[Photo: The participants in the Challenge for the Urban & Built Environment contest constructed 3-D scale models of their plan using styrofoam and common art materials.]

By Amanda Tan

A Bohemian artist enclave in Tanjong Pagar, a "secret garden" in Kreta Ayer and youth parks at Duxton Hill Park are some of the things youth would like to see in the Chinatown area.

These three ideas were among those that came out of an urban planning contest organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore (URA) as part of its 35th anniversary celebrations.

Called the Challenge for the Urban & Built Environment, the event saw 100 students participating in the three-day event held in March.

For many students, it offered a peek into the world of urban planning.

"We wanted the students to have a taste of what architects do on a daily basis. We also wanted them to know that the Singapore we have today did not come about by chance. Knowing this, they will be able to appreciate our home and heritage better," said a URA spokesman.

An area stretching from Craig Road to Cross Street was split into 10 parts for 10 different teams to work on.

Over three days in March, students conducted street polls, interviewed residents in the area and researched Chinatown's history and heritage to find out more about their assigned sites.

They then constructed 3-D scale models of their plan using styrofoam and common art materials, a technique similar to that used by practising architects.

Participants came from Hwa Chong Institution, Serangoon, St Andrew's, Temasek, Anderson, National and Tampines junior colleges and Singapore, Temasek and Ngee Ann polytechnics.

URA has also previously organised urban planning workshops for primary and secondary school students.

For the challenge, teams were judged on factors such as their sensitivity and relevance to site context and environment, creativity, clarity of ideas, execution of ideas, presentation skills and the level of teamwork and cooperation displayed.

However, their ideas will not see real life just yet. URA said that it would use the proposals to gain an insight into what young people want in the Chinatown area. Though the plans will not be implemented, some feasible ideas may be kept in mind, the URA spokesman said.

URA executives, Ministry Of Education representatives and a practising architect made up the eight-man judging panel.

One budding urban designer, Temasek Polytechnic student Damien Chiang, 19, said: "Now we know that when we design something, we can't just take out this wall or build something else just because we like it. We also realised that we had to work with groups in charge of other areas. This taught us that urban planning is always done on a big scale and you cannot work alone."

THE WINNERS

CHAMPION

THE DESIGNERS: Hwa Chong Institution

HCI students showing off their scale model. (Photo: URA)

THE GRAND PLAN: Bohemian artist enclave in Tanjong Pagar

FEATURING: An underground carpark, elevated water features and artist residences

TEAM SPEAK: "We wanted to preserve it as an artistic area. It will be a cultural hub for the people - the elderly can practise taiji, artists can find a conducive environment for their craft, office workers can come here to relax. It will be a transition zone between the traditional and the modern, and a place bustling with life."

1ST RUNNER-UP

THE DESIGNERS: Temasek Polytechnic

TP students showing off their scale model. (Photo:URA)

THE GRAND PLAN: A "secret garden" at Kreta Ayer Road

FEATURING: A green space in the heart of Chinatown for the public

TEAM SPEAK: "We wanted to create a quiet and calm space within the heart of Chinatown. Elderly residents here can share life stories with non-residents who come by so that the memories of Chinatown are kept alive. We are trying to engage everyone with a common gathering space."

2ND RUNNER-UP

THE DESIGNERS: Serangoon Junior College

SRJC students showing off their scale model. (Photo:URA)

THE GRAND PLAN: Youth parks in Duxton Hill Road.

FEATURING: Skateparks and basketball courts, eateries at back alleys of shophouses

TEAM SPEAK: "Keong Saik Street has a rich and colourful past. We wanted to preserve the interesting mix of boutique hotels, residences, offices and even brothels that have occupied this space all this time. We hope that the added youth spaces will get rid of the negative connotations linked to this place because of the brothels."

This article was first published in The Straits Times.