FROM BEGINNING TO END Landscapes for the vulnerable as a catalyst for a better neighbourhood for all

FROM BEGINNING TO END

landscapes for the elderly and preschoolers as a catalyst for a better neighbourhood for all

PUBLICATION

DISCLAIMER

This work is a product of students’ outcome from LAD3002 Landscape Design Studio 6 (2021-22 spring semester) offered by NUS Department of Architecture, Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Programme. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of NUS, or the Department of Architecture. The department does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The report reflects public information available up to May, 2022.

RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS

The material in this work is subject to copyright. This work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for noncommercial purposes as long as full attribution to this work is given. Any queries on rights should be addressed to the editors; Kenya Endo or Evi Syariffudin (email address is available from the NUS Department of Architecture website).

Published by

CASA Centre of Advanced Studies in Architecture

Department of Architecture

School of Design and Environment

National University of Singapore

4 Architecture Drive

Singapore 117566

TEL: +65-6516-3452

FAX: +65-6779-3078

ISN: 978-981-18-4785-1

This booklet was edited by part-time lecturer Evi Syariffudin and lecturer Kenya Endo, with the core source being student’s work from the design studio, under the guidance of two tutors.

First of all, we take this opportunity to thank our 21 year 3 students who dedicated numerous efforts for achieving studio’s learning objectives and coming-up with out-of-the box ideas.

Secondly, we had valuable contributions from a number of guest experts, as listed below, for providing useful advice, feedbacks, and lectures for the student’s learning (alphabetical);

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Guest critics and guest lecturers;

Prof. Dorothy Tang (NUS Department of Architecture)

Prof. Ervine Lin (NUS Department of Architecture)

Ms. Janis Ho (Housing Development Board)

Prof. Jessica Diehl (NUS Department of Architecture)

Mr. Larry Yeong (Participate in Design)

Prof. Leng Leng Thang (NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences)

Mr. Leonard Cai (Housing Development Board)

Ms. Trecia Lim (WeCreate Studio)

Prof. Yun Hye Hwang (NUS Department of Architecture)

Collaborators for site visits and community workshops;

Lions Befrienders; Ms. Karen Wee, Mr. Yu Khoo, Ms. Tracy Tan Queenstown Public Library; Mr. Boon Poh Thian, Mr. Soon Huat Kweh St. Joseph Nursing Home; Ms. May Wong

We appreciate the support and seek future collaboration to elevate the discourse even further. Lastly but not least, we acknowledge NUS Department of Architecture for financially assisting the activities that took place during the semester.

SITE CONTEXT

STUDY TOURS

TRAILS OF CHOICE

a quiet oasis in a busy world alyssa julianne tee xin yun

kampong mei ling ling wei shuen benjamin attap house village | yeoh e ming walkability | chen hui lin tammy

THE SLOW CITY

the new living @ mei ling vista | kaelyn yap sit kee any time, any day | nur qiyanah azmi re-street | chye qing yun mei ling gateway nicole foo jiaxuan

SENTIMENTAL SPACES

the cultural park @ tanglin | brina choo sentimental scenery | magan lam edible neighbourhood | sherry cheong shao yin multi-park | allaine galapon

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOPS AND PERSONA ANALYSES

DESIGN PROCESS

MOBI-FLEX

community | amber yong ling

queen’s stop | hia siew yi tanglin v | ho jing jing artists’ third place | zhang wen

BRIDGING NEIGHBOURHOODS

manoeuvre tan jie min concentre | yulin teo people space | chester lee young lin

the nexus | tan sok vin

the viridian lobby | julia tong wai shan

FINAL REMARKS

SITE CONTEXT

QUEENSWAY

COMMONWEALTH AVENUE

QUEENSWAY

Lions Befrienders Training Academy

Queenstown Community Centre

Alexandra Hospital

Queenstown Library

Queenstown MRT

DAWSON ROAD

MARGARET DRIVE

ALEXANDRA ROAD

Queenstown Health District

The Queenstown Health District, launched in October 2021, is an excellent location to test out the stated focus of this studio. “Queenstown has been selected as the pilot site for the Health District as its demographics closely mirror Singapore’s projected national demographics by year 2030. The town currently has one of the oldest populations in Singapore, with almost one out of every four Singaporeans aged 65 and above.”1

The site is at the HDB estates around Margaret Drive, Dawson Estate and Stirling Road, with new BTO (Built-to-Order) HDB flats (attracting young families) built adjacent to the oldest HDB town in Singapore (with a high proportion of elderly residents).

Margaret Drive / Dawson Estate

The area around Margaret Drive is currently relatively less built up, allowing a variety of landscape proposals, while the area around Dawson Road is already envisioned as housing in a park, with the various HDB estates connected by the existing Alexandra Canal Linear Park - a 1.3km stretch that is also part of the park connector system.

The presence of Queenstown Regional Library, rich in heritage with ambitious community-outreach programs, forms a strong nucleus for the spine of newly built BTO HDBs along Margaret Drive.

A host of other community-empowering organisations can also be found along Margaret Drive, including Rainbow Centre, St Andrew’s Nursing Home and Edible Garden City.

Stirling Road / Meiling Street

“Blocks 45, 48 & 49 Stirling Road were the first few blocks of flats completed in October 1960, just months after the Housing and Development Board (HDB) was formed in February 1960.”²

SYNOPSIS

1 https://www.hdb.gov.sg/cs/infoweb/about-us/news-and-publications/press-releases/20102021-PilotHealth-District-in-Queenstown-to-Focus-on-Residents-Holistic-Well-being

2 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/hdb-unveils-landscape-masterplan-to-spruce-updawson-estate

Context: The Old and the Young, Our Heritage and Our Future

There is an increasing amount of professional literature to support the claim that interaction with nature is highly beneficial for the holistic well-being of preschoolers and the elderly. Progressively, urban planners and policymakers are not only highlighting the need to design the city for our most vulnerable dwellers, but also vouching that such a paradigm shift has created greater inclusivity and, in turn, a better environment for everyone. Beyond static indices of liveability, convenience, and comfort, this facilitates an organic growth in other-awareness, sociability and empathy. This could potentially spark off more community initiatives that unearth previously hidden social issues and design interventions capable of addressing them.

Intervention: Landscape as Catalyst

This studio assumes a bold stance that landscape architecture, as it stands at the intersection between ecology, infrastructure, and social space, is strategically poised to augment the health of the environment and the people symbiotically.

How will outdoor and semi-outdoor spaces in and around our residential estates be designed differently if designers had a deeper understanding of the needs and circumstances of the vulnerable in our society?

STUDY TOURS

SYNOPSIS

The first week of studio was focused on study tours and visits to relevant spaces that exemplify sensitive design responses to the specific needs of vulnerable target users.

St Joseph’s Home (SJH)

As Singapore’s first nursing home to be co-located with an infant and childcare centre, SJH has been pioneering and advocating for quality inter-generational programmes. 4

Lions Befrienders

“Lions Befrienders is a social service agency formed in 1995, with a mission to provide friendship and care for seniors to age in place with community participation, enabling them to enjoy meaningful, enriching lives.”5 It has a strong presence in this neighbourhood, with its sole training centre at Block 163 Stirling Road and a senior activity centre at Block 151 Mei Ling Street.

Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden (JBCG)

JBCG was the first public garden in Asia to be dedicated to children. Fundamental to its design was “the process of ‘gradation’ in the sense that as the children grew, they would

be able to move on to a different part of the Children’s Garden, while taking on the position of mentorship to the younger children,” 6 thus encouraging their motor, cognitive, social and emotional development within the context of a community.

Enabling Village

“The Enabling Village champions sustainability and sociability by promoting the learning, bonding and healing of people with varying abilities within a biophilic environment. This creates an inclusive space that enables and values everyone.... Wayfinding is developed as a series of touch-points at entries and strategic junctions to assist with orientation and navigation. Each building is identified by a feature wall with coloured graphics. External lighting is designed to give a serene park ambience. Building facades, drop-offs, cabanas and walkways are accentuated as beacons and connectors in the park. Art is integrated into the garden with building-scale murals, incorporating artwork by autistic artists.” 7

Outdoor Spaces as Optimum Environment for Mental Development

Despite their less-than-optimal ability to navigate their environment, ironically both preschoolers and the elderly benefit from constant and intensive interaction with the natural environment: one to ramp up their cognitive development, the other to slow down their mental degradation. Outdoor natural environments are optimum in achieving this for several reasons:

• Multi-sensorial stimulation

• Ample space and variability to build confidence in independent mobility

• Corresponding healthy environments (natural ventilation) and activities (recreation and exercise)

Intergenerational Symbiosis

It is also useful to consider similarities and distinctions in the circumstances of preschoolers and the elderly, as well as the symbiotic relationship that could arise from their interactions.

For example, both groups have limited independent mobility and often require some level of supervision. As such, they often benefit from a greater proximity to their place of residence. Universal or barrier-free accessibility are equally crucial to wheelchairs and strollers. Lowered executive cognitive functions often translate to challenges in wayfinding, requiring a more thoughtful landscape design that is not easy to get lost in.

4 https://stjh.org.sg/2020/impact-of-inter-generational-programmes-findings-from-st-josephs-home/

5 https://www.lionsbefrienders.org.sg

6 https://www.nparks.gov.sg/-/media/cuge/ebook/citygreen/cg16/cg16_04.ashx?la=en&hash=AA331A917

4E219558287617E77AC7AAF82FFFD25

7 https://www.archdaily.com/801850/enabling-village-woha

Spatial designs should engage the senses of smell, sound and touch more thoughtfully. The other senses that are not often discussed are just as important. The vestibular sense helps us keep our balance and sense movement, while proprioception is the ability to sense where our body is relative to the space around it. This would have implications on the diversity of movements that the landscape spaces will require of its users, including climbing, crouching, balancing, swinging etc.

As the nation’s demography progressively ages, the working population would have to increasingly take on a greater economic burden, often translating to the need for both parents in a family to work. In such a context, the older generation can be an appropriate partner in taking on part of the child-minding responsibilities.

Studies have also shown intergenerational interactions to be mutually beneficial. Children’s regular interactions with the older generation translate to greater language and social skills development. By reading and playing with the young ones, older adults become less prone to loneliness.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOPS AT QUEENSTOWN REGIONAL LIBRARY

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOPS & PERSONA ANALYSES

Community Engagement Workshops

To promote participatory design, students were required to facilitate a workshop to engage a group of either preschool children or older adults, in order to understand their needs and perspectives more realistically. This was conducted at the Queenstown Regional Library.

Students were challenged to prepare content (including verbal presentations, diagrams, models, visual aids etc.) in a manner that is easily understandable by people who have little prior knowledge of design and to facilitate the session as a meaningful dialogue with the participants. The intent of this engagement is neither to impose their ideas upon the attendees, nor to accept the attendees’ ideas wholesale. The pedagogical focus is to interpret the inner needs / social issues through the conversation, and finally to provide spatial solutions to mitigate these problems.

Persona Analysis

At the beginning of the semester, students worked in groups of 5 to do persona analyses of the site. Each group took on a particular lens through which to assess the user-friendliness of the site. The specific personas are:

• youths and working adults

• families with young children

• elderly with mobility impairment

• elderly without mobility impairment

These are shown in the following pages

PERSONA ANALYSIS: youth & working adults

YOUTH & WORKING ADULTS

Youths and working adults, aged 15 to 59 years old, make up about half of Queenstown’s population. These youths and working adults include those living in, working in, or visiting Queenstown. We analysed their general day-to-day activities to get a better grasp of how and where they spend their time in the neighbourhood.

We recognise that multi-generational recreational spaces play a crucial role in promoting social inclusion and maintaining youths’ relations with members of other age groups. To develop social spaces in Queenstown would be beneficial for the mental and physical health of youths.

With the analysis in place, we then understand and better provide for the youths and working adults. Furthermore, with the identification of underutilised spaces, we can then propose new activities or spaces that aids in intergenerational bonding to fully utilised such spaces and better cater to not only the residents living nearby but also introducing visitors to Singapore’s first satelite town - Queenstown.

PERSONA ANALYSIS: youth & working adults

PERSONA ANALYSIS: youth & working adults

PERSONA ANALYSIS: families with young children

FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN

Queenstown, the oldest satellite town in Singapore begun its development in the 1950s, introducing the first educational institute, polyclinic, library and sports complex in the estate. The estate mirrors the greying of their original occupants. The next generation of residents who grew up in Queenstown were heading towards newer estates due to the lack of development.

Queenstown has been selected for the Selective Enbloc Redevel-

opment Scheme (SERS) where high-density precincts are inserted in the neighbourhood to make the town more desirable for new residents.

The persona that we are studying are young families with children aged 0 to 6 years old. We further define young children to be those who are immoblie, such as infants, toddlers and children who still depend on their parents for support.

Children require 5 needs in the neighbourhood of Queenstown and they are mainly: play spaces, green spaces, communal spaces, enrichment and childcare centre. These are all essential in the early stages of childhood in order for them to become more knowledgeable, social and active in society as they grow older and be independent citizens.

PERSONA ANALYSIS: families with young children

PERSONA ANALYSIS: families with young children

PERSONA ANALYSIS: elderly with mobility impairment

ELDERLY WITH MOBILITY IMPAIRMENT

Instead of focusing on one or two forms of disability, we examined different types of disabilites (including auditory, sight, mobility and mental), allowing us to take into consideration the severity and variability of disabilities. This motivated us to go beyond catalogueing and assessing physical and psychological barriers to providing solutions and opportunities that strive to integrate the community. As a practical outcome, we focused on decreasing the distance from homes to green spaces.

The major challenge to connectivity through the lens of a vulnerable elderly with limited mobility capabilities are driven by several factors. Fundamentally, the steep topography of the site, coupled by the lack of efficient, systematic planning to mitigate it, poses issues of accessibility.

Most of the amenities essential to their daily living and routines are located on higher grounds. The abundance of stair-

cases often result in taxing detours, while the unavailability of safe pedestrian crossings and narrow roadside pedestrian pathways creates highly hazardous circulation routes.

PERSONA ANALYSIS: elderly with mobility impairment

PERSONA ANALYSIS: elderly with mobility impairment

PERSONA ANALYSIS: elderly without mobility impairment

ELDERLY WITHOUT MOBILITY IMPAIRMENT

Elderly people can often be misunderstood to be caregiver-dependant, physically inactive and socially redundant. The residential environments we have observed in this site unfortunately do not cater to their changing needs, restricting the elderly’s independance further and worsening their self-esteem and, thus, attesting to these negative stereotypes.

This project highlights the issues elderly face, both physically and

socially, and offers proposals to improve their well-being and augment their quality of life.

Objectives include creating more shared, activity spaces which facilitiates continual learning and skills development. This will, in turn, boost their confidence and motivate greater engagement with the community.

To illustrate how insights garnered from the site analysis could be practically translated into various design options, imaginary user journeys set around the daily life of a fictional persona, Uncle Ah Chang, were created. From these, one could better understand the key issues faced by a typical elderly, as well as the plethora of solutions (with their accompanying pros and cons) that could be proposed.

PERSONA ANALYSIS: elderly without mobility impairment

PERSONA ANALYSIS: elderly without mobility impairment

DESIGN PROCESS

Strategic Masterplan Detail Design Topical Focus

STRATEGIC MASTERPLAN (GROUP)

After completing the persona analyses, students were regrouped into groups of 4-5 students, such that each persona is represented in each of the new groups.

In these new groups, they are asked to define a site of their choice within which they are to develop a strategic masterplan. The aim is to address a particular issue that was discovered through their earlier analyses and to propose physical design interventions that could provide parts of the solution to issues that are social, cultural, historical or even geopolitical in nature.

DETAIL DESIGN (INDIVIDUAL)

Each student was to then zoom into an aspect or portion of this masterplan and develop a compelling individual concept for each sub-site that adds meaningful complexity rather than distract from the overall group strategy.

TOPICAL FOCUS (INDIVIDUAL)

They were also asked to delve into a topical focus that is of relevance to their individual concept, to intentionally add rigour to their design process as well as catalyse innovation in their design details. These includes:

• Thermal Comfort

• Private / public boundaries

• Wayfinding

• Community gardening

• Conservation

• Ecological services

GROUP MEMBERS REFLECTIONS

ALYSSA JULIANNE TEE XIN YUN

This studio brought a more diverse experience to designing, encouraging us to think about the more vulnerable communities in society, such as the elderly, whose needs are often overlooked. Through the different stages of this module (persona analysis, workshop development), I was able to put myself in their shoes and envision more clearly how I could play a part in improving their daily experiences through the enhancement and transformation of neighbourhood spaces.

YEOH E MING

The studio provided a new opportunity to look at the design from a different perspective. It was interesting to consider designing landscapes by focusing on the vulnerable among the community. As the population evolves in a bustling environment, we should involve all ages to interact through our landscape. The studio exposed me to another layer of consideration for the vulnerable, other than aesthetics and sustainability in landscapes, which would be vital to the future population in our developing urban city.

LING WEI SHUEN BENJAMIN

Singapore is a land scarce nation with an aging population on the rise. As designers of the public realm, we seriously have to reconsider new ways that will better cater the needs of the elderly population and facilitate social integration across different age groups. This would not only improve the wellbeing of the elderly people but increase their social support from the reach of other members of society which can combat the risk of our elders falling into neglected by society at large that often results to social isolation.

CHEN HUI LIN TAMMY

This studio has given me a strong insight on considerations and focus towards my target users. Having the opportunity to invest in time on asking and interacting with them through hands on workshops and interviews. It motivates me to consider the importance of the target users I am designing for, especially since different community in respective sites have various needs and wants.

TRAILS OF CHOICE

According to research from 2020, elderly form 15.2% of Singapore’s population. Within Queenstown itself, 42% of residents are elderly. This group of vulnerable users face many issues, both physical and mental. Our analysis has discovered that there is a lack of spaces around the neighbourhood which cater to their ever-changing needs.

Providing them with a variety of options to choose how they want to explore their estate, through the development of unique trails which feature pocket spaces, motivates them to leave the confines of their homes and gives them the confidence to venture out into their estates freely, growing their sense of independence at the same time.

With Queenstown being transformed into a “Health District”, we aim to create a more conducive and safe environment where the elderly, especially those with dementia and anxiety, can thrive independently.

a quiet oasis in a busy world

A Quiet Oasis in a Busy World

Queenstown is one of the oldest estates in Singapore, with over 42% of its residents being elderly. There is a need to create safe, inviting environments for them to age in place, but with rapid urbanisation, this vulnerable group’s needs are often overlooked.

Elderly require settings where they can connect with one another, satisfying their emotional and social needs. Nature is also very beneficial for them as physical activity in green spaces can be linked to better moods, decreased chance of depression, reduced stress levels and improved cognitive function.

Through using textures (visual, sound, tactile), I envision the development of a quiet respite amidst a busy world, allowing the elderly, especially those with anxiety, an escape where they can explore their outdoor environments and connect with the people around them.

The chosen site is a linear space located next to a bus stop, taxi stand, and Queenstown MRT Station. It presents a good opportunity to activate the space and prioritise people, while providing a naturalised breathing space where they could rest after a long day.

ALYSSA JULIANNE TEE XIN YUN

a quiet oasis in a busy world

Kampong Mei Ling

LING WEI SHUEN BENJAMIN

A recent DukeNUS Medical School survey, which gathered nationally representative data of more than 2,000 older Singapore citizens and permanent residents, showed that 1/3 of old people perceived themselves to be lonely. This proportion increased with age, from 32% among those aged 60–69 years, to 40% among those aged 80 and above.

As Singapore’s aging population is projected to increase in the coming decades, we seriously have to reconsider new ways of transforming our existing landscapes into a more inclusive and engaging one, especially in our land-scarce Singapore.

Our HDB void decks could offer the best location as majority of Singaporeans have easy access to them.

This proposal displays the potential of turning an aging neighbourhood such as Mei Ling estate (filled with its rich vernacular heritage and unique cultural practices of yesteryear) into a new cultural destination filled with reconfigured common spaces that encourages residence to use and explore while intermingling with others and having the freedom of expressing themselves through the decorations and customisations of spaces similar to what is seen in their own homes and corridors.

attap house village

Attap House Village

YEOH E MING

Attap house village offers a place where the elderly with dementia could engage in daily activities, such as dining and grocery shopping, in a secured space while the caretakers take the opportunity to rest. The landscape around the village offers activities for both the public and dementia patients, providing opportunities for family bonding, and daily activities while raising public awareness of dementia as a rising issue in Singapore.

The access to spaces changes throughout the day, filtering dementia patients into the village to ensure adequate space and privacy for activities to be done. The village is one of the stops as part of the master plan’s trail strategy where caregivers can drop them off and continue to visit other places around Queenstown afterward.

attap house village

(walkability) progressive physical health

(Walkability) Progressive Physical Health

Walking promotes a greener and healthier way of travel, while potentially tackling sociocultural challenges. Walking allows an individual pursuit of freedom, in a sense encouraging independency in ones journey (pathways) to their destination (spaces).

Exercise does not have to be strenuous and moderate amounts of activity can be equally beneficial. Hence the target persona, the elderly residents in this area are encouraged to improve their physical health progressively by the simplest daily exercise: walking and its accompanied movements. Research has also shown that the elderly are motivated to come out of their homes in search of communal Inclusivity and social Interaction.

CHEN HUI LIN TAMMY

(walkability) progressive physical health

GROUP MEMBERS REFLECTIONS

KAELYN YAP SIT KEE

It has been a great learning opportunity for me on many levels. Throughout the course of 17 weeks, I have obtained in-depth knowledge in designing landscape spaces where it emphasized the importance of the needs of all demographics and age groups. Hence, in order to further understand users’ needs, persona survey, site context analysis, and first-hand experience with these users through workshops were conducted to ensure the spaces are designed accordingly to fit their daily needs.

NUR QIYANAH BINTE AZMI

This module has been very insightful to me as we did not only go for site visit (Queenstown), but went beyond by visiting case studies site like Saint Joseph Home and Lion Befrienders as well as preparing workshops for Queenstown Library. I feel these workshops had helped me understand a persons needs and wants better and thus design respectfully, making it productive to encourage active ageing.

CHYE QING YUN

This studio allowed us to design the landscape with different approaches -by stepping back to gain a better understanding of the conditions of the landscape spaces for a diverse group of people in their everyday life through community engagement activities and interviews. The collection of the insights and feedback from these activities also enables us to develop our design idea to create a more inclusive and liveable environment for all age groups. Finally, the most important takeaway from this studio is, as a designer, always keep the needs of the different users in mind while designing the spaces.

NICOLE FOO JIA XUAN

This module has been very eye-opening and I have learnt a lot about different demographics through workshops and interacting with the Queenstown residences. Using a bottom-up design approach in this project has helped me better understand people’s needs and how to manipulate existing site conditions to create a functional and inviting space for them.

THE SLOW CITY

In light of the ageing population in the Mei Ling neighborhood, our master plan wishes to bring rejuvenation through inclusive and lively spaces that ultimately promote active ageing, as part of our concept. These spaces are located in closer proximity to the elderlies’ living spaces and are designed to facilitate wholesome 24/7 routines (taking their changing sleep patterns into consideration) while encouraging community interactions.

By understanding and respecting the elderlies’ specific lifestyle needs and providing new connectivity to meet them, this new neighbourhood also aims to create meaningful interactions with the natural environment as part of their daily lives.

The New Living @ Mei Ling Vista

KAELYN YAP SIT KEE

The urban environment that we inhabit is made up of hardscape and softscape elements to form different typologies of spatial experiences that drives us to feel, move, rest, and interact with the spaces differently. By focusing on the concept of behaviour cues in relation to the built environment, the design framework of this project aims to influence the user in a subtle yet impactful way by targeting the human sensory functions.

The design ties strongly with the manipulation of human perception and stimulates the senses to guide users towards a specific space and activity within the landscape. Transitioning from indoors to outdoors or vice-versa can be a gentle, pleasant and meaningful process.

In the face of societal ageist stereotypes, the masterplan aims to promote and celebrate the cultural identity of the seniors in Singapore by incorporating new typologies of public housing inspired by SoHo (small-office, home-office) co-living environments.

The proposal aims to enlighten and eliminate ageism through the process of drawing intergenerational bonding. As such, this will provide mutual support between society and the seniors and in turn, prevent loneliness that would otherwise often lead to depression, dementia, and cognitive decline.

any time, any day

Any Time, Any Day

Social disconnect is a common issue faced by elderly people in Singapore, even when they are living with families. It is significant to highlight this issue as it often goes unnoticed, without proposals for solutions. Furthermore, deterioration in emotional well-being often leads to physical detriment. For instance, depression and anxiety often leads to insomnia.

Heartland areas, especially those with a higher density of the elderly population, such as Queenstown, can benefit from quality landscapes located in close proximity to residential areas. These spaces can complement

the existing amenities and facilities, such as polyclinics, care-corners and food centres, that cater to the elderly.

“Any time, any day” provides a safe multi-functional outdoor space at their door step, available throughout the day and night, to promote the physical, mental and socialwell-being of the elderly.

As they build social bonds not only within families but also with the larger community, they will develop greater identity with their neighbourhood, hence invoking a sense of purpose and mending the social disconnect.

NUR QIYANAH AZMI

any time, any day

any time, any day

Re-Street

CHYE QING YUN

Mei Ling district, located in the heart of the Mei Ling & Mei Chin Estate, consists of a food centre, a wet market, and stores that have served as an important community gathering place for the residents. However, the car-centric planning of this district had allocated more room to automobiles and their storage, discouraging people from walking, biking, and socializing in public spaces.

Following the slow city concept of the group, a “car-lite” approach would be implemented to redesign the existing road and parking lot into more functional spaces for the residents to enjoy and explore. As part of the transformation, the introduction of bike infrastructure to the site would highlight the switch from cars to bikes in this neighbourhood and encourage residents, particularly the elderly, to lead an active lifestyle. In addition, the Mei

Ling neighbourhood’s proximity to the Alexandra Queensway PCN also made it an ideal location for a bike rest stop, allowing cyclists to refuel before continuing their journey. The cyclists will experience tranquil scenery along the green trail and explore the traditional hawker and marketplace culture from the Alexandra Queensway PCN to the Mei Ling district. Furthermore, this cycling corridor will connect the elderly residents of this neighbourhood from their homes to nearby gardens and parks, ultimately encouraging them to be more active in their daily lives. Hence, restructuring the streetscape with the cycleway planning would create a new opportunity to transform this district into a lively communal space, encourage active ageing, and provide the community with a unique identity.

Mei Ling Gateway

NICOLE FOO JIAXUAN

In line with the concept of active ageing, I aim to create a park that serves as a gateway into the Mei Ling neighbourhood and an active ageing hub where seniors can unwind.

Through interacting with the residents, I discovered that they hardly leave home due to a lack of programmes and (even more so) thermal comfort.

In order to increase the participation of older people, the area has to provide high thermal comfort, be accessible and safe for seniors, and have a variety of activities for people to participate in. There should be precinct greens and social spaces for people to relax, exercise, and mingle with others to optimise their mental, physical, and social health.

GROUP MEMBERS REFLECTIONS

BRINA CHOO

The norms of design approach is to first understand the environment and site, recreating a landscape based on the designer’s intents. This approach often neglects the emotions of the actual users and how they envision the landscape to be. However throughout this studio, I realised that it is important to prioritize getting input from actual users and the different demographics to understand them and their needs in the process as it would change the overall design and its strategies. The landscape would not be created just with the designers intent but also with the consideration of the people’s perspectives. Overall , this approach creates a landscape with a sense of ownership for the community.

MAGAN LAM

This Studio allowed me to gain new insight on designing for the users and their needs. It encouraged me to take a step back to truly analyse and create environments that serve the public that encompasses a range of demographics. Strategic approach and participatory design enabled honest feedback from stakeholders involved, aiding the design process significantly. Rethinking how we approach the public with design tools can make a huge difference in landscapes.

SHERRY CHEONG SHAO YIN

Through this studio, I understood the importance and value of community involvement in projects. This studio is different as we were able to organise a workshop to engage the community to understand their needs and likings in the landscape. Through the workshop, I was able to understand that even though many liked the idea of having a community garden in the park, they were not keen on participating in the gardening process itself. Overall it was a fruitful experience that enhanced my understanding about designing for the community. It is also encouraging that I am able to affirm my values and find out more about my interest through this studio.

ALLAINE GALAPON

It was a unique design studio experience designing with the people. The studio provided an opportunity to engage the people through a series of workshops to understand their needs and wants. Further site analysis and presentations from professionals in the field have also been very insightful. Both was essential for us to be able to design thoughtfully for and with the people.

SENTIMENTAL SPACES

Queenstown is a satellite residential estate which is home to an intergenerational community. However, based on the analysis we observed, the different generations are segmented due to the lack of connectivity in the residential estates, which also resulted in the lack of emotional connectivity & physical interactions.

We envision our proposed system design to enhance both physical and emotional interactions within the estate through three objectives, namely: frameworks of integrating the concept of past / present / future, creating a hierarchy of green spaces, and designing spaces for spontaneous intergenerational interactions.

The Cultural Park @ Tanglin

BRINA CHOO

With the ongoing Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme occuring in this site, multiple housing areas and amenities will be demolished and redeveloped, threatening the lost of cultural heritage embedded within.

Intentionality to evoke reminiscence and re-implement current culture in Tanglin celebrates sentimentality for the past residents and creates contextual awareness for the new visitors.

Through the understanding of the past and current tangible & intangible traditions, the Cultural Park @ Tanglin aims to reframe conservation beyond preserving old structures to integrating heritage into the current and future activities in the site as well as the connected Rail Corridor.

Multiple interaction nodes are specifically placed throughout the park to create active spaces for intergenerational intermingling for current and future communities.

sentimental scenery

Sentimental Scenery

The visual stimulus is a powerful tool to create experiential spaces. These spaces will positively impact social cognition as users are encouraged to engage in both physical and non-physical interactions. Strategic placement of greenery and landscaping can evoke a range of associated emotions such as relaxation or curiosity. Exploration of views at different elevations and a range of openness or enclosure can be experienced throughout the landscape. The goal is to create social experiential spaces through purposefully curated views, implementing a sentimental design. Such spaces encourage users to

explore beyond their homes and participate in accidental intermingling with their neighbours while enjoying the scenery. Target users include residents who experience mobility impairment or are homebound. By bringing greenery and views to the target users’ doorsteps, it provides a convenient and immediate change of environment where they experience all the benefits of interacting with greenery or their neighbours in these social spaces. Combating isolation and forming new memories through a shared experience with neighbours can foster a healthier and more bonded community.

MAGAN LAM

sentimental scenery

sentimental scenery

edible neighbourhood @ the first HDB flats

Edible Neighbourhood

@ The First HDB Flats

SHERRY CHEONG SHAO YIN

The concept aims to amplify the unique identity of the First HDB flats and strengthen social cohesion within the community by establishing community gardening as the driving source for intergenerational interaction. The interaction formed through community gardening enhances both mental wellbeing and a sense of belonging to the place. Gardening pocket spaces are injected in between the residential houses to create a central park space.

The design is developed in 2 phases: short term, and long-term. The shortterm plan involves strengthening the community through the creation of themed garden spaces and reintroducing edibles in landscapes. The long-term plan involves repurposing the building into an integrated farming facility that invloves multi-stakeholders in the community and commercial services.

edible neighbourhood @ the first HDB flats

edible neighbourhood @ the first HDB flats

Multi-Park

ALLAINE GALAPON

Mei Ling is a mature estate with few landscape amenties for its residents. This may be due to drastic topographical changes which results in small fragmented landscape amenities. In addition to this, there seems to be more space allocated for cars and vehicular services. With a predominantly ageing population, there could be a shift to focusing on creating more communal spaces for the residents.

Parking spaces such as the multistorey carpark offers an opportunity to create resident communal spaces. Its central location makes it accessible to

all surrounding blocks. Furthermore, the rooftop parking space has an unobstructed views from surrounding blocks. It also receives full sunlight which is ideal for planting or gardening. Hence, there is an opportunity to retrofit the carpark into resident communal spaces which promotes intergenerational intermingling through learning and play.

GROUP MEMBERS REFLECTIONS

AMBER YONG

This studio provided me with many opportunities to go down to the site and interact with the people in Queenstown. The faceto-face experience provided in this studio’s curriculum gave me a glimpse into our targeted group’s lifestyle. The interaction with the elderly during the workshop session provided me with a new perspective on their needs and wants in their neighborhood. Many of them also gave me advice based on their personal experiences in relatable fields. I was able to design my site better and more for the community.

HO JING JING

The exploration of unconventional design methodologies this semester has allowed me to approach design in a novel and holistic way; The studio’s collaborative format, involving the direct interaction and participation of stakeholders in the design process, has provided insights on their unique perspectives of the immediate environment. Opportunities are handled critically, to ensure the needs of the community are met whilst still providing them agency over the landscape through proposed programmes and spatial strategies.

HIA SIEW YI

This studio’s unique approach has given me the opportunity to interact with the targeted community and gain insights I wouldn’t have had otherwise. The zoom workshops arranged by our tutors also gave me an opportunity to learn directly from practitioners and see close up how people are currently dealing with problems related to public space for the targeted groups. I was able to take these real-world insights and apply them to my project in a way that benefits the community.

ZHANG WEN

The public engagement opportunities have given me a great appreciation for the value and hard work behind the rigorous planning in engaging the diverse communities of Queenstown. The nature of this studio has also allowed me to reach out to both the young and the old. I am overall grateful for what this semester has offered me, opening my eyes to different perspectives in approaching design in a meaningful way and adding a more personal touch to designing an outdoor landscape, for the community.

“Mobi Flex” is is a system of mobile services catered for the elderly residing in areas with greater accessibilty challenges within the neighbourhood. It involves the design of multiple hubs with flexible, multi-functional spaces. The concept revolves around notions of permanence / transience as a starting point of creating several activity centres to bring a variety of programmes directly to the communities.

The services provided are divided into two categories: on-ground and mobile services (also dubbed “Mobi-S”). They would provide services such as healthcare, education, food, social and art programmes. These help to support ageing in place and tackle accessibility issues in the designated areas.

Community

AMBER YONG LING

Wet markets have been an essential part of Singapore’s history ever since her early days as a bustling commercial port. Wet markets also possess unique characteristics that facilitates connection between people from different ethnicities and religions, further solidifying Singapore’s status as a multiracial society. Nevertheless, wet markets as a public space have declined in social significance in recent years.

Located in the central area of Queenstown, Mei Ling Market and Food Centre provides a great opportunity as a potential meeting ground. Communities seeks to create spaces and activities to bring people together and this can potentially be achieved in Mei

Ling Market and Food Centre through its revitalization, particularly through expanding its product offering into the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors.

This three-sector design will create spaces that bolster community involvement and ownership, especially in the foodscaping and production of new food gardens and transient spaces. These spaces will complement the current wet market to provide a greater variety of recreational activities for visitors and residents while preserving the authenticity of the wet market. Lastly, Mobi-s will enhance and support the market through activities, as well as delivery services for the market.

Queen’s Stop

HIA SIEW YI

The project Queen’s Stop seeks to understand the importance of inherent relationships among people in the community in this secluded estate through daily interactions among people. Thus, the project aims to enhance social interaction within the community by altering existing paths and gathering spaces to promote productive collision between people during their daily commute. In addition, the project also aims to enhance an under-utilised exercise corner with therapeutic landscape features that could benefit the elderly and other residents living in the estate.

The project design also aims to create Queens close’s very own community social plaza that is flexible in terms of social scale and activities. The multi-function plaza could be transformed into an event node that reverses human flow, attracting people from other parts of Queenstown.

The site will also fully utilise the existing topography to incorporate a water storage system to reuse rainwater for the water play area and slow down stormwater run-off that would be directed to the bio-retention basin before it flows out to the canal.

Tanglin V

HO JING JING

Involuntary relocation, resulting from urban redevelopment, can create a profound sense of loss in identity and community for the elderly. Therefore, the attachment to place and fading of old memories would require time to part with. In pursuit of achieving a higher urban density, the older estates in Tanglin Halt would be replaced with dense high-rise developments, ringing in a new community of younger families. Displaced older residents would be moved to Dawson, further from their network of trusted support systems.

“Tanglin V” aims to provide a smooth transition with colours whilst addressing the retention of memory, high urban density, and building of future connections within the

site. Colour approaches as a transitionary tool for the elderly would aid four objectives: the preservation of Tanglin’s entrepreneurial heritage, connection between residents of different estates through mobile services, the physical and psychological transition of old to new memories, and the scaling of urban developments on site. These are implemented through phases, with the gradual introduction of colour strategies and progressive demolition of the buildings.

This paves the way for a communal village park, replete with modern re-enactments of the “kampong spirit” with the retention of iconic Tanglin motifs, small community buildings, and the provision of social services.

Artists’ Third Place

ZHANG WEN

Artist’s Third Place aims to redefine the success of designing a senior-friendly outdoor space, tapping on the emphasis of self-expression for a successful aging. Upon site analysis, seniors were showing signs of lethargy and frailness, while the younger population are regularly moving about their day, revealing the disconnect and the neglect of these seniors. The study of self-expression is therefore interposed, in hopes of enhancing their quality of life through engaging in creative / artistic activities as an avenue for exploring and achieving emotional expression, sense of recognition and connection with others.

A sense of motivation is requisite for the seniors to get involved in the creative initiative, leading to the concept of introducing landscape ‘mediators’ to the neighborhood spaces, also known as the third space, where informal gatherings can transpire. Landscape ‘mediators’ include landscape pavers, landscape elements, Mobi-s, and community initiatives. This ‘mediator’ is akin to a blank canvas, ready to be filled with artwork done by the elderly who essentially become landscape artists creating a new identity for this neighbourhood.

artists’ third place

GROUP MEMBERS REFLECTIONS

TAN JIE MIN

From conducting workshops to better understand the community to detail design, this studio has been a rollercoaster yet fruitful ride. This semester has taught us to put ourselves into the shoes of the public and residents and truly focus on a specific direction that we (the students) wish to create an impact on. Furthermore, it also emphasizes the connections between the old and the young and the importance of keeping the old relevant and connected to the world.

YULIN TEO

Designing public spaces based on a specific community/neighbourhood needs helps to bring community residents together and encourages social gatherings. Through this studio, I learn that adults do play an important role in forging the intergeneration bond between the young and old. This semester’s studio has allowed us to learn to observe, understand and design with the user’s needs in mind. We were exposed to new things such as organising a workshop to better understand and listen to the residents’ needs before coming out with design strategies.

CHESTER LEE YONG LIN

There is complexity when it comes to designing public spaces and it is especially challenging when the design is to meet the needs of all demographic age groups. In ensuring spaces are adequately and effectively designed, site analysis, observations, and survey play a critical role in understanding the fundamental needs of the people and uncovering the complexity of the overall issue. When designing for the public, one should not assume the problems faced by the different demographics but design based on actual and genuine needs.

TAN SOK VIN

“From Beginning to End” made me more aware of aging towns and the importance of connectivity in living spaces and landscapes because without spatial connections, human bonds would, too, be disconnected. This academic semester has been an extraordinary four months as we were given the opportunity to look at things from a diffferent perspective, emphasizing on the essence of designing for the users, by the users.

JULIA TONG WAI SHAN

Working on the first satellite town in Singapore has been an experience. This studio puts a spotlight on two extreme age groups, the young and old, but in actuality, it is for us to discover beyond that requisite about the various mental and physical needs of not only the residents of Queenstowns but everyone. Also, being able to engage with people on a personal level to create a publicly opinionated design was a first. All in all, the semester was a real eye-opener for designers to realise the need to solve real-world problems as an individual.

BRIDGING NEIGHBOURHOODS

Envisioning new possibilities of integrating the young and old generations, the masterplan seeks to rejuvenate the aging town and attract a wider community of people into Queenstown.

It recognizes that younger, working adults, when socially empowered and infrastructurally-supported, can take on the onus of bridging the social gaps between the different age groups. The focus is, then, to faciltate that and promote meaningful social interaction through placemaking.

Strategies include promoting multifunctionality through the hybridisation of spaces and the enhancement of green connections within and beyond Queenstown to create a safe and human-centric environment. The macro framework thus aims to integrate existing grey infrastructure with landscape by placing a strong emphasis on ecology and hydrology.

As such, the design seeks to strengthen the social and cultural fabric of Queenstown, meet the needs of different demographic groups, while revitalising existing public spaces.

Manoeuvre: Wayfinding Through spaces

Mei Chin - Mei Ling district in Queenstown is one of the oldest estates in Singapore. Designed at a time when wayfinding was not a priority, this neighbourhood can often be difficult to navigate around, as discovered through site analysis.

In addition, amentities and facilities are rundown and mainly cater for the older generation. As a result, younger generations as less attracted to this neighbourhood, prefering instead nearby Dawson estate.

This project, therefore, aims to reactivate underutilized spaces to not only attract a wider demography, but also use those activities and spaces themselves as a form of wayfinding.

The main mode of wayfinding is created through the movement of people and sound generated from the spaces.

With the site catering to both the public and residents, two different routes are proposed to provide different spatial qualities for the different users. To further enhance wayfinding, a variety of cues will be implemented within the public and public-private route to guide the different users to aid in navigation.

Concentre: Small hub within your neighbourhood

TEO

Community hubs offer services that meet the needs of the local community. For example, Queenstown Public Library sees itself as a community hub whose goal is to forge closer community bonds across the different generations.

The project masterplan envisioned a relocation of the road in front of the Queenstown Public Library to its back. The remaining open space can then serve as a small hub where residents and visitors can gather. This project aims to design it to be a safe and human-centric space for social bonding.

Design strategies take data gathered from the site analysis, site observation, the community’s needs, as well as URA masterplan into consideration.

By providing more social spaces in the expansion of the library, the project aims to facilitate social interactions and intergenerational bonding between future residents. It also creates a seamless connection between the heritage library building and the newly developed Dawson housing estates.

YULIN

People Space: A Place near to one’s Heart

CHESTER LEE YONG LIN

Bench in public spaces plays an important role in building community ties because it serves as a tool for social and recreational activities. It creates opportunities for people of different backgrounds and age groups to meet and bond. However, site analysis and observation of the role and function of the benches found in public spaces show otherwise. The existing design does not encourage social interaction between the different age groups, it is poorly designed in relation to spaces and is inflexible in utilisation.

to form a closer relationship between people and public spaces in Queenstown. It continues on to develop a similar strategy of integrating benches with landscape elements to influence social and cultural behaviours, thus making apparent the interdependent relationship between physical artefact and social construct. The design of the bench stretches beyond the basic function of sitting into a multi-functional implementation that seeks to create more opportunities for casual and unplanned activities.

Inspired by the analysis of the different typologies of existing benches found on-site, and how it serves as a tool in shaping the culture and influencing lifestyle, the new design aims

People Space aims to re-activate underutilised public spaces to meet the socio-cultural needs of the people and strengthen the social gap between the young and the old.

The Nexus

TAN SOK VIN

The Nexus aims to forge intergenerational bonds in, and increase visitorship to, Queenstown, while rejuvenating it. It also seeks to create new landscape typologies through the merging of infrastructures to increase flexibility and multifunctionality.

The intersection of the axes from Alexandra Queensway PCN to the Botanic Gardens and that from Alexandra Linear Park towards the new commercialized space forms a crucial node that brings residents and visitors together. At the same time, it enhances accessibility through a lush environment.

To recreate the vibrant neighborhood that it used to be, different infrastructural layers are activated. This would, at the same time, bring in a myriad of opportunities for recreation, social engagement, as well as implementations that are in line with a future sustainable city.

To reintegrate, rejuvenate, repurpose, and reconnect underutilized spaces, as well as users one to another, the nature of Nexus allows a more seamless connection within the town. This also enhances the liveability of Queenstown as a Health District, binding the existence of both the people and ecology in a single setting.

the viridian lobby: ecological and social restoration for a hybrid environment

The Viridian Lobby: Ecological and Social Restoration for a Hybrid Environment

The Viridian Lobby focuses on shaping our everyday hybrid environment (that includes green, blue and grey infrastructure) into one that serves an ecological and social function. The project aims to bridge the social gap across multiple relationships (human, fauna, and flora) to foster a cohesive community. Furthermore, in light of Singapore’s 2030 Green plan, this proposal also intends to reform the existing ecological systems of local parks and beyond within the urban neighbourhoods to better integrate both man and nature for the long haul.

The project covers Dawson Place, and it will utilise nature-based solutions such as ABC water features along with a combination of designed forms coming together to formulate a neighbourhood scale ecological system. The Viridian Lobby is mainly focused on the Alexandra Linear Park Connector, where a canal presently lies unexposed underneath the park’s pathway and is slated to be an intensive and extensive stormwater management system. It will additionally attend to restore the missing ecological network between Buona Vista (Rail Corridor), Dempsey Hill (Botanic Gardens), Southern Ridges and Alexandra Canal.

JULIA TONG WAI SHAN

the viridian lobby: ecological and social restoration for a hybrid environment

the viridian lobby: ecological and social restoration for a hybrid environment

Designing outdoor spaces requires in-depth understanding of the users. This base-line principle is almost too fundamental that we sometimes forget who we are designing for. This studio deliberately focused on one of the most vulnerable profiles of the society, in order for students to realize how unfriendly some of our neighborhood landscapes are built currently, and how challenging to counter-propose ideas to address specific needs from the local residents. After seeing all the ideas, it was my pleasure to have a glimpse of how our everyday landscapes can be reimagined to be more inclusive, community-centric, and user-friendly. The studio outcome implies the huge role for landscape architects in the future, as a leader in reshaping our public outdoor spaces as a catalyst to tackle much more intricate social issues, such as ageing society, enhancing health & wellbeing of the city dwellers.

FINAL REMARKS

EVI SYARIFFUDIN

Through the studio preparation and tutoring process, I enjoyed understanding Singaporean residential landscapes more in detail— their users, daily usage patterns, and key design languages applied. They are, indeed, an amalgam of many user types, as a result of communication, temporal occupation, and constant engagement. This is where I come to realize that allowing residents the liberty to interact with public spaces makes them rich and warm, and bringing a stage to do so is what we can do. Thus, it was interesting to see some student proposals successfully addressing multi-functionality of spaces through design thinking, and as a result, stimulating multi-generation interaction. I look forward to seeing more test cases, inspiring ideas to be studied in Queenstown neighborhood or beyond with the similar theme.

Due to its multiscalar, multidisciplinary and public nature, landscape architecture as a practice is deeply infrastructural - not just physically, but more significantly in its capacity to drastically alter ways of living and improve the holistic wellbeing of the public and their unitary components.

Borrowing the pressing context of designing residential outdoor spaces to facilitate quality ageing in place, this design studio aims to let students contribute meaningfully to cultural and social progress.

Yet, how can young students with limited life experience design meaningful spaces for people with complex and multifarious needs? This can only effectively happen when they do not depend only on their own imagination or academic research, but delve into engaging real communities and learn participatory design

techniques, methods and processes that allows them to receive insight from the horse’s mouth - by designing not just for the community but with the community. Hence the multitiered approach of facilitating community-engagement workshops, study tours of relevant public spaces and organizations, as well as persona analyses.

This has been a fruitful studio to commence the timely research of a deeply relevant national issue. We hope to hone it further and continue engaging like-minded professionals who are also interested in advancing this topic. We are also deeply thankful for partners who have opened up such an avenue of practical learning for ourselves and our students.