Located in Singapore's busy Central Business District, Telok Ayer Park sits at the intersection of the Telok Ayer heritage district - once home to diverse communities and religions that lived near the historical coastline- and modern skyscrapers, a symbol of development and economic prowess of the country. It is also a culinary haven for the food-loving Singaporean, with nearby options ranging from upmarket restaurants to hawker fare at Amoy Street Food Centre which incidentally also houses four Bib Gourmand awardees by Michelin Guide Singapore 2016. With the shady canopy afforded by the mature trees, Telok Ayer Park offers great potential to be a community node for those who live, work, and play in the CBD.
Yet, it is often treated as a place of transition by many, even during the busy lunch-time period.
Why won’t people stay and use the park? What could be done to unlock the potential of this green space? What can a small park in the CBD be to its neighbourhood?
In January 2017, we (Shophouse & Co) in consultation with National Parks Board (NParks), initiated a project to to turn this green space into a delightful and inclusive place for the local CBD neighbourhood. By utilising our very own Shophouse & Co Placemaking Method, we undertook a discovery phase to understand the place and the community around it. This informed a lunch-time prototype conducted on 22 February 2017 which enabled us to garner insightful feedback from the users.
As part of Design Trails, Singapore Design Week 2017, we will be showcasing our explorations, and ideas to promote and enhance the enjoyment of our public spaces. We also invite you to join us in sessions with key stakeholders and practitioners in the placemaking discipline.
-- For more, visit shophouseandco.com/placemakinginthepark
