1959-1970: Singapore as a ‘Concrete Jungle’

During the British colonial rule, there were, to some certain, about roadside planting but it was not the main focus for industrial planning. Only Botanic Gardens, Fort Canning Park and Esplanade were available as parks. Due to the pragmatic mindset of increasing employment and housing for everyone, the Singapore Master Plan for more green spaces was ignored. Being just an afterthought to urban development, most parks were small and bland in design – standardization of park design and lack of play equipment. There were no legislations for the provision of open spaces which, therefore, lead to the risk of being a ‘concrete jungle’.

1970s-1980s: A Holistic Development

The government began to incorporate more holistic urban planning after recognizing the positive impacts of greenery has on the lifestyle on the people and society. Garden Action City Committee was formed and they played an important role in monitoring the greenery efforts in policies. In 1970s, the government specifically allocated land space for the development of parks and green spaces. Legislations like tax incentives were passed and even a department called “Parks and Recreation Development” was established in the Ministry of National Department. Not only were parks rapidly built in heartlanders, recreation needs are met with equipment in the parks. However, these parks did not focus of the aesthetics of the park design.

1980s – 2000s: Singapore as a Garden City

With Singapore becoming more affluent in the 1980s, there was a higher emphasis on the quality of life. 4% of the land was set aside for parks in 1980s as compared to 3.4% in 1970s. In Bukit Batok Town Park, it was also the first park to incorporate the features of garden into their park design. The other park were re-invested and even seen as a form of tourist attraction. Singapore as a garden city was also seen as one of the social development. Parks became one of the major focuses of the country as it can put forth both social and economic development within the country.

In recent years, Singapore has only become greener alongside with increased urbanization. Satelite shows that 47% of Singapore is covered in greenery in 2007 as compared to 36% in 1986. (Refer to figure below.)

Singapore has also been actively hiring well-known architects to build even more sophisticated designs of urban parks and even extending their focus to conservation of biodiversity. The country has been trying to progress from a garden city to a “City in a Garden” (CIAG). One of CIAG aims was to build world class urban gardens. Some examples of innovative urban parks in present Singapore will be elaborated in the other tabs.