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  Straits Times Forum 19 Oct 06
S'pore waterfronts can be turned into an exciting landscape
Letter from Ms Liu I-Chun Taipei

Straits Times 16 Oct 06
Water's edge - exciting part of future landscape
By Tan Hui Yee

DO WE sometimes forget we live on an island? Singapore is surrounded by water, but many people on this little 699 sq km island see little of it.

The obstructed view of - and patchy access to - our waterfront and waterways has dogged us for years, partly because of competing uses of precious land.

The authorities have begun to change this. The 2.6km boardwalk at Changi Point, together with the waterfront park there, is the latest in a long string of projects to bring more activity to the water's edge and beyond.

Meanwhile, in the south, Marina Bay is a hive of activity with the upcoming integrated resort, financial centre, high-rise apartments and three gardens ringing the future freshwater reservoir.

Further inland, the Singapore River district is now under scrutiny by an international consultancy.

Edaw, commissioned by the Singapore Tourism Board last year, will draw up a strategy to rejuvenate the area. Edaw's president and chief executive, Mr Joe Brown, told The Straits Times this plan will most likely include creating more walkways, viewing points, promenades and 'all those wonderful traceries where it is just fun to be out in the evenings'.

A good plan would balance the competing uses - housing, institutional, office and commercial - while creating opportunities for 'signature events' that complement existing businesses and draw Singaporeans and tourists.

Singapore's reservoirs and rivers are also up for a revamp, with boardwalks, riverfront viewing galleries and waterside eateries in the works.

The Marina Barrage, which is expected to be ready next year, will create a freshwater reservoir and make water levels inland more stable for recreational activities.

There are even plans to dam the lower courses of the Punggol and Serangoon rivers to form a connected waterway, thus allowing sports and other recreational activities.

Singapore's landscaping, noted Mr Brown, has evolved from rather static to more interactive. 'Singapore has always had a fabulous landscape-oriented culture.

In some ways, that has been underdeveloped. It was always about the trees, not so much about the space and the experience...sometimes it's just a pretty landscape to look at,' he said.

'But I think Singapore has gone from the pretty landscape to the really functioning public spaces and 'good experience landscape' that people are a part of.'

A lot more is possible.

A director of regional urban design firm ICN Design International, Mr Henry Steed, feels Singapore is 'not even halfway there' in terms of realising its waterways' potential. As consultants hired by the Government pore over ideas to bring more life to Singapore's waterways and surrounding districts, it would be good to bear in mind the need to set aside space for 'passive recreation'.

While activities like wakeboarding have been introduced recently in reservoirs, some waterfront walking routes remain inaccessible in places like the Seletar reservoirs.

Mr Steed suggested having walkways extend around more reservoirs, with one even extending from MacRitchie Reservoir to the Singapore Zoo if possible.

Similarly, a former head of local planning at the Urban Redevelopment Authority, Mr James Chew, feels there should be greater access to Singapore's coastline and riverside.

'Sometimes we don't even know we live on an island, given the obstruction of the views to the sea,' he said.

Mr Chew, who is now a private consultant based mostly in Vietnam, suggests more waterfront land be given over to housing - in places like Pulau Ubin, Changi and even the western water catchment area near the Second Link.

There is also a need to ensure a diverse environment. One of the landscape consultants working on the Marina Bay gardens project, Mr Neil Porter from London-based Gustafson Porter, feels some of the more remote water bodies on the island should 'remain relatively free of man-generated activity, allowing wildlife to remain or find its place'.

With regard to Marina Bay, however, Mr Chew suggests a bold way to get closer to the water - build structures in the water to free up space on land. The concept, he said, would be like having a subterranean CityLink mall - on a bigger scale, and under water. 'This may sound crazy but think of the excitement this would create and, of course, the real estate value of the area,' he said.

The stakes are high to get the plans right. Elsewhere, comprehensive masterplans are being drawn up to rejuvenate cities, with waterfront ideas a key factor.

Water, it seems, can bring ecological, economic and social benefits if managed well. Mr Porter notes that Beirut, capital of Lebanon, like Singapore, is reinventing its relationship with water as port activities in its harbour move out.

Mr Steed said: 'Fifty to 60 years ago, people turned their backs on water, threw rubbish into it, and built their homes facing away from it.' But the water's edge will be an exciting part of tomorrow's landscape.

Straits Times Forum 19 Oct 06
S'pore waterfronts can be turned into an exciting landscape
Letter from Ms Liu I-Chun Taipei

I am delighted to learn about the developments highlighted in the article "Water's edge - exciting part of future landscape" (ST, Oct 16).

At long last, the authorities are starting to capitalise on Singapore's natural landscape and add charm to our modern island state, rather than just focussing on tree planting and pruning.

Mr Joe Brown, CEO of international consultancy Edaw, was spot on when he observed that "Singapore has always had a fabulous landscape-oriented culture. In some ways, that has been under-developed. It was always about the trees, not so much about the space and the experience... Sometimes it's just a pretty landscape to look at."

Having lived in Sydney for two years, what struck me about the city are the beautiful harbours with a hive of activity which offer distinctive experiences - the buzzling Darling Harbour which has many good restaurants, a world-class aquarium, museums, and free public performances all year round, as well as the Sydney Harbour with views of the iconic Opera House where top-notch performances are staged, and Harbour Bridge which offers the unique adventure of the Harbour Bridge Climb. People can also explore the history, fine culinary culture, and weekend market in The Rocks nearby.

It's good to know that the authorities have finally come to realise the untapped potential of Singapore's waters.

Perhaps they can look into better linkages between the various waterfronts through an extensive ferry transport system like in Sydney.
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