How Punggol Digital District embraces new ways of working and learning

The first smart and sustainable district in Singapore that can potentially generate 28,000 high-tech jobs and accommodate 12,000 Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) students, Punggol Digital District is designed to embrace new ways of learning and working and to make an impact on the immediate neighbourhood and community.  

We speak to JTC and SIT experts involved in the design and programming for the district which will be progressively completed from 2024 to 2025: Lin Yanyun, Deputy Director, Urban Planning & Architecture Division, JTC, Gerry Wee, Associate Vice President (Estates), SIT and Seah Keok Choon, Director, Community Engagement, SIT.

What sets Punggol Digital District apart from other business parks?

Yanyun: It is the first enterprise district in Singapore, where JTC as the master developer, has curated flexible land uses with space swaps between industry and academia spaces across different plots, thus seamlessly integrating business park, the SIT campus, and community amenities. There are no distinct physical boundaries between SIT and business park spaces. Lecturers, students and workers can easily access and use available spaces in the business park or SIT campus for collaborations and exchange of new ideas. 

The SIT campus (left) and the business park (right) spaces in Punggol Digital District are seamlessly integrated, with diverse community amenities and spaces. Image: JTC.

A key differentiating factor is this extent of integration with the community. A range of public amenities and green spaces were woven into the district, including communal sky terraces and collaborative spaces in the business park towers that are accessible to the public. Shops, eateries, healthcare facilities, childcare centres, playgrounds and parks serve not only the students and workers but the wider Punggol neighbourhood. All these co-located mixed uses contribute to the vibrancy of the area. 

Connectivity is also more extensive — people can walk and cycle seamlessly throughout the district via a dedicated network of walkable streets and cycling paths, including a pedestrianised street called Campus Boulevard situated at the heart of the Punggol Digital District. This is made possible through the underground placement of service spaces such as the electrical substation, district cooling and logistics systems, thus freeing up the ground floor for more community spaces. 

Anchored by the upcoming Punggol Coast MRT station and bus interchange, Punggol Digital District is well supported by public transport options. It is closely connected to nearby housing estates, green and blue spaces like the waterfront and Coney Island, through pedestrian paths and bridges. Even at upper floors, the elevated 2km long Collaboration Loop links the industry and academia towers.

A bridge connecting the SIT campus to Punggol Digital District, which is part of the Collaboration Loop. Image: JTC.

How is the SIT campus designed to cater for new ways of learning?

Gerry: A key focus of SIT’s pedagogy is on collaborative learning where we encourage students to work together on joint projects, fostering the spirit of teamwork. Thus, the entire SIT campus is intentionally designed for interaction and collaboration. We have created a range of maker spaces, project hubs and design innovation labs, all of which support hands-on experimentation and prototyping through self-directed active learning and cross-disciplinary activities. 

The SIT campus at Punggol Digital District, which is progressively opened. Image: SIT and Keng Photography/Tan Eng Keng.

In addition, our teaching facilities such as “lectorials” (a cross between lecture theatres and tutorial rooms) are designed to support more active learning and blended learning – enabling collaborative discussions and online learning to provide flexibility and enhanced engagements. Within the lectorials, the moveable chairs allow students to get into group discussions right away during or after the lectures.  

A centrepiece of the campus is the 2km Collaboration Loop, a mid-level network of corridors and bridges spanning the entire campus and connecting to the business park. The loop offers beautiful views of nature and naturally ventilated social nodes, such as study pods and indoor amphitheatres, for students to hang out.

How are more hybrid working modes influencing the business park design in this district and future ones?

Yanyun: For many businesses and industries, the office is no longer just a place where staff report for work. When developing Punggol Digital District, we kept this in mind while creating a place for the community where people want to come, and not just a workplace where people have to come. 

A perspective showing the green interconnected spaces designed within Punggol Digital District. Image: JTC.

Hence, we planned attractive and conducive environments for social interactions and for ideas to flourish. Going to the office becomes more about meeting and interacting with people, and exchanging new insights. It is also about immersing oneself in the larger environment and ecosystem with access to other businesses, knowledge, communities and amenities. This is part of evolving work lifestyles. 

Therefore, when designing Punggol Digital District and other next-generation estates, we looked at how to set up, facilitate and create this larger ecosystem. It is not just about having a well-established physical environment and infrastructure — it is also about adding in the social and digital layers that can support the different hybrid working modes. 

The district is planned to be smart and sustainable. Tell us more about this and how the focus on sustainability can impact our younger generation? 

Yanyun: The district is designed and supported by a range of innovative district-level infrastructure and technologies to optimise the use of land, energy and resources to enhance liveability and reduce carbon footprint. 

The district is supported by an integrated digital backbone called the Open Digital Platform (ODP) that connects multiple smart systems at both the district and building level. It allows for real-time monitoring and management of facilities and systems, from smart cooling and lighting, to robot deliveries, all managed through a single platform. This platform also has a digital twin which allows one to visualise and manage all key systems remotely. 

Key innovative systems and elements that supports Punggol Digital District as a smart and sustainable precinct. Image: JTC. 

Artificial intelligence and machine learning will also be tapped to further enhance operations and management with predictive data systems. This means that energy consumptions and resource usage can be better tracked, customised and further fine-tuned as the district evolves over time, driving better energy efficiency and sustainability. 

Gerry: The sustainable design of SIT’s Punggol Campus presents a unique learning environment for SIT students as well as those yet to join us. As Southeast Asia’s only university campus equipped with a Multi-Energy Microgrid (MEMG), developed in collaboration with SP Group, the campus features a 10,000-square-metre photovoltaic array that harnesses solar energy and integrates with the national grid. This innovative system serves not only as a renewable energy source but also as a vital learning tool, allowing SIT faculty and students to test and develop distributed energy solutions that contribute to Singapore’s energy transition. Additionally, the partnership with SP Group provides students with Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP) placements, offering them invaluable firsthand experience in the energy sector and supporting national efforts to build resilient, green infrastructure.

Solar panels at the SIT campus as part of its Multi-Energy Microgrid. Image: SIT and Keng Photography/Tan Eng Keng.

Our District Cooling System (DCS), established in partnership with ENGIE, represents another crucial element of our applied learning approach. The DCS efficiently distributes chilled water from a central location, cooling every building on campus while serving as a real-world testbed for the development and deployment of advanced district cooling technologies. The ENGIE collaboration further enhances learning for SIT students through IWSP placements, enabling them to work directly on commercial district cooling projects throughout Southeast Asia, thereby gaining invaluable industry experience.

Supporting these systems is a comprehensive Integrated Building Management System (IBMS) powered by over 20,000 sensors. These sensors collect real-time data on ambient temperature, light, and human presence, providing invaluable opportunities for our students and partners to design solutions that optimise energy use, enhance campus experiences, and improve workspace efficiency.

The SIT campus entrance. Image: SIT and Keng Photography/Tan Eng Keng.

These innovative elements will take learning and research out of the classrooms and labs into the real world. They can also be used to teach our young about the importance of sustainability and encourage our students to reflect on what it means to create more sustainable environments. Beyond leveraging these systems for our students’ learning, we also create learning tours for secondary and primary school students to learn more about the sustainability of the campus and the larger district. 

The SIT campus is well integrated with the business park and the larger Punggol neighbourhood. What is the role and impact of the campus for the area?

Keok Choon: With the proximity of the university with the business park, it means students can easily explore internships and working opportunities with companies located in the business park. They are learning and addressing real-world challenges and problems at the same time. In addition, the faculty can explore research collaborations with the companies. 

With SIT plugged into the Punggol neighbourhood, we have been in discussion with grassroots leaders in the area to identify real community challenges that our faculty and students can help resolve using their skills and expertise. This makes our Punggol Campus a real living lab for our students to work on real world challenges thus making their learning experience more authentic. 

We are working to raise thought leadership by organising public talks and seminars on topics of interest to the community in Punggol. These topics may include areas like AI, cybersecurity, sustainability and other interesting areas. This will also help foster a culture of lifelong learning amongst the residents in Punggol and make the SIT campus a part of the residents’ lifelong learning journey where they can attend courses and talks right in their own neighbourhood. 

The food court in the SIT campus. Image: SIT and Keng Photography/Tan Eng Keng.

As the SIT campus is opening in phases, I am already beginning to see many residents visiting our campus to enjoy the beauty of this unique campus and dining at our food court. The campus also features many communal spaces that the public can enjoy. As much as it is a place for students and staff, it is also a great place for residents to come and enjoy the campus atmosphere and vibrancy. 

We understand that SIT students are also giving back to the community. 

Keok Choon: We have started an outreach initiative to identify SIT students who have graduated from secondary schools in Punggol. We will be inviting them back to their alma mater to share more about their journey as an undergraduate in SIT to inspire their juniors to pursue a university education. These SIT students will also help to promote interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects to their juniors. 

We will also be mobilising SIT students to help organise workshops and talks to bring to life the STEM subjects being taught in the secondary classrooms. We hope that this effort will inspire a whole new generation of young people to pursue a STEM education and become future innovators. Getting SIT students involved in this manner is a great way for them to give back to the community right here in Punggol. 

About Punggol Digital District 
Master planned and developed by JTC, Punggol Digital District (PDD) is a smart and sustainable business district that showcases Singapore’s Smart Nation ambitions. The 50-hectare district houses digital leaders in key growing tech sectors such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and robotics. It is powered by the Open Digital Platform, an operating system that collects building, district, and environmental data to optimise operations. Integrated with the Singapore Institute of Technology, PDD also fosters applied learning opportunities. As Singapore's largest Green Mark Platinum mixed-use district, PDD features 17 Green Mark Platinum buildings. This car-lite district also provides community spaces for lifestyle and recreational activities.