Enabling smoother pick-ups for delivery riders

i12 Katong’s dedicated delivery lane and waiting area for delivery riders makes us think about how our shopping malls can be designed to support changing logistics trends and build a more resilient city. 

Reopened in 2022 and located in the Katong-Joo Chiat area, the redesigned i12 Katong is the first establishment in Singapore to provide a dedicated lane for delivery riders, along with other delivery-friendly features. Aloysius Lim, Associate at RSP Architects Planners & Engineers, Richard Sprosen, Associate Director of Transport at Ramboll, and Sneha Ajayan, Senior Transport Consultant at Ramboll, share more about the significance of this pilot effort and its implication for future malls in adapting to logistics and mobility changes. 

The i12 Katong is located in the charming Katong-Joo Chiat neighbourhood. Image: RSP Architects Planners & Engineers. 

Why did the redevelopment of i12 Katong take into consideration the needs of delivery personnel?

Aloysius: The decision to redesign i12 Katong with deliveries in mind was driven by the evolving needs of both consumers and tenants. With the significant shift in shopping behaviours, particularly a growing demand for online and same-day deliveries, malls are no longer just shopping destinations but are also logistic hubs supporting e-commerce, especially food deliveries. To remain relevant while ensuring operational efficiency, it has become more important for the mall to be delivery friendly. The Covid-19 pandemic, which accelerated the demand for e-commerce, has made it even clearer that we need to develop a more adaptable mall to support emerging new needs. 

The i12 Katong has been designed with various delivery-friendly features including a clear entrance and pathway for delivery drivers. Image: RSP Architects Planners & Engineers. 

Why did Ramboll feel there was a need to do a traffic study as part of the mall’s redevelopment plans?

Sneha: The intent of the study was to ensure that the redesign of the mall was tailored to accommodate and optimise traffic flow and pedestrian circulation for all users and to ensure that spaces were designed to be flexible enough to adapt to future changes. 

In the study, we sought to identify the types of riders, drivers and pedestrians and their circulation patterns in accessing the mall. We delved into assessing the existing traffic flow and identifying any issues that the redesign of the mall should address in terms of pick-up, drop-off and car parking. 

Richard: Beyond the traffic assessment, we also explored possible options for the collection of food deliveries. We studied food order and pick-up models such as the McDonald’s drive-through approach. We also carried out on-site surveys to understand the typical travel patterns of delivery riders and assess the potential traffic demand generated by food delivery services. 

What were the key improvements made for delivery riders?

Sneha: During our assessment, we concluded that the allocation of two lanes to enter the mall’s car park was an overprovision in relation to the actual traffic flow. Hence, we saw the opportunity to convert one of the lanes into a dedicated delivery rider lane. The delivery lane was designed with a distinct colour to differentiate it from the car park lane, ensuring that drivers and riders could easily identify their respective lanes. The lane also incorporated 15 lots reserved for delivery riders only. To ensure the safety of the riders while they cross the lanes, a zebra crossing and safety markings were also introduced.  

As part of this initiative, an air-conditioned central collection area at the ground floor was also designed. The collection area is directly accessible from the delivery riders' parking area. Once parked, the delivery riders can head over to the collection area to collect their food delivery. In the case where the delivery is not ready, riders will be able to wait comfortably within the area. With this collection area, the riders will be able to carry out their deliveries more efficiently without needing to run up to multiple food collection points within the mall. 

Aloysius: In this room, there are seats for delivery riders to wait comfortably for the pick-ups to be ready. The system and processes in place developed by Keppel allows F&B operators to place the ready food orders in the lockers in this room through a back-end mechanised system. Once the food order is ready, the riders can easily collect the food from the assigned locker. For the riders, this makes their pick-ups stress-free. They can track the readiness of the food orders via their app. The queue numbers are reflected on the screen. 

Riders who access the mall have shared that they found the experience more efficient. They spend less time at the mall and have more time for additional deliveries. 

A comfortable waiting room has been designed at i12 Katong for delivery drivers to pick up their orders. Image: RSP Architects Planners & Engineers. 

What consequences are there if nothing is done about an increasing volume of deliveries to and from malls?

Richard: An immediate concern is traffic management. Inadequate infrastructure to accommodate the growing number of delivery vehicles could lead to a spike in unauthorised parking, triggering bottlenecks and potential safety hazards.

Additionally, delivery delays may become commonplace, prompting drivers to resort to imprudent measures to meet deadlines, thereby increasing the risk of vehicular accidents and compromising pedestrian safety.

Another significant repercussion involves environmental health. A proliferation of vehicles directly correlates with elevated emissions, deteriorating air quality, and exacerbating climate change issues, running counter to larger objectives for more sustainable urban development.

What lessons are there to learn when it comes to designing future shopping malls?

Aloysius: This effort reminds us that we need to consider how the design caters for different users, from drivers to pedestrians including delivery riders. It is also about how to enhance the human experience of the mall beyond just ensuring its functionality. 

Richard: The pilot effort serves as a great precursor in anticipating and preparing for what might happen in future. It gets us to think about how we should design our physical spaces to adapt quickly to new changes. The logistics environment is changing rapidly. I believe the i12 Katong’s design can adapt and accommodate robots or autonomous deliveries too. 

Top challenges faced by delivery personnel as shared in the workgroup formed to explore ideas and solutions to address delivery challenges. 

Beyond this, we need to think about other spaces within the malls and how we can repurpose them. For example, we may need even smaller car parks in future, so how can we adapt part of the car park spaces for other uses? 

The lifespan of many of our buildings may be about 50 years. With mobility and logistics patterns for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists evolving, the challenge then is how our shopping malls and other key developments can continue to adapt to changes over time. 

Over 60 stakeholders including delivery personnel and development representatives, participated in a focus group discussion in June 2024 to brainstorm solutions and share ideas to address delivery challenges. Image: Ministry of Transport. 

Workgroup to tackle e-commerce challenges
With the rise of e-commerce deliveries, URA and LTA formed a Tripartite Workgroup on Last-mile Deliveries in November 2023, with members from industry associations, development and government agencies. The workgroup was formed to explore ideas to address delivery challenges. Workgroup members, the Digital Platform Industry Association (DPIA), and NTUC-affiliated National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA) surveyed over 2,000 delivery personnel on delivery challenges and possible solutions for condominiums, malls and office developments.

Enabling safer and more efficient deliveries
With the growth of e-commerce, proactive efforts are ongoing to develop key strategies and pilot new ideas to ensure safer and more efficient deliveries across Singapore. URA launched the ‘Delivering into the Future: Enabling Safe and Efficient Deliveries’ exhibition in Nov 2024 to showcase efforts and cross pollinate ideas on improving last-mile deliveries. 

At the strategic planning level, land use zoning is used to guide the location of logistics and transport facilities to minimise delivery vehicle trips and distances. Kerbside parking lots at historic areas are piloted as loading bays to facilitate smoother deliveries. Like i12 Katong, shopping malls and key developments are encouraged to help improve deliveries by providing delivery waiting bays for delivery vehicles, having a parking grace period and providing designated collection points for deliveries. Other ideas include the courier hub scheme where delivery companies can apply to use dedicated parking spaces to unload and dispatch parcels to walkers to complete deliveries to nearby homes at over 50 HDB multi-storey car parks. Over 1,000 parcel lockers have also been set up in key neighbourhoods for residents to pick-up their deliveries easily, reducing the number of trips delivery companies need to make to an area.

For more information, go to: Delivering into the Future: Enabling Safe and Efficient Deliveries

Thumbnail image: i12 Katong; credit: RSP Architects Planners & Engineers.