Market-Oriented Planning for Office Space Allocation in Singapore

Abstract

The development of the first master plan in post-war era Singapore in 1958, signify the birth of a new chapter in the history of Singapore. With the independence in 1965 there was a need for planning to cater for the public in a growing economy.

Over the years, constant positive economic growth has boosted Singapore’s standing in the global arena. The shift from a manufacturing dominant economy to a services and financial service centre has alleviated its reputation worldwide as the centre of economic attraction.

However, bearing in mind Singapore’s land scarcity situation, the supply of land for various uses may pose a potential problem to the competitiveness and attractiveness of Singapore. The most pressing problem Singapore faces today in terms of land use allocation would be the office space supply.

It has been projected that Grade A office rents will skyrocket to $17psf by end 2008. As such, urban planners will really need to be more responsive to these economic changes and hence, in this paper, a better way to help planners reflect economic conditions, in land use planning based on macroeconomic factors will be tested and devised.

Lastly, a comprehensive planning matrix is developed to enable planners to be able to adopt the necessary planning styles that are deemed to be a better fit to the betterment of the urban infrastructure and the economy as a whole.