Public Space in Bukit Merah and Woodlands

P2

Liza Twelker

Hugo Kuiper

Kevin Boers

SINGAPORE FIELD TRIP

OUR PRESENTATION• Research theme

• Research question, subquestions, Research Method and Hypothesis

• Research areas

• Results

• Key differences and similarities

• Conclusion

RESEARCH FOCUS

• Quality of public space

• Facilities

• Transport systems

• Town councils

PRECINCTS/ NEIGHBOURHOODS• Different levels of living areas in Singapore

• City, NewTown, Neighbourhood, Precincts, Block (Han, 2005)

• Precincts and Neighbourhood

• Near the city centre

• Far from the city centre

• Both in the east of their Newtown

• Both near a MRT

• Both near a park and school

RESEARCH QUESTION

To what extend does the HDB bring Singapore more equality on the quality of public space?

SUBQUESTIONS

• What is the quality and quantity of the facilities near the area?

• What is the quality and quantity of the parks and recreation near the area?

• How are the flats and the public space maintained in the area?

RESEARCH METHOD

• Multiple case study (Bryman, 2008)

• Descriptively

• Criteria:

• quantity and quality of facilities

• quantity and quality of parks and recreation

• maintenance of public space and flats

• Observations

• Interviews

HYPOTHESIS• We think that the area close to the city centre will have a better quality of public space than an

area from the outskirts of the city.

• Close to the city centre:

• More Facilities

• Better Transport accessibility

• Flats and public spaces better maintained

• Far away from city centre:

• Bigger Parks

• Less Crowded

• People visit the City Centre less

Public space:

all areas that are open and accessible to all members of the public in a society, in principle though not necessarily in practice’ (Orum and Neal, 2010: p. 1)

Source: Wikipedia

BUKIT HO SWEE• Bukit Merah

• Near the city-centre

• MRT-station: Tiong Bahru

• 1961 Big fire

ADMIRALTY GARDEN• Woodlands

• Far from the city centre, a kind of sub-urb

• MRT station: Admiralty

GREEN AND RECREATION IN BUKIT HO SWEE

• Tiong Bahru park

• Green

• Pond

• Playing ground

• Well maintained

• Well used for Recreation

• Public housing flats

• Trees

• Playing grounds

• Fitness services

GREEN AND RECREATION IN ADMIRALTY GARDEN

• Long but narrow

• Courtyard feeling

• Resting place

• Well maintained

• Grass

• Trees

• Playgrounds

• Fitness services

• People tended to use other parks for recreation

FACILITIES IN BUKIT HO SWEE• Shops bars and barbers on ground level flats

• Private School, Public schools further away

• Shopping mall of Tiong Bahru

• Foodcenter

FACILITIES IN ADMIRALTY GARDEN• Shopping mall Admiralty

• Small

• Overcrowded

• Public schools

• Primary and Secondary

• Bicycle parking places

• Parking lots

TRANSPORT AND ROADS IN BUKIT HO SWEE • MRT Station Tiong Bahru

• People travel by MRT to city centre

• City centre only 4 stops away by MRT

• A lot of roads and Expressway near.

• Good Transport system

• Several Bus stations with direct lines

to City centre

TRANSPORT AND ROADS IN ADMIRALTY GARDEN• MRT station Admiralty

• Woodlands Ring road

• Several Bus stations

• People travel by bus and MRT

• Bikes to go to MRT Station

• Woodlands 1 stop away

• Not many go often to Singapore centre

DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES• Similarities

• Well maintained parks and recreation facilities

• Good access to Transport system

• Schools

• Positive opinion of residents of the parks and transport system accessibility

• Differences

• Park in Bukit Ho Swee is larger and separated from the public housing flats

• Park in Admiralty Garden has a courtyard feeling, surrounded by public housing flats

• Bukit Ho Swee has more facilities, a larger shopping mall and shops inside the flats

• Admiralty people do not work and visit centre of Singapore often, Woodlands

• Bukit Ho swee people visit Singapore centre often

CONCLUSION• The area close to the city centre and the area on the outskirts of the city are roughly equal on the quality

of Public Space.

• Only the Facilities are considerably less in Admiralty Garden, green is slightly different

• Close to the city centre:

• More Facilities, true

• Better Transport accessibility, false equal

• Flats and public spaces better maintained, false equal

• Far away from city centre:

• Bigger Parks, false

• Less Crowded, true

• People visit the city centre less, true

QUESTIONS?