Expanding from the notion that the creative city requires both top-down and ground-up approaches for our previous article, here at WY-TO we believe in the potential that collaborations between ground-up initiatives and top-down approaches can bring to our cities. Such conversations can generate fresh ideas, and promote further refinement through engagement with a range of perspectives.
One way this can be facilitated is through inviting the private sector to contribute to government-level planning. For example, such a series of conversations fueled the joint partnership between URA, SIA and SIP for the Concept Master Plan and Urban Design Guidelines for Paya Lebar Air Base (PLAB). Comprising an interdisciplinary team of architecture design and urban planning companies (of which WY-TO was a part of), a year-long discussion and design development process resulted in an innovative proposal for the site, as well as served as a basis for new inquiries and projects*.
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Rich conversations can also arise within and with civic groups. One such example is the debate on the conservation of People’s Park Complex, which has reignited in 2025. As the URA completes its structural study of the building in the first quarter of the year, local non-profit organisation Docomomo Singapore has concurrently put forth an in-depth proposal to redevelop the complex. Completed by a team of members from diverse backgrounds of architecture, urbanism, history, conservation and more, the paper offers an alternative voice from the ground.
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Feedback from local communities is also valuable and vital in informing top-down planning proposals at each development stage. This can be seen in the North-South Corridor (NSC), a 21.5km long “multi-modal transportation corridor…serving towns such as Sembawang, Yishun, Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh, Novena and Rochor.” A series of public engagement workshops invited local communities and stakeholders living and working along the route to share their ideas and thoughts for the project . This then shaped the call for designers and planners to develop the NSC Master Plan, and public participation will continue to be integrated into the final design with the appointment of a lead facilitator. Involving communities in the co-creation process helps shape locally relevant strategies. This collaborative approach can then transform active mobility corridors into vibrant spaces that are unique to the neighbourhoods.
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In tandem with organised discussions between the government and other stakeholders, ground up actions across the board are crucial in shaping the holistic development of our cities. This includes non-profit societies such as Ground-Up Initiative (GUI), which seeks to build a 21st Century Kampung Culture **”towards “cultivat[ing] holistic solutions for a happier and more sustainable future” to decision makers such as Jerry Tan, who has shaped 195PHT as an independent art space by intentionally offering low rental rates to a range of creative ventures.
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Through engaging with a wide range of stakeholders across society in co-creation, diverse perspectives and expertise can shape uniquely local and relevant ideas, driving the holistic development of our cities for all.
