage wider participation by local design firms, simpler single-stage design competitions and shorter project timeframes have also been introduced. Examples include the Geylang Serai Cultural Belt public realm improvement project, which enhanced the area with new landmarks, improved walkways and better connectivity, and the PLAY@Punggol installations, where three winning designs have been implemented along Punggol Waterway to activate and enliven public spaces.