Singapore’s low line a symbol of liveability

Singapore’s answer to the New York City High Line is fast becoming a reality, with an unused rail corridor being transformed into public space with help from Australian design firm The Buchan Group.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) of Singapore held an international competition to transform the former Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) Railway Line into a publicly accessible space.

The total decommissioned rail corridor site is 24 kilometres long and is about 100 hectares in area, stretching from north to south across Singapore.

While the Big Apple’s the High Line runs for 2.33 kilometres, Singapore’s new park will be about 10 times longer at 24 kilometres.

The former Keretapi Tanah Melayu railway line, built in the British colonial period to transport tin, rubber, and other resources from the Malay Peninsula to the Singapore port, was largely neglected when Singapore gained control in 2010.

Japanese architectural firm Nikken Sekkei designed the winning bid in collaboration with local landscape design firm Tierra Design, as well as with engineering and project management company Arup Singapore.

Australasian design firm The Buchan Group, developed the project’s graphics and wayfinding strategy.

The masterplan includes footpaths, cycle paths and plant-filled parks, as well as 122 access points that connect to major roads, transport hubs and new urban development.

According to The Buchan Group’s Brisbane director Gary Edmonds the transformation of the rail corridor has been an exciting project that will “change how Singaporeans engage with the outdoors”.

“As well as being a diverse physical environment, the rail corridor has immense spatial reach and is a timeless legacy for Singapore given its ecologically sensitive environment,” he says.

Edmonds says it’s more than a “linear green corridor” but a “people-centric symbol” for the healthy and active lifestyles of Singaporeans.