WATERFRONT-GARDEN living that’s just minutes away from the city.

WATERFRONT-GARDEN living that’s just minutes away from the city. That is what residents at the future Marina South Residential District can expect.

No date has been set for when people can move in.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has set aside 60ha of land between Gardens at Marina South and the Straits of Singapore, which will host some 11,000 homes, with a mix of commercial, hotel and community facilities for all to enjoy.

To get ideas for this project, the URA and the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) held a competition in September.

Open to students and professionals in planning, architecture and landscape, both locally and internationally, it drew 30 entries.

Participants had to illustrate how high-density living can co-exist with a waterfront garden concept, and set a new landmark in residential development.

A five-member panel, including Mr Tai Lee Siang, SIA president, and Ms Fun Siew Leng, director of urban planning and design at URA, chose four winners who each won $10,000.

The winning ideas will serve as an inspiration and catalyst for the masterplan.

Tay Suan Chiang

The four winning and other entries are on display at City Hall, Level 3 Chambers, till Dec 8, from 10am to 10pm. Admission is free.

Design by Surbana, Singapore

THIS proposal adopts two broad housing strategies.

The first is the Blue strategy, where 30- to 50-storey-high residential towers sit directly on a vast expanse of water in a radial manner. This allows residential owners to have breathtaking views.

Carparks and vehicle movements will be limited to the basement levels, freeing up the ground level for water-themed playgrounds.

In the second Green strategy, most of the rooftop spaces will be semi-public gardens. Public gardens and spaces are also carved out between apartment blocks, creating a closeness to nature.

An internal canal system will allow residents to take boat rides around the area.

Design by Compass Studio Limited, Hong Kong

The overall design of this proposal resembles rolling hills - depicted by high- rise residential blocks of various heights - that overlook a low-rise village.

The towers are arranged such that they have views of the Gardens at Marina South and the seafront.

Connecting the buildings are several high-level terraces called ‘Sky Cloud Gardens’, and they will be used for leisure activities.

Nearer the waterfront will be a low-rise eco village. Traffic here is restricted to green means of transportation, preferably electric cars.

Design by SKPS Projects, Singapore

The focus here is on creating more open areas and creating a waterfront space for communal and commercial use. Garden decks will link this area to the Gardens at Marina South.

The residential buildings will be lifted 10 storeys above ground, so the space below can be used by the public. There are also plans to plant rainforest

Design by Khoo Teik Rong, Singapore

Khoo Teik Rong was inspired by the many canals he saw in Amsterdam and wanted to recreate the same atmosphere. His canals will be artificially created and connect the Gardens at Marina South to the sea.

There are also plans for the canals to be lined with street-level shops.

His residential blocks will consist of high-rise ones as well as townhouses and waterfront homes.

Source : Straits Times - 1 Dec 2007