Singapore’s development into a modern and well-planned city within half a century is a widely known success story. One factor to the rapid growth has been the keen engagement shown by local agencies in overseas exchanges and projects. These collaboration efforts create excellent opportunities for Singapore to pick up valuable lessons from other countries, but increasingly as well, to share this city-state’s technological know-how with counterparts abroad.
To some, MND may seem to be a domestically oriented ministry. Indeed, the very mission of MND is to create an endearing home for all. But this ministry is charged also with fostering the development of a distinctive global city, attractive and appealing to the wider international community. While never forgetting their core domestic audience, agencies in the MND Family have also reached far beyond the shores of Singapore in search of new opportunities for the exchange of ideas and knowledge.
Planning New Towns
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)’s planning expertise is much sought after outside of Singapore. To provide more focused support for such overseas projects, the Planning Services Unit of URA has been expanded into the URA Consulting Group (URACG), to better support bilateral projects and to help local companies to expand their services beyond Singapore. For example, the URACG plays a leading role in the Master Planning of the Tianjin Eco-city, drawing on Singapore’s experience in integrated planning and urban management.
URA has also consolidated its professional training for both local and international participants under the Urban Leadership Programme to share Singapore's urban planning experience, as well as to provide a platform among cities on how to solve urban problems and improve the living environment.
Over the last three years, the URA has extended its knowledge to more than 10,000 officials and professionals from the Middle East, Africa, China, India, Pakistan, Brazil, and the ASEAN nations. Participants of these programmes included ministers, mayors, heads of government organisations, policy makers, planners and architects.
“Looking ahead, Singapore faces tremendous challenges. We know we need to continue to work even harder to stay ahead,” said URA chairman Alan Chan in a speech delivered at the URA Corporate Plan Seminar last year.
Photo Credit: Surbana International Consultants
With 50 years of experience in developing public housing, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) contributed to areas relating to new town planning, neighbourhood planning and housing design. Part of the URA-led Master Planning Team for the Tianjin Eco-city, HDB participated in drawing up the Master Plan for the Start-Up Area of the Eco-city. HDB also shared their experience and provided advice on housing policies, design, as well as the system for maintenance and management, with the aim of developing affordable public housing in the Tianjin Eco-city to foster social harmony.
Apart from that, HDB often receives requests by organizations for training in housing development and estate management to their young officials. In February 2002, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the former Shanghai Municipal Housing Development Bureau (SMHDB) and HDB, supporting Singapore’s long-term drive to cultivate China and build goodwill with our counterparts.
On top of offering their town planning expertise to other countries, HDB finds opportunities for its employees to learn from professional bodies and foreign housing authorities. The HDB, together with three national housing authorities – the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA), the Korea National Housing Corporation, and the Urban Renaissance Agency of Japan – organises the annual Housing and Urban Public Corporations in Asia (AHUC) conference where delegates come together to promote the exchange of knowledge and experience on housing and urban issues.