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.

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