COMMUNITY AT PLAY : A QUERY ON THE PLANNING AND DESIGN OF PLAY SPACES IN SINGAPORE �S PUBLIC HOUSING

Abstract

The basis of this study was derived from the observation and subsequent investigations that play spaces are rarely seen as an architectural issue. The inferiority of play becomes apparent when playgrounds no longer function as play spaces for children and rarely attract a variety of participants over the course of a single day. The spine of this dissertation builds on the fact that play spaces is one of the most tangible spaces and has a special function in the realm of public spaces. The development and success of public housing in Singapore compel one to ask some pertinent questions about its play spaces: What is the relevance and value of play in this present day and age in the public environment and who defines the notion of play for the community? These questions sparked further research into the design and planning of public play spaces. The importance of public spaces in public housing has been embedded with social goals together with the new challenges of the globalised age. While play as an activity in public space is seen as holding vital roles in promoting identity, meeting the needs of children and adults alike, and promoting communal bonding, this is not manifested in Housing Development Board (HDB) estates – a result of the way these areas are conceived and planned on site. This dissertation argues that there is a lack of consideration for play for people of all ages in public housing in Singapore. This study focuses on play spaces provided in the planning of a precinct. Through a close reading of play spaces in one of the HDB estates - Macpherson Estates, which has a cross-section of play spaces across the evolution of public housing in Singapore, this dissertation attempts to understand the present considerations in the planning and designing of play spaces. The Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) launched in August 2007 has replaced the Main Upgrading Programme as the backbone of HDB upgrading programmes. The distinguished feature of this new programme is the element of resident participation and consultation. This study revealed that even in the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme, the play spaces in public housing failed to address the importance of play in the physical environment and neglect several vital considerations needed in the concept of resident participation. This dissertation raises a concern: the notion of play still remains a very small part of the planning guideline. The provision of a children’s playground or senior fitness corner have been acknowledged as planning necessities, but how these spaces are formulated and to what extent they meet the needs of the residents are questioned and investigated in this study. Hence, this dissertation hopes to raise the awareness that there is a need to improve on the current space designed for play in the HDB dwelling pertinent to Singapore’s present context, in order to enhance a creative environment for the residents.