17 winning entries offer ideas on how to transform 'forgotten' public spaces

SINGAPORE — An ecological corridor for birds under an MRT track, a recycling area at a Housing and Development Board (HDB) void deck and a giant slide at Mount Faber are among 17 entries highlighted by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on how "forgotten" spaces can be transformed into something more meaningful.

The entries were unveiled at the My Ideas for Public Spaces award ceremony and exhibition launch today (Nov 19). Of the 17 featured entries, there were eight winners, eight merit awards and one special mention. These ideas will serve as inspiration for future projects on activating public spaces, said the URA in a press release.

Other winning entries include Citi-TV, an idea to project "live" footage of pedestrian traffic at one underpass on the wall of another; Bukit Timah Green Ribbon Neighbourhood, which transforms service laneways into active, landscaped spaces for the neighbourhood and Tanjong Pagar Backyard, a proposal that aims to create a social space at the centre of the commercial district so workers and the public can reconnect with the urban environment and one another.

The winners received S$1,000 cash. The participants who received the merit awards and a special mention received S$200 and S$100 worth of book vouchers, respectively.

The entries were judged based on the quality and creativity of the proposal. Factors taken into consideration included who will use the space, how easy can the idea be implemented and how the idea related back to the history of the neighbourhood.

The competition, part of a PubliCity initiative, garnered a total of 158 entries when it ran from May 14 to July 3. Entrants included architects, designers and even pre-schoolers, who submitted a proposal to adopt the open space beside their school and turn it into a sports field. The pre-schoolers were one of the merit awardees.

Describing the competition as a fun way to involve the community in thinking about the spaces around them, URA Chief Executive Officer Ng Lang said he was pleased with the enthusiastic participation. He said: “204 people across different ages submitted a range of creative ideas, including an entry by a group of pre-schoolers. This shows that everyone can get involved in urban planning."

The submissions were assessed by a jury panel of six: Mr Ng, Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects President Damian Tang, ZARCH Collaboratives Principal Randy Chan, DP Architects Associate Director Seah Chee Huang, Farm Studio architect Mr Peter Sim and Land Transport Authority Group Director Yao Chuan Sam. 

The My Ideas for Public Spaces exhibition is held at the URA Centre Atrium from today to Dec 16.

Here's a look at the eight winners:

Bukit Timah Green Ribbon

(Click for larger image) Credit: Antonius Richard Rusli 

Citi-TV

(Click for larger image) Credit: Hsu Hsia Pin, Eunice Koo, Lian Ren, Monica Stephanie Santosadjaja 

Farm X

(Click for larger image) Credit: Muhammad Hizkil Bin Imran

 

One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure

(Click for larger image) Credit: Syafiqah Aziz

Rethinking the Derelict Landscape

(Click for larger image) Credit: Liu Yue Hua

Tanjong Pagar Backyard

(Click for larger image) Credit: Koh Ting

The Hidden Bath

(Click for larger image) Credit: Lee Wei Sen, Ng Siew Mum

The Urban Commune

(Click for larger image) Credit: Loo Hui Jing