Cash prizes: SLA, URA launch contest seeking ideas to enhance Changi Point, repurpose Old Changi Hospital

• ‘Charmingly Changi’ is a competition inviting members of the public to submit ideas on enhancing the Changi Point area
• One aspect of the competition seeks ideas on repurposing Old Changi Hospital
• Tertiary students in design-related courses will compete in one category
• A second category is open to other members of the public

SINGAPORE — Members of the public are being invited to submit ideas to enhance Changi Point as a heritage and recreational site — including for the repurposing of Old Changi Hospital — with cash prizes on offer for the winners.

The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Thursday (April 15) launched the “Charmingly Changi” ideas competition to engage the public for “creative ideas to enhance the tranquility of Changi Point as a unique heritage and recreational node along the greater rustic coast”.

The greater rustic coast is a 50km stretch of greenery, recreational areas and heritage sites along Singapore’s north coast which extends to and includes the Changi Point area.

The agencies are calling for ideas to strengthen the connectivity to the coastline to improve public access to the beach fronts as well as suggestions for the adaptive reuse of state properties. These include Old Changi Hospital and the former barrack buildings along Hendon Road.

SLA and URA noted that the area is an “established recreational coastal district” and a "laid-back getaway for locals and tourists alike" as well as the gateway to Pulau Ubin.

It is well known for its cluster of buildings that were constructed by the British as a military base from around the late 1920s as well as for the popular Changi Village hawker centre.

In all, the area for the ideas competition encompasses around 42ha — or about the size of 59 soccer fields — within Changi Point, and is bounded by Loyang Avenue and Changi Air Base (West) to the south and Changi Golf Club to the east.

People can enter the competition as individuals or in teams. They will also be grouped into two categories: One for students from tertiary institutions in design-related disciplines and an open category for all other participants.

There are two competition topics at play: The first calls for a “concept master plan for Changi Point” — where participants must formulate a plan to guide the enhancement of the area.

“Participants must demonstrate the balance between retaining the quiet and laid-back character of the area and at the same time, enabling enhancements that will increase the attractiveness of Changi Point,” SLA and URA said.

They added that the plans should differentiate Changi Point from other recreational or lifestyle nodes in Singapore and incorporate concepts for the “adaptive reuse of buildings, inclusion of community spaces and improvement of public accessibility and infrastructure”.

The other is for the repurposing of Old Changi Hospital to give it a new lease of life while “retaining the architectural features of the building”.

Participants in the open category stand to win a top prize of S$6,000 while those in the tertiary group can win S$3,000, with smaller cash prizes for second and third place getters in both categories.

SLA and URA said that suitable ideas and concepts from the competition will be distilled into the design principles and planning parameters for the site.

Mr Colin Low, SLA’s chief executive, said that they are hoping to get “fresh proposals and concepts for the adaptive use of the state properties, and capture public aspirations to enhance the recreational offerings in the area”.

URA’s chief executive officer Lim Eng Hwee added that inputs from the public and stakeholders are important to help the authorities “shape and deliver plans that are more relevant and inclusive”.

“We look forward to receiving good ideas to enhance the rustic charm of Changi Point and to bring this endearing node closer to people of all walks of life,” he said.

Those interested about the competition can find out more here.