Design vehicle for Smart & Sustainable initiatives – Punggol Northshore precincts

Punggol Northshore is the first Smart and Sustainable district in HDB’s Punggol Eco-town.  The demonstration precincts Waterfront I & II @ Northshore and Northshore Residences I & II presents solutions for higher-density and sustainable developments. The development houses 3100 units with supporting amenities which include 2 commercial centres and social communal facilities, car parks, and common greens.

Punggol Northshore provides residents with a distinctive quality and spacious living environment in a well-connected and community-centric neighbourhood. An elevated covered pedestrian link which connects homes to the neighbourhood and Samudera LRT station is seamlessly integrated for the residents’ convenience. A signature feature of the project is the undulating and picturesque skyline delineated by elevated green datums at various heights to bring greenery and biodiversity nearer to homes. Lofty spaces at the ground floor of the residential blocks merge with green outdoors, making great arrival points and spaces for social interaction.  With generous spaces between buildings, these features also allow great air flow for a breezy environment for the precincts.

By utilising Smart Planning @ the Urban Design level, district-level wind flow simulation is carried out to optimise windflow through the precincts.  Smart initiatives complement the functional landscaped basement car parks where voids were introduced for day light and natural ventilation. The design of building facades strikes a balance between aesthetics, functionality, and construction productivity. Giving the development a distinctive character, the facades were constructed with high replication, using few types of precast panels, thereby enhancing productivity.

Design vehicle for Greenery & Biophilic features – Woodleigh Glen

Woodleigh Glen is a public housing precinct consisting of 9 residential blocks nestled amongst interconnected roof-gardens above low-lying carparks, set in a natural valley in Bidadari, with an opportunity to showcase the unique design and environmental considerations of this development. 

The design capitalizes on the original topography of the site, alluding to the once picturesque Alkaff gardens of rolling hills and garden bridges. The natural valley forms the heart of the precinct, offering residents an experiential journey through a multi-layered series of landscapes.

The extensive environmental study conducted to preserve the ecology of the site will also be highlighted, which complements the adjacent wooded hillock providing an important sanctuary for migratory birds. The Hillock Park was purposefully retained as it is part of the natural flightpath for these migratory birds which visit Bidadari as a stopover site.

In addition, Woodleigh Glen offers a unique living experience for its residents, with its interconnected roof-gardens and link-bridges creating a multi-layered series of landscapes. The precinct also offers community spaces and amenities, with lush green spaces accessible at multiple levels of the precinct for residents to explore and interact.

Overall, Woodleigh Glen demonstrates how the project execution has realized the envisioning of an urban village set in lush rolling hills, where residents can experience the landscapes with refreshed lenses. It will be of interest to architects, urban planners, and anyone interested in innovative and sustainable residential design.

Design vehicle for Health & Wellness initiatives – Queensway Canopy

Queensway Canopy is a public housing development along the Rail Corridor in Queensway Estate. Designed with health and wellness outcomes in mind, the design of this precinct responds sensitively to, and capitalizes on, the site’s adjacency to the Rail Corridor. The urban form responds to the Rail Corridor, with its building heights stepping down to a series of low-rise blocks topped with interconnected roof gardens at the frontage, thereby preserving the sense of openness and greenery. Queensway Canopy’s optimal site layout offers generous car-free green precinct spaces, from which residents would experience seamless access to a green recreational corridor.

Other than 3R and 4R units with views towards the Rail Corridor, the project features the new unit type of Community Care Apartments (CCA), which supports ageing in place for residents. Well-connected community and landscaped spaces, which includes a social and wellness hub and a therapeutic garden, offers inter-generational and age-friendly amenities for all to enjoy. The project introduces the first ActiveSG town gym in collaboration with SportSG, which is co-located with a Child Care Centre and an Active Ageing Centre, to foster active, connected, and inter-generational communities amidst lush greenery.

Besides the well-planned site layout and sensitive urban form, the design of Queensway Canopy is also inspired by the heritage elements of the site. The design of the building façade and precinct elements borrow elements from both the Railway and the Black-and-white houses in the locality – all of which charmingly integrated into the context of a Residential development.  Dementia-inclusive design touchpoints were pilot-tested here to cater for a more inclusive environment for ease of wayfinding and endow character for each block.  These design touchpoints were a result of a collaborative research by design process with DementiaSG & Persons Living with Dementia (PLWD) with their caregivers.