FOREWORD

Dr Limin Hee Director, Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC)

There is an urgent need to reduce Singapore’s reliance on private cars by encouraging walking as well as cycling. In order to convince people of the mindset that cycling can also be an efficient mode of commuting, one of the key strategies would be to focus on creating better cycling infrastructure. The site of one-north was selected as an ideal site for the focus of the Masters students’ research and project ideas.

one-north is a 200-hectare development in the southwest of Singapore conceived to host a cluster of world-class research facilities and business-park space to support the growth of Biomedical Sciences, Infocomm Technology (ICT), Media, Physical Sciences and Engineering. The district is located in a strategic area, close to larger green networks like the Rail Corridor, the Round Island Route for cycling and the Southern Ridges that can be integrated with one-north’s green spine. However, being surrounded by a high density of uses does not guarantee an equally high frequency of usage. As an innovation hub immersed in greenery, one-north can make for an excellent cycling environment, but the challenge for cyclists in the area is to navigate the undulating terrain as well as the large roads surrounding the district.

The students of the everyday cycling 2 studio used both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyse one-north and its surroundings. Backed by scientific measurements as well as intuitive design methods, the students’ mandate was to deliver a comprehensive proposal at transforming one-north into a cyclable district. I am happy to have been able to contribute as a guest critic for the studio, and found this compendium a useful repository of insightful research findings, unrestrained and imaginative design solutions, which offer a glimpse of what everyday cycling can be re-imagined in one-north.