Celebrating 14 years of transforming Singapore’s rail corridor into an extraordinary community space

- Winning design for Queensway community node unveiled, to be implemented in 2027
- New Stagmont Ring community node to further enhance Rail Corridor experience
- Public invited to share feedback on plans for Stagmont Ring, Queensway, and Tanjong Pagar Railway Station community nodes

1   Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for National Development and Finance, Ms Indranee Rajah, officially opened the ‘From Rail to Trail’ exhibition today. The event celebrates the 14-year partnership journey with fellow Singaporeans to transform the Rail Corridor into an extraordinary community space that unites heritage, nature, recreation and people from all walks of life.

2   The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) also unveiled the winning design from the Queensway node design competition, which was launched in September 2024. When completed in 2027, the public can enjoy this inclusive and versatile space for various recreational and community activities, enriched by distinctive elements to celebrate Queenstown’s rich history and identity. Additionally, URA announced plans for a new community node at Stagmont Ring, and invited the public to share their feedback on plans for the community nodes at Queensway, Stagmont Ring and the historic Tanjong Pagar Railway Station (TPRS), as part of the Draft Master Plan 2025 (DMP2025) public engagements’ focus to Steward our Nature and Heritage. See Annex A [PDF, 51 KB] ↗ (opens in new tab) for details of the DMP2025.

The Rail Corridor: Bringing plans to life
3   Since the return of the former railway land in 2011, URA and partner agencies have worked closely with the public and stakeholders through extensive engagements to gather views to shape a collective vision for the Rail Corridor and develop its master plan. This is so as to create a continuous 24-kilometre-long green spine that connects neighbourhoods and people from the south to the north of Singapore, while supporting future development needs as well. Plans for the Rail Corridor have been progressively implemented in recent years, balancing heritage, nature and recreation with developments that meet other land use needs:

i.  Heritage and Culture – To conserve, restore and repurpose key railway buildings and elements while maintaining seamless connectivity.

ii. Biodiversity and Greenery – To preserve the Rail Corridor as a continuous green spine and distinctive landscape for communities to enjoy.

iii. Recreation – To build a community space and recreational corridor that connects visitors to a wider recreational network.

iv. Balanced Development – To optimise the development of adjacent land parcels to meet Singaporeans’ needs for homes, jobs and amenities.

4   To date, four community nodes¹, more than 50 access points, as well as improved continuous connectivity spanning over 21km from Kranji MRT station to Spooner Road have been completed, offering visitors of all ages a diverse range of experiences along the Rail Corridor. More exciting plans are underway with new community nodes to be introduced at Queensway, Stagmont Ring and TPRS.

Realising a collective vision for the Queensway node
5   Located beneath the Queensway flyover and in the heart of Queenstown, the iconic Queensway community node is envisioned to bring Rail Corridor users and the local community together to forge new memories and experiences, whilst celebrating the neighbourhood’s heritage. After gathering the local community’s aspirations for the space, URA partnered the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) to launch a single-stage design competition in September 2024, inviting industry professionals to submit proposals to transform the space into a multi-functional community node, taking into consideration the community’s feedback.

6   The competition received a total of 20 submissions from multi-disciplinary teams, which were evaluated by a jury panel comprising representatives from URA, SIA, the National Parks Board (NParks) and the private sector. The submissions proposed a variety of design approaches in response to the varied topography within the present space, innovative strategies to improve accessibility and safety, as well as new gathering spaces, resting points and play amenities for both the community and visitors.

Winning design: “Kaleidoscope Boh Beh Kang” – blending heritage with community
7   “Kaleidoscope Boh Beh Kang²” has emerged as the winner of the Queensway node design competition. The proposal effectively addressed the wide range of considerations and physical complexities of the site, and offered unique responses to how the Queensway node can be utilised by the community. It is also well-integrated with the Rail Corridor, and embodies the distinct characteristics of the Queenstown neighbourhood. The proposal presented the node as a kaleidoscopic tunnel that immerses visitors in a nostalgic historical journey of the transformation of the former Boh Beh Kang village to Queenstown today, by lining the Rail Corridor trail with heritage exhibits, projections, artifacts and photographs. It also reimagined the space under the viaduct as a flexible, multi-functional plaza for community gatherings as well as a variety of activities and events. A new outdoor plantation reminiscent of a kampong garden is also proposed as a space for the community to bond and forge new memories, all within close proximity to upcoming residential developments. 

8   The winning team will be tasked with developing the detailed plans and designs for the Queensway node, in consultation with relevant agencies and community stakeholders. The plans will be implemented by 2027, in tandem with the completion of surrounding residential developments. More details of the winning proposal can be found in Annex B [PDF, 118 KB] ↗ (opens in new tab). The proposals of the first and second place submissions can be viewed at go.gov.sg/RC-Queensway.

9   Mr Tan See Nin, Senior Director (Projects), URA and co-chair of the jury panel, said, “The development of the Queensway node further builds on our efforts to transform the Rail Corridor into an inclusive and extraordinary community space for all. Being “hidden” beneath the Queensway viaduct, the Queensway node provides a rare and interesting opportunity to create a unique set of experiences for Rail Corridor users and residents who live nearby. We look forward to working with the winning team and relevant stakeholders to co-design this node into an endearing community space for all who love and enjoy the Rail Corridor today.”
 
10  Ar. Melvin Tan, President of SIA and co-chair of the jury panel, added, “I am pleased that many young architects have stepped forward, proposing a range of interesting ideas to transform the space into an inviting community node. The winning submission – Kaleidoscope Boh Beh Kang, captured the objectives of the brief well by proposing to turn the node into a space that offers the community a kaleidoscope of experiences – from a rustic plantation to a cosy community gallery and multi-functional spaces for gatherings, activities and events. I look forward to seeing further development of the winning ideas into design details in partnership with the local community, and to its eventual transformation into reality.”

New Stagmont Ring community node
11  The future Stagmont Ring node is located along Rail Corridor (North) and in close proximity to the Yew Tee residential estate, Pang Sua canal and an upcoming MRT station along the Downtown Line Extension. With a new road viaduct to be built across the Rail Corridor as part of the extension of Choa Chu Kang North 7, the node will also encompass a sheltered space under the future viaduct.

12  Together, these spaces form part of the new community node along the Rail Corridor that will provide both sheltered areas as well as open areas closer to homes for recreational and community activities, and capture the community’s aspirations and unique characteristics of the area. The development of the Stagmont Ring node will dovetail with the completion of the new MRT station around 2035.

Making Singapore a liveable, inclusive and endearing home for all
13  The journey of the Rail Corridor project reflects the DMP2025’s vision of making Singapore a more liveable, inclusive and endearing home for all. Another project that supports this vision is the plan to transform TPRS into a key southern gateway into the Rail Corridor, and a vibrant node for the community. Currently undergoing restoration works, this national monument will be sensitively integrated with the new Cantonment MRT station on the Circle Line.

14  Winning submissions from the ‘From Dreams to Rail-ity’ ideas competition, which were announced in September 2024, are also being showcased at the exhibition. URA will study how best to incorporate these ideas into the detailed plans for TPRS. The works to sensitively re-purpose the station will be carried out after 2028, when the Cantonment MRT station and building restoration works are completed.

15  The public is invited to submit their ideas and feedback for the Queensway, Stagmont Ring and TPRS nodes through URA’s website at go.gov.sg/RailToTrail. The ‘From Rail to Trail’ exhibition will take place from 17 January to 28 February 2025, Mondays to Saturdays, from 8.30am to 5.30pm at The URA Centre, 45 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069118. Admission is free. 069118. Admission is free. 

¹ The four completed community nodes are at Kranji, PIE viaduct, the conserved Bukit Timah Railway Station, and Buona Vista.

² Boh Beh Kang village is a former village within Queenstown with a river running through it. It was named Boh Beh Kang or no-tail-river, as people were unable to determine the source of the river.