33.0 Our Tampines Hub

Singapore has got to be one of the best places in the world to live.  For anyone wanting to live in Asia and likes or can tolerate the tropical climate and is comfortable to communicate in English, Mandarin or Bahasa Indonesia/Melayu, the country should be high on you list of best places to live!

One of the key factors in making it the quality location it is, the good governance which puts a high emphasis on City Planning.  The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), the National Parks Board, the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the Public Works and Housing Development Board (HDB) to name a few are all world class. 

With the shortage of land and growing population the government has had to innovate in the city planning to continue to improve and accommodate the population’s needs. Singapore has a long history of developing new products from Hawker Centers, Community Centers, Public Housing, Integrated Resorts and the latest the Community Hubs.  

So what is a Community Hub?  In short it might be described as putting all the community amenities that Sinapore has developed into one site compacted and developing vertically.  This not only requires some sound planning to integrate and separate but also to take advantage of shared facilities, but it can only be possible with a strong central government that can make critical policy decisions to integrate all the various agencies for the better good of the population!

Artist Impression Our Tampines Hub (Source: Straits Times Internet)

32.0 Rezoning for Mass Transit

In an earlier post, I stress the need for integrated planning to make mass transit successfully and hence a higher quality sustainable living environment and lifestyle.  See the excerpt from 25.0 Jakarta Mass Transit, Development Planning and Economics below or click on the hyperlink in the title to see the whole post.

Density of land along with the convenience of Mass Transit always makes land more valuable.  Governments have the ability to dictate development zoning and density and directly alter the land value and this is exactly what governments like Jakarta should do to finance and make Mass Transit viable and effective once it is built. 

Singapore Queenstown MRT Station with Density 
and new high rise apartments being added.

So how does one execute the rezoning to land around transit stations in order to increase density?  This question can only be answered by the legal experts of the individual country in which is being discussed, but below are a few possible examples.  Not being a legal expert by any means, these are more intuitive common sense recommendations.  The policy and strategy in the 4^th approach below is really the strategy that I am tabling in this blog post.

31.0 The Institution of Public Housing

What is the “calling” of public housing?  Is it to provide basic “shelter”, a roof over the head of a family?  To squeeze as many people into as small a foot print of site and building as possible to make it “affordable”? 

 

Can public housing be a wonderful place where people are proud to call it home? Can it provide a high quality of life?

 

In the 3 photos below which is public housing and which is private housing?  All are located within half a kilometer from each other in Singapore. 

Tower 1 - Public or Private Housing in Singapore?

30.0 Is Jakarta’s Population Starving for Pedestrian Friendly Urban Environments?

There are many who agree pedestrian oriented urban environments provide a high and enriching quality of life.

In the course of my work, I often hear the comment from developers and professionals, “Indonesians don’t walk”!  I always reply with the question, “Who do you see in masses on any given day, walking on Orchard Rd in Singapore…, Indonesians!”  So this totally contradicts the theory that “Indonesians don’t walk”.  Even at home in the Capital City of Jakarta on any given Sunday morning you can witness thousands of Indonesians along Jalan Sudirman, walking along with running and biking!  So this further contradicts the common theory “Indonesians don’t walk”.

Walking on Singapore's Orchard Road.

Walking on Jakarta's Jl Sudirman on a Sunday Morning

29.0 Best Retirement Villages are our Small Urban Areas!

With the rising aging population of "Baby Boomers"  around the world and the high cost of living, people of developed countries are constantly looking for alternative places to retire and live the "Golden Years" of their lives.  The western model of retirement villages which are low density developments sprawling among a golf course in a location with cheap land seems to be an obsolete and flawed model, but something I constantly hear being talked about all over Asia. Certainly there must be a better model and perhaps only in the west are places so specifically labeled, "Retirement Villages" and hence the only models being studied.  Instead the question should be asked,  "What is the most suitable environment to live in retirement?"

Typical American Sprawling Retirement Typology  (300m yellow line scale)

So let's see how we can best answer the question, "what is the best environment (ecosystem) to live in for the elderly?"

Could it be that some of our current urban environments are ideal places for elderly to live in retirement?  We would make a case that the following requirements / priorities would indicate urban environments can be ideal.

1.  Convenience and variety of amenities at your door step - Yes most "retirement villages" claim to have these and yes most offer a good variety.  Gym, pool, recreation room, dining, library, gardens, clinic, convenience store, laundry service, etc.     

2.  Access to good public transport - Most "retirement village" are only accessible by car and are not catering for elderly who can still move around freely without their own private cars.

3.  Places to meet people and interact - Yes with the abundance of public spaces you can always interact with your fellow residents, but with the exception of employees of the property you will rarely have outsiders to interact with.

4.  Spaces where people of all ages can meet them and feel comfortable - Designed to cater to primarily residents and being suburban locations, they generally are not comfortable for all people to can and visit for long periods. 

5.  Green spaces for exercise and fresh air - Yes most have nice and extensive gardens and courtyards that are pleasant, but the interaction will be primarily with the same people as  in other public spaces. 

6.  Small living units easy to maintain - Yes living spaces being specifically for elderly usually appropriately sized and service for the units are available

7.  Economical units affordable for fixed incomes -  Most American models of the retirement villages are probably targeted at the middle to upper income retirees.

8.  Access to medical facilities - Most retirement villages will have some sort of on site clinic or doctor.

28.0 Is Bali's Low Density, Low Rise Ruining Paradise?

When people hear of the Island of Bali, the immediate image is that of an exotic tropical paradise.  That is at least for those who have NOT been there recently.  Actually when I first visited the island over 20 years ago, the idealic paradise was already starting to disappear, but now days you really need to search hard! 

Typical Balinese village house surrounded by rice fields

Tanah Lot Temple

27.0 City Parks - Hong Kong and Singapore

Sound city master plans always have great public spaces as a means to provide outdoor living and community meeting spaces as well as areas for recreation and sometimes a "green" relief from the dense built up environment. In places like Italy, the piazza is the standard urban public space that serves most of these purposes, but rarely is it a space of green landscape.

Of course New York has Central Park, an oasis among the forest of high rises and one of the genuine drivers of people's desire to own property along Central Park one of the most valuable addresses of real estate in the world.

In Asia the two competing cities of Hong Kong and Singapore also have their major parks. Hong Kong's Victoria Park built in the 1950's on reclaimed land which used to be a typhoon shelter for boats. Singapore's Gardens by the Bay newly opened in 2012 is also built on reclaimed land around Marina Bay. So how do these parks compare?

 

Victoria Park, Hong Kong

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

26.0 Jakarta Flooding and Traffic Jam - Related Solutions?

The major infrastructure problems of Jakarta of flooding and traffic jam, is it possible that there exists a solution that could at least partially solve both issues?  In recent times, major flooding happens at least once every 5 years due to a number of reasons of which distruption of the main water ways is one of them.   While traffic jam as we all know is a daily occurance.  So certainly the 2 big probelms of Jakarta are of top priority and are important enough to consider a long term solution that may take 10 years or so to execute but would be a real light at the end of the tunnel with additonal positive impacts.

THESIS

Widen and deepen the full length of the Ciliwung river from Bogor to the Java Sea, clean up the water, make it an attractive feature that becomes a prime living location that patially solves the flooding issue and is then used for Public Mass Transit in the form of River Boats. 




Singapore River Condos and Waterfront amenities
 

25.0 Jakarta Mass Transit, Development Planning and Economics

The subject of Mass Transit always comes up in any conversation about cities with cronic traffic jams such as Jakarta.  The conversation always seems to go something like this, "the solution is a Mass Transit System..." and the replies are always something like, "Its too expensive the government canot afford it so it will never happen"  and the converstation usually stops there just as in real life this has been going on for years. 

Typical Jakarta Traffic Jam

According to recent news reports in the Jakarta Globe, the project still appears to be unsustainable.  The question is has the issue in cases like Jakarta been actually addressed in the correct comprehensive manner?  Lets look at the key factors in Mass Transit or take a step back and look at the issue of tranportation in a metropolis like Jakarta. 

What is the main objective?  To transport people from home to work and to other places of interest or necessity with comfort, efficiency and economy for everyone.  The simple fact is individual auto transport for each individual is not a sustainable solution both from and environmental and now an economic perspective with the price of oil, but also with the cost of space for roads and the resultant waste of time due to traffic jams. 

24.6 Master Planned Beach Resort Destination Checklist – Part 6 – Destination Management

This subject check list covers the fifth of the 5 main subjects from the Master Check List - Components of the Ideal Master Planned Beach Resort Destination.  These subject check lists are by no means comprehensive, but more like a shopping list with brief explanations as reminders.  This check list series actually goes hand in hand with an earlier series I posted on Integrated Master Planning for Destination Development.  This check list would actually be similar to some of the outlines for the phase of Operations Management as well as the overall Integrated Master Planning methodology (see diagram below).    

Physical planning making highest and best use and synergy among the parts.

The Destination Management Team is in fact the body or team that has to Orchestrate the Integrated Master Planning of the Destination.  Of course it has a key role in the concept and vision of the destination, but equally important it has a long term role in the day to day operations of the destination.  Much of this day to day operations will be behind the scenes and out of sight of the general public, but having everything run smoothly without notice will mean the Destination Management team is on top of things doing their job. 

24.5 Master Planned Beach Resort Destination Checklist – Part 5 – Supporting Infrastructure and Services

This subject check list covers the fourth of the 5 main subjects from the Master Check List - Components of the Ideal Master Planned Beach Resort Destination.  These subject check lists are by no means comprehensive, but more like a shopping list with brief explanations as reminders.  This check list series actually goes hand in hand with an earlier series I posted on Integrated Master Planning for Destination Development.  This check list would actually be similar to some of the outlines for the phase of Product Development in the Integrated Master Planning methodology.    

Resort infrastructure both functional and aesthetically planned.

24.4 Master Planned Beach Resort Destination Checklist – Part 4 – Development Products

This subject check list covers the third of the 5 main subjects from the Master Check List - Components of the Ideal Master Planned Beach Resort Destination.  These subject check lists are by no means comprehensive, but more like a shopping list with brief explanations as reminders.  This check list series actually goes hand in hand with an earlier series I posted on Integrated Master Planning for Destination Development.  This check list would actually be similar to some of the outlines for the phase of Product Development in the Integrated Master Planning methodology.    

International brand luxury hotels.

Local cottage hotels.

24.3 Master Planned Beach Resort Destination Checklist – Part 3 – Access / Proximity

This subject check list covers the second of the 5 main subjects from the Master Check List - Components of the Ideal Master Planned Beach Resort Destination.   These subject check lists are by no means comprehensive, but more like a shopping list with brief explanations as reminders.  This check list series actually goes hand in hand with an earlier series I posted on Integrated Master Planning for Destination Development.  This check list would actually be similar to some of the outlines for the phases of Environmental / Site Analysis  and Market Analysis   in the Integrated Master Planning methodology.    

Koh Samui Airport

24.2 Master Planned Beach Resort Destination Checklist – Part 2 – Natural Environment

This subject check list covers the first of the 5 main subjects from the Master Check List - Components of the Ideal Master Planned Beach Resort Destination.  These subject check lists are by no means comprehensive, but more like a shopping list with brief explanations as reminders.  This check list series actually goes hand in hand with an earlier series I posted on Integrated Master Planning for Destination Development.   This check list would actually be similar to some of the outlines for the phase of Environmental / Site Analysis in the Integrated Master Planning methodology.    

Clear waters and white sandy beaches the basic ingredients.

24.1 Master Planned Beach Resort Destination Checklist – Part 1 – Overview

I have spent much of my life enjoying some of the most beautiful and popular Beach Resort Destinations around the world, in Southern California, Hawaii, Bali, Phuket, Koh Samui, Lombok, Nice, Greece, Bintan, Hainan, etc.  In addition for the last almost 30 years I have been working on the design and master planning of individual buildings and large land areas associated with Beach Resort Destinations.  Having looked at it from the perspective of a designer, a consultant and an investor, I decided it was time to compile my shopping list of the components to make the Ideal Master Planned Beach Resort Destination.

Hawaii Ala Moana beach to Waikiki and Diamond Head

This list started off as a master list then became more detailed in the 5 main subjects, Natural Environment, Access/Proximity, Development Products, Supporting Infrastructure and Services and Destination Management as shown in the table below.  This master list and subsequent subject lists are by no means detailed, but more like a shopping list with brief explanations as reminders.  I am sure somewhere on the net there is probably a similar exercise done by someone else but perhaps done in a different order? 

23.0 An Architect’s Pilgrimage to Ronchamp

Almost 30 years ago now as a young graduate Architect I discovered the glorious architecture of Rome during my grand tour.  My Lessons of Rome are summarized in an earlier article.

The following year “bitten by the bug of travel”, I had to go once again to discover the many wonders of architecture in Europe. 

During these travels in the summer of 1983, I covered many of the historic buildings and cities of Europe but only one destination was a real Architectural Pilgrimage!  It was a true pilgrimage for a number of reasons, first the locations was one not easily accessible and after taking a train to a small town I believe is called Belfort which had one stop in the morning going to the town and one stop in the evening leaving the town.  If I can remember correctly, it is about 20km from the station to the Chapel of Notre Dame Du Haute and I got there walking! 

Being on a student budget and having more time than money walking in the beautiful summer weather through the French country side seemed like the logical choice.  With a combination of hitch hiking and walking, the journey ended taking about 3 hours and the excitement slowly built up as we got nearer and could see the chapel on a hill in the distant landscape.   

Being an admirer of the Architect Le Corbusier throughout my years as a student (and still remain one today) this seemed like the ultimate sacrifice to study this master piece and I can clearly remember I was not let down upon arrival. 

Ronchamp - Sketch Book - Europe Travels 1983 - Bertram Wong (copyright)

So what is it about this building that makes it so inspiring?

22.0 Jakarta Kota a historic center awaiting renewal.

On a recent trip to Jakarta I invited a Jakarta Architect friend who has never tried the Busway to venture out on a Sunday morning to experience the Busway on a trip to Kota, the old Dutch built center of Jakarta. 

Historic Dutch Architecture along Kali Besar

The trip was pleasant and it reminded me of the richness and potential the old parts of Jakarta possesses and left me wondering when the “potential” will finally be realized?

21.8 Lessons of Rome - Part 8 - Conclusions

Conclusions

In Rome with its countless monuments, the most appealing buildings where those stripped of the embellishments. The scale of St. Peters is enough to leave anyone in awe, but the abundance and variety of decoration allows very little to be comprehendible. The simplicity of Roman masonry construction with its clear structural logic is something both aesthetically pleasing and easily comprehendible.

Santa Costanza, Rome

The most memorable building for this viewer is the church of Santa Costanza (see photos). The building is a circular plan with and outer layer composed of thick wall of niches and an inner layer a screen of paired columns. The zone between the columns and the thick wall is a continuous barrel vault and the center space is a domed ceiling. The applied decoration is minimal consisting of mosaics on the barrel vault. 

21.7 Lessons of Rome - Part 7 - Porticos

Introduction

The study of Rome through architectural themes was an excellent methodology to look at the richness and diversity of the city. It also served as an opportunity to re-examine and further clarify the basic concepts that make architecture. The themes of windows, walls, rooms, courtyards, piazzas and porticos served as the stimulators for investigation and inquiry.

The Tempieto

Porticos

In a dense urban environment, the portico plays an important role as the mediator between public and private. This threshold between inside and outside can be conceived in 4 basic forms. First as a void carved into a continuous façade. Second as a piece added to the façade. Third as the whole façade itself and last as a continuous façade that wraps around the building. It may also be composed of any number of the 4 types combined.

21.6 Lessons of Rome - Part 6 - Piazzas

Introduction

The study of Rome through architectural themes was an excellent methodology to look at the richness and diversity of the city. It also served as an opportunity to re-examine and further clarify the basic concepts that make architecture. The themes of windows, walls, rooms, courtyards, piazzas and porticos served as the stimulators for investigation and inquiry.

Piazza San Ignazio

Piazzas

The pizzas seem to be the most successful in establishing a sense of enclosure when they are the Baroque molded spaces that are dynamic and seem to be constantly changing and when the space is clearly symmetrical.