The National Parks Board (NParks) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) have announced that enhancement works for the former Bukit Timah Railway Station and its surroundings as a community node will begin early next year. At a community event at the station, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong also shared that the Friends of Rail Corridor will be leading the community in activating the reopened stretches of the Rail Corridor along its southern half, and announced plans for a new linear park that is partly elevated above the Bukit Timah Canal – the Bukit Timah-Rochor Green Corridor. The new linear park will add to and complement Singapore’s network of recreational connections, which includes the Rail Corridor, Round Island Route and Coast-to-Coast Trail, and altogether, the connections will provide the public with more recreational options, and more opportunities to explore the outdoors and connect with nature in our City in a Garden.
Over the last two years, works to enhance Rail Corridor (Central), the 4 km stretch of the Rail Corridor between the Hillview area and the conserved Bukit Timah Railway Station, have been ongoing and guided by three key themes: Heritage and Culture, Biodiversity and Greenery, and Recreation. The works include improvements to trails, restoration works for the truss bridges, construction of a new pedestrian underpass at Hindhede, and habitat enhancements. In early 2020, enhancement of the former railway station and its surroundings as a community node will begin.
The conserved Bukit Timah Railway Station is a distinctive landmark of Rail Corridor (Central) and the community node will feature a strong sense of history, distinctive landscaping and ample public spaces. Works to restore the Railway Station building and the former Railway Station Staff Quarters will be carried out sensitively and in line with conservation guidelines. The buildings will showcase their original railway features, while being repurposed for the public’s use and enjoyment. At the same time, the 8 Mile Platform will be constructed near the Rail Mall to provide amenities such as a shelter and toilet. It will act as a rest stop and an access point to the Rail Corridor.
To provide even more recreational options for visitors, NParks will be developing the Bukit Timah-Rochor Green Corridor. The Bukit Timah-Rochor Green Corridor is envisioned as a journey through a riverine forest and will include a linear sky park elevated above the canal. It will connect to the Rail Corridor near the Bukit Timah Railway Station community node. Visitors, including users of the Coast-to-Coast Trail, can look forward to a unique walking and cycling experience set amidst lush greenery. The first phase of the project comprises 1.4 km and stretches from the Rail Corridor to Elm Avenue. Construction is expected to start in 2021, dovetailing with PUB’s canal improvement works. In the future, the corridor may be extended to Kallang Riverside Park, totalling 11 km.
After undergoing a three-year redevelopment, Funan is set to make its highly-anticipated return on 28 June 2019. Poised to become an inviting and energetic heart of Singapore’s Civic District, Funan aims to inspire play, learning, creativity and connection with more than 180 brands clustered round six passion themes – Tech, Craft, Play, Fit, Chic, and Taste. Of these, around 30% are new-to-market brands, new concept stores or flagships. Reinforcing Funan’s position as a showcase for local talents, more than 60% of the brands originate from Singapore. More than 30% of Funan’s brands are new to CapitaLand’s portfolio.
Mr Chris Chong, Managing Director, Retail, CapitaLand Singapore, said: “Shaped by its unique location in a new-gen live-work-play hub, Funan brings together experiential and activity-based retail at a scale not seen before in Singapore’s Civic District, while providing a collaborative platform for retailers to share their brand stories. With a dedicated Community Manager, Funan goes beyond a singular focus on achieving a certain retail mix to curate community experiences that consumers are passionate about, as it seeks to build social connections and networks beyond the transactional.”
With a total gross floor area of approximately 887,000 sq ft, the Funan integrated development comprises a retail component, two office blocks and lyf Funan Singapore – the Singapore flagshipof The Ascott Limited’s lyf coliving serviced residence that is designed by millennials formillennials. It is located right in the heart of the Civic District with excellent connectivity, including a direct underpass linking to City Hall MRT interchange station. As a new paradigm for live, workand play in Singapore’s city centre, Funan offers a synergistic combination of retail, office andserviced residence components that is designed to appeal to savvy consumers pursuing quality of life in a socially-conscious and creative environment. Further to the opening of Funan’s retailand office components, lyf Funan Singapore is slated to open in 4Q 2019.
Funan’s indoor cycling path runs 200 metres from the start of the trail to the Level 1 Bicycle Hub. The cycling path serves working professionals in and around Funan who cycle to office during the morning peak hours.
During the mall's operating hours from 10am to 10pm, cyclists are encouraged to dismount and push their bicycles in the mall. The Bicycle Hub houses a variety of end-to-trip amenities that include shower cabins, lockers, and a bicycle repair and pump station.
There are also bicycle counters that allow cyclists to take their meals while seated on their bicycles. Funan will have 166 bicycle bays – the most among any CapitaLand property in the Civic District and CBD.
A new and bigger Arrival Hall has opened at Changi Airport Terminal 1, increasing the terminal’s floor area by 35% to 8,500m2.
The new hall is part of a larger expansion plan for T1, estimated to boost the terminal’s handling capacity to 24 million passenger movements per annum. The terminal served about 3.2 million passengers in the first quarter of 2018.
With the recent opening of the new arrival zone; travellers will collect their bags and walk down a passageway before entering the public area which used to be the road outside the terminal.
Within the arrival hall is a new garden featuring palm trees of up to 15m in height, a feature pool and a diversity of flora incorporated with dragonfly topiaries and sculptures. This is the airport’s first garden situated in the public area.
Changi Airport Terminal 1's new arrival pick-up zone is now open and is the first of several changes under a $323 million expansion project to boost the terminal's capacity.
The changes include a new "meeters and greeters hall", a five-storey underground carpark, an expanded baggage claim area plus more baggage belts.
The new "meeters and greeters" hall which will be opened progressively from April, will lead to a 35 per cent expansion in the floor area of T1's arrival hall.
It will be integrated fully with level 1 of Jewel, allowing arriving passengers to walk directly into the new development.
And next year, the baggage claim hall floor area will be expanded by 90 per cent, providing more space for arriving passengers.
The new carpark will be ready by the end of this year. It will also serve Jewel after it opens next year.
One of Singapore oldest mosques, Angullia Mosque, closes for redevelopment which will see it transform into a four-storey building that can accommodate 2,500 congregants.
Angullia Mosque has been an iconic landmark in the area of Serangoon Road and Little India for more than 120 years.
The Mosque was built on Wakaff land bequeathed by MSE Angullia. Still standing at its present site, the first blueprints of the Mosque was dated in 1890.
Since its initial construction somewhere in the late 1890s, several upgrading works have been undertaken to maintain its functionality and relevance to its immediate community.
Angullia Mosque serves a large community of Muslims within the Serangoon Road district and many of their congregants include both the local and foreign workforce within the Serangoon Road business district.
Over the years, the capacity and infrastructure of the mosque are not able to keep up with the numbers and demands of their daily congregants.
The main building of the former National Aerated Water Factory at 1177 Serangoon Road will be gazetted for conservation by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).
Recognising the building’s heritage value, its role as a landmark in the area and the social memories it holds for the community, the building owner, Selangor Dredging Berhad (SDB) is supportive of the conservation efforts and is working closely with URA to keep the building as part of our national history.
Completed in 1954, this Art Deco Style building is a well-known local landmark along Serangoon Road. It was the bottling factory that produced popular soft drinks such as Sinalco, Kickapoo Joy Juice and Royal Crown Cola. It is also one of the last few remaining structures along the stretch of Kallang River that reflect the area’s rich industrial past, and contribute to the heritage of the Kallang River.
The two-storey L-shaped main building facing Serangoon Road will be conserved. This includes the signage tower, a representative feature that many will be familiar with. Read more about this conservation effort.
The Stamford Arts Centre at Waterloo Street will undergo a S$7 million redevelopment and it will reopen in the middle of next year as an arts space fully dedicated to traditional arts, complete with a new multi-purpose hall, a space for resident artists and an F&B outlet, among other improvements.
The arts centre will be managed by Arts House Limited, which also manages other arts housing spaces such as Goodman Arts Centre and Aliwal Arts Centre.
Share on : 
Facebook
Twitter
Delicious
Digg
Email This
