SINGAPORE – It does not feel at all like a science park where researchers in laboratory coats huddle.
On a recent Saturday, children were playing at The Canopy, an airy sheltered plaza with the look of a stylised, geometric “cathedral”, light streaming in from its high, open sides.
On working days, professionals lounge with their laptops across the steps of its terrace amphitheatre under the 27m spruce roof. They may sip a latte at the 3,000 sq m all-weather plaza while considering an evening run at the nearby Kent Ridge Park, with complimentary coaching.
Can an innovation precinct be fun? How cool can science be?
By weaving towering timber architecture, spontaneous work-and-play experiences and fresh greenery into The Canopy within the revamped Singapore Science Park (SSP), owner CapitaLand is proving that a business park can appeal to tenants like research powerhouses Merck and Henkel as well as the incoming A*STAR, while welcoming a wider community of fresh-faced undergraduates, families and fun-seekers across its enclave – or the island.
This intentional shift from workplace to people-centric ecosystem is “placemaking” in action.
Placemaking turns space into place. It designs a destination for human connection, so people want to linger. It is rooted in the art of building community.
Marcus Lim, head of placemaking and flexible workspace at CapitaLand Development, distinguishes between the purpose-built infrastructure and the people-first experiences of a district.
“Infrastructure provides the foundation for building a successful innovation district,” he tells The Straits Times.
“Placemaking is the layer that creates the experiences to bring people together.”
This is especially important since innovation thrives on connection and exchange of ideas, he emphasises.
Spontaneous work and play happen at The Canopy, an airy “super lobby” at the Singapore Science Park’s new Geneo cluster, which opened in May.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE SCIENCE PARK
Why people linger
Linda Zhang, managing director of Merck Singapore, tells ST that SSP positions Merck close to scientific talent, customers, partners and research organisations in a milieu designed to “accelerate innovation”.
SSP, which launched as a conventional campus in 1984, has expanded and revamped over the decades of Singapore’s research and development global ambitions.
The debut of its Geneo life sciences and innovation cluster in May 2026 marks a $1.4 billion milestone in the multi-year rejuvenation.
Physically, Geneo groups five buildings together and is a work-live-play domain with labs, workspaces, retail and dining, wellness nodes like a yoga deck, bicycle parking spaces and sculptures.
Designed as a “bleisure” (business and leisure) sanctuary, the 250-unit Citadines Science Park Singapore is a serviced residence with high-tech shared workspaces, a greenhouse concept and a cloud-mosaic infinity pool floor that mirrors the sky.
The Citadines serviced residence and bleisure sanctuary has a greenhouse concept and shared working spaces.
PHOTO: CAPITALAND
Cycling trails, gardens, a naturalistic stream and auto-irrigation fill the eco-landscape that makes up a third of the 64,000 sq m precinct.
Designed by Serie + Multiply Consultants, the architecture of Geneo is climate-responsive. The building design – from the accordion facade to the U-shaped configuration – reduces heat gain and enhances natural ventilation. Geneo is linked underground seamlessly to Kent Ridge MRT station.
Now the crown jewel of SSP, the design of Geneo moves past real estate to act as an “ecosystem curator” for the 350-plus multinationals, companies and labs housed there.
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