2. LAND-WATER INTERFACE

The six studios introduced in this section challenged participants to examine urbanization processes on the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

AY 10/11-2 LA4702

Key Themes

Studio Walang Iwanan – Pasig River, Manila, Philippines

Tutor: Rekittke Joerg

Understanding the interactions between land and water; Evaluating existing relationships between urban, social and hydrological systems; Multi-functional landscape solutions

Students: Bharihoke Gauri, Guo Yunjia Lehana, Hou Suya, Lin Shengwei Ervine, Muhammad Yazid Ninsalam, Mehta Neha, Nur Syafiqah Nahadi, Nur Syuhada Limat, Sng En Ai Rebecca, Soh Han Jie, Teo Hui Yi Rachel

AY 11/12-2 LA5702

Project Ciliwung – Ciliwung River, Jakarta, Indonesia

Tutor: Rekittke Joerg

Students: Bharihoke Gauri, Guo Yunjia Lehana, Hou Suya, Lin Shengwei Ervine, Muhammad Yazid Ninsalam, Mehta Neha, Nur Syafiqah Nahadi, Nur Syuhada Limat, Sng En Ai Rebecca, Soh Han Jie, Teo Hui Yi Rachel

AY 12/13-1 & 2 LA4701 & LA4702

Landscape in the River & City in the River – Ciliwung River, Jakarta, Indonesia

Tutor: Rekittke Joerg, Girot Christophe

Students: Yap Lai Fong Anna, Fu Maoying, Heng Juit Lian, Pham Le Anh, Mak Ronnie, Wong Ruen Qing, Darne Shamy Vivek, Yeo Jiahao, Zhang Rong

AY 13/14-1 LA4701

The Big Village – Ciliwung River, Jakarta, Indonesia

Tutor: Rekittke Joerg

Students: Sandilya Atreyee, Chen Jia Hui, Cheong Wan Ying, Li Jinmu, Lee Lynn, Patil Mayura

AY 15/16-1 LA5701

The Beach – Infrastructure for Paradise – Bunaken National Park, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Tutor: Rekittke Joerg

(With assistance by Muhammad Yazid Ninsalam)

Students: Tao Yibei, Sun Yunzi, Poh Qiying, Chen Anzhuo, Deepika Amonkar, Cheok Zhi Ning, Tan Li Wen Ashley, Lim Cherlyn, Agarwal Anushree

AY 17/18-1 LA4701

Re-Imaging Sungei Pandan Landscape – Sungei Pandan, Singapore

Tutor: Hwang Yun Hye, Yip Sui Ling Melissa

Students: Fan Lei Helen, Gao Chen Chen, Kong Lingchang, Kuan Wai Tuck Victor, Lam Si Yun Swan, Liu Xiaolei, Nur Azilla Bte Nazli, Wang Hanfeng, Wang Zhe, Xu Linxin, Xu Yuexin, Yao Haomu, Yong Keng-Whye Raymond

Human settlements have long been interwoven with water. The cradle of human civilisation is considered to be Mesopotamia, the fertile flood plains within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, while historically, many cities have been established along coastlines because of the benefits garnered by proximity to the sea. Today, over 50% of the world’s population lives closer than 3km to a surface freshwater body, with only 10% living farther than 10km away. Yet our fragile and highly interdependent relationship with water is threatened by rapid urbanisation and mismanagement of this valuable resource. Landscape architecture is one of the disciplines that has answered the call to provide real world solutions so that our interfacing with water will be both ecologically sustainable and economically viable.

A series of studios examined extremely challenging sites with issues of water degradation and asked how landscape architecture could provide an alternative lens to understand the problem and prescribe a landscape-driven solution. Design studios were carried out along highly contested rivers, such as the Pasig River in Metro Manila, Philippines (MLA’12). Students were also faced with the stark reality of informal settlements on the Ciliwung River in Jakarta, Indonesia, where extreme flooding is an issue (MLA’12 and MLA’13). Interfaces with the sea were explored in two other studios considering the contradictory drivers of tourism, development, and conservation in coastal regions of the Bunaken National Park in North Sulawesi, Indonesia (MLA’16) and in the remaining natural coastal habitat of Singapore along the Sungei Pandan (MLA’19).

Landscape architecture, as the name implies, has traditionally dealt with the terrestrial issues of landform, vegetation, ecology, and design-related spatial interactions. Hydrological considerations, while critical in areas such as irrigation and drainage, are often a secondary concern. How, then, can landscape architecture be more directly involved in issues of fresh water and coastal management? Does landscape architecture even provide a solution to real world problems, such as ecological degradation stemming from social imbalance, devastating floods due to improper stormwater management, or loss of natural habitats because of economic pressure for development? How do we rekindle the imagination of politicians, engineers, inhabitants, and other stakeholders so that they look to a landscape-first approach for alternative solutions to alleviate multiple problems simultaneously?

As with most studios, the first few weeks consisted of site visits often guided by locals or other experts in various fields of study beyond landscape architecture. In Manila, the nongovernmental organisation (NGO) Gawad Kalinga hosted the students and exposed them to the realities of informal settlements; the organisation seeks to find multiple possible methods to improve the lives of its inhabitants and to lift them out of poverty. Along the Ciliwung River in Jakarta, studios interfaced with the Future Cities Laboratory, as well as various universities in Indonesia (University of Indonesia and Bogor Agricultural University), to tackle the complex issue of flooding coupled with the looming pressure of replacing what is left of the natural river system with a highly engineered one. In Bunaken National Park, students interacted with resort owners and residents whose livelihood depends on tourism intertwined with the protection of the endangered costal ecosystem. Lastly in Sungei Pandan, students were asked to highlight the value of natural resources and ecological services such as the remnant mangrove forest on site, and propose ways to integrate them into urban environments.

The analytical phase was followed by design development. Students were given extremely challenging sites with underlying issues and tasked to provide tangible solutions to alleviate the conditions of each site using an iterative design approach.

PASIG JEEPS, group work by MLA’12 Students proposed an integration of land and water based transportation systems, leveraging off the iconic Jeepney (a local form terrestrial transportation) and converting it into a boat to be used in this new hydrological transportation network

RHYTHMN OF THE RIVER, group work by MLA’13 analysed the swelling and subsiding of the Ciliung river. When urbanism extends into the flood plains, there is an inevitable problem once the river starts to flood (right and bottom)

PROJECT CILIWUNG, group work by MLA’12 extracted transects from the sites and conducted local interviews to determine the existing flood levels.

Extremely challenging site conditions call for unconventional solutions. Students working on the Pasig River in Manila leveraged the local informal land transportation system of jeepneys to design interventions. This is coupled with programmatic solutions of a water-based transportation system to reintegrate the once disjointed residents with the river system by providing both economic and recreational opportunities. Along the flood-prone Ciliwung River in Jakarta, the first batch of students took avantage of local knowledge of the flood levels and performed in-depth analysis of the heterogeneity of the site. The results were employed to prescribe a series of acupunctural flood resilient interventions, designed to allow safe passage in the case of a flood, and provide a multitude of potential social and ecological benefits. Subsequent studios built on this work by understanding even more detail the historical flood levels and the “rhythm of the river”, with students asked to recommend typological changes to the housing units and urban fabric by introducing flood resilient dwellings and landscapes. In Bunaken National Park, students proposed a reorganisation of the terrestrial road network to redirect access to the numerous resorts by land instead of sea. These networks would interface with strategically located jetties to protect the remaining fragile mangrove belt along the coast. This, in turn, would allow the reestablishment of the previously damaged mangrove to make way for a sea-based access to each resort. Lastly, the Sungei Pandan studio included ecological principles and in-depth site analysis. Students developed masterplans that reimagined the possibilities of intertwining development with ecologically sensitive landscape design.

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PARADISE, group work by MLA’16 is a proposal that consolidates access points to limit the impact on the remaining at-risk coastal regions, along with a proposed improvement to the terrestrial network linking these access points.

REFORESTATION, group work by MLA’16 proposed reforestation effort along the original sea bound access (one per resort) can be put in place to repair the damaged mangrove belt, protecting the existing shoreline from erosion.

(cont’d) LIVING MACHINE, by Wang Han Feng (MLA’19), masterplan and collage perspective, proposed the integration of multiple functional and ecological uses within the land-water intermediate zone.

NATURING URBAN, by Fan Lei Helen collage perspective, proposed strategies to resolve the tension between urban and natural habitats, leveraging on native habitat structures in Sungei

Related Outcomes

Student Dissertations

Zhang Qingqing (MLA’17), Analysis of coastal landscape change in Singapore, 2016-2017

Awards

2014 International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) APR International Student Design Competition (2014), 1st Prize: Team Awards, Landscape in the River, Studio 12/13-2

2014 SILA Student Design Awards, Best Design Showcase (Bronze) & Outstanding Contextual Analysis and Investigation (Gold), The Big Village, Studio 13/14-2

2013 SILA Student Design Awards, Outstanding Site Studies/Analysis and Investigations (Silver), Studio 12/13-1, City in the River

2012 SILA Student Design Awards, Best Design Showcase (Gold) & Contextural Analysis and Investigations Award (Silver), Studio 11/12-2, Project Ciliwung

2011 SILA Student Design Awards, Best Design Showcase & Outstanding Site Studies/Analysis and Investigations, Studio 10/11-2, Studio Walang Iwanan

STUDIO BOOKS

Hwang, Y. H. (Editor), 2018, MLA studio: Re-Imagining Sungei Pandan Landcape, CASA, NUS, ISBN 9789811164606