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It is not just suburban malls that he is thinking about. For the last 20 years, he has watched, with an increasingly heavy heart, what he sees as the decline of Singapore\u2019s original shopping precinct, Orchard Road. To him, it is a street lined with many big, box-like malls. \u201cIn this, it is one of a kind,\u201d he quipped.<\/span><\/p>\n From the turn of the century, similar developments started coming up not only in the city centre but also in the new towns. Then, there was the opening of the two integrated developments in Marina Bay and Sentosa. All competed for the same pool of tenants and consumers were happy to flock to them, given Singapore\u2019s efficient transport network.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOrchard Road, in the meanwhile, did little to reinvent itself, resulting in the loss of its customer base to other more exciting, similar-style retail offerings in the country,\u201d Lim said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There is hope yet, though it will require the cooperation of retailers, mall owners, the authorities and the street\u2019s business associations. Lim envisions car-free days and festivals tied to national holidays to anchor the tourism event calendar. Capitalising on its plantation origins could reinforce its identity, such as through landscaping with special plants and outdoor furniture to enhance the overall environment of the street.<\/span><\/p>\n He is especially adamant about humanising the boulevard. This could mean breaking up\u00a0<\/span>various sections of the road with distinctive placemaking elements. Each mall can then extend past its own plot boundaryto let the spaces flow more seamlessly from inside to out. For instance, retail, F&B and entertainment activities could spill over onto the sidewalks.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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