Crescent @ Jalan Kukoh

A Journal of Design Processes Natania Priska

CRESCENT

FORT CANNING MRT

GREAT WORLD MRT

ROBERSTON QUAY

HAVELOCK MRT

0.5 KM

TIONG BAHRU

CHINATOWN MRT

RAD IUS

Contextual Research

CLARK QUAY MAXWELL MRT

OUTRAM PARK

OUTRAM PARK MRT

CRESCENT @ KUKOH PRECINCT Located in Singapore's central business area, right in between the towering offices and multi-million dollar condo is a HBD precinct usually known as Jalan Kukoh neighborhood.

In contrast to the luxury surrounding it, Jalan Kukoh houses Singapore's lowest-income families in often cramped and overcrowded rental flats. Its hilly location is not the only thing making Kukoh's residents feel segregated from the rest of Singapore. The non-optimal, poor living environment and bad reputation of Kukoh neighborhood reflect badly on the resident’s psychology; affecting their relationship, health, and children development.

Crescent @ Kukoh Precinct wanted to explore landscape as a catalyst for urban change.

CHINA TOWN

RESIDENTIAL

+

+

ISSUES

9% 1%

10% 25

%

6%

15%

%

40%

17

.3%

2

CHRONIC SICKNESS ABSENT FAMILY SUPPORT FOR ELDERLY SINGLE PARENT-SHIP HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

+

ECONOMIC

%

2 7.

.3 %

+

8% 2%

17

1 ROOM (1056 UNITS) 2 ROOM (830 UNITS) 3 ROOM (194 UNITS) 4 ROOM (4 UNITS)

AGE

9.1%

5

+

RACE

.7% 14

+

60%

1

6

The living environment designed wasn't optimal and livable, it failed to create a conducive environment for the residents to grow; even though the government expect the residents to be self-reliant.

50 %

Jalan Kukoh, York Hill, and Jalan Minyak is streets where several public rental blocks are located.

The nonchalant environment negatively impacted residents' sense of reality and identity, extinguishing the resident's hope to move up the social ladder. It also held a bad reputation among the rest of Singapore, bringing shame to the residents.

84

RENTAL FLATS

14.5%

+

0-19 YEARS OLD 20-29 YEARS OLD 30-39 YEARS OLD 40-49 YEARS OLD 50-59 YEARS OLD 60-65+ YEARS OLD

CHINESE MALAY INDIAN OTHERS

SITE ANALYSIS

3%

INFRASTRUCTURE

1

41%

2

3

WATER BODIES PARK

4

56 %

Public rental flats is an affordable housing solution for the 5% lowest income Singaporean family that lacks family support.

The rental cost around $26 to $275 per month to the government, only 2% of the cost of normal rental flats.

8 9 5

2

3

The public rental flats is not intended to be a permanent shelter but instead a transition place. To make sure the residents doesn't develop dependency mentalities, the spaces were not designed to only fill the functional purpose of housing yet held little consideration for their qualitative living experiences.

The 1-room and 2-room flats The 1-room and 2-room flats areare usually very cramped, usually very cramped, sometimes filled with 5 5 sometimes filled with families member.

There areare families member.

There even some cases when 2 2 even some cases when families share 1-room rental families share 1-room rental flats. flats.

4

10

EMPLOYED INACTIVE UNEMPLOYED

CONTROVERSY

+

SITEPHOTO

11 12 13

RENTAL FLATS OWNERSHIP FLATS

+

BUILDING MASSING 6

CONTOUR

COMMUNITY CENTER COMMERCIAL EATERY

+ High crime rates creates unsafe environment

+

+ High turnover rates leads to no sense of belonging

+ Low youth engagement and no parental guidance

+ Lack of accessible green space

Social exclusion from outside neighborhood

+ Lack of resources (educational, economical, social)

SITE RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL EDUCATIONAL BUSINESS HOTEL WATER BODIES PARK

The topographic conditions of the site as well as the severe juxtaposition of differing demographics around its surrounding bring about a sense of conflict and imbalance within the area, resulting in hostility and a segregated environment.

+ DESIGN FRAMEWORK

SENSE OF BELONGING & INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY

A SAFE ENVIRONMENT TO GROW

CATALYST OF LEARNING OPPORTUNITY

CHANGING NEGATIVE NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY

LANDSCAPE ENHANCEMENT

4 STRATEGY

Concept Development

positive negative (site)

linkage

indentify

There is a need to improve the existing circulation in the site extreme topography

Kukoh is famous for being a ‘negative’ space, for that the design will inject ‘positive’ into the negative. 'Positive’ means spatial design or activity.

expansion

subdivision

courtyard only act as an inital point and be an incentive to spills as a activating space for the nearby void decks and currently empty commercial spaces.

Each of the devided courtyard will be given different function

VOID DECKS

social capital

COMMERCIAL

income security

art studio

teleworking

elderly care

dance studio

meet & gather

hot-desking

daycare

cafe/restaurant

workshop

youth clubs

training center

learning hub

compost workshop

study corner

tech training

farm-to-table eatery

playscape

fitness corner

supermarket

volunteer iniciative

pops-up market

peformance space

minimarket

family consoling

office

utility store

grocery store

laundry

literacy programs

+ TARGET GROUPS

FAMILY

WORKING ADULT

UNEMPLOYED

KIDS

YOUTH

ELDERLY RESIDENT

+

SITE PLAN

ROOTS COURTYARD

11

1 2 3 4 13 5

15 16

DESIGN EXPLORATION SOCIAL

OUTDOOR WORKING SPACE

LEAF COURTYARD

OPEN SPACE SOCCER FIELD

WELL BEING

BASKETBALL COURT FITNESS CORNER

ECONOMICAL

FLOWER COURTYARD

12 14

6 7 8 9 10

11 2 3

1

7 9

ECOLOGICAL

OUTDOOR CLASSROOM SHARED LIBRARY D

LONG SHARE-TABLE LEARNING GARDEN

NK

TRU

C

S

OT

R TYA

RO

R OU

11 URBAN FARMING 12 SOCIAL SEATING

5

8

PLAYGROUND

TRUNK COURTYARD

4 10

+

D YAR

URT

O RC

E

W FLO

ARD RTY

U CO

2

LEAF COURTYARD 13 14 15 16

6

JALAN KUKOH FOOD CENTER

1

3 4

OPEN LAWN BIODIVERSITY GARDEN SEATING STAIRS 5

10M 5M

50M 20M

100M

8 9 6

+ DESIGN TRANSFORMATION

10

Towards a livable neighborhood by co-existing with nature. The design took inspiration from nature, just like how plants are able to grow steady even in a hostile environment.

PLANTS

11

12

FUNCTION

APPLICATION

flowers

grow

for the youth and kids

trunk

support

for strengthening community spirit

roots

connect

enlarging resident’s connection and perception

leaves

breathe

a green oasis for nature leisure

2 1

13

4

3

5

9 6

+

EMOTIONAL

VOCATIONAL

EN

ARD

NG

RAI

10

12

SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE

SPIRITUAL

SOCIAL

EXCERCISE

EDUCATIONAL

SENSE OF COMMUNITY PHYSICALL WELLBEING

8

EN

11

SUSTAINABILITY 13

ENVIRONMENTAL

EN

RD

GA

ARD

NG

RAI

DESIGN PRINCIPLE

N RAI

WATER HARVESTING RAIN GARDEN -> CLEANSE WATER

VEHICULAR ROAD PEDESTRIAN PATHWAY

WATER REUSE PERMACULTURE FARMING

+

ROOTS COURTYARD

CONNECTING NEARBY BLOCKS (8, 9, 10) CONNECTING TO OTHER COURTYARDS Roots help connect the residents to the resources they needed. The idea was inviting the public such as the start up company etc to work inside the site and thus increasing the opportunity of mingling with the residents. This will enlarge the resident connection, as well as lessening the segregated demographic of the site.

BASKETBALL COURT (RETAINED)

SUNKEN SEATING SHARED LIBRARY

SHELTERED SEATING

OPEN SPACE

Design Proposal

SOCCER FIELD (RETAINED)

CONNECTED PATHWAY NETWORK

MEETING ROOM

IVE

SIT

E

IV AT

G NE

+Connection with Nature

Provide shade and beautify the site

+Outdoor Co-Working Space

Promoting collaboraitive environment

+Retain Existing Soccer & Basketball Court A strong social communal heart and promotes wellness

+Vibrant & Dynamic Culture

Changing Kukoh’s negative Stigma

+Creative Workshop

Enhancing and enlarging the tenant’s capacity and enabling them to various works

+Shared Library

Building social capital

+Integrating with the Public

Inviting public visit to desaturate Kukoh’s resident as well as establishing connection to help expose to job oppurtunities

PO

+

FLOWER COURTYARD

Focusing on the development of the young is an important steps on breaking the poverty cycle. The flower courtyard help the children to ‘bloom’ in a safe environment

POLLINATING

OUTDOOR CLASSROOM SHELTERED SEATING

SHELTERED SEATING

FLOWERING

CENTRAL PLATFORM

SEEDING SPOURTING

SHARED LIBRARY

CONNECTED PATHWAY NETWORK

SWINGS LONG TABLE CONNECTED PATHWAY NETWORK

LEARNING GARDEN

E

ITIV

E

TIV GA

NE

S PO

WORKING PARENTS LAKING RESOURCES CHILDREN E

IV AT EG

N

DAY CARE

Learning opportunities are located in this flower courtyard, such as learning garden and outdoor classroom to facilitate the existing study group volunteers.

BRIDGE GENERATION GAP

The learning garden will introduce the children to farm produce, as well as farm-to-table experience ELDERLY VOLUNTEERS

Considering the working parents that lack resources, the daycare system requires elderly volunteers as the handler. Not only easing the cost the parents has to bear, it will bring social capital as well as bridge generation gap

+Thematic playground

+Engaging the Youth of Kukoh

excercise motor skills and make freinds

focusing on the development of the young adults to help them break the poverty cycle

+Long Table

+ Play in the giant flower

farm-to-table communal space

+Learning Garden

introducing gardening and vegetables

+Sheltered Seating for rest and study

+Shared Libary

increasing social capita

+ Ramble through the spourting plants + Pollinate the flowers

+Central Platform

providing a place to gather and meet

+ Steps above the seeds

+Outdoor Classroom

a safe, conducive environment in nature setting

IVE

SIT

BRING SOCIAL CAPITA

PO

+

+

TRUNK COURTYARD The trunk courtyard contains program that help sustain the community: urban farming and social lane. The program here were to facilitate the residents to meet & gather, improving their well being through fitness corner, as well as farm-to-table

Leaf courtyard take inspiration from the leaf's main and secondary vein to identify the positive and negative space of the site. The positive side will be filled with biodiversity attracting plants, where the negative is for human circulation.

urban farm produce commercial organic restaurant

seasonal market

community self consume

community meals

The design was inspired by the growth rings patterns in trunks when you cut them horizontally

LEAF COURTYARD

SHELTERED SEATING URBAN FARMING

SHELTERED SEATING

SHELTERED SEATING

The sheltered seating will also accommodate the dinners at the nearby hawker center who preferred to dine among the nature, and still provide a picturesque scene seen from inside.

RAMP

GREEN WALL

SEATING PLAYSCAPE

SEATING STAIRS

COMMUNCAL KITCHEN FARM-TO-TABLE

E

ITIV

IVE

SEATING

S PO

T GA

NE

FITNESS CORNER

CONNECTED PATHWAY NETWORK

OPEN LAWN

GREEN WALL

SHELTERED SEATING URBAN FARMING SHELTERED SEATING meet & gather

well being

farm-to-table

e

nc

tra

en VE

SI

PO

NE

+Open Community

+Table and Seat

fostering a sense of belonging and ownership

for community activity

+Active open green space leisure in nature

+Communal Kitchen farm-to-table

E

V TI

+Tiered Seating Spots

+Retained Tree

Encouraging serendipitous incidental encounter

preserving existing biodiversity

+ Dine With a View added value

+Bidoversity Garden

attract wildlife and improve ecology

+ Sheltered Seating

additional seating for diners

+Urban farm

providing source of food as well as rebuilding community spirit and locality

+Seating Steps +Green Wall

+Social Lane

creating an interactive and engaging street to promote social bonding

platform for peformance

+ Open Lawn

for community activities

TI GA

+

+

SOFTSCAPE ica

sav

ias

lep

Asc

as cur

a

ssi

Ca

ACTIVITY PLANNING DAY

tula

fis

NIGHT

WEEKDAY

WEEKEND

HOLIDAY

Community Market

FLOWER COURTYARD

Urban Farming Lesson & Training

TRUNK COURTYARD

Buddleja davidii

Terminalia mantaly Ixora

ensis

er

ec

ta

in

um

Meet, Gather, Community Bonding

zey

lan

ROOTS COURTYARD

icu

Nature Immersion

m

ecio

us oli nif

ia s p

er alt

oem

us pe r

erst

+

s

su

Lag

fu

ef

not only the selected plants attract biodiversity, they are also omitting fragrance

nia

le Di

a dic

Cy

Russelia equiseti fo

rmis

ta

us nc Ju

+BIODIVERSITY GARDEN

Syz

sa

ran

Community Party

LEAF COURTYARD

siam

ygi

Du

a sy ta ica s a nt An ge ga

Working & Collaboration

TREE PLANTING

the chosen tree species provide shade, support biodiversity, as well as flowering tree that could provide visual aesthetic

Acrostichum aureum

es

ap

RAIN GARDEN

+

A DAY AT KUKOH

m

ale

designed to treat polluted stormwater runoff into cleansed water hy et um

HELLO! LET ME REINTRODUCE KUKOH PRECINCT TO YOU.

uis

+

The volunteer at daycare helps me alot by taking care of my kids while I’m working

URBAN FARMING

14 days harvest time

I AM NO LONGER SCARED OF MY NEIGHBORHOODS. PEOPLE ARE FRIENDLIER AND HELPFUL

08.00

Eq

I

e pom

+

ae

pr -ca

14-60 days harvest time

The connected pathway network inspires me to jog

9-12 months harvest time Co-working space in Kukoh is fun and engaging

Peper

Kangkong

Cucumber Lady's finger

Pumpkin

Ginger

I should arrange a morning yoga with the other volunteers here

The hawker center here has the most delicious food

Being in this garden is therapeutic for me

I like to learn & play with my friend! And take care of the vegetables!

Lemongrass

CRESCENT MAKES KUKOH VIBRANT! ME AND MY NEIGHBORS ARE LEARNING, BONDING, AND HEALING IN A BIOPHILIC ENVIRONMENT

17.00

15.00

Spring onion

19.00

12.00 CRESCENT PROGRAMS ARE VISIBLE, ACCESSIBLE, AND ENGAGING.

WITH ALL OF THESE PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUND COMING TOGETHER, KUKOH RESIDENT DOESN'T FEEL SEGREGATED ANYMORE

THE URBAN FARM MAKE IT CONVINIENT FOR AFFORDABLE HEALTHY MEALS

Anyone want free meals?

I’m a proud resident of Kukoh Precinct!

It’s illegal to be this cheap!

The job training I took help me get a good job!

Sweet potato

Radish

Pepermintt

Spinach

Chives

Pandan

Parsley

Banana

Lettuce

Cabagge

Tomatoes

Chili

Grape

Mango

Papaya

Rambutan

Thanks to the free sport classes from volunteers, I get to have fun with my neighboors!

All of these activities and event is making me happy!

The urban farming enables me to form beautiful connection through the shared interest of life.