A BLUE RETROFIT FOR SINGAPORE �S PUBLIC HOUSING: ANALYSING THE ROLE OF HDB PRECINCTS IN URBAN HYDROLOGY

Abstract

As a geographically small country with a total land area of only about 710km2, Singapore faces the land scarce challenge of optimising land use along with managing runoff in an urbanised setting. With a plentiful rainfall of about 2357.8 mm annually, the solution to self-sufficiency can be found within Singapore’s borders. This dissertation is an interdis-ciplinary exploration into the potential of introducing decentralised and holistic stormwater management within the existing built environment. Posited within the context of Singapore’s public housing, it builds upon the notion of an urban retrofit that reconcep-tualises the existing urban fabric to include systems’ integration and holistic thinking, rather than conventional piece-meal approach. Given this, the research critically examines the implications of integrating water management methods in public housing precincts. The blue retrofit for public housing precincts taps on the rainwater harvesting and storage potential and reinforces the importance of water storage integration in Singapore. As an alternated interpretation to water management, it represents a paradigm shift in the way water resources and infrastructures are dealt with in the design of public housing pre-cincts. Following, a compilation of selected examples illustrates the various strategies and approaches that form basis as a design enquiry to transform Singapore’s public housing precincts with urban hydrology in mind.