FEATURE
Tengah leads the charge towards the future SINGAPORE’S FIRST SMART AND SUSTAINABLE TOWN
A ‘smart city’ used to be a very daring concept that was labelled simply as just a fantasy, but that’s not the case in this digital age. The surge of technological innovations and ‘smart applications’ within the last decade is changing every aspect of how we live; from how we read books to the way we drive.
In layman’s terms, a smart city incorporates the latest technology into its infrastructures to find new creative ways to deal with issues around safety, sustainability, transportation, urban planning, economy, etc. The goal is to create technological opportunities that improve society’s way of living, which leads to better quality of life. While the rest of the world is still getting used to the idea of a smart city, Singapore’s Housing & Development Board (HDB) is making great strides towards the future by building its first smart city. Currently developing Tengah – located in the western region of Singapore – from a town known for its strong agricultural and industrial history, to a smart and sustainable town fully equipped with future-proof housing, latest technology and green features. The 700 hectare town is promised to accommodate 42,000 homes throughout five residential districts – each with its own unique character – that collectively reflects the identity of the town. • Plantation District pays tribute to its farming origins by including a Community Farmway operating throughout the district. It will be the home of community farming where produce harvesting, farmer’s markets, and ‘farm-to-table’ dining will take place • Brickland District integrates the Forest Corridor with brick-like architectural
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The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand
design to reflect on Tengah’s industrial history • Garden District will be an urban sanctuary which will include great open spaces supplemented by Central Park, Tengah Pond, and thematic gardens to provide more opportunities for residents to connect and interact with nature • Park District will be the hub and heart of Tengah. A place where residents can explore the first ‘car-free’ town centre in Singapore, surrounded by an everflowing river and amazing greenery of the Forest Corridor • Forrest Hill District embodies the phrase ‘living amidst nature,’ bringing nature and greenery right outside residential homes. Residents can relish the serene quality that nature adds to their homes. Tengah has three key features that will differentiate it from the rest. They are: at home with nature; smart and sustainable; and moving around with ease.
At home with nature Tengah will be the first town to be developed in a biophilic framework. Integrating built environment and its nature landscape so residents can enjoy the endless benefits that come with living ‘at home with nature’ – utilising Singapore’s natural resources to minimise the environmental impact of urban infrastructures.
