A Journal of Design Processes Natania Priska
CRESCENT
FORT CANNING MRT
GREAT WORLD MRT
ROBERSTON QUAY
HAVELOCK MRT
0.5 KM
TIONG BAHRU
CHINATOWN MRT
RAD IUS
Contextual Research
CLARK QUAY MAXWELL MRT
OUTRAM PARK
OUTRAM PARK MRT
CRESCENT @ KUKOH PRECINCT Located in Singapore's central business area, right in between the towering offices and multi-million dollar condo is a HBD precinct usually known as Jalan Kukoh neighborhood. In contrast to the luxury surrounding it, Jalan Kukoh houses Singapore's lowest-income families in often cramped and overcrowded rental flats. Its hilly location is not the only thing making Kukoh's residents feel segregated from the rest of Singapore. The non-optimal, poor living environment and bad reputation of Kukoh neighborhood reflect badly on the resident’s psychology; affecting their relationship, health, and children development. Crescent @ Kukoh Precinct wanted to explore landscape as a catalyst for urban change.
CHINA TOWN
RESIDENTIAL
+
+
ISSUES
9% 1%
10% 25
%
6%
15%
%
40%
17
.3%
2
CHRONIC SICKNESS ABSENT FAMILY SUPPORT FOR ELDERLY SINGLE PARENT-SHIP HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
+
ECONOMIC
%
2 7.
.3 %
+
8% 2%
17
1 ROOM (1056 UNITS) 2 ROOM (830 UNITS) 3 ROOM (194 UNITS) 4 ROOM (4 UNITS)
AGE
9.1%
5
+
RACE
.7% 14
+
60%
1
6
The living environment designed wasn't optimal and livable, it failed to create a conducive environment for the residents to grow; even though the government expect the residents to be self-reliant.
50 %
Jalan Kukoh, York Hill, and Jalan Minyak is streets where several public rental blocks are located.
The nonchalant environment negatively impacted residents' sense of reality and identity, extinguishing the resident's hope to move up the social ladder. It also held a bad reputation among the rest of Singapore, bringing shame to the residents.
84
RENTAL FLATS
14.5%
+
0-19 YEARS OLD 20-29 YEARS OLD 30-39 YEARS OLD 40-49 YEARS OLD 50-59 YEARS OLD 60-65+ YEARS OLD
CHINESE MALAY INDIAN OTHERS
SITE ANALYSIS
3%
INFRASTRUCTURE
1
41%
2
3
WATER BODIES PARK
4
56 %
Public rental flats is an affordable housing solution for the 5% lowest income Singaporean family that lacks family support. The rental cost around $26 to $275 per month to the government, only 2% of the cost of normal rental flats.
8 9 5
2
3
The public rental flats is not intended to be a permanent shelter but instead a transition place. To make sure the residents doesn't develop dependency mentalities, the spaces were not designed to only fill the functional purpose of housing yet held little consideration for their qualitative living experiences.
The 1-room and 2-room flats The 1-room and 2-room flats areare usually very cramped, usually very cramped, sometimes filled with 5 5 sometimes filled with families member. There areare families member. There even some cases when 2 2 even some cases when families share 1-room rental families share 1-room rental flats. flats.
4
10
EMPLOYED INACTIVE UNEMPLOYED
CONTROVERSY
+
SITEPHOTO
11 12 13
RENTAL FLATS OWNERSHIP FLATS
+
BUILDING MASSING 6
CONTOUR
COMMUNITY CENTER COMMERCIAL EATERY
+ High crime rates creates unsafe environment
+
+ High turnover rates leads to no sense of belonging
+ Low youth engagement and no parental guidance
+ Lack of accessible green space
Social exclusion from outside neighborhood
+ Lack of resources (educational, economical, social)
SITE RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL EDUCATIONAL BUSINESS HOTEL WATER BODIES PARK
The topographic conditions of the site as well as the severe juxtaposition of differing demographics around its surrounding bring about a sense of conflict and imbalance within the area, resulting in hostility and a segregated environment.
+ DESIGN FRAMEWORK
SENSE OF BELONGING & INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
A SAFE ENVIRONMENT TO GROW
CATALYST OF LEARNING OPPORTUNITY
CHANGING NEGATIVE NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY
LANDSCAPE ENHANCEMENT
4 STRATEGY
Concept Development
positive negative (site)
linkage
indentify
There is a need to improve the existing circulation in the site extreme topography
Kukoh is famous for being a ‘negative’ space, for that the design will inject ‘positive’ into the negative. 'Positive’ means spatial design or activity.
expansion
subdivision
courtyard only act as an inital point and be an incentive to spills as a activating space for the nearby void decks and currently empty commercial spaces.
Each of the devided courtyard will be given different function
VOID DECKS
social capital
COMMERCIAL
income security
art studio
teleworking
elderly care
dance studio
meet & gather
hot-desking
daycare
cafe/restaurant
workshop
youth clubs
training center
learning hub
compost workshop
study corner
tech training
farm-to-table eatery
playscape
fitness corner
supermarket
volunteer iniciative
pops-up market
peformance space
minimarket
family consoling
office
utility store
grocery store
laundry
literacy programs
+ TARGET GROUPS
FAMILY
WORKING ADULT
UNEMPLOYED
KIDS
YOUTH
ELDERLY RESIDENT
+
SITE PLAN
ROOTS COURTYARD
11
1 2 3 4 13 5
15 16
DESIGN EXPLORATION SOCIAL
OUTDOOR WORKING SPACE
LEAF COURTYARD
OPEN SPACE SOCCER FIELD
WELL BEING
BASKETBALL COURT FITNESS CORNER
ECONOMICAL
FLOWER COURTYARD
12 14
6 7 8 9 10
11 2 3
1
7 9
ECOLOGICAL
OUTDOOR CLASSROOM SHARED LIBRARY D
LONG SHARE-TABLE LEARNING GARDEN
NK
TRU
C
S
OT
R TYA
RO
R OU
11 URBAN FARMING 12 SOCIAL SEATING
5
8
PLAYGROUND
TRUNK COURTYARD
4 10
+
D YAR
URT
O RC
E
W FLO
ARD RTY
U CO
2
LEAF COURTYARD 13 14 15 16
6
JALAN KUKOH FOOD CENTER
1
3 4
OPEN LAWN BIODIVERSITY GARDEN SEATING STAIRS 5
10M 5M
50M 20M
100M
8 9 6
+ DESIGN TRANSFORMATION
10
Towards a livable neighborhood by co-existing with nature. The design took inspiration from nature, just like how plants are able to grow steady even in a hostile environment. PLANTS
11
12
FUNCTION
APPLICATION
flowers
grow
for the youth and kids
trunk
support
for strengthening community spirit
roots
connect
enlarging resident’s connection and perception
leaves
breathe
a green oasis for nature leisure
2 1
13
4
3
5
9 6
+
EMOTIONAL
VOCATIONAL
EN
ARD
NG
RAI
10
12
SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE
SPIRITUAL
SOCIAL
EXCERCISE
EDUCATIONAL
SENSE OF COMMUNITY PHYSICALL WELLBEING
8
EN
11
SUSTAINABILITY 13
ENVIRONMENTAL
EN
RD
GA
ARD
NG
RAI
DESIGN PRINCIPLE
N RAI
WATER HARVESTING RAIN GARDEN -> CLEANSE WATER
VEHICULAR ROAD PEDESTRIAN PATHWAY
WATER REUSE PERMACULTURE FARMING
+
ROOTS COURTYARD
CONNECTING NEARBY BLOCKS (8, 9, 10) CONNECTING TO OTHER COURTYARDS Roots help connect the residents to the resources they needed. The idea was inviting the public such as the start up company etc to work inside the site and thus increasing the opportunity of mingling with the residents. This will enlarge the resident connection, as well as lessening the segregated demographic of the site. BASKETBALL COURT (RETAINED)
SUNKEN SEATING SHARED LIBRARY
SHELTERED SEATING
OPEN SPACE
Design Proposal
SOCCER FIELD (RETAINED)
CONNECTED PATHWAY NETWORK
MEETING ROOM
IVE
SIT
E
IV AT
G NE
+Connection with Nature
Provide shade and beautify the site
+Outdoor Co-Working Space
Promoting collaboraitive environment
+Retain Existing Soccer & Basketball Court A strong social communal heart and promotes wellness
+Vibrant & Dynamic Culture
Changing Kukoh’s negative Stigma
+Creative Workshop
Enhancing and enlarging the tenant’s capacity and enabling them to various works
+Shared Library
Building social capital
+Integrating with the Public
Inviting public visit to desaturate Kukoh’s resident as well as establishing connection to help expose to job oppurtunities
PO
+
FLOWER COURTYARD
Focusing on the development of the young is an important steps on breaking the poverty cycle. The flower courtyard help the children to ‘bloom’ in a safe environment
POLLINATING
OUTDOOR CLASSROOM SHELTERED SEATING
SHELTERED SEATING
FLOWERING
CENTRAL PLATFORM
SEEDING SPOURTING
SHARED LIBRARY
CONNECTED PATHWAY NETWORK
SWINGS LONG TABLE CONNECTED PATHWAY NETWORK
LEARNING GARDEN
E
ITIV
E
TIV GA
NE
S PO
WORKING PARENTS LAKING RESOURCES CHILDREN E
IV AT EG
N
DAY CARE
Learning opportunities are located in this flower courtyard, such as learning garden and outdoor classroom to facilitate the existing study group volunteers.
BRIDGE GENERATION GAP
The learning garden will introduce the children to farm produce, as well as farm-to-table experience ELDERLY VOLUNTEERS
Considering the working parents that lack resources, the daycare system requires elderly volunteers as the handler. Not only easing the cost the parents has to bear, it will bring social capital as well as bridge generation gap
+Thematic playground
+Engaging the Youth of Kukoh
excercise motor skills and make freinds
focusing on the development of the young adults to help them break the poverty cycle
+Long Table
+ Play in the giant flower
farm-to-table communal space
+Learning Garden
introducing gardening and vegetables
+Sheltered Seating for rest and study
+Shared Libary
increasing social capita
+ Ramble through the spourting plants + Pollinate the flowers
+Central Platform
providing a place to gather and meet
+ Steps above the seeds
+Outdoor Classroom
a safe, conducive environment in nature setting
IVE
SIT
BRING SOCIAL CAPITA
PO
+
+
TRUNK COURTYARD The trunk courtyard contains program that help sustain the community: urban farming and social lane. The program here were to facilitate the residents to meet & gather, improving their well being through fitness corner, as well as farm-to-table
Leaf courtyard take inspiration from the leaf's main and secondary vein to identify the positive and negative space of the site. The positive side will be filled with biodiversity attracting plants, where the negative is for human circulation.
urban farm produce commercial organic restaurant
seasonal market
community self consume
community meals
The design was inspired by the growth rings patterns in trunks when you cut them horizontally
LEAF COURTYARD
SHELTERED SEATING URBAN FARMING
SHELTERED SEATING
SHELTERED SEATING
The sheltered seating will also accommodate the dinners at the nearby hawker center who preferred to dine among the nature, and still provide a picturesque scene seen from inside.
RAMP
GREEN WALL
SEATING PLAYSCAPE
SEATING STAIRS
COMMUNCAL KITCHEN FARM-TO-TABLE
E
ITIV
IVE
SEATING
S PO
T GA
NE
FITNESS CORNER
CONNECTED PATHWAY NETWORK
OPEN LAWN
GREEN WALL
SHELTERED SEATING URBAN FARMING SHELTERED SEATING meet & gather
well being
farm-to-table
e
nc
tra
en VE
SI
PO
NE
+Open Community
+Table and Seat
fostering a sense of belonging and ownership
for community activity
+Active open green space leisure in nature
+Communal Kitchen farm-to-table
E
V TI
+Tiered Seating Spots
+Retained Tree
Encouraging serendipitous incidental encounter
preserving existing biodiversity
+ Dine With a View added value
+Bidoversity Garden
attract wildlife and improve ecology
+ Sheltered Seating
additional seating for diners
+Urban farm
providing source of food as well as rebuilding community spirit and locality
+Seating Steps +Green Wall
+Social Lane
creating an interactive and engaging street to promote social bonding
platform for peformance
+ Open Lawn
for community activities
TI GA
+
+
SOFTSCAPE ica
sav
ias
lep
Asc
as cur
a
ssi
Ca
ACTIVITY PLANNING DAY
tula
fis
NIGHT
WEEKDAY
WEEKEND
HOLIDAY
Community Market
FLOWER COURTYARD
Urban Farming Lesson & Training
TRUNK COURTYARD
Buddleja davidii
Terminalia mantaly Ixora
ensis
er
ec
ta
in
um
Meet, Gather, Community Bonding
zey
lan
ROOTS COURTYARD
icu
Nature Immersion
m
ecio
us oli nif
ia s p
er alt
oem
us pe r
erst
+
s
su
Lag
fu
ef
not only the selected plants attract biodiversity, they are also omitting fragrance
nia
le Di
a dic
Cy
Russelia equiseti fo
rmis
ta
us nc Ju
+BIODIVERSITY GARDEN
Syz
sa
ran
Community Party
LEAF COURTYARD
siam
ygi
Du
a sy ta ica s a nt An ge ga
Working & Collaboration
TREE PLANTING
the chosen tree species provide shade, support biodiversity, as well as flowering tree that could provide visual aesthetic
Acrostichum aureum
es
ap
RAIN GARDEN
+
A DAY AT KUKOH
m
ale
designed to treat polluted stormwater runoff into cleansed water hy et um
HELLO! LET ME REINTRODUCE KUKOH PRECINCT TO YOU.
uis
+
The volunteer at daycare helps me alot by taking care of my kids while I’m working
URBAN FARMING
14 days harvest time
I AM NO LONGER SCARED OF MY NEIGHBORHOODS. PEOPLE ARE FRIENDLIER AND HELPFUL
08.00
Eq
I
e pom
+
ae
pr -ca
14-60 days harvest time
The connected pathway network inspires me to jog
9-12 months harvest time Co-working space in Kukoh is fun and engaging
Peper
Kangkong
Cucumber Lady's finger
Pumpkin
Ginger
I should arrange a morning yoga with the other volunteers here
The hawker center here has the most delicious food
Being in this garden is therapeutic for me
I like to learn & play with my friend! And take care of the vegetables!
Lemongrass
CRESCENT MAKES KUKOH VIBRANT! ME AND MY NEIGHBORS ARE LEARNING, BONDING, AND HEALING IN A BIOPHILIC ENVIRONMENT
17.00
15.00
Spring onion
19.00
12.00 CRESCENT PROGRAMS ARE VISIBLE, ACCESSIBLE, AND ENGAGING.
WITH ALL OF THESE PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUND COMING TOGETHER, KUKOH RESIDENT DOESN'T FEEL SEGREGATED ANYMORE
THE URBAN FARM MAKE IT CONVINIENT FOR AFFORDABLE HEALTHY MEALS
Anyone want free meals?
I’m a proud resident of Kukoh Precinct! It’s illegal to be this cheap!
The job training I took help me get a good job!
Sweet potato
Radish
Pepermintt
Spinach
Chives
Pandan
Parsley
Banana
Lettuce
Cabagge
Tomatoes
Chili
Grape
Mango
Papaya
Rambutan
Thanks to the free sport classes from volunteers, I get to have fun with my neighboors!
All of these activities and event is making me happy!
The urban farming enables me to form beautiful connection through the shared interest of life.