Ms Rita Soh, President SIA,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen

1. I am happy to join you tonight at the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) 45th Anniversary Dinner, and celebrate together another year of achievements in creating great places to live, work and play.

2. This evening, I would like to share with you new opportunities to create more such places in Marina Bay and elsewhere in our city.

Investment Opportunities in Marina Bay

3. Our vision for Marina Bay is that of a 24/7 live-work-play environment, a new downtown that is the essence of the global city we envisage Singapore to be. It is a place for thriving business, gracious living and endless entertainment. It is also a place of creativity, arts and culture, architectural excellence, recreation and relaxation, and a showcase for our City in a Garden.

4. Marina Bay is shaping up well. One Raffles Quay and the future Business and Financial Centre (BFC) will offer prime office space with purpose-built features catering to financial institutions and global businesses. The Sail @ Marina Bay and One Shenton Way will provide more high-rise, inner city living options.

5. A whole new dining, shopping, and entertainment experience awaits visitors, especially convention guests to the Marina Bay Sands. Adding to these experiences will be the Singapore Flyer and the heritage developments at Collyer Quay. Right in the heart of our city, we will have three interconnected waterfront gardens.

6. What is next for Marina Bay? URA is looking at putting up a few sites for sale in the future. One of the sites is the promontory site in front of the BFC. Situated right in front of a central open space and an easy walk from an existing MRT station, it offers expansive views of Marina Bay with the city skyline as a backdrop. This site is intended for a low-rise, iconic structure for use as a public attraction. When completed, it will form part of the loop of attractions around Marina Bay.

7. Another site that will be of interest to investors is next to the new Garden at Marina South. This site is ideal for a boutique hotel set within extensive lush greenery. It is a short stroll away from the waterfront and can be a good alternative for tourists who prefer a different ambience and environment. The site could accommodate a series of low-rise buildings to complement the landscaped gardens. It will be connected to the Integrated Resort via walkways and to the adjacent underground MRT station.

8. URA and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) are studying a site at the southern coast of Marina South for an International Passenger Terminal. This site will be well connected to the city and could potentially become an exciting development complemented by hotel, retail and entertainment facilities.

9. We are now in the planning stage for these sites, and URA is working with relevant agencies to seek investors’ feedback and garner interesting business concepts and ideas. We will also identify other sites in the Marina Bay area for office and housing development and release them over time to meet demand.

Other Investment Opportunities Within and Outside the City

10. At the same time, the existing city centre will be rejuvenated. New and refurbished commercial buildings, high-rise apartments and new hotel developments will be part of the redevelopment. In the second half of this year, the Government Land Sales Programme will offer, through its Reserve List, a number of sites for development - at the Singapore River, Chinatown, Little India and Tanjong Pagar. A prime commercial site at Beach Road, where the former NCO Club and Beach Road Camp are located, will be launched for tender later this year through the Confirmed List.

11. Outside the city centre, there are investment opportunities for leisure and lifestyle uses. In the ‘Parks and Waterbodies’ and ‘Identity’ Plans, we have identified and planned for recreational areas for people to relax and unwind.

12. We intend to turn the southern part of Singapore into a lifestyle and recreational hub. Construction of the two bridges linking Mount Faber Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park to Alexandra Park is well underway. Visitors can also look forward to new shopping, dining and entertainment at Vivocity, St James Power House and the Sentosa Integrated Resort. The vacant state land at the foothills of Mount Faber and the existing charming bungalows also offer great potential for investment opportunities.

13. We envision the northeast coast of Singapore, made up of Punggol Point/Coney Island, Pasir Ris, Changi Village and Pulau Ubin, to be a unique seaside recreational haven. We are looking to introduce new activities in some of these areas to bring out their special qualities.

14. URA will work closely with other agencies to bring these plans to reality, so that locals and tourists alike can enjoy them as distinct recreational places.

More Vibrancy at Greater Marina Bay

15. Ultimately, it is really people and activities, not just the hardware and infrastructure that make a difference. Activities and events involving the community are anchors that contribute to the character and identity of the city.

16. Working closely with agencies like the PUB, NParks, STB, SSC, and SLA, URA has a comprehensive plan to bring greater vibrancy and activity to the water bodies in the Greater Marina Bay area, including the Marina Channel and Kallang Basin.

17. We will transform the Greater Marina Bay area into a thriving waterfront lifestyle destination. This is in line with PUB’s vision to turn the country’s waterbodies into beautiful, vibrant and new community areas for everyone to enjoy.

18. We will create distinct water-based activities at different parts of the Greater Marina Bay. The Marina Bay is set to become a Bay of Celebration, with the signature Singapore skyline as the backdrop. We can look forward to many exciting events, including the annual Marina Bay Countdown on New Year’s Eve, and the 2007 National Day Parade. The new floating platform on the bay, fronting Raffles Avenue will allow events and activities traditionally held on land to move to the water.

19. There will be international high-speed sporting events on water, with a 2.5km power-sporting circuit safeguarded within Marina Bay. The inaugural International Pink Dragon Boat Council (IPBC) World Championships 06 will take place at the Bay from in September this year.

20. Next, the Kallang Basin will be a Basin of Fun and Recreation. We can watch or take part in canoeing and dragon boating with a 35 hectares water sports zone set aside for non-motorised activities.

21. At Marina Channel, 30 hectares of water space will be designated as water sports zone for non-motorised recreational or sporting activities, with a new 1km racecourse set aside for dragon boat, canoeing and sculling competitions.

22. Last and but not least, the Singapore River, where our forefathers first landed and built the city and their livelihood, will be a River of History with round-the-clock activities along the river promenade.

Moving Around with Ease

23. There are also plans to enhance the accessibility of both the waterfront and the water bodies to the public. The existing water taxi services can eventually be extended, with some 13 new stops, to the various attractions and water bodies in the Greater Marina Bay area.

24. In addition to the ‘double-helix’ bridge linking Marina Centre to the new Integrated Resort (IR), two new pedestrian bridges (between Marina Centre and Collyer Quay, and between Tanjong Rhu and Marina Centre) will also be built to improve pedestrian access between these areas. These bridges, together with the promenade, will form a continuous 12-km waterfront loop. With the city skyline in the background, this loop will make an ideal location for international marathons, biathlons and triathlons.

25. Collectively, the four water bodies in the Greater Marina Bay will provide an enlarged platform from which to enjoy spectacular views of the area and its activities, making it the premier waterfront lifestyle destination for residents and visitors alike.

A Great Place to Live, Work & Play

26. Marina Bay is Singapore’s city of the future. With the completion of the new developments, Singaporeans and visitors alike will be able to enjoy the public waterfronts, promenades, gardens and water bodies, right in the heart of our city.

27. The Greater Marina Bay and areas outside the Central Area present many opportunities for industry professionals, including the architecture profession, to participate in and contribute to Singapore’s development. These are invaluable avenues for architects, engineers and developers to produce something endearing for Singapore. I have no doubt that the architectural community and the building profession will rise up to the challenge.

28. Elevating the quality of design in our buildings, infrastructure, and public spaces is an important part of our strategy to make Singapore an attractive and distinctive city. Let us work together to achieve the vision of making Singapore a vibrant global city.

29. Thank you.

>>back to top