Urban Lab launched to help address urban challenges

Sara Grosse Channel NewsAsia 24 Jan 15;

SINGAPORE: A new dedicated exhibition space was launched on Friday (Jan 23) to help address urban challenges and create solutions for a more sustainable environment.

The Urban Lab - located at the Urban Redevelopment Authority's Singapore City Gallery - kicked off the initiative by featuring an exhibition on "future cities", which brings together the Swiss-Singapore perspectives in addressing urban challenges.

Highlights included studies on transportation planning and making walking more accessible in Singapore.

The Urban Lab will have exhibitions and outreach programmes all-year round where visitors can view diverse research ideas and solutions on how cities are planned using 3D geospatial mapping and visualisation tools.

An MOU was also signed to develop an integrated land use transport model for Singapore. The model, called MATSim Singapore, simulates various travel patterns and commuter behaviours, and is expected to be completed by October this year. The MOU was signed by URA, Singapore-ETH Centre, and the Land Transport Authority.

Senior Minister of State for National Development Lee Yi Shyan said: "We live in a time of rapid innovations. In fact, embracing innovation has become a key strategy in overcoming space constraints and achieving high quality standards of living.

"We encourage test-bedding of new ideas. We empower cross-disciplinary research and development. We strive to nurture an innovative eco-system involving the public, private and the people sector."

- CNA/al