Urban Parks – Little Guilin

Posted on April 1, 2012 by #GAN NING HUI PRISCILLA#

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{Little Guilin’s sign. © Slow Rider}

{The scenic view of guilin’s cliffs. © Slow Rider}

Area scan of Little Guilin (“Xiao Guilin”)

Constructed from a disused granite quarry, Bukit Batok Town Park is commonly known as “Little Guilin” or “Xiao Guilin”, after the scenic spot in China. Comprising 42 ha of land, it is located at Bukit Batok East Avenue 5. The name “Bukit Batok” has been suggested to be derived from the noise made by the blasting in the granite quarry that now form the natural surroundings of Little Guilin.

The Housing and Development Board had originally intended to fill the quarry up and build a road on it in 1984. It was converted to a pond instead when it was realized that the existing quarry had rugged granite outcrops and a contrasting backdrop of green hills that gave it a pleasant look. The surrounding areas were also beautified and made accessible by placing granite blocks on the retaining walls and adding footpaths, lights and seating.

{Fishing! © Serene Ng}

In 1996, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) conceptualised the Development Plan Guide for Yishun and Bukit Batok, which proposed the use of the surrounding parks to enhance the residential landscape for the area. It also proposed links between the Town Park and Nature Parks, and eventually linking them via park connectors to the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and Sungei Pandan.

Besides being used for exercise and walks, the town park has also been used as a stage for Chinese opera, dance and music performances.

Source: Little Guilin (“Xiao Guilin”)

Urban Parks – Lorong Halus Wetland Park

Posted on April 1, 2012 by #GAN NING HUI PRISCILLA#

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{Some of the inhabitants you can catch at Punggol Promenade & Lor Halus Wetland Park if you’re lucky! © NParks}

Located along the eastern bank of Serangoon Reservoir, Lorong Halus Wetland was transformed from a landfill into a haven for biodiversity. Spend some time exploring this wetland that spans the area of 18 football fields! Visitors entering Lorong Halus Wetland from Punggol Promenade will be greeted by the elegantly designed Lorong Halus Bridge, which is a charming addition to the natural surroundings. It is also part of the North Eastern Riverine Loop that aims to bring the public closer to the natural environment – vegetation and water.

{Lor Halus Bridge at sunrise. © Tze Ru Pang}

“Usually pedestrian bridges in Singapore are carried out as pile and beam bridges and henceforth tend to look heavy. In this case a more filigree truss structure was chosen. Five 30m long compartments span between concrete piles with steel caps. The number of piles into the riverbed was decreased by the greater span, reducing the impact on the bridge’s natural environment to a minimum.

The pedestrian bridge is lit up with ultra-efficient 10W LED linear lighting bars, replacing the conventional method of using fluorescent lights.” (Source: World Architecture News)

Having personally been to the Punggol Promenade, crossed the Lorong Halus Bridge, and cycling through the Lorong Halus Wetland that links you all the way to Pasir Ris, I have to say that it is a really beautiful space of greenery and artfully constructed footpaths which are made from light gravel and pebbles blends perfectly into the natural landscape, and that, makes your walk all the more enjoyable as you feel like part of the natural environment. When it first opened, there were few visitors, only a sprinkling of adventurous cyclists like myself, and landscape photographers who were there to take advantage of the abundant sunlight and vast space. Since then, on my frequent visits back, both on my bike or on foot, I’ve seen parents bringing their children for a day out exploring the biodiversity of the area, and reading from the informative signages about the Wetland and its inhabitants. I’ve also seen couples, young and old, taking strolls in the evenings.

{People coming back from the Lor Halus Wetland Park via the Bridge. © Slow Rider}

Converting this area into a wetland, at close range to all the HDB flats makes it a great escape for us city people. Despite being located in close proximity to the residential areas, when you’re strolling along Punggol Promenade or Lorong Halus Wetland, you practically feel as if you’ve travelled out of town to the countryside, the feeling you get is of a well-maintained Pulau Ubin, without the inconvenience of a bum-boat ride (as enjoyable old school as it may be :D). Only a stone’s throw and a short walk away from our homes, there is such an expanse of greenery and wealth of biodiversity – our dose of interaction with the natural environment made convenient. Beautiful.

If you’re interested in exploring the Lorong Halus Wetland Park, along with the rest of the equally attractive spots along the North Eastern Riverine Loop, do check this extremely comprehensive NParks guide out.

Urban Parks (Perth)

Posted on April 1, 2012 by #GAN NING HUI PRISCILLA#

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Kings Park & Botanic Gardens is a popular park in Perth, Australia. The Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority is committed to promoting appreciation, understanding and knowledge of our unique biodiversity and in motivating visitors to join with us in its conservation. Kings Park is known for its wide array of flora, fauna and fungi, and the parks’ natural beauty and close proximity to the city centre draws locals and tourists all year round.

They also provide free guided walks and hands-on activities about sustainable planting practices, as part of their efforts to educate visitors about conserving endangered and rare plant species and the relevance of the natural environment in our lives.

Lotterywest Federation Walkway

Incidentally, they have a tree-top bridge, one with a concept similar to that of Singapore’s Henderson Waves and also NYC’s High Line, where even walking among the canopies of the forest, you can still catch a good view of the city and the urban developments of the city. The elevated walkway and glass arched bridge are together a fusion of sculpture, architecture and engineering. Forged from richly rusted steel, the elevated steel boardwalk is a striking artwork designed to blend into the landscape so the focus is on the natural and inspiring vistas surrounding you.Such urban infrastructure are at the forefront of sustainable urban development and the efforts at building environmental awareness amongst urban dwellers – where the city dwellers can get in touch with the natural environment without completely removing themselves from their urban sensibilities.

{Lotterywest Federation Treetop walkway. © BGPA}

My family and I had actually visited Kings Park when we were holidaying in Perth a couple of years back, and the natural beauty of the park and the beauty of the city landscape from the Treetop Bridge had truly made an impression.

{Posing for a shot on the Glass Bridge © Priscilla Gan}

{A clear view of the city skyline from the bridge! © Priscilla Gan}

Human-Environment Conflict (Human Hazards: Nature Reserves)

Posted on April 1, 2012 by #GAN NING HUI PRISCILLA#

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{Map of one of the hiking trails in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. © NParks}

Having mentioned in previous posts here and here of how elements of the natural environment can prove to be hazardous, this post is about another dimension of the Human-environment conflict – humans being a threat to the natural environment.

With elements of the natural environment in our urban city, and us working towards sustainable urban design, it is not always easy to keep people interested in the natural environment, and yet manage the human effects such that the natural environment is not harmed beyond restoration. Just as how the natural environment can unintentionally cause harm to the human community, humans too can pose a certain threat to natural environment.

The nature and heritage trails of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (Singapore) is one example. A few weeks back, we had a guest speaker from NParks come to give us an introduction about the nature efforts of the organisation. Karen Teo is a Senior Outreach Officer of Central Nature Reserve Branch, Conservation Division, in NParks. Out of the many things that she shared, one of the most memorable ones was her recount of how they had to eventually make the decision of permanently closing down a trail because of the damage that visitors were causing it. After several temporary closures for restoration works done over a period of 5 (i think) years, it was evident that if they do not take action, the damage to the area covered by the trail would soon be irreversible. Her recount is an alarming and unexpected insight into how the interest of the human community can bring harm to the natural environment.

Doing some digging around, I found that the NParks website has this document: Trail Manners, appealing to members of the public about the Do’s and Don’ts when they go onto the trails in the reserve.

Urban Parks – Punggol Waterfront

Posted on March 31, 2012 by #GAN NING HUI PRISCILLA#

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Punggol Waterfront

{Punggol Waterfront map. © NParks}

The best ways to experience the waterway would be by walking or cycling. So come join us on a virtual tour of this unique waterway. Starting from the east of the waterway, which boasts a landscape theme that is green and rustic you will be transported to a bushland like setting where peace and tranquility surround you. As you stroll along the waterway, you will arrive at the sunrise bridge. Elevated above vegetation, this bridge is the perfect spot to watch the sunrise and also presents many opportunities for photography enthusiasts.

Traveling along, you will be impressed by the landscape along the promenade. There will be inter-twining footpaths, meandering cycling tracks, streams and landscape features that blend in with undulating hills, reinforcing the rustic charms of nature.

As you head further west along the track, there is also an option to hire bicycles and up the pace of your journey while getting a good workout at the same time. As you enter the Town Park, you will experience open green spaces in the form of the Green Gallery, where budding artists can create works of art, while soaking in nature’s beauty.

A highlight of the journey would have to be the pedestrian ‘kelong-like’ bridge which recaptures the idyllic mood of old Punggol with its quaint villages. The bridge leads to a heritage trail that follows the original alignment of the existing Punggol Road. The existing vegetation will preserved and the heritage of Punggol would be depicted along artificial rock walls feature alongside the trail.

Not only does the design bring water closer to people, it brings history up close as well.

Just ahead in the water play cum sand area, families can look forward to spending weekends soaking up the sun while their children learn and have fun through water based play. As you cast your eyes across the waterway, you will notice streams of water cascading down from the bio-pond, presenting a picture perfect nature sanctuary that adds to the appeal of this waterway.

Source: We Love Punggol

The Voice of the People (Singapore)

Posted on March 30, 2012 by #GAN NING HUI PRISCILLA#

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Singapore Seeks Public Input on Urban Makeovers

In Singapore, individuals and communities alike have begun to become interested in the landscape, or rather, green-scape of their neighbourhood. These people are also increasingly vocal about their wants and needs, and their opinions about the government’s urban greening efforts. One good example would be the debate over Bukit Brown Cemetery, which faces impending exhumation for road works. Residents reluctant to see the place go have even set up a Facebook Page: Save Bukit Brown Cemetery, citing it affectionately as a place of Heritage, History and Habitats of countless organisms who have made their homes in the untouched vastness of greenery. Do not mistake this FB page to be a mere white elephant, on my checks, this page is constantly kept active by the administrators through the frequent postings of videos, photos and written sentiments of the community of people who have banded together in a bid to save this green space.

The Singapore government does not take the voices of the people lightly – it has started to actively involve the public in their urban makeover plans, decisions and designs. This ensures that the residents have a stake and a say in their natural environment. Here we start to observe a growing trend towards the residents’ desire to contribute and to be part of their neighbouring environment. As Singapore develops, it is near impossible for every household to accommodate their own personal garden, but Singaporeans appear to be very much eager to have a garden that they can be proud of in their own backyard, even if it is but a shared common space. They have shown that they wish to be involved in the planning process so that they may contribute their suggestions on what is mutually beneficial for the natural environment and for their sense of well-being and healthy living.

The transformation of 24-year-old Bishan Park is the first of the urban parks to undergo the redevelopment scheme.

According to the article by Wall Street Journal, the “destination parks” will incorporate a level of public consultation that is rare in Singapore, and communities will have a hand in deciding what they want out of their public parks. Following a session with the public last August, the National Parks Board will be organizing more dedicated group sessions and outdoor road shows to get feedback from members of the public, allowing them to “co-create” the spaces. People can also share their suggestions via a website that includes ideas like converting roofs of multistory car parks into gardens with jogging tracks.

Here we can see, how human impact and the attitudes of people can make a difference in urban landscape. The sentiments of individuals and communities towards large-scale changes in their physical environment can be a great motivating factor in shaping the government’s policies and actions towards sustainable urban design. The attitudes of the people towards changes in their neighbourhood and their natural environment play a big part in influencing the kind of urban architecture and infrastructure, and how much nature is taken into consideration in the urban infrastructure planning policies.

Greenfrastructure: Marina Barrage (Singapore)

Posted on March 30, 2012 by #GAN NING HUI PRISCILLA#

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We have all been to Marina Barrage to fly a kite, or to watch the sunrise. We also know that the dams at the Barrage are for the purpose of harnessing water energy. However, here is another side of the Marina Barrage that many of us might not have known about.

Here at the Barrage, there is a gallery that documents Singapore’s efforts in environmental sustainability in all aspects – the built environment, the natural environment, and water.

Singapore Sustainable Gallery

The Sustainable Singapore Gallery (SSG) is an information and sensory extravaganza showcasing Singapore’s efforts towards environmental sustainability. Explore six galleries, each sharing a unique aspect of Singapore’s sustainable story. Uncover, through fun interactive and innovative multimedia, how a small country with limited resources meets the needs of a fast developing community in an environmentally-friendly manner.