Mapping a MacPherson of the Future
28 October 2011
"Issues such as connectivity and accessibility within the estate, intergenerational communication gaps and self-subsistence in food are all pertinent issues to most (if not all) housing estates in Singapore and are tackled in this project. It culminated in many presentations made to the MacPherson MP and grassroots leaders and eventually this book."
Second-year student Mr Clifford Au Yong Wen Li.
The 300-page book on the MacPherson Estate was a product of the Community Design Studio
Twenty-three NUS inter-year architecture students tirelessly conducted site visits, interviews and focus groups at the MacPherson housing estate, one of the oldest estates in Singapore. Their aim was to find out as much information as possible on the living conditions of the residents so as to envision and propose design plans for a MacPherson of the future.
Their work was documented in MacPherson: 21st Century Estate, a 300-page book which includes research findings, mapping studies, proposed masterplan and designs for the estate. Launched at this year's ArchiFest in October, a key event organised by the Singapore Institute of Architects, the book was presented to Ms Tin Pei Ling and Mr Matthias Yao Chih, present and former Members of Parliament (MP) for Marine Parade (MacPherson) respectively.
"Issues such as connectivity and accessibility within the estate, intergenerational communication gaps and self-subsistence in food are all pertinent issues to most (if not all) housing estates in Singapore and are tackled in this project. It culminated in many presentations made to the MacPherson MP and grassroots leaders and eventually this book," shared second-year student Clifford Au Yong Wen Li.
This is the first time that NUS architecture students have engaged with the community on such a scale for their academic work. Dr Tan Beng Kiang was the staff editor while Edmond Khoo Choon Keong, Clifford Au Yong Wen Li, Chua Kian Tiong and Lim Wei Qi were the student editors.
Working on this book was not without its challenges. "I have learnt to design together with many different realistic factors on an architecture scale. It was really challenging to design on such a bigger scale with so many other factors like the actual built cost, the kind of image that will be portrayed and also the client's needs," noted fourth-year student Edmond Khoo.
On the experience gained from the project, second-year Chua Kian Tong said that it had raised his awareness of the problems faced by HDB (Housing Development Board) flat dwellers in an estate. "What I gained most is knowing that architectural design is not just designing for aesthetics but designing aesthetically pleasing and functional buildings that are targeted at human living requirements," said Kian Tong.
The book is part of a project by the Community Design Studio at the Department of Architecture of the School of Design and Environment, NUS. The Studio is a new initiative to educate students about design in service of society and to groom a generation of architectural graduates to design with and for the community.
The Studio was led by faculty staff Adjunct Prof Tay Kheng Soon, Dr Tan Beng Kiang and Assoc Prof Wong Yunn Chii, who guided the team of second, third and fourth year students in the project.