Design My Place

Group 11

School: Hwa Chong Junior College

Members: Charis Tan Wan Ting, Jezamine Chua, Kylie Tora Basuki Liu,

Leong Jia-Shuen, Lim Jing

Proposal: Geriatrics: An Integrated Approach

After the site recce on Wednesday, our team discovered that there were many elderly residents already living in the Hougang area, and that Hougang would probably experience an ageing population in the next 20 years or so to come. Further research showed that in 20 years’ time, Singapore’s aged population would comprise a quarter of its total population. We also found the serenity of the location to be suited for retirement, therefore decided to build a medical hub at Lorong Halus, specially catering to healthcare and recreation for the elderly. We plan to offer an integrated environment where we can promote an ideal lifestyle for the elderly within a natural environment, while the industrial hub focuses primarily on improving the quality of geriatric care. Our project is called Geriatrics: An Integrated Approach and our vision is to provide a tranquil approach to geriatric care.

Our target group is the nationwide elderly, but we hope that with the development of the hub, we may even reach out to the international market. We intend to provide services for the retired and the ailing, which we will describe in later paragraphs.

The central feature of our hub is the Sunnyside Retirement Village, comprising a care centre and a recreation centre, specifically designed for the elderly to rejuvenate their lifestyles. The basis of the care centre is to provide the elderly with rest and relaxation, as well as an environment where they can actively use their minds and bodies. As such, we have designed the lodgings of the care centre in clusters of 5 buildings, so that the elderly located in one cluster will not be lonely, but can interact with all the other elderly people. Also, forested areas will surround the lodgings, such that the beauty of the flora and fauna will help to soothe the spirits of the elderly.

Right beside the lodgings for the elderly will be the recreation centre. Here, we are promoting an active but slow moving lifestyle to cater to the elderly. As such, the recreation centre will provide activities such as bird watching, taichi, and board games so that the elderly can find places to gather and entertain themselves. There will also be a nearby canal where activities like boat riding will be carried out for the more adventurous and robust elderly. The retirement village itself is specifically catered to the retired elderly who might want to spend some time in a soothing, comfortable environment.

We also plan to utilise the gigantic landfills of rubbish by burning the rubbish as biomass fuel to provide electricity to support the hub. As such, we plan to construct a power plant in between the lodging area, R&D area, and the factories.

The medical centre and hospital, the R&D centre, and the manufacturing centre will all be situated surrounding the care and recreation centre. As such, the movement of the entire hub will centre on the convenience of the elderly. A bicycle and walking track will connect the various sections of the hub to each other, which will facilitate movement of the elderly and the workers working at the manufacturing and R& D sectors. We will be designing lodgings for workers as well for the convenience of those workers who wish to enjoy the lush landscape.

As such, we believe that this integrated approach is the best way to cater to the growing needs of the elderly, and the elderly that come to partake in our facilities will greatly benefit from the integration of tranquillity and healthiness in the lifestyle provided.

Group 10

School: Yishun Junior College

Members: Lim Kai Yu, Michelle Lim, Niam Xing Rong, Soong Cun Yuan,

Victor Tan Qin Wei

Our vision: A platform for local enterprises: A weekend getaway for the local community

Our mission: To bring work near play, enabling a work-play relationship

Our values: Integrate, Interact, Innovate

Local entrepreneurs (Research & Development)

Our proposed idea will allow local entrepreneurs to start off at the HQ where they will develop and create ideas as well as do their researching over there. Upon coming out with the design, they will then send their idea to the neighboring, Defu area where they will do their manufacturing. Once the product is manufactured, they will be able to sell their products at shops that are located near the entrance of the hub. This action will allow interaction between Lor Halus and the neighboring Defu Industry as well as the people residing within that vicinity reaping benefits from it.

Recreation (Sports & Leisure)

There will also be places allocated for recreation within Lor Halus. One such place will be the Water Sports Center. Residents in Hougang and even neighboring areas can come over and use these amenities as well.

Factory Outlet Shops

Local companies will be able to sell their goods directly at shops.

Eco-friendly

We have retained some parts of the natural vegetation and designed the location of the buildings in such a way that it does not hurt the environment that much, to let locals know more about the local industries andwhat they are doing, to allow innovative locals opportunities to start their own bussiness, and to encourage locals to stay healthy through the activities they can participate here and also encourages family bonding in the process.

The reasons to create a recreational, business centre

Through the interview of several residents in the area, our group has discovered that the facillities in the area are not suitable for the young and for working adults. The therefore group came up with the idea of having a recreational centre with various facilities for sports and leisure. For sports, there will be various kinds of courts for people to use, from badminton courts, to basketball even volleyball. For leisure, there are spas and chalet, nature walks that people can enjoy. All these facilities are opened to the public for a affordable cost therefore able to reach out to those from lower income group.

Group 9

School: Raffles Institution

Members: Chen Liushifeng, Dennis Holmberg Thanh, Kunal Kiran Kekre,

Rovik Jeremiah Robert, Tan Hong Liang Gabriel

Proposal: Agri-Gate: Harvest the Future

Lorong Halus sits on Hougang Avenue 7, derelict and uninhabited, in between the humble residents of the HDB blocks nearby and the Paya Lebar Air Base. In order to conceptualize a master plan for the area, we need to clearly understand the characteristics of the site and our economy, so as to devise an arena that addresses all the concerns.

The original site has a convenient water source (Sungei Serangoon), as well as vast greenery that provides serenity and peace appreciated by the locals. It is also conveniently located near an accessible transport network (Punggol and Tampines). However, the area is constrained by the height limits caused by the flight needs of airplanes, stigma and sanitary concerns from the landfill, and proximity to residents who prefer a peaceful life.

Understanding the site, we then have to look at how best to build it in relation to our growing economic needs. After all, investment of such a large scale has to warrant sustainable and robust growth; hence, food production is the way to go. Growing population size and increasing land constraints cause demand for efficient food production techniques, this demand of which will continue to exist despite changes in the economy or seasons. It is also important for domestic production, to reduce the state from our current 98% import standard. Therefore, the way forward is through Agro-Tech and FarmingTech, creating new and innovative ways of producing food.

Zoning the land into Research and Development labs in the southeast and Prototype farming areas in the southwest, the industry can focus into developing production techniques that cope with limited space and unsuitable soil; the very needs of the global system. In order to promote corporate ownership of the society they are in, as well as to prevent social fear of elusive companies, we have identified the Circle of Life as an important focus point of our development. It is the transport and information hub for the area, providing shuttle bus services and automated bicycle rental stations to reduce private transportation. It is also the location where locals can enjoy the serenity of the area, in contrast with the vibrancy provided by street performers, artists and markets. The markets would include both local produce and produce from the R&D companies that wish to test public response.

Residential blocks for the scientists and employees would be built on the northwest portion. The landfill hills would be leveled to an extent, and then capped with cement paving to ensure the buildings have little contact with the possibly toxic soil. There would also be dining and relaxation centers built in between the residential area and the Circle of Life, once again connecting the residential aspect of the development with the focal point.

A supply hub that provides joint supplies for all companies and doubles up as a supplier of farming and agricultural goods and raw materials, to promote communal farming nearby, will also be built. Using innovative technology such as farm trays and sun reflector systems, the farms built would be smart and adaptable for the different needs, hence attracting investors and companies.

All in all, Agri-Gate is a fantastic way to tap into a global demand and create an experience that is balanced and vibrant, ensuring that different stakeholders understand each other and work towards a better future.

Group 8

School: Anderson Junior College

Members: Celvin Tan, Hazel Ang, Hong Minh Phuong, Low Zi Yin, Samuel Ng Ser Kiat

Proposal: work.mind.spiritual

Introduction

Concept: work.mind.spiritual

Aim: To provide an alternative lifestyle and healthcare for people by creating a place of serenity for them where they can interact with Mother Nature.

Rationale:

1. People living in Singapore face high levels of stress from work. Thus, we proposed to create a new and relaxing environment, which aims to promote a healthy and balanced lifestyle. In this way, we can encourage more domestic tourism in Singapore.

2. As people in Singapore enjoy a high material standard of living, they are now more concerned with satisfying their non-material needs such as living in tranquility, away from city life.

3. As there is an increasing awareness to protect our environment, people are interested in experiencing and discovering the wonders of Mother Nature.

4. People in Singapore have an increasing demand for choices in their lives, as a result of rising affluence.

In addition, Hougang is an ideal location as the airport is situated a short distance away. Thus, it will be very convenient and attractive to tourists. In this way, we can promote a healthy lifestyle to an even greater population and at the same time earn greater profits.

Site Visit Analysis

From our site analysis, we learnt that there is a significant need to provide a place for rejuvenation to satisfy the wants of both the younger generation and the older generation. As a large population of young people is expected to enter the town in the future, it is important for them to have a balanced work and relaxed lifestyle. The older generation has expressed that they like the current scenery hence we should minimize changes to it.

Brief Overview

We suggest establishing a place where people are able to experience an alternative lifestyle that aims to improve their mind and body as well as a place where economic can still continue to prosper.

What are we doing?

We are going to achieve our aim through four main categories: research and development, manufacturing industry, medical resorts and recreation.

How and why are we doing it?

Firstly, we aim to provide alternatives to people in terms of healthcare, diet and lifestyle. Research and development will be done on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and organic products.

For TCM, we will plant herbs in the greenhouse and used them to research on TCM. TCM can be an alternative for western medicine as it is able to cure and prevent diseases and illness. For instance, Wolfberry has antioxidant properties, including potential benefits against cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases and vision-related diseases caused by aging. Hence, by establishing an R&D for TCM, Singapore will be able to be the pioneer for the new alternative medicine – TCM.

Also, for organic products, we aim to establish R&D for it whereby we will develop new cosmetic products and food, derived from the organic materials. This is because Singaporeans are getting more and more health conscious hence there will be an increasing demand for organic products.

As currently, there is no centralized hub in the region whereby R&D for TCM and organic products has been carried out. Hence, Singapore can be the pioneer to start off the organic and TCM industry. This will therefore attract foreign investors as well as foreign talents such as people in China who studied about TCM to come to Singapore. With these, we will be able to provide more job opportunities and revenue. Also, as Singapore is moving towards a knowledge-based economy, it is vital for us to establish new areas for research and development for the future generation in order to maintain our competitive edge in the world in long run.

Secondly, we propose to establish a manufacturing industry for TCM as well as organic products to go hand in hand with the research and development centers. As manufacturing industry is also a key driving force for Singapore, it is vital for us to be able to produce what we have researched and developed on. With the manufacturing industry located beside the research and development area, there will be ease of accessibility between the two sectors to ensure efficiency. Some areas of the manufacturing industry can also be opened to public to educate them on how these TCM and organic products are made and the benefits of these products in order to increase awareness and demand in this new industry. Moreover, the manufacturing industry will be able to provide job opportunities for the locals. Also, we can export our products manufactured to other countries. By doing so, we will be able to generate more revenue and this revenue can be channeled back to research and development as well as other sectors such as health sectors.

Thirdly, in order to achieve our aim of creating a relaxed peaceful environment for the visitors, we suggest integrating medical treatments and resorts. We believe that recuperating in such a scenic and serene environment will facilitate medical treatments. In addition, we can also grow a garden, which will include plants known to soothe and calm the minds and spirits of the people, such as Jasmine, Lavender, and Gardenia, in front of every villa. People will be able to experience the various forms of therapy (aromatherapy, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy) throughout their stay. Furthermore, we suggest constructing an artificial river using treated water waste, which encompasses the entire resort to create calm and cool atmosphere. The hill in the center of the resort can be used for bird watching in the day or stargazing at night. This allows people to have a wider range of leisure activities they can engage in to suit their different demands of a relaxed lifestyle. We can construct walkways or ramps to assist the physically disabled as a mode of transport up the hill.

To further encourage and promote a healthy lifestyle, retail shops selling our own manufactured organic products and TCM herbs can be established. This can in turn generate higher revenue, which can further strengthen our economic status, and the extra revenue can be channeled back to the research and development industry.

Fourthly, besides achieving a higher standard of living for the higher income groups and tourists, we hope to also engage the nearby residents to enjoy our sports facilities in our recreational zone. Sports facilities include the gym, tennis courts, swimming pools to allow them to develop a healthier lifestyle and also to provide opportunities for healthy interaction between them.

In conclusion, it is not just about running away from reality but is about proposing a new alternative where people can choose to live their lives differently. In this way, we can create a better environment where people can cope with their stress level well and cope with their current lifestyles.