Singapore: Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)

Hi guys,

I'm writing this fresh from a visit to one of most 'Singaporean' buildings I've been in since I arrived - the URA Gallery. Basically, the Gallery is a testament to Singapore's achievements in land usage since its Independence in 1965. It discusses the HDB Flats, the land reclamation, the MRT and transport networks, and their environmental effects. Actually, it kinda glosses over that!

I thought I might use this post to give you a sort-of education in the social structures of Singapore, through the URA Gallery.

The HDBs.
Firstly, HDB Flats. The Singaporean government realised in the 1970s that it would have major land-shortage problems if it didn't get its arse into gear and do something. Being the very involved government that it is, it decided to do it all itself. And it worked. The result is the government-funded Housing Development Board (HDB) apartments, in which 85% of the population live.

Unlike most other countries that provide government housing, there is no stigma attached with living in one of these, rather there is prestige in not living in them. The alternatives (condo apartments, semi-d(etached) terraces, and bungalows) are at least double the price of an HDB. There are some conditions to owning one of these apartments, however (and 90% of the population own one). You have to be married (only 3-, 4-, and 5-bedroom apartments are available, hint hint), and a Singaporean citizen or permanent resident.

I guess these conditions are fair when you consider they work so well! They are perfectly acceptable apartments (if a little boring), and in true Singapore style, they are forceably multi-cultural (each floor must have at least one Chinese, one Malay and one Indian family). That being said, I don't like I could live in one long-term - I just don't do apartments well.

Land reclamation.
Regardless of what I, or anyone else, says, the Singaporean government will continue with land reclamation. It is a necessity for the island state to continue to grow at its current rate, which it certainly intends on doing. Over the past 30 years, Singapore has increased its land mass by 15%, and plans on extending this by a further 10%. This means that most of the ECP (East Coast Parkway), Changi Airport, the new developments at Marina South, the Esplanade and Suntec City are all situated on reclaimed land. In fact, the use of reclamation is so profound that when you look at a map, the majority of Singapore's southern and eastern coastline is straight or smoothed. This does not happen naturally!

The one time reclamation has been stopped is in the case of Chek Jawa, the intertidal flats on the east coast of Pulau Ubin. The Singapore government has since stated that it intends to delay the reclamation for "as long as is possible". A nice piece of political manouvering there.

The MRT
It's fast, efficient, clean, and takes you almost everywhere you want to go. For most people, its their main form of transport, and its ridiculously cheap! (63c to $2 depending on how far you go)
The MRT is Singapore's rail system, and has been expanding constantly since the 1970s, when it was built. Trains come every 2-7 minutes from 6am to midnight, and there is no timetable. I have never heard of a derailment or any serious delay ever occuring. Makes a welcome change I can assure you! Currently there is no station at NUS (!), however one is being built and will be finished in 2009-10.

One gripe I have with the MRT is its reckless land usage - if the government deems it appropriate to build an MRT in a certain location, it does. There appears to be little regard for the cultural heritage that may have existed on the site. Ah well, you can't have everything.