I enjoy cycling or rollerblading around parks, and also make a note to visit new green developments around the island. Singapore has so many parks – urban, community, heartland and not to mention the many nature reserves and water spots. Although I cannot say to have been to all or even most, but I would say that on all my trips to Punggol Waterfront, Woodlands Waterfront, Lorong Halus Wetland, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin etcetera, I’ve always enjoyed being close to the natural environment, and it is the sense of revitalisation and tranquility that keeps me going back for more, and searching for new spots to explore.

It is these trips to areas of nature that inspired my writing topic – we often see man-made structures in urban parks, and in recent years they have gotten increasingly aesthetic. However, beyond these purely aesthetic and “good-looking” functions, are there more reasons behind their architectural structure and design? What did the architects and engineers take into consideration when they designed this bridge?

And these very same questions we can apply them to our city landscapes too. Is there a special reason why a particular building uses wood instead of cement? Or why an open concept is preferred over a closed one?

So with this curiosity, and with my passion for exploring green spaces, I started writing about NATURE IN THE CITY: Sustainable Urban Design & Infrastructure.

Having been through 3/4 of this course, I have to admit that education truly plays a big role in environmental consciousness. Lately I find myself reconsidering printing out ALL my notes, and reconsidering switching off the fan when I’m not in the room.  Getting to know about environmental issues in depth has really changed the way I think about ecology and the environment.