how Singapore’s creative spirit drives its development

The southern tip of Singapore, where Marina Bay is located today, has been a window to the world for the city state since its early days as a trading port in the 1800s, when the area served as the centre for commercial activities and a point of entry for visitors and immigrants. Following its independence in the mid-1960s, Singapore gradually developed and implemented an integrated approach to urban planning, and the transformation of Marina Bay is perhaps its most successful example.

In the late 1960s and 70s, the nation saw the need to plan for the longer term and to grow the city centre to attract investment, talent and tourists. This resulted in the conceptualisation of Marina Bay, and the decades-long development began in 1971 with ambitious land reclamation efforts. By the late 1990s, 360 hectares of land had been reclaimed to support the vision of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) – Singapore’s national land-use planning and conservation authority – for Marina Bay to serve not only as an extension of the central business district, but also a vibrant waterfront district with many attractions plus ample green and blue spaces.

Today, the area is home to many of the city state’s iconic landmarks and continues to evolve as a sustainable, energetic place designed for people to live, work and play around the clock.

“Singapore takes a long-term and integrated approach in urban planning to comprehensively balance different demands and priorities, such as economic growth, social inclusivity and environmental protection,” says Fun Siew Leng, URA’s chief urban designer. “This allows us to steward our limited land resources to support sustainable development, and to ensure that the needs of our nation, city and people are met.”

Fun adds that Marina Bay’s success is the result of URA’s holistic approach to land-use planning and urban design, as well as its close partnerships with other government agencies and private-sector developers. For example, URA introduced the concept of “white zoning” to provide market flexibility and encourage a good mix of commercial, residential, hotel and entertainment developments in Marina Bay, resulting in interconnected “live-work-play communities” across the area.

URA also ensured the entirety of Marina Bay is highly accessible. Eight Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations spanning four lines dot the area, while key landmarks such as Marina Bay Sands and the ArtScience Museum are connected by a 3.5km waterfront promenade.

“Thoughtful urban design was prioritised in the planning of Marina Bay,” Fun says. “For instance, buildings along the waterfront are kept low and framed by taller skyscrapers at the back to safeguard views and create a visually dynamic skyline with pleasant and pedestrian-friendly areas.”

The parks and open spaces are also designed to be “integrated into the larger green and blue networks in the area”, according to Fun. “More than 100 hectares of land was set aside to develop Gardens by the Bay. Today, the three interconnected gardens create extensive green frontages for the developments around the district, bolstering Singapore’s ‘City in Nature’ identity.”