THE SINGAPORE RIVER PROMENADE PUBLIC SPACE AND PEDESTRIAN SYSTEM

Abstract

With the Integrated Resort (IR) and Business Financial Centre (BFC) planned for arina Bay, the Singapore River will once again reprise its historically significant role as the focus and source of economic and commercial activity. An increase in population density of the area will call for locations close to the river to serve as a form of recreational space and as avenues to ease traffic. This dissertation therefore seeks to profile the users of the Singapore River Promenade (SRP), assess its success as a public space and explore its effectiveness as a pedestrian system linking Boat Quay? Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay. Recommendations on how to improve the SRP are then put forward. Data was gathered through surveys of the promenade users along the 3 quays. The most common profile of users of the Singapore River was found to be single, Chinese, Singaporean working professional adults from the age of 18 to 35. Based on J. Gehl's "Three Types of Activity” and S Carr’s “Needs of people in public spaces” the Singapore River Promenade was determined to be generally successful as a public space. The level of awareness and usage of the promenade was the primary basis of evaluation used to assess the effectiveness of the Singapore River Promenade as a pedestrian system, which was found by this study to be lacking. Several recommendations were identified to improve the SRP as a public space and pedestrian system. These include sheltered walkways? improved signage leading to underpasses, refreshment kiosks and more public toilets.