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Waterfront living and car-free estates are ideas thrown up for Tanjong Pagar and Paya LebarDevelopers and designers will have 1,800ha of land to play with when the Tanjong Pagar container ports and Paya Lebar Air Base make way for homes and offices come 2030.自存倉The two parcels have been described as the biggest blank slates for developers to work on since Marina Bay, adding up to be five times the size of Marina Bay.In his National Day Rally Speech last month, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong caused a stir among industry players when he announced that the two areas will be redeveloped.All the container ports in Tanjong Pagar, Keppel, Brani and Pasir Panjang will be moved to Tuas when their leases expire from 2027.With their prime waterfront location and proximity to Marina Bay and Sentosa, the 1,000ha plot could house a new southern waterfront city with homes and offices.Meanwhile, the air base in Paya Lebar will relocate to Changi East to free up 800ha of land, which is about the size of the whole Yishun town. It is slated to accommodate 60,000 to 80,000 homes.Height restrictions will be removed when the air base makes way for the homes. Life! talks to those in the design and architecture fraternity to see what ideas for the two areas they would put on the drawing board if they had free rein.As architect John Ting, 57, a former president of the Singapore Institute of Architects, says: "Singapore's building plans in the last 50 years were fantastic by any measure. But what we did in the past, where we flattened everything with bulldozers and built from scratch, can't be done again."The first 50 years were powered by engineering solutions. The next 50 years has to be led by architecture and ideas for Singapore to stay extraordinary."natashaz@sph.com.sgAt water's edge in Tanjong PagarMarina Bay may be Singapore's urban showpiece, but architects and urban planners caution against building version 2.0 of the glitzy 360ha district.As DP Architects' director VikasGore, 60, puts it: "Don't build another ritzy playground."While he has no issue with a cluster that caters to the upper class such as those in Marina Bay and Sentosa Cove, he notes: "We have more than enough of them. They dominate the downtown and city-centre waterfront areas. We need more downtown seafront places where the heartlander can feel comfortable."With its proximity to the southern coast, Tanjong Pagar used to be a fishing village before becoming a nutmeg plantation. In 1859, British mariner Captain William Cloughton built the first dry dock there, which kick-started the building of wharves in the area. It is one of the busiest ports in the world today.Waterfront livingThe waterfront location is an asset that should be fully tapped, say architects.Singapore Institute of Planners' president William Lau, 57, says the 1,000ha Tanjong Pagar area offers "an unprecedented opportunity to be a great waterfront city".The new precinct can feature a festival marketplace and serve as a place to watch boats, sunsets and people, he adds. "Such a place will add a different dimension to the cityscape of downtown Singapore."Tanjong Pagar, he says, can emulate the success of old harbourfronts which have been transformed into iconic waterfront cities for both tourists and locals. These include the Sydney Harbour with its Circular Quay, San Francisco's Pier 39 and Granville Island in Vancouver.Most of the architects and planners also want the area to be accessible to the man on the street.DP Architects' associate director Chan Hui Min, 40, says while there can be areas for commercial uses, "the coast should be public like East Coast Park"."The most iconic feature of this place should be a public building or a park, not a privately owned one. Avoid parcelling large areas to one developer alone."Doing so, she explains, would mean less diversity and integration among neighbours. "While allocating a significant plot can attract investment and development, there needs to be a balance. When a piece of land is excessively large, developers start to create inward-looking attractions and treat their connectivity to the neighbouring areas as secondary."Mr Colin Seah, 41, design director of home-grown design firm Ministry Of Design, believes some aspects of Marina Bay could be replicated at Tanjong Pagar."Certain aspects of Marina Bay are fabulous, such as the myriad activities that can be held on its banks and in the water, like the National Day Parade."But the new district will be inherently different as it will be coastal and more linear. It will not be able to... be a contained environment like Marina Bay, which is more circular."He suggests building finger piers or boardwalks which can extend into the sea. To give the area a feel of the marina, access points for boats can also be set up.Housing and transportVeteran architect Tay Kheng Soon, principal architect and founder of Akitek Tenggara, says the two plots at Tanjong Pagar and Paya Lebar could "easily house two million people". This will help meet the housing needs of Singapore's population, which is projected to hit 6.9 million in 2030, up from the current 5.4 million.But Mr Tay, 72, who designed famous buildings here such as People's Park Complex in Chinatown and Golden Mile Complex in Beach Road, suggests thinking outside the box when designing the new towns."New towns should function like one integrated central nervous system. Current housing estates are functional, but they are separate from one another."His proposal: Turn the new housing estates into long strips, with schools stretched out along pathways and on the second floor. Below, community centres or gathering spaces, interspersed with retail shops, can be built.But keep it international, he says. Adding youth hostels and cultural institutions will keep the areas fresh and vibrant. "The elements should all be connected like pearls on a necklace. With these two plots of land, Singapore could show how they can be the most advanced settlements in the world."Style-wise, Tanjong Pagar, with its sea views, could be like Miami in Florida.Ms Maria Boey, 63, vice-president of architecture at home-grown firm Surbana International Consultants, says the long stretch of land could be lined with a mix of different types of buildings.A linear mega-structure can be developed with staggered heights, with shorter buildings nearest the sea so more people can enjoy water views.Ms Boey, who was the studio leader for the Tampines and Pasir Ris neighbourhoods more than 20 years ago when she worked for the Housing Board, says: "Multi-development projects will combine residential, commercial and institutional buildings. Finger-like, low-rise multi-development of eight storeys can be built around canals and marinas, where boats can dock for leisure or commerce."Even with the new plots, Interactive Architects Planners' chief executive Tan Shee Tiong, 63, says planners should still consider building underground.Mr Tan, who was part of a team of architects who planned the first phase of Marina Bay, is also against building another financial district as the current one has yet to reach its capacity.The new neighbourhoods should thus focus on residential projects, he says. "We could put offices and schools underground and reserve the ground above for homes. Planners need to think about more spacious homes with gardens at all levmini storagels."Cruise or carnival hubBesides homes, schools, retail shops and offices, Mr Wilfred Loo, 56, vice-president and head of planning at architecture consultancy firm Jurong International, says Tanjong Pagar should bank on its location to become a cruise hub."The presence of the Marina South Pier, International Passenger Terminal at Harbourfront and Keppel Bay presents the opportunity to consolidate the southern waterfront into a new and more iconic destination," he explains."Singapore has yet to fully realise its potential as a cruise and leisure destination," he says, adding that land masses in Tanjong Pagar could be connected by underground tunnels or bridges.For a fun twist, he also suggests having a water theme park.His pitch: Build a temporary water attraction that can be updated every few months in line with trends. The park would also be a "cooling change" from the concrete and iron structures of most theme parks.Alternatively, the areas near the water's edge could be turned into a spot with a carnival feel. Mr Loo says: "The main promenade that faces the ocean can be used as a venue for buskers. This might put us on the world map as the capital city of buskers. We have to be rebranded as a city that knows how to party."Car-free estates in Paya LebarWith the Paya Lebar area set to be zoned mostly for residential use, architects and planners say it could serve as a testbed for novel housing concepts, such as a car-free neighbourhood.Mr Tan Shee Tiong, 63, chief executive of Interactive Architects Planners, says: "Paya Lebar could be the area where we try new, eco-friendly materials and designs. Maybe we could do away with carparks... Everyone will ride bicycles, take buses or walk."Mr Tai Lee Siang, 49, group managing director of home- grown architecture firm Ong&Ong, adds that fostering community spirit should be a key point. "Planners shouldn't just look at making safe spaces alone, at the expense of fostering community spirit."Paya Lebar Air Base was first built as a civilian airport in 1955 called Singapore International Airport. It became a full military air base in 1981 when Changi Airport opened, and was renamed Paya Lebar Air Base that year.It doubles as a landing point for commercial or VIP aircraft at times. Former American president George W. Bush landed twice there, when he visited Singapore in 2003 and 2006. President Barack Obama also touched down in Paya Lebar, when he attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in 2009.Neighbourhood layoutEasy access tops the wishlist of architects for this area. Besides an efficient public transport system and a layout that makes walking a breeze, they also want to see more routes and facilities, such as ramps, for people with physical disabilities.Professor Andres Sevtsuk, 32, of architecture and planning, and principal investigator of Singapore University of Technology and Design's City Form Lab, sums it up: "Prioritise pedestrians, bikes and public transit over vehicular traffic."Dr Tan Beng Kiang, senior lecturer at the department of architecture in the National University of Singapore's School of Design and Environment, adds: "A walkable town should have car-free zones and cycling and walking paths, which help to promote healthy living and add vibrancy. There's also a higher chance of people interacting when everyone walks in the neighbourhood."This "24-hour vibrancy" is also what other architects hope to see.Mr Frven Lim, 41, director of architectural design at Surbana International Consultants, says buildings should have zones for public activities and private spaces confined to the higher levels. "At the lower floors, semi-public activities such as health-care and supporting services can be stitched between buildings."Such planning strategies, where a space is used for different purposes, create hives of activity that "add value to the real estate because of round-the- clock functionality", he adds.HousingSome architects hope the new housing estate could experiment with new materials. For example, eco-architect and academic Jason Pomeroy, 39, says his idea of a zero-carbon house, or apartment, could be further explored in Paya Lebar.He is building the B House in Bukit Timah, the first carbon-negative home in Singapore which uses no energy to function. The design optimises natural light and ventilation to all of the house. Provisions have also been made to collect and reuse rainwater and tap on solar energy.Professor Pomeroy, who runs Singapore-based Pomeroy Studio whose designers create sustainable buildings, says: "We need to have buildings that go beyond just bricks and mortar. Sticking plants everywhere is great, but that's a superficial level of greening the urban habitat."Using plants to reduce temperatures and absorb rainwater, coupled with using technology sparingly, can lower the amount of energy we use for building." Singapore, he says, has a long way to go before it becomes truly green.More stringent requirements will force developers to look at new ways of building eco-friendly properties and opt for new technologies. Residents will benefit, too, with lower building costs and a greener environment.Instead of skyrise flats, Mr Vikas Gore, 60, director of DP Architects, suggests that the Government look at low-rise, high-density building forms."High-rise and high-density have been bywords in the Singapore housing story. I believe we have not adequately explored low-rise, high-density building forms."This means blocks can be built closer together than regular HDB blocks, while medium-rise blocks can go up to six to eight storeys.Both housing typologies, he says, offer the chance to create smaller, more human-scale spaces for cosier living clusters.This can encourage a greater feel of belonging within the community.He explains: "Paya Lebar is very much in an area that we perceive as the heartland. While it may not boast the unique geography of Tanjong Pagar, it is the kind of area where many people feel comfortable in."Hangars as design clustersGiven Paya Lebar's aviation history, some architects suggest keeping part of the air base's elements in the new project. Mr Dylan Yee, 39, director of the urban planning division at CPG Consultants, says the air base can be developed as a lifestyle destination or a new town around the existing hangars, similar to the Dempsey area, which used to house army barracks.Architect John Ting, 57, suggests creating a design cluster for creative studios in the hangars, such as architecture firms, graphic design houses and fashion designers. "The hangars will make beautiful spaces and keep these creative agencies under one roof," he says. "Many things could happen there... It could result in a mix of ideas. Sparks could fly."For others, the Paya Lebar plot needs a green buffer as it is close to high-density towns such as Hougang.Mr Wilfred Loo, 56, Jurong International's vice-president and head of planning, proposes "experimental farms" on the periphery of the area.These farms could be used for research purposes, such as to help Singapore find new food sources, or encourage agricultural businesses such as ornamental fish or orchid farms to set up shops there.He says: "This is where Singapore can add value to the field of agriculture globally. Where physically possible and commercially viable, some commercial farming should be encouraged."儲存