184 Best Practices in DeveloPment

Transcription

1 184 Best Practices in DeveloPment Awards08Civic.indd 184 7/28/08 1:17:15 PM

2 civic Winner Bras Basah.Bugis singapore The district now known as Bras Basah.Bugis, located northeast of Singapore s city center, was once an area characterized by low real estate values and deteriorating physical conditions. In 1989, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) of Singapore, the national planning authority, in partnership with private developers, embarked on a two-decade redevelopment effort to transform the area into the city-state s arts, culture, learning, and entertainment district. Today, the 95-hectare (235-ac) district is home to a synergistic educational and arts cluster three national museums, seven arts housing facilities, three arts schools, 105 private commercial schools, a city university, and a new National Library as well as a vibrant mixed-use core, including 266,700 square meters (2.87 million sf) of office space, 141,300 square meters (1.52 million sf) of retail space, and more than 1,100 residential units. A commercial development, Bugis Junction, was the first project completed in accordance with URA s redevelopment plan. URA encouraged the developer to recapture the essence of the low-rise development team Public Agency Urban Redevelopment Authority Singapore JUry statement Bras Basah.Bugis is a shining example of Singapore s redevelopment strategy to constantly update its urban design and infrastructure through a collaborative approach involving government organizations, private enterprises, and public representatives. The quartercentury-long program has transformed this distressed, deteriorating area through a balance of free-market economics and public planning into a vibrant mixed-use district of arts, culture, learning, and entertainment. civic 185 Awards08Civic.indd 185 7/28/08 1:17:16 PM

3 shop house form characteristic of Southeast Asia, as well as a series of internal streets, to integrate the complex into the surrounding neighborhood. The resulting project built in 1989 and retrofitted in 2004 features glass-covered shopping arcades with traditional ground-floor shops and restaurants on a 3.7-hectare (9.1-ac) city block. The 90-meter (295-ft) main spine of the barrel-vaulted, threestory arcade encloses Bugis Street and is adjacent to a mass rapid-transit station. In a traditionally mixed area, with shops, schools, and places of worship, URA saw an enormous opportunity to capitalize on the district s rich architectural and cultural heritage. The national planning authority identified and safeguarded four significant places of worship as National Monuments within the district. Also, URA slated three 1850s-era schools well known for their distinct architectural styles for adaptive use. Two of the structures were reused to create a cluster of museums, while the third was transformed into a cloistered village with al fresco restaurants and bars, and boutiques and galleries. The district redevelopment named for two streets with commercial identities, Bras Basah and Bugis features innovative projects that retain the local character of the district, creating a neighborhood that is well loved by locals and tourists alike. Two main streets in the district Albert and Waterloo were converted to pedestrian only, engendering a colorful and vibrant street life. Waterloo Street has been reimagined as Singapore s arts belt a five-year, SG$7 million (US$5.1 million) public investment yielded affordable, unique housing for art students studying at nearby universities and gallery space to showcase the city-state s eclectic arts scene. 186 Best Practices in DeveloPment Awards08Civic.indd 186 7/28/08 1:17:18 PM

4 URA s vision for Bras Basah.Bugis depended on the partnership of private developers. The national planning authority meets regularly with private investors, gathering feedback to understand the needs of the market. Since 1970, the value of all of the government-owned land sold in the Bras Basah.Bugis district has increased to approximately SG$3 billion (US$2.2 billion). Also, URA has attracted strong bids from both local and foreign investors in the redevelopment area. In 2007, a consortium including local developer City Developments Limited, Dubai-based Isithmar Group, and the U.S. corporation El-Ad Group invested SG$1.69 billion (US$1.2 billion) to develop a mixed-use project on a 3.5-hectare (8.6-ac) parcel. URA also conducted extensive consultation with community stakeholders during the masterplan development for the Bras Basah.Bugis district. URA architects held briefings for the local civic 187 Awards08Civic.indd 187 7/28/08 1:17:22 PM

5 188 Best Practices in DeveloPment Awards08Civic.indd 188 7/28/08 1:17:25 PM

6 community, grassroots groups, and political leaders, and a public survey was used to obtain feedback on proposals. For example, because of concerns from religious leaders, an open space was retained in front of the temples entrances on Waterloo Street to cater to the throngs that congregate during festivals. The SG$600 million (US$440 million) investment by the city-state to transform the Bras Brasah. Bugis district into an educational and cultural hub has yielded impressive results: the area now has an academic population of more than 12,000 students and 1,500 teaching staff, the new National Library has experienced a 50 percent increase in readership, and the National Museum of Singapore s visitorship has tripled since its refurbishment. In economic terms, the regenerative plan has also been successful: the vacancy rate for office space has decreased from 10.4 percent in 2000 to 8.6 percent in 2007, median rents in the same sector have increased by 31 percent, and median rents for retail space have risen by 17 percent. SITE PLAN PROJECT DATA Website bugis-intro.htm Site Area 95 ha (235 ac) Facilities 50,181 m 2 (540,144 sf) education 38,000 m 2 (409,029 sf) arts-related space 30,000 m 2 (322,917 sf) museum 266,700 m 2 (2.87 million sf) office 141,300 m 2 (1.52 million sf) retail 1,192 multifamily units 3,129 hotel rooms 1,120 parking spaces Land Uses office, retail, residential, hotel, entertainment, civic, education, restaurant, parks/open space Start/Completion Dates 1989 present PHOTOGRAPHS BY AEDAS PTE LTD/ FOSTER & PARTNERS (184); URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SINGAPORE (185, 186L; 186R, 187L, 188T, 188B, 189); NATIONAL LIBRARY BOARD (187R) CIVIC 189 Awards08Civic.indd /7/08 17:37:07