10 principles lessons from singapore

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Singapore

Level 16, Nexxus Building

41 Connaught Road, Central

Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2169 3128

Fax: +852 2169 3730www.uli.org

45 Maxwell Road

#07-01

The URA Centre

Tel: +65 6645 9576

Fax: +65 6221 0232

Singapore 069118

http://www.clc.gov.sg/


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Singapore

Lessons from Singapore

10 Principles for Liveable High -Density Cities


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[Kayaking @ Punggol Waterway]

Cover Photos

[Kite Flying @ Marina Barrage Green Roof]

[Morning Walk @Southern Ridges]

[Strolling @ Orchard Road]

[Exploring @ Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park]

(Top to bottom) Cover photos courtesy of HDB, Nina Ballesteros, Rodeo

Cabillan, PUB andCH2M HILL.

[Social Event @ Marina Barrage Plaza]

2013 Centre for Liveable Citiesand Urban Land Institute

ISBN: 978-981-07-5179-1

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No part of this work covered by thecopyright herein may be reproduced,

transmitted, stored or used in anyform or by any means graphic,electronic, or mechanical, including butnot limited to photocopying, recording,scanning, digitalizing, taping, Webdistribution, information networks,or information storage and retrievalsystems, without the prior writtenpermission of the copyright owners.

Motor Oil 1937 M54 and Roboto fontdesigns are owned by Mohammed

Rahman and Google Android Designrespectively.


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1

10 Principles for Liveable High -Density CitiesLessons from Singapore


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A major focus for the Urban Land Institute is rethinking urban developmentfor the 21st century. Were looking closely at the economic, social, and

environmental issues that are changing the business of city building,

contemplating the ramications for both the land use industry and our

cities.

Among the many factors influencing the built environment are restructured

capital markets; changing energy costs; population and demographic

shifts; changing housing needs; and advances in technology. These are

issues that are both local and global in impact, and they will be with us

through both recessions and boom times. What, where, and how we build

to accommodate these changes will distinguish the successful cities from

those that struggle.

However, perhaps the single most important agent of change is rapid

urbanization, a global-scale trend resulting in the majority of the worlds

population now living in urban areas. Urbanization this expansive and

pervasive is a reflection of new economic drivers, and it is presenting

challenges for the industry in building cities that are prosperous, liveable,

and resilient.

Through 10 Principles for Liveable, High-Density Cities: Lessons fromSingapore, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the Center for Liveable

Cities (CLC) are showing how Singapore has turned the challenges of

rapid urbanization into opportunities, creating an appealing living and

working environment. The projects cited in the report represent the type

of progressive, transformative development for the 21st century that

results from visionary thinking. Each principle is applicable to cities around

the world, whether they are established markets being redeveloped, or

emerging ones being developed.

The report represents an exciting, productive, and collaborative effort

between ULI and the CLC. We very proud to be partners with anorganization that shares ULIs deep commitment to creating vibrant,

liveable communities that are cherished for generations.

For more than 75 years, ULI has continuously expanded its network for

sharing knowledge and information for the benet of our industry and

our cities. Our work with the CLC is allowing us to learn from private- and

public-sector professionals who are working to make our cities better. I

have high hopes for what we will accomplish together.

Patrick L. Phillips

Chief Executive Ofcer

Urban Land Institute

ForewordChief Executive OfficerUrban Land Institute

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The city is and will be home for more and more people. The inexorabletrend of urban population growth in modern times is not likely to stop.

Even for countries with no shortage of land, the growth of their urban

populations have confronted their cities with constant challenges to

the quality of their living environment. Overcrowding in poorly designed

high-density dwellings, trafc congestion and grid-locks during peak

hours, pollution and poor public hygiene, social violence and inner-city

crime are some of the typical aspects of city life when Governments and

their planners fail to effectively address the challenges of developing the

modern city.

For Singapore, these challenges have been compounded by the limitations

of its size as a small island. For us, planning and creating a liveable high-

density city in a land area of just over 700 square kilometres is not a nice-

to-have but a matter of survival because we are a sovereign city-state.

Maintaining a good quality, liveable high-density urban landscape in which

all Singaporeans can nd and make a home is crucial to the survival of the

Singapore nation.

Indeed Singapores former Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew observed

in an interview with the Centre for Liveable Cities that a good city is one

that is clean, creates a sense of safety and space, provides mobility andconnectivity, and above all, a sense of equity, that everybody owns a part

of the city.

Singaporeans are justly proud of what has been achieved. But we also

know how much of that journey has benetted from the invaluable

experiences and lessonsboth good and badthat others have taught

us. And today we continue to learn so much from hosting the World Cities

Summit when urban leaders, planners and practitioners gather to freely

exchange their insights, experiences and best practices.

It is in this spirit that this book is written. This is not a how-to book bySingapore on how to create a liveable city; it is a how Singapore has so far

done it book. It is our hope that urban practitioners elsewhere will nd our

ideas and experience on city-making over the past few decades useful and

that they may in turn evolve and improve upon them in the contexts of their

own cities, so that their people may also nd good homes to live and to

prosper.

Khaw Boon Wan

Minister for National Development

Singapore

ForewordMinister for National DevelopmentSingapore

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Plan for Long-Term Growth and Renewal

Embrace Diversity, Foster Inclusiveness

Draw Nature Closer to People

Develop Affordable Mixed-Use Neighbourhoods

Make Public Spaces Work Harder

Principle One:

Principle Two:

Principle Three:

Principle Four:

Principle Five:

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18

24

30

34

Contents

Bishan - Ang Mo Kio Park. Photo courtesy of CH2M HILL.

Introduction

10 Principles for Liveable High-Density Cities: Lessons from Singapore

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40

46

52

56

62

68

69

Prioritise Green Transport and Building Options

Relieve Density with Variety and Add Green Boundaries

Activate Spaces for Greater Safety

Promote Innovative and Nonconventional Solutions

Forge 3P Partnerships

Principle Six:

Principle Seven:

Principle Eight:

Principle Nine:

Principle Ten:

Challenges and Conclusion

Appendix


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Singapore

Level 16, Nexxus Building

41 Connaught Road, Central

Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2169 3128

Fax: +852 2169 3730

www.uli.org

The Urban Land Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprot research and educationorganization supported by itsmembers. Founded in 1936, theInstitute now has nearly 30,000members worldwide representingthe entire spectrum of land use andreal estate development disciplines,working in private enterprise andpublic service. As the preeminent,multidisciplinary real estate forum, ULIfacilitates the open exchange of ideas,

information, and experience amonglocal, national, and internationalindustry leaders and policy makersdedicated to creating better places.

The mission of the Urban LandInstitute is to provide leadership in theresponsible use of land and in creatingand sustaining thriving communitiesworldwide. ULI is committed tobringing together leaders from acrossthe elds of real estate and land usepolicy to exchange best practices and

serve community needs by:

Fostering collaboration within andbeyond ULIs membership throughmentoring, dialogue, andproblem-solving.

Exploring issues of urbanization,conservation, regeneration, land use,capital formation, and sustainabledevelopment.

Advancing land use policies anddesign practices that respect theuniqueness of both built and naturalenvironments.

Sharing knowledge througheducation, applied research,publishing, and electronic media.

Sustaining a diverse global networkof local practice and advisory effortsthat address current and futurechallenges.

About the ULI Foundation

The ULI Foundation is thephilanthropic partner of the UrbanLand Institute, providing an assuredsource of funding for ULIs coreresearch, education, and public serviceactivities. Through its various givingprograms, the Foundation helps

strengthen ULIs ability to provideleadership in the responsible use ofland to enhance the total environment.Under the 75th Anniversary UrbanInnovation fund, the ULI SingaporeDistrict Council and CLC wereawarded an Urban Innovations Grantto undertake a joint research initiativefocused on issues of High-density &High Liveability and lessons learned inthe Singapore context.

About ULI Asia Pacic

Across Asia Pacic and Japan, theInstitute has nearly 1,000 members,with a particularly strong presencein Japan, Greater China, SoutheastAsia, and Australia. The regional ofceis headquartered in Hong Kong, withsatellite ofces in Tokyo andSingapore. ULI AP brings togetherindustry leaders with a commoncommitment to improvingprofessional standards, seeking the

best use of land, and followingexcellent practices. By engagingexperts from various disciplines, theInstitute can arrive at responsibleanswers to problems that would bedifcult to achieve independently.ULI AP shares its knowledge throughvarious discussion forums, research,publications, and electronic media.ULIs activities in the region are aimedat providing information that ispractical, down-to-earth, and useful

so that on-the-ground changes canbe made. By building and sustaining adiverse network of local experts in theregion, the Institute is able to addressthe current and future challengesfacing Asias cities.

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About ULI


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45 Maxwell Road #07-01

The URA Centre

Tel: +65 6645 9576

Fax: +65 6221 0232

Singapore 069118

http://www.clc.gov.sg/

Vision: A leading knowledge centrefor liveable and sustainable cities

The Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC)was set up in 2008 based on astrategic blueprint developed bySingapores Inter-MinisterialCommittee on SustainableDevelopment. The Centres mission isto distil, create and share knowledgeon liveable and sustainable cities. CLCdistils key learning points from

Singapores experiences over the lasthalf-century, while creatingknowledge to address emergingchallenges. It also shares knowledgewith, and learns from, other cities andexperts.

CLC receives guidance from itsAdvisory Board, comprising seniorgures from academia, industry andthe public sector. A high-level panel ofDistinguished Advisors - comprisingprominent former politicians and

senior civil servants - contributes tothe intellectual development of theCentre. CLC works closely with itsStakeholder Agencies - representingSingapores urban planning,governance and developmentexpertise - to integrate theirknowledge. CLC Experts are domainexperts with technical knowledge andexpertise that CLC will tap for futureconsultancy projects. The Centreoperates as part of the Ministry of

National Development, and comprisesa dynamic CLC Team of ofcers fromdiverse disciplines and backgrounds.Guided by the CLC Framework forLiveable and Sustainable Cities, theCentre works across three main areas- Research, Training, and Promotions.

Research is central to the Centreswork, and is conducted in closecollaboration with local andinternational partners. CLCs researchactivities include its Integrated UrbanSolutions Research, and ResearchWorkshops, as well as Urban SystemsStudies. The Centre develops print anddigital Publications for globalaudiences, to share its research as

well as the knowledge of its partners,through such titles as theSingapore Urban Systems Studiesbooklet series, the biannual UrbanSolutionsmagazine, as well as themonthly CLC e-Newsletter.Training is a key arm of the Centresactivities, as it aims to draw on its

research to become a leadingacademy for cities. CLCs flagshiptraining initiative is its Leaders inUrban Governance Programme forlocal public servants, as well as theTemasek Foundation Leaders in UrbanGovernance Programme, which isaimed at international city leaders.Promotion refers to the Centresefforts to collaborate with partners toshare knowledge, particularly through

Events. CLC is a co-organiser of theWorld Cities Summit - the globalplatform for government leaders andindustry experts to address liveableand sustainable city challenges, shareinnovative urban projects and forgepartnerships. CLC also co-organisesthe World Cities Summit MayorsForum, and the Lee Kuan Yew WorldCity Prize. The regular CLC LectureSeries is another platform for thoughtleaders and experts to exchange ideasand share knowledge. Supporting

these efforts, CLC forges strategicPartnerships with local andinternational experts andorganisations.

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About CLC


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Nearly 70 per cent of the worlds population is expected tolive in urban areas by 2050. According to UN-HABITAT, citiesare already home to half of humankind. More than 400 citiesworldwide now have a population exceeding 1 million. Thenumber of megacitiesthose with a population of more than10 millionis on the rise.i

Cities are becoming densera trend particularly evidentin Asia. Not only are people moving to cities from thecountryside and outlying areas seeking economic opportunity,

but they are also moving to other countries in order to live inthe global cities of the world. Many of the key cities in Asiahave population densities of 2,000 to 12,000 iipersons persquare kilometreamong them Tokyo, Shanghai, Mumbai,and Singapore.

A general sentiment exists that high density spells the end forliveability in a city. Density is often blamed for accentuatingproblems like overcrowding, crime, disease, pollution, poverty,and high living costs. The often-reported negative impacts

of high-density living, such as a congested cityscape, low-quality urban services, increasing competition among peoplefor use of facilities, and associated social conflicts, createa pessimistic view of life in a compact, highly built-up city.The results of some international surveysfor example, theGlobal Liveability Survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit(EIU), Mercers Quality of Living Survey, and Siemenss AsianGreen City Indexhave added to the perception that liveabilitytends to be higher for cities that have a larger geographicspace, low-rise developments, and a low-density population.

In the EIU survey, which uses metrics on health care, cultureand environment, education, and infrastructure, seven of thecities with the highest score for liveability are in Australia andCanada. Two of those cities are Melbourne and Vancouver,with population densities of 540iiiand 802ivpersons persquare kilometre, respectively. Elsewhere in the top ten areAuckland, with a density of 382vpersons per square kilometre,and Helsinki, with a density of 2,800.vi

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Introduction


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But a densely populated city doesnot have to submit to a grim fate. Ifit is well thought out and planned,the city can offer its residents a veryhigh quality of life. In fact, in the bestcase, the city can use its density toits advantage. Economists studyingcities routinely nd, after controllingfor other variables, that workers indenser places earn higher wages

and are more productive. Americaneconomists like Paul Romer andEdward Glaesar have proposed alink between density and a cityscapacity for innovation. In addition,dense cities which are well plannedare sustainable cities. Studies showthat a doubling of density results in a30 per cent reduction in energy useper capita.viiThe lower-density citiesof the United States (typically tenpersons per hectare or less) use aboutve times more energy per capita in

gasoline than the cities of Europe,which are in turn about ve timesdenser on average.viiiA compact citywith good public transport, walkability,and a reduced need to drive longdistances to reach destinations addsto environmental sustainability.

With cities likely to get denser in thecoming decadesix, it is important toconsider how best to mitigate thestresses caused by density and take

advantage of the opportunities itcreates.

It was with this in mind that the Centrefor Liveable Cities (CLC) Singaporeand the Urban Land Institute (ULI)

initiated a collaborative project tond examples of how liveability andsustainability correlate with a cityshighly dense environmentx.

This project is based on Singaporesurbanisation experience. Despitehaving a population density of over7,000 persons per square kilometre,Singapore has been consistently

highly ranked in many liveabilitysurveys, including Mercers 2010Quality of Living Survey and SiemenssAsian Green City Index. This projecthas focussed on understanding anddistilling principles that have resultedin Singapores unique combination ofa highly dense yet highly liveable urbanenvironment.

PROJECT CASE STUDIES ANDWORKSHOPS

The ten CLC/ULI Principles forLiveable High-Density Cities are basedon assessments of Singapores highlydense and liveable districts and onndings from two joint workshops.A brief on the case studies and theworkshop is presented in the followingsection; details are provided in annex1 and 2.

Case Studies

CLC and ULI identied four distinctdistricts in Singapore that wouldconstitute highly dense and highlyliveable spacesthe mixed-usedowntown district of Marina Bay,the commercial corridor of Orchard

Road, and two new high-quality andaffordable public housing hubs, ToaPayoh and Tampines. The CLC/ULIteam studied the origins, developmentcycle, and planning frameworkof these four districts to identifysuccess factors, issues, and solutionsimplemented.

Workshops

Two joint CLC/ULI workshops wereheld in Singapore in the rst half of2012, bringing together more than62 thought leaders, experts, andpractitioners from disciplines relatedto urban planning and developmentand representing both the private andpublic sectors. Participants discussedfactors that contribute to the liveabilityof a highly dense city.

Workshop I

At the rst workshop, held in March,the discussions focussed on the fourcase study districts. Three breakoutgroups brainstormed on the factorsthat contribute to the three liveabilityoutcomesa competitive economy,a sustainable environment, and a highquality of life. An important elementof Singapores success has beenits ability to keep focussed on these

outcomes even while developmentwas happening rapidly.

Each group was assigned oneliveability outcome as the focal pointfor its discussion on the followingquestions:

Which initiatives described in thefour cases have contributed to theparticular outcome?

How does high density contribute interms of benetting or challenging theparticular outcome?

How would the outcome be affectedif density were increased?

The workshop came up with an initialset of 24 principles for creating a high-density, highly liveable city.

Workshop II

The main purpose of the secondworkshop, held in May 2012, wasto corroborate, consolidate, andfurther develop the 24 principlesgleaned from the rst workshop. The

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discussion questions were meant tohelp participants deliberate on theproposed principles based on theirown experiences and expertise. Theparticipants were divided into eightgroups, and each group discussed twofocus areas:

Conditions and prerequisites that

enable high-density environmentsto also become highly liveable andsustainable; and

Renement of the set 24 principles.

The workshop participants also lookedat the challenges and conditions thatwould affect the applicability andrelevance of these principles. Theworkshop then condensed the 24principles into ten and proposed that

the ndings of the study be made intoa report.

Each of the CLC/ULI Ten Principles forLiveable High-Density Cities containedin this publication is accompanied byexamples illustrating how Singaporeembodied aspects of that principle,as well as a brief listing of some ofthe key related programmes andpolicies. For their wider applicability,each principle is also supported witha section that highlights the possible

strategy, action points, and likelyoutcomes and challenges related tothe principle.

CLC and ULI hope that in showinghow the application of these principleshas led to a higher quality of life inSingapore, this report will contributein some way towards people having amore optimistic view of life in high-density cities

. . . . .

Notes

i. Ng 2010.

ii. The population density range is arrived atby comparing the population densities of themetropolitan regions of Asian cities such asBeijing, Shanghai, Mumbai, Osaka, Tokyo, Dhaka,and others. Metropolitan-area data were usedconsistently for all cities. As dened in the U.N.report, World Urbanization Prospects, the 2009Revision, a metropolitan area is a contiguousarea encompassing the city proper andadditional surrounding areas that are under thedirect influence of the city proper (for instance,through transport links and a commuting labourmarket). With cities now growing beyond theirpolitical boundaries into larger metropolitan

areas, as noted in the EIU Hot Spots report,metropolitan area denitions were thought to bemore relevant.

iii. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011.

iv. Statistics Canada 2011.

v. New Zealand Transport Agency 2008.

vi. City of Helsinki website, 2012, http://www.hel.

/hki/Helsinki/en/Information+on+Helsinki.

vii. Holtzclaw 1997.

viii. Kenworthy and Laube 1999.

ix. According to U.N. projections, about 70 percent of the world population will be urban by2050. The McKinsey study Global Cities of theFuture, in 2012 estimated that by 2025, 136new citiesall from the developing worldwillrank among the top 600 in gross domesticproduct.

x. The notion of high density is a matter ofperceptionsubjective and dependent on

the society or individuals judgement againstspecic norms. Hence, societies or individualsof different backgrounds and in differentcontexts come up with different denitions ofhigh density. For the purposes of an objectivestudy, high density has been dened here as theupper quarter of the 221 cities surveyed in theMercers Quality of Life index.

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Establishment of a steeringcommittee.

Analysis of the impacts ofdensity within the UrbanSystems of a Liveable &Sustainable City, namelyEnvironment, Economyand Society. (Some factorsthat can be looked at includewages, competitiveness underEconomy; social network, timespent with family under Society;and water management,transport, energy efciency,

environmental planning[including greenery], wastemanagement, etc., underEnvironment).

Identication of 510 keyfactors under Urban Systemsthat are positively co-relatedwith increasing density.

Analyze the necessaryconditions and systems(Strong Urban Governance

and Integrated & Long-TermMaster Planning) that allow ahigh-density environment tobring about high liveability andsustainability.

Organize a ULI/ CLC workshopwith multiple stakeholders.

Hold a variety of workingmeetings with variousstakeholders.

Formulate preliminary principlesrelated to high density andurban livability.

Organize a 2nd workshopwith multiple stakeholders toreview the principles, groupinto categories, and shortlistrecommendations.

Organize a review panel anddevelop a summary report.

Launch the nal report.

StudyMethodology

10.

9.

8.

7.

6.

5.

4.

3.

2.

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2011 GDP Estimate=$314.911 billion

Per capita=$59,711**

Sources:* 1000 Singapores: A model of the compact city** International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 21 April 2012.*** Time Series on Population (Mid-Year Estimates). http://www.singstat.gov.sg

53.32 km

Total Area = 710 km2*

3

3.90km

92 km2

Total Building Footprint

(13% of Singapores Land Area)*

328.7 km2

Total Green Surface Area

(46.3% of Singapores

Land Area)*

161.4 km2

Total Built-up Space=

Building footprint x No. of Floors

(22.7% of Singapores Land) Area*

5.31 Million

Total Population***

20122000

4.02M3.04M

2.4M2.07M

199019801970

Density =7,315/km2*

World Location

Singapore by Numbers

Area

GDP

Total Built-up Space Percentage

Regional Location

Population

Total Building Footprint Percentage

Total Green Surface Area Percentage

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The different urban layers of redevelopment in the Tanjong Pagar district - conserved shophouses, public housing and businessofces. Photo courtesy of William Cho.

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Plan for

Long-TermGrowthandRenewal

01A highly dense city usually does not have muchchoice but to make efcient use of every squareinch of its scarce land. Yet city planners need to

do this in a way that does not make the city feelcramped and unliveable.

Singapore, with over 5 million people perched on710 square kilometres of land, has always workedto strike this balance. The city has gone to greatlengths to manage the demand and supply of landfor present and future needs. Singapores urbanplanners do not view a planning time horizon of50 years as too long; they look at development aswell as redevelopment. A combination of long-termplanning, responsive land policies, developmentcontrol, and good design has enabled the city tohave dense developments that do not feel overlycrowded, and in fact, are both functional andaesthetically pleasing.

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Planning for Long-TermGrowth

City planning in Singapore is shapedby the long-term Concept Plan, a

strategic land use and transportationplan that guides the overall land usestrategy over a 40- to 50-year period.The Master Plan then translatesthe strategies of the Concept Planinto more detailed plans to guidedevelopment over a ten- to 15-yeartime frame. Development controlsare put in place to ensure that the citydevelops according to the prescribedland use and intensity spelt out in theMaster Plan.

The Land Transport Authority alsosafeguards land for infrastructurethrough the road reserves/line plan.Portions of land are identied andset aside for future developmentor redevelopment. This meansinfrastructure can be built as needed,with minimal easement problems.

While these plans are for the mediumto long term, they are not rigid; theyare reviewed periodically to ensure

that they remain relevant as conditionschange. This eye on flexibility is animportant hallmark of long-termplanning in Singapore. For instance,the government safeguards land for

the future through its sale of leasetenures. However, in the case ofcommercial and industrial use, thetenure is intentionally short, often 30years or less (compared to 99 yearsor more for residential use), giving

the government the flexibility toperiodically review land use and planfor redevelopment.

Singapores land policies also aimto create value for the land. Thegovernment has designated somewhite sites where developerscan propose the land use for suchdevelopment parcels provided theyachieve a minimal mix of uses. MarinaBay is a good example of white-site

zoning that has given developersflexibility to match changing marketdemands, thereby encouraginginvestment in development that movesin tandem with the citys economicgrowth and sustaining the cityscompetitiveness. Land parcels ownedand developed by public agenciesare valued at market price in order topreserve the long-term value of thesites and encourage development andredevelopment.

Planning for Change andRenewal

Singapores land policies enablechange and renewal of existing

developments. Public housing is agood example. Old public housingapartment blocks are systematicallyupgraded through programmes suchas the Main Upgrading Programmeand the Home Upgrading Programme.Upgrades can include amenitiessuch as new lifts or improvementsto the precinct through the additionof neighbourhood centres. Anotherprogramme, the Selective En BlocRedevelopment Scheme, identies

older blocks of public housing withgood redevelopment potential. Soas not to compromise the existingcommunities built up over time,affected residents, when possible, aregenerally offered new homes nearbyor given priority in relocation back tothe new developments.

The Marina Bay Business Center is one of the projects under white-site land use zone. Photo courtesy of William Cho.

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Policies and Programmes

Examples

The Urban Redevelopment

Authority uses planning tools

such as the Concept Plan,

the Master Plan, and the

Development Guide Plans aswell as the Government Land

Sales Programme to guide long-,

medium- and short-term growth

and development.

The Housing Upgrading and

Estate Renewal programmes,

as well as tools such as white

sites and flexible land tenures,

have enabled systematic urban

renewal. For instance, theHousing Development Boards

Selective En bloc Redevelopment

Scheme has helped rejuvenate

older estates by building new and

higher-density developments on

sites vacated by the old blocks.

Strategy

City planners should have amedium- to long-term planninghorizon, but also should factor inmechanisms, such as regular reviews,to allow flexibility to adjust the planas conditions change. They alsoshould put in place development

controls to ensure that the plans arefollowed and to prevent unwantedbuilding bulk in an already dense city.This is very important for creationof infrastructure corridors that canaccommodate long-term growth andflexibility.

Actions

Safeguard certain parcels ofland for future developments,including parcels to accommodate

infrastructure growth addressed in thecitys urban master plan.

Identify existing developments thatcan be upgraded or redeveloped tomaintain their liveability and economicvalue.

Review the long-term land use planregularly.

Outcomes

Balanced development in the cityleading a pleasant living environment

Physical space developed in line witheconomic growth trends.

Land value maintained or increased.

Challenges

Volatility in the economy andpopulation and demographic changescreate difculty in tying long-term

growth plans to short- and medium-term objectives.

Aligning local communityinterests with the city governmentsdevelopment objectives and plans canprove difcult.

SS3.3bnIII

SS5.5bnIII

14

worth of investment for MainUpgrading Program (MUP) benetting

130,000 households over 22 years.1

worth of investment for Lift Upgrading

Program (LUP) benetting some

500,000 families. 3

precincts (10,000-12,000 households)benetting from Home Improvement

Programs (HIP). 2

Sources:

1. Channelnewsasia.(2012).HDBs MainUpgrading Programme ends. Retrieved fromhttp://www.channelnewsasia.com

2. About Singapore Property .(2010). 14 HDBprecincts selected each year for sprucing up.Retrieved from http://aboutsingaporeproperty.blogspot.sg3. 50 Years Of Public Housing In Singapore.(2011). Retrieved from http://www.earoph.info/pdf/2011papers/2011-PAPER7.pdf

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Underground Utilities and

Road Network Creation

Public Mass Transit Creation

Public Housing Clustering

Stages of Growth and Renewal

Several components of urban growthin Singapore were prioritised andimplemented at different stages of thecitys development.

Underground utility lines ensuredthat the provision of water, electrical

and telecommunication serviceswere secure and coordinated. Theseare also easier to maintain and donot create a disruption at the streetlevel whenever repairs and routinemaintenance are needed.Part of New Town Planning measureis to create high-density residentialprecincts made up of high-rise publichousing buildings. Besides havingefcient land use, these precincts

also allow shared facilities that aremore accessible. In densely populatedestates, there is a fundamental needto promote neighbourliness, harmonyand cohesiveness among residentsof diverse backgrounds and interests.Community centres in the variousneighbourhoods facilitate social,cultural and recreational interactionswithin the community and also serveas a respite from the high-densitybuildings around it.

A fully integrated network ofpedestrian links and commercialentities at transit centres help peoplemove about more comfortably,encourage social interaction, as wellas promote the use of public transport.

Leveraging on public mass transitdevelopments, key mixed-use nodeswere established to enhance thetowns social and economic vibrancy.

White sites were demarcated tomake key developments morecompetitive. These white sites allowdevelopers to respond to changingmarket conditions and adapt thedevelopment project without havingto pay an additional land premium, aslong as the project is still in line withthe allowable uses for the site. Greatcare has been given to preserving andimproving green public open spaces.

Public Infrastructure

Development

Public Housing Development

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Recreation area at Yuhua Residential Estate. Photo courtesy of OnePeople.sg.

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Embrace

Diversity,,Foster Inclusiveness

02Singapore started out as an immigrant city andis now home to various ethnicities. These days,

as Singapore fashions itself as a global city, evenmore people from around the world have come towork and live there. As the population grows, it alsois becoming more diverse.

Diversity helps make the city an interesting placeto live in, but with it comes a need to ensurethat this diversity is not divisive, particularlyin densely populated cities where people live

close to one another. Density and diversity havegenerally worked in Singapore because there wasalways a concurrent focus on creating a senseof inclusiveness through encouraging greaterinteraction.

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Diversity in Culture, Skills,and Interests

Singapores diverse population

has created a rich multiculturalenvironment that gives the city itscharacter. Within the city are distinctethnic districts such as Chinatown,Kampong Glam, and Little India, all ofwhich keep alive the cultural heritageof Singapores immigrant past.

Having a diverse population has alsocontributed to Singapores economiccompetiveness by throwing togetherpeople with varied skills, knowledge,

and entrepreneurial abilities. Themultilingual workforce helpedSingapore gain wider access to globalmarkets, creating new opportunitiesfor the local economy. It has alsobeen a plus point for internationalcompanies setting up regional ofcesin the city.

In a densely populated city with adiverse population, chances are goodthat one can nd people with sharedinterests, making it easy to buildinformal interest-based communities.Proximity is an advantage in thispursuit. Community centres and clubsin the various residential estates alsofacilitate getting people from all walks

of life together to pursue commonleisure interests or to learn new skills.

Inclusiveness and

InteractionInclusiveness fosters trust,cohesion, and understanding amongdemographically diverse communities.Singapores approach has been toincrease the opportunities for contactand interaction between differentgroups. The design of Singaporespublic housing is a case in point.

From the start, flats in public housingestates were allocated through a

quota system which meant thatpeople from different races andethnicities had to live next to one other.Design features such as void decksclear ground-floor spaces in eachapartment block with no perimeterfencingencouraged neighboursresiding in these housing estates tointeract. In addition, spaces in publichousing estates have been createdwith multiple thresholds: people canmove from public spaces such as void

decks to semipublic spaces such ascorridors and then to the privacy of thehome. These differentiations of publicand private spaces were created, inplace of boundaries and walls, to

enable a sense of community to existalongside a sense of privacy.

Streets in Little India all dressed up for Deepavali (Festival of Lights). Photo courtesy of Dr. Keith Stead.

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Strategy

A city needs to recognise thedifferent needs and cultural ethos ofits diverse population base and createconditions for this cultural diversity tobe a plus point. Use of public policytools along with the smart designof the citys limited physical space

can help make the best of the citysdiversity and heritage, and encouragegreater social interaction among itsresidents.

Actions

Work with the various communitieson programmes that embrace andcelebrate the unique characteristicsand diverse cultures of the city.

Develop policies to intervene and

create opportunities for diversegroups to live close to each other inthe dense city environment.

Introduce design elements andfeatures which enable private andpublic spaces to blend seamlesslywith each other, creating more venuesfor social interaction.

Encourage events, programmes,and activities which bring together

strangers with similar interests tocreate informal communities.

Outcomes

A vibrant city life.

Low intergroup, intercommunityfriction.

Challenges

Ensuring appropriate allocationof resources among varied socio-

economic groups

Managing the integration of diversecommunities with distinct interests


Examples

The Ethnic Integration Policyimplemented by the HousingDevelopment Board ensures abalanced ethnic mix in publichousing estates, encouraginggreater social integration.

Conservation Plans of the UrbanRedevelopment Authority haverestored and preserved the builtheritage of select city buildingsand districts.

Community centres at variousconvenient locations have createdspaces for people to interact andengage in a range of activities.

Community in Bloom andCommunity in Nature, ledby NParks, are examples ofcommunity programmes that havehelped create social networksamong people with sharedinterests.

106community clubs; each serves

approx 15,000 households, or an

average of 50,000 people 1

=300

=200

Source:

1. Peoples Association.(2012).CommunityClub Management Committees, Singapore.Retrieved from http://www.pa.gov.sg/

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d

a

b

c

Permeable Green Strip as Common Recreational

Facility and Transition Area Between Estates

Places of Worship Built Close to Each Other

Dedicated Gardens for Local Residents

Community Centres for Common

Activity and Interests

Local Commercial Centres as

Destination Node of Different

Neighborhoods

Inclusive Spaces

In high-density residential estates, many of the amenities are located and shared among different interest groups formed

by the local residents. Urban and streetscape design help connect different activity areas to give a sense ofcommunity without compromising the individual privacy of local residents.

(A) A Bird Singing Corner in Tiong Bahru estate enables bird lovers to congregate and hold bird singing competitions. Itwas built near a kopitiam (local coffeshop) so that the spectators would have a place to sit and at the same timepatronise the local businesses. Photo courtesy of Gandara.

(B) Canals and waterways demarcate estate boundaries and also serve as linear parks that connect differentneighbourhoods as part of a network of recreation trails and activity nodes. The Bishan cycling trail is part of the parkconnector that passes through different residential estates, parks and neighbourhoods. Photo courtesy of Diane Flaviano.

(C) Dedicated open lots are used for community gardening. As part of the Community in Bloom national gardening

movement, public and private estates are allowed to use common green spaces around the residential blocks and roadverges for gardening, managed by local associations and committees. Photo courtesy of Nparks.

(D) Markets and retail centres are meeting points for the local residents. Geylang Serai is a market complex at the heart ofthe Geylang district. It is an important node for local commercial activities, and it also promotes Malay culture through itsarchitecture and the social events around Hari Raya. Photo courtesy of Rodeo Cruzado Cabillan.

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d

c

a b

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DrawNatureCloser to People

03Blending nature into the city helps softenthe hard edges of a highly built-up cityscape

and provides the residents with pockets ofrespite from the bustle of urban life.

What started as an aim to build Singaporeinto a garden city has now evolved intoSingapore being a city in a garden. Inaddition to the many parks scattered acrossneighbourhoods, water bodies coursethrough the city and form an important partof the landscape. Nearly half of Singaporeis now under green cover, which is not only

aesthetically pleasing, but also is good forthe air quality and mitigates the harsh heatof the tropical sun.

Another aim of having Singapore residentsexperience nature as an integral part of theirlives is to encourage them to value and, asa result, take better care of the environmentand the citys limited natural resources.

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Pervasive Greenery

In creating a city within a garden,Singapore, being highly dense andland scarce, faced a practical limit

on how many parks it could have.Therefore, instead of only makinghorizontal spaces greener, Singaporeadopted a strategy of pervasivegreenery, meaning the city insertedgreenery wherever it couldbe it onthe pavement, a road divider, a buildingfacade, or a rooftop. The idea was tocloak spaces with green wherever theeye could see.

Singapore has a Streetscape Greenery

Master Plan. Tree-lined roads provideshade for motorists and pedestrianswhile overhead bridges and flyovers,including the area under the flyovers,are veiled with creepers and otherplants to lend a softer feel to theseconcrete structures. The city hasintroduced various methods to bringgreenery to buildingsfor instance,green roofs, rooftop gardens, greeningof vertical walls, and landscapedbalconies. The National Parks Boardhas actively promoted verticalgreening through incentive schemesand awards, and has even publishedextensive guides on skyrise greenery.In short, Singapore has managed tocreate tiers of highly visible greenery

from ground level up to the buildingtops, seeing opportunity in thehigh-rise structures that form thecityscape as a means, rather thanan impediment, to introduce more

greenery.

Parks and Water Bodies

Singapore has transformed itsparks and water bodies into lifestylespaces for recreation and communityactivities, giving many leisure optionsto residents who seek a break fromconcrete and glass.

Parks in Singapore are tted withfeatures such as barbecue pits, food

and beverage outlets, and campsites,and in one case, even a spa. The cityhas also used design and engineeringto make its rare forested areas moreaccessible. For example, the ForestWalk and Canopy Walk bridges atthe Southern Ridges wind througha secondary forest in Singapore,allowing city dwellers to enjoy thecitys surprisingly rich biodiversity in afairly untouched state.

Since the early 2000s, Singaporeswater bodies have increasinglybecome part of the aesthetic andrecreational landscape with thelaunch of the Active, Beautiful, CleanWaters (ABC Waters) Programme.

Everything from the citys drains to itscanals and reservoirs was targeted forcleanup and transformed into cleanand aesthetically pleasing lifestylespaces. The surrounding physical

landscape of the water bodies wasdesigned to support activities such asjogging and cycling. Some of the waterbodies were redeveloped beyond theirfunctional use as water catchments,opening for water-based sportingactivities. Because the maintenanceof clean and functioning watercatchments has been crucial for thecitys sustainable water supply, oneaim of the ABC Waters Programmehas been to encourage city residents

to value the water bodies so that theyfeel a vested interest in keeping themclean.

The Southern Ridges is a ten kilometre trail composed of treetop walks, pedestrian bridges and town parks passing through the three residential areas ofAlexandra, Henderson and Telok Blangah. Photo courtesy of Rodeo Cruzado Cabillan.

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b

a

c

Commercial Districts connected to Town Parks through

Green Boulevard

Singapore Botanic Garden, Orchard Road

and Fort Canning Park

Alexandra Canal

Nanyang Technological Universitys

School of Art, Design and Media

Residential Estates Along

Park Connectors and Canal Waterways

Institution Complex with Green Roofs near Woods Reserves

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a

b

c

Shades of Green

(A) Orchard Road, Singapores mainretail and entertainment street, is a2.2 kilometre tree-lined boulevardwith wide pedestrian walkways. TheBotanic Gardens and Fort CanningPark flank the northwest and south-east ends of this commercial

district. This abundance of greeneryprovides relief from the hustle andbustle of commercial activity andtrafc. Photo courtesy of RodeoCruzado Cabillan.

(B) The Alexandra Canal runs throughhousing estates and park connectors,and is lined at various points withamenities like tness equipment, miniskate stations, look out decks andcommunity plazas, as well as a seriesof wetlands to treat the canal water.

Photo courtesy of AECOM.

(C) The integration of natural scenerywith modern architecture is apparentat the Nanyang TechnologicalUniversitys School of Art, Designand Media. The organic, vegetatedform brings in nature and serves asan informal gathering space. It alsoinsulates the building and harvestsrainwater for landscaping irrigation.Photo courtesy of AECOM.

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Clementi Mall is an example of a district node where a public mass transit station, bus interchange, retail outlets and a 40-storeypublic residential apartment are seamlessly integrated with one another. Photo courtesy of AECOM.

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Develop AffordableMixed-UseNeighbourhoods

04The ease of living in a compact, populatedneighbourhood that is relatively self-contained can add to the pleasure of cityliving. When basic goods and services, aswell as schools and recreation areas, are putwithin reach, there is less need to commuteto the city centre. Density also works well forcity governments and local businesses. Oncethere is a critical mass, it becomes morecost-effective to provide common amenitiesto the neighbourhood. Businesses also haveenough patrons.

Neighbourhoods in Singapores new townsare served with a full range of amenitiesthat are easy to access and generallyaffordable. They are also developed takinginto account the hierarchical distribution ofthe population, land uses, open spaces, andinfrastructure. They provide a unique, high-density, high-liveability experience.

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81.6%Singapore residents living in HDB

flats (2012)1


Examples

The Housing DevelopmentBoards guidelines and planningstandards ensure equitableand adequate distributionof amenities at the town,neighbourhood, and precinctlevels.

The Central Provident FundsPublic Housing Scheme helpsmake homeownership moreaffordable and accessible.

Strategy

Take advantage of the factthat dense cities and compactneighbourhoods can make it cost-effective for city governments toprovide shared amenities and efcienttransport linkages that can add to theconvenience of city living.

Actions

Develop compact, affordable, andself-sufcient districts/new townswith good amenities and publictransport options.

Introduce elements of mixed-useliving in existing neighbourhoodsand supplement them with commonamenities.

Connect neighbourhoods andamenities with pedestrian walkwaysand nearby public transport nodes.

Outcomes

Amenities within walking distance.

Integrated-income homes.

Good accessibility and affordablehousing/districts with high-qualityenvironments.

Reduction of trafc stress in thecentral areas of the city.

Challenges

Balancing the demand and supply ofquality built housing estates.

Creating a quality built environmentwhile keeping costs low.

Source:

1. http://www.singstat.gov.sg/stats.

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Kayaking in the Punggol Waterway, a revitalized waterway connecting two main reservoirs in Singapore. Photo courtesy of HDB.

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Make PublicSpacesWork Harder

05

Strolling through Singapore, one would ndunusual public areas being put to usespaces under railway lines, next to canals,on top of buildings, and near undergroundrailway stations. Often in other cities,parcels of land adjoining, in between, orsurrounding the infrastructure are dead

spaces. These dormant spaces are aluxury most cities cannot afford to waste.By unlocking these otherwise unusedspaces for commercial and leisure activities,Singapore has redened the concept ofwhat is usable space. The idea is to makeall space, including infrastructure spaces,serve multiple uses and users. In this way,Singapore has increased the land availableto meet the lifestyle needs of its residents.

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The Marina Barrages rooftop was designed as a green deck, creating a new public park. It is now a popular spot for kite-flying, picnics and social events.Photo courtesy of PUB, Singapores national water agency (Insert) and Nina Cecilia Ballesteros (Background).

Creative Use of Space

In Singapore, the land alongsidecanals and drains is tted with walkingand cycling tracks, as well as exerciseequipment. Almost instantly peopleget drawn to use these recreationalfacilities. Spaces under flyovers havebeen used for futsal, while large publiccar parks have been the venue forgo-karting events. Parks which aregenerally dormant places at night have

also been used as venues for large-scale concerts.

Because Singapore is a fairly built-upcity, it has also looked to open up

space underground, an effort centringon the citys subway transport nodes.Underground walkways connectingthe train stations and buildings arepopulated by lifestyle and leisureoutlets. In one key transport node, thesubterranean walkways cover morethan 60,000 square feet and host morethan 50 retail outlets.

The city has also made rooftopsdouble as public spaces. Several

recently built high-rise buildingsin Singapore have created rooftopgardens, and some commercialcomplexes have also includedswimming pools, food and beverageoutlets, and viewing decks atop the

buildings. Rooftop spaces that offerbreathtaking views of the city havebecome popular tourist attractions.

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Examples

Incentives and schemes, suchas the Skyrise Greenery IncentiveScheme, bonus gross floorarea incentives, and Temporary

Occupation Licenses for interimuse of land, facilitate the multipleuse of spaces.

PUBs Active, Beautiful, CleanWaters and NParks ParkNetwork Connector programmeshave activated underused landparcels and infrastructurefacilities.

The Urban RedevelopmentAuthoritys Landscape

Replacement Policy for StrategicAreas ensures that greeneryand landscape areas equivalentto the area of the developmentsite will be replaced either at theground level or vertically.

Strategy

Either through development orprogramming, reinvent unused ordormant spaces to serve additionalfunctions that add to the life of the city

Actions

Encourage multiple uses of land byequipping parcels with features whichallow land to be used in differentways.

Get addition and alteration (A&A)approvals for buildings so they openup to/connect underground.

Introduce flexible spaces in the cityfor people to host and enjoy differentsmall- and large-scale events.

Outcomes Creation of more spaces for leisureand commercial activities without theneed to build new structures that addto the bulk of the city.

Challenges

Existing zoning and building by-lawsmay restrict overlapping land uses.

Coordinating land uses and

developments in a way that isnot mutually conflicting can bechallenging.

60'000sqft

of subterrenean walkway in City-Link

Mall connecting over 50 retail shops1

Source:

1. City Link Mall. (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.citylinkmall.com/about

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To Recreational Waterways

From Concrete Canals

Waterways Revitalization

a

Multi-Tasking Spaces

Ordinary public infrastructure likecanals, elevated rail lines and rooftopsdouble up as usable public spaces forleisure and recreation.

(A) The Bishan - Ang Mo Kio Park is aconcrete canal that was converted into

a naturalized river with bioengineeredriverbeds. Photo courtesy of CH2MHILL.

(B) Spaces under the elevated rail linesare developed with paved walkwaysand landscaped corridors to becomejogging tracks, cycling lanes andpark connectors. Photo courtesy ofavocadolite.com.

(C) Pinnacle @ Duxton Plains, a

residential development, has roofdecks with play areas and viewingdecks. The utility facilities areconcealed. Sky bridges connects therooftops of all seven towers creatinga contiguous public space 50 storeysabove ground, accessible to bothresidents and non-residents. Photocourtesy of AECOM.

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Interstitial Space Utilisation Multi-purpose Spaces

From Empty Lots Under Mass Transit Lines From Utilitarian High Rise Roof Decks

To Sky GardensTo Cycling Paths

b

c

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06PrioritiseGreenTransportand Building OptionsA switch to greener transport and buildings systems that useresources more efciently increases the liveability of highlydense cities in several ways. Greener transport in terms of anenergy-efcient public transport system and environmentally

friendly cars helps reduce the pollution and congestion thatmake city living unpleasant and unhealthy. Energy-efcientbuildings help mitigate the effect of urban heat sinks. Citieslike Singaporethrough its individuals, buildings, transport,and industryare large consumers of energy. An overallreduction in energy consumption and dependence across theboard adds to the sustainability of the city.

From the start, Singapore adopted a resource-conscious

growth strategy that relied on planning, design, and choiceof low-energy environmental systems for its buildings.Singapore continues to encourage use of resource-efcientgreen technologies in its buildings and industries throughincentive schemes and certication programmes. It has alsosought to develop an efcient public transport system andwell-connected walkways (above ground and underground)in order to give city dwellers practical alternatives to usingtheir private cars.

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Moving People Awayfrom Car Use

Singapore has sought to encouragemore of its residents to use publictransport rather than cars. To thisend, it has developed an extensive,integrated, and affordable publictransport network composed ofbuses, light rail, and mass rapid-transit systems to offer seamlessconnectivity. At the same time, ithas also discouraged the use andownership of cars through policytools such as the electronic roadpricing system, congestion pricing, themandatory certicate of entitlementfor vehicle ownership, and fuelpricing. Currently, the morning peak-period public transport ridership in

the city accounts for 59 per cent ofcommuters, and the city aims toincrease this to 70 per cent by 2020.

The city has also encouraged cleanerforms of commuting such as cyclingby putting in place park connectors; italso plans to develop cycling networks,as well as bike parking facilitiesat transit stations. The availabilityof shaded pedestrian walkwaysencourages people to undertake short

trips on foot. In this, the citys compactnature is an advantage.

Green Buildings

The city has made pointed effortsto reduce the amount of energyconsumed by its buildings, with aview to mitigate the urban heat-islandeffect and reduce the citys carbonfootprint. Singapore has encouraged

the development of green buildingsthrough its Green Mark IncentiveScheme. All new buildings in the cityhave to meet the Green Mark Certiedrating, and existing buildings areencouraged to retrot their cooling,lighting, and water reticulationsystems.

The long-term benets of investing ingreen technology can outweigh thehigh initial costs, which deter many

cities from looking at greener options.Indeed, embracing green technologyupfront reduces the costs associatedwith maintenance and retrottingof existing buildings. Currently, theHousing Development Board ofSingapore is looking to embark onan islandwide test-bed for solartechnology within 30 public housingprecincts.

Green Districts

Singapore has also looked at district-level measures such as sharedinfrastructure for cooling, heating, andwaste management, which becomecost-effective at high densities.Marina Bay was developed to be a

sustainable high-density district. Allnew developments there are requiredto meet a higher Green Mark ratingand also provide for sky-rise greeneryand communal landscaped areas.A district cooling system was putin place to take advantage of theeconomies of scale. A new waterfront

promenade around Marina Bay hasdesign features to cool the ambientair temperature, energy-efcient LEDlighting, and solar-powered outdoorfans.

The solar park in Marina Bay is the largest eld of solar panels in Singapore, generating 50 per cent of the daytime electricity needs of the Marina Barragefacility. Photo courtesy of PUB, Singapores national water agency.

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Examples

The Land Transport Master Plan,developed by the Land TransportAuthority, provides strategiesto encourage the use of publictransport and green transport.

Cycling is encouraged by NParkswith a 150-kilometre Round-Island-Route and by the presenceof cycling paths and supportinfrastructure being developed bythe Land Transport Authority.

The Land Transport Authoritydeploys tools such as theElectronic Road Pricing system,the Certicate of Entitlement

bidding system for car ownership,the Off-Peak Car scheme, and thePark and Ride scheme to reduceoverall car use.

Energy efciency of buildings ispromoted through schemes suchas the Building and ConstructionAuthoritys Green Mark IncentiveScheme, which includes cashincentives to retrot and toconduct energy audits of existing

buildings.

Strategy

Take advantage of the cityscompact layout and density toreduce energy consumption intransportation and reap economies ofscale through shared infrastructure.Set performance standards for theindustry to construct energy-efcient

buildings.

Actions

Improve the connectivity of thepublic transport systems, lookingat needs of both commuters andpedestrians.

Create energy-performancestandards and incentive schemesto encourage development of greenbuildings.

Identify green districts fordevelopment.

Outcomes

An increase in public transportridership.

A reduction of pollution, congestion,and urban heat.

A reduction in overall energy

consumption.

Challenges

High upfront cost of installinggreen technology deters widespreadadoption.

Retrotting existing building stock isnot easy and can be very expensive toundertake.

60min

59%

overall time that 66% of publictransport commuters take tocomplete their journey during morning1peak hours.

public transport mode share1

110

1,600

1,000

80%

Private Cars per 1,000 Population2

Bicycle parking racks (as of Sept 12) andproposed to be increased by 900 at 10 MRTstations and bus interchanges3

13% of Singapores buildingswhich isapproximately 29 million sq.m. GFAhaveachieved BCA Green Mark standard. 4

Green Mark Buildings in

Singapore (by 2030)

5

Sources:

1. Land Transport Authority. (2008). LandTransport Master Plan 2008.2. Statistics Singapore. (2011). Singstat KeyAnnual Indicators. Retrieved from http://www.singstat.gov.sg3. Land Transport Authority. (n.d). AddingBicycle Racks At MRT Stations. Retrieved fromhttp://www.lta.gov.sg

4. Building Construction Authority. (2012).Singapore Celebrates 1,000th BCA Green MarkBuilding Project . Retrieved from http://www.bca.gov.sg/5. Inter-Ministerial Committee on SustainableDevelopment.(2009). A lively and sustainablegrowth: Strategies for sustainable growth.

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Integrated Public Mass Transit Stations

and Cycling Network

Co-Generation and

Tri-Generation of Power in Industrial

Facilities

Industrial Sector

Transportation Sector

Residential and Commercial Buildings

Renewable Energy Resources, Active and Passive

Climate Responsive Designs at Public Housing

Estates and Commercial Centres.

c

d

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Spaces of Relief

Through Singapores checkerboardplanning, low-rise blocks andspaces (e.g., schools, communitycentres, sports elds, and parks) arejuxtaposed with high-rise residentialblocks in a checkerboard pattern togive the illusion of space and makethe high-rise environment less harsh.It reduces the sense of crowdednessthat can make living uncomfortable.Another feature used by Singaporesplanners is the insertion of spaces of

relief such as parks in between thehigh-rise developments. Residents getnot only a recreational space close totheir homes, but also a respite fromthe high-rise environment. An example

of this is the Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Parkthat sits between the new towns of

Bishan and Ang Mo Kio. This parkspace, which was also redeveloped aspart of the ABC Waters Programme,serves another purpose: it preventstowns near each other from meldinginto an indistinct neighbourhood. Assuch, each town retains its uniqueidentity.

Before and after photos of canal restoration in Bishan- Ang Mo Kio Park as part of PUBs Active, Beautiful and Clean (ABC) Waters Project. The KallangRiver serves as a green lung in between the Bishan residential estates. Town parks and facilities are located at the riverbanks for residents to enjoy beingby the water. Photo courtesy of PUB, Graphic Work courtesy of Atelier Dreiseitl.

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Examples

The Urban RedevelopmentAuthoritys DevelopmentGuide Plans and the HousingDevelopment Boards guidelinesfor New Town/Estate StructuralModel guide the layout andpattern of development.

The Urban RedevelopmentAuthoritys Green and Blue Planguides the development of greenspaces and water bodies so theyare seamlessly integrated with allother urban developments in thecity.

Strategy

Use height gradation and densitydifferentials to space out densityand also create visual relief for thephysical spaces.

Actions Use height variation in the planningof highly dense cities.

Create pockets of low density tospace out high-density developments.

Introduce features which lendspecic identity and character toindividual neighbourhoods andestates.

Develop and position relief

spaces amidst high density builtenvironments to create places ofrelaxation and recreational use forpeople.

Outcomes

Well-spaced-out neighbourhoodcentres within the connes of limitedland.

A good variety in the builtenvironment and a skyline.

Reduction of repetitive urban formand the feeling of being crowded.

Challenges

Competing demand for land forinfrastructure development edges outgreenery.

Existing land use zoning withlarge land parcels provides feweropportunities for insertion of green

spaces accessible on foot.

109ha

Total outdoor recreational spaces per

100,000 persons.1

=500

Source:

1.NParks.(2010).

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a

b

c

Mixed Use

Public Open Space

Schools

Neighborhood Centers

Toa Payoh Land Use Scheme

Toa Payoh Massing and Road Network Scheme

Town Center/

Commercial Center

Housing

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c

a

b

Pieces of the Checkerboard

Toa Payoh towns urban form followsa checkerboard plan in locating thedifferent residential areas such aseducational facilities, public spaces,civic centres, commercial areas andtransportation hubs. This variety inbuilding mass, height, typologies and

open space distribution breaks themonotonous and dense urban form.

(A) Central Horizon is a 40-storeyresidential apartment at the heart ofToa Payoh that gives it a uniqueidentity. Its high-rise towers enabledensity while keeping to the originalplot size. Photo courtesy of AECOM.

(B) The HBD Hub which houses thecommunity center, retail shops, bus

interchange and mass transit stationis situated near Central Horizon. Photocourtesy of AECOM.

(C) The Toa Payoh Town Park is atthe south end of the town, providing acentral green public open spacealongside the commercial hub andresidential estates. Photo courtesy ofAECOM.

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Residents gather at a common area shared by different apartment blocks to watch a Chinese New Year Festival programme. Photocourtesy of Relan Masato.

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ActivateSpacesfor Greater Safety

08

Having a sense of safety and security whereone lives is an important factor in enjoyinga high quality of life. Densely populated andhighly built-up cities tend to be portrayed,sometimes unfairly, as unsafe places.

Singapore has worked to give its residents astronger sense of personal security througha mix of well-thought-out urban design and

government intervention.

The idea of designing and activating safespaces comes from an urban designand space management perspective. AsSingapores new towns became denser,visual access to spaces are preserved sothat the community can collectively be theeyes on the street and involved in keepingthe neighbourhood safe.

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Greater Visual Access

Singapore new towns have activityspaces that are co-located and fewhidden corners. Spaces are designedin a system of channels and nodes sothat thoroughfares are punctuated byactive areas at the nodes. Playgrounds,public squares, intersections, and

shops are co-located and organisedin way that attracts foot trafc aroundthe clock, creating a continuous buzzthat adds to safety.

Similarly, the layout of high-rise publichousing is such that the residentshave clear views of their precincts,car parks, childrens play areas, andpathways from their flats. The void-decks at the ground level of publichousing blocks are visually barrier free.

All in all, the design of the typical publichousing estate enables residentsto watch out for unusual activityin their neighbourhood that mightthreaten their safety. Most residentialestates also tend have a community-friendly police presence in the form ofneighbourhood police posts.

Singapore also encourages mixed-use developmentsa departure fromold-school planning which lookedto strict zoning of business districtsand residential areas, often resultingin dead spaces at night and on theweekend. The central businessdistrict (CBD) of Singapore initiallywas designed in the old-school way.However, it has been revamped toaccommodate more restaurants(including waterside dining), hotels,and housing units so that the CBDremains fairly active in the eveningsand over the weekends. It also meansthe city is making better use of its

limited land in a prime area.


Examples

Use of the precinct as a basicunit of town planning has helpedintroduce communal activities ata local scale, which encouragesbetter community ownership ofsuch spaces.

Design features and guidelinesgiven in the Public Spaces andUrban Waterfront Master Planensure the safety in use of thesespaces.

Community-level interventionssuch as the Neighbourhood PolicePosts and Neighbourhood WatchSchemes help increase the safety

of residential spaces.

Strategy

Increase the visual access tospaces through design to increasethe communitys ability to look outfor threats to safety. Integrate activityspaces with other land uses toencourage a continuous stream ofpeople and activities during the day,

the night, and also on weekends.

Actions

Develop design guidelines to improvevisual access in developments,estates, and precincts.

Identify spaces that become deadduring the weekends or at day or nightand redesign and redevelop them toaccommodate multiple uses.

Outcomes Less crime in public spaces andstreets.

City residents with a stronger senseof personal safety.

Challenges:

Gated communities excludeoutsiders and reduce interactions with

the surrounding streets and spaces,reducing the scope for social bondswith the larger community that servesas deterrents to crime and otherantisocial behavior.

Existing urban design may not focusadequately on the safety of streets andpublic spaces.

Sources:

1.Seik, T.F (2001). Planning and design ofTampines, an award-winning high-rise, high-density township in Singapore. Cities, 18(1). doi:10.1016/S0264-2751(00)00052-4.2. Ministry of Home Affairs .(2012). Ministryof Home Affairs Committee of Supply Debate.Retrieved from http://www.mha.gov.sg/

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09

As a city gets more and more populatedand built up, it starts facing constraints,particularly on land and resources. Often thecity has to look at non-traditional solutionsand rely on innovative approaches ortechnology to get around the constraints.

Over the years, Singapore has relied oninnovative ideas to mitigate its resourceconstraints. A strong impetus to innovateexisted because the more conventionalsolutions simply would not work inSingapores context. In the process,Singapore has also emerged as a leaderin innovative urban solutions and in someways become a living laboratory fortesting resource-efcient technologies. Anadditional economic benet has been thegrowth of an urban solutions industry inSingapore.

Promote

Innovativeand NonconventionalSolutions

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Examples

The National ResearchFoundation provides strategicdirection for the citys researchand development (R&D) effortsand provides funding to relevantR&D projects.

Government agencies anduniversities pursue sector-specicresearch, for example, in the areaof water technologies, sustainableurban development, and cleantechnology.

Development of uniqueknowledge parks, such as one-north, has supported the citys

R&D activities.

Strategy

Embrace innovative andnonconventional solutions to addressland and resource constraints.

Actions

Invest time and money in developing

or customising urban systems to suitthe needs and geography of the cityand allow for greater density.

Outcome

City-specic and customised urbansolutions that lead to an efcient and

sustainable use of limited land andresources.

Challenges

Lack of coordination betweenresearch institutes and businessenterprises.

Difculty in attracting and retainingtalented manpower for R&D.

Lack of supportive institutionalframeworks and inadequate R&Dinvestments.

SS400mnII

Sources:

1.Ministry of National Development. (2011).Urban Sustainability R&D Congress 2011.Retrieved from http://www.mnd.gov.sg/2. Ministry of Finance. (2012). ExpenditureOverview. Retrieved from http://www.mof.gov.sg/3. Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore.(2011). Research, Innovation and Enterprise(RIE) 2015. Retrieved from http://www.mti.gov.sg/4. A-Star (2011). STEP 2015, Science,Technology & Enterprise Plan 2015. Retrievedfromhttp://www.a-star.edu.sg/5. Wong, T.(August, 2012). Up to 2,000 Patents

led yearly from Singapore research. StraitsTimes. Retrieved fromhttp://www.straitstimes.com/6. U.S Patent and Trademark Ofce.(2011).Patents By Country, State and Year- All PatentTypes. Retrieved from http://www.uspto.gov/web/ofces/ac/ido/oeip/taf/cst_all.htm

funding for R&D on UrbanSustainability Research and

Development including S$ 50 mn fundunder MND Research Fund for the Built

Environment.1

Funding support to National Research

Fund3.4% of the PMOs totalexpenditure for FY20122

R&D investments proposed for 2012-

15 at S$16.1bn under the Research,Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2015

plan3

Proposed share of R&D investments intotal GDP 3.5% by 20154

Number of patents led worldwide

each year as a result of R&D conductedin Singapore (9% applications from

local based companies)5

patents granted to Singapore in 20116

Put in place policies andincentives that encourageinnovative solutions which allowfor more land uses to coexist.

SS11..7mnII

1,500-2,000

696

:

59

NEWater Supply

proposed increase by 2020.

current water supply

30%40%


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a

b

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Tourists and locals along Orchard Roads boulevard lined with trees, street furnitures and thematic decorations. Photo courtesy ofRodeo Cruzado Cabillan.

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Forge 3PPartnerships

10

Managing the interests of groups advocatingdifferent ways to develop or not develop thelimited pool of land in the city is an importantpart of any city governments work. Morelikely than not, land parcels are near one

another and the effects of developmentin one area will be felt quickly and acutelyin neighbouring sites. Therefore, the citygovernment and all stakeholders need towork together to ensure that they are notstepping on one others toes and takingactions that would reduce the quality of lifefor others. In the best-case scenario, thereis a collective responsibility towards theprecinct or neighbourhood.

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Examples

Various 3P groups, includingthe Rail Corridor ConsultationGroup, Orchard Road BusinessAssociation, and Singapore River

ONE, have forged partnershipsbetween the public and privatesectors and with the community.

The various 3P programmesof the National EnvironmentAgency, which include Clean andGreen Week, the EnvironmentChampions, the 3P PartnershipFund and various school-basedactivities, engage the communityin keeping the city clean and

green.

Strategy

Look to the private sector andcivil society as partners rather thanadversaries.

Action

Actively seek to form 3P

partnerships to obtain good ideasfor a development or redevelopmentproject, manage potential tensionamong different interest groups, andbuild stakeholder support.

Outcome

Sharing by the government, theprivate sector, and the public oftasks and resources to ensure thatdevelopments add to the liveability ofthe city.

Challenges Many government agencies arein the early stages of communityengagement and forming 3Ppartnerships and thus lack experienceand expertise.

Building trust among thestakeholders takes time.

300active gardening groups under the the

Community in Blooming programmestarted in 1995. 1

20successful ABC Waters projects 2

100ABC Waters proposals identied forimplementation over next 10-15 years 2

Sources:

1.NParks. (n.d). Community In Bloom. Retrievedfrom http://www.nparks.gov.sg/2. Public Utilities Board. (n.d).ABC MasterPlans. Retrieved from http://www.pub.gov.sg/abcwaters

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Innovative Facade

Redevelopment Projects

Orchard Road Urban Layers

The success of Orchard Road as aprominent and vibrant commercialdistrict is based on a strongpartnership among the stakeholders inthe public and private sectors.

The Orchard Road Development

Commission (ORDEC), composed ofthe Urban Redevelopment Authority(URA), Singapore Tourism Board(STB), Economic Development Board(EDB) and Land TransportationAgency (LTA), looks at new andinnovative ideas that will add valueto existing developments. Waiversand incentives are given for projectsthat aim to rejuvenate street blocksin the area. Some of the past projectsinclude facade facelifts, the building

of underground connections, designof the pedestrian streetscape andgeneral landscaping.

The Orchard Road BusinessAssociation focusses on making thearea more vibrant and creating uniqueexperiences, such as festive eventslike Fashion Steps Out @ Orchard, Revup @ Orchard, and Christmas Light Up@ Orchard.

The Butterfly Trail is a unique project

on Orchard Road. The Nature Societyof Singapore (NSS), National ParksBoard (Nparks) and other privatesponsors are developing ve butterflytrails in phases. Planting activities thatgreen the area are held periodically bydifferent associations, students andprivate company employees.

Photo courtesy of Rodeo Cruzado Cabillan(Orchard Road Malls, Tunnels and Sidewalk) and

Anuj Jain-Nature Society Singapore (ButterflyTrail).

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Street Thematic Lighting, Planting and Furnitures

Butterfy Trail

Underground

Connections

a

b

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The ten principles provide an insight into Singapores integratedmodel of planning and development, which weaves togetherthe physical, economic, social, and environmental aspects ofurban living. Many of the impacts of high-density city living canbe mitigated or managed better through such an approach. ForSingapore this is an important factor as the country continuesto grow and high-rise buildings increasingly dominate the urbanlandscape.

In the workshops, the question How dense is too dense for

Singapore? was often raised, and issues that are starting tooccur in denser neighbourhoods were discussed. Given the niteland mass, could Singapore support a higher population and stillbe highly liveable? In such an environment, how would the cityaddress challenges such as the negative impacts occurring aroundhighly populated mixed-use developments that create tensionsamong residents, workers, and visitors? Are there better methodsfor recycling land and creating buildings that can stand for longerperiods of time? What strategies are needed for managing thesocial tensions that come with the more diverse population neededin a competitive economy? How can the urban infrastructure

support system sustain a larger population while maintainingSingapores economic dynamism, protecting environmental qualityand biodiversity, and providing a safe, healthy, and comfortableliving environment conducive to building cohesive communities?

The ten principles provide the foundation to develop more ideason how Singapore can support a larger, denser population withoutsacricing quality of life. In fact, the principles are not applicableonly to Singapore. For instance, very dense cities like New YorkCity, Brussels, and Osaka have relied on 3P partnerships to managethe use of space. Hong Kong planners design areas with a view

to increasing safety and personal security. London and New YorkCity have dense and diverse populations, and both are centres ofinnovation and creativity.

Studies indicate the inevitability of cities becoming more denselypopulated and built up.1For the new cities that are forming andolder cities that are being redeveloped, CLC and ULI hope these tenprinciples can be a starting point for city planners, developers, anddwellers, triggering ideas about how they want their city to evolveand be shaped. It is also hoped that this report shows that creatinga highly dense yet liveable city, while not easy, is possibleand theproof is in the fact that it has been done successfully before.

Challenges and

Conclusion

1. According to the United Nations, the worlds urban population, estimated at 3 billion in2003, is expected to rise to 5 billion by 2030. In some countries, the share of people livingin urban areas has continued to increase, in some cases as a result of population density inintermediate regions rising until they become fully urban (especially in Japan and Italy, butalso in Belgium and Canada). OECD 2006.


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Marina Bay and Raffles Place:An integrated development on thewaterfront and the revitalisation ofthe central business district (CBD)

About Marina Bay and Raffles Place

Marina Bay is an example of a high-density, high-liveability space achieved

through mixed land use, establishingan integrated resort (IR) as well as anational park named Gardens by theBay. The development is envisaged asthe new, high-population downtown,operating 24/7 based on the live/work/play concept, meaning that itcombines business, residential, andleisure components and merges thetraditional role of the CBD with high-end urban tourism and entertainment.It is planned so that it does not

become a dead zone after work hours.

Marina Bay complements the CBDsfunction in providing high-endnancial services and attractinginternational business travellers andactivities. This enhances Singaporesrole as a gateway for activities in themeetings, incentives, conventions,and exhibitions sector, as exempliedin Suntec Citys convention spaceand the new convention facilities atMarina Bay Sands. The redevelopment

of Marina Bay as a high-density,high-liveability space is part ofSingapores drive towards becominga knowledge-intensive economy anda global city. Singapore aims to bothachieve economic growth and raisethe general standard of living. Thisstrategy reflects Singapores efforts tomatch the reinvention of global citiessuch as New York City, London, andParis.

Brief development history

From 1969, 360 hectares of land wasreclaimed from the sea to providea

10 principles lessons from singapore

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