Rubanisation

Tay Kheng Soon (TKS) is a practicing architect and adjunct professor at the National University of Singapore's School of Architecture. He was formerly president of the Singapore Institute of Architects and founding member and Chairman of SPUR, the Singapore Planning and Urban Research Group.

To this day, TKS continues to churn out creative, out-of-the-box ideas that he personally sees through to reality via his architectural practice, Akitek Tenggara, which he founded more than three decades ago (in 1976).

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Ruban Workshop II: Rubanising Bukit Panjang, 14-15 Nov, Dairy Farm

Site observations
Participants of the workshop formed smaller groups to visit various parts of Bukit Panjang, with the general intent of studying the feasibility of implementing urban farming as part of our plans for rubanising the district.

(Click on images to enlarge, and click again to close. )

Ideating over a large google map
Back at the office, observations gathered from the site visits were promptly mapped out. Opportunities for urban farming and more park connectors were identified, and more ideas generated.

The outcome of the workshop
In the span of two days, a future scenario for Bukit Panjang was generated. In the map below, each of the four circles represents a relatively self-sustainable ruban district with a radius of 500m (walking distance). Existing schools are denoted in blue, existing social and commercial centres in yellow, hypothetical farms in green and cycling and pedestrian tracks by the orange tape. Each ruban circle centers itself around a social/commercial centre, and this would be the basis for the organisation of bicycle tracks and pedestrian walkways within the circle. (More detailed designs for these will have to be undertaken.)

The future of Bukit Panjang?

The cultivation area required for self-sufficiency in vegetables is taken to be 1.5 sqm per person.
For a population of 100,000 people in Bukit Panjang estate, the total cultivation area required would be 150,000 sqm (as reflected in the map above). This is to be divided into three categories: a majority of 100,000 sqm for commercial farms, 40,000 sqm for community farms and 10,000 sqm for individual hobby farms.

Given the extent of canals in Bukit Panjang, commercial farms could be established over them (as seen below). In this way no additional land area is required.

Rubanising urban areas calls for minimal intervention. The existing infrastructure - take, for instance, the rooftops of multi-storey carparks - should be utilised.

The early planting of fruits such as pineapples and bananas could promote community bonding over quick, shared returns.

Level differences present us with farming opportunities. Grassy slopes that are presently not utilised in any way could be terraced for the cultivation of fruit trees.

With regard to the role of the existing LRT infrastructure in a rubanised setting, it was concluded that walking and/or cycling should remain the primary mode of transportation within the town, with the existing LRT and bus lines playing a supplementary role. The Park Connectors should therefore be extended.

More sketches below: