URA wins global prize for Southern Ridges parks project

Amresh Gunasingham Straits Times 15 Oct 10;

THE Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has scooped a prestigious global prize in recognition of its design of a 9km stretch of parks around Telok Blangah.

Known as the Southern Ridges, it links Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park and Kent Ridge Park to West Coast Park.

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) Global Award for Excellence comes just four months after the authority won the same prize for the Asia-Pacific region.

First established in 1979, the ULI award recognises projects that not only stand out for their design, but also represent the best examples of land use.

The award recognises the entire development process of a project, from construction and cost considerations to marketing, management and design.

The URA had previously won the global award in 2006 for its conservation programme and the Asia-Pacific award in 2008 for its master planning of the Bras Basah and Bugis areas.

The idea to link up the hilltop parks was first mooted in 2002, with the aim of dotting the area with trails and bridges and bringing the public closer to nature.

Since its opening in May 2008, the Southern Ridges has managed to draw an additional 50,000 visitors a month to the area.

The national planner was picked from 19 other nominations spanning Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

In the citation, the award's jury, which was made up of real estate professionals, planners and architects, said the project stood out as it 'creates a rare contiguous recreational space in densely populated Singapore'.

Commenting on the win, Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan said it was a stamp of approval for urban planners here who have overcome the challenge of land scarcity.

'Singapore may be highly urbanised but through innovative land use strategies, we can preserve the liveability of the city,' he said.

Each winner receives a jewel-quality 30cm polished stainless steel cube engraved with the jury's official statement about the winning project.