Punggol Waterfront Housing Design Competition

ANNEX 2
Click here for Annex 1.

The "Shaping My Punggol" exhibition was held in May '08 as part of the overall Remaking Our Heartland Plans for Punggol Town. One of the strategies for Punggol is to introduce more housing choices. On 12 Dec 08, HDB will launch a waterfront housing design competition for the first public housing parcel along Punggol Waterway. This marks another important milestone in the remaking plans for Punggol to realise its vision “A Waterfront Town of the 21st Century".

Competition Objectives

• To generate fresh, innovative and new design ideas for high-rise public housing along the waterway.
• To secure the best housing design and concept for the first waterfront parcel.
• To introduce new sustainable development concepts and features to realise the theme "Green Living by the Waters".

Scope of Competition

STAGE ONE

Under Stage One, the competition area will be the Housing District, west of Punggol Town Centre. The total area is approximately 26.6ha comprising various uses such as residential, common green, educational institutions, religious sites and transport facilities.

This competition provides an opportunity for participants to propose a new Master Plan for the housing district in order to develop the urban design proposals. The participating firms are also required to propose innovative architectural concepts / proposals for the first public housing parcel fronting the Punggol Waterway. In developing their proposals, the participants will take into consideration some important design concepts along the following four dimensions:

a) Housing @ Punggol Waterway
b) Communities @ Punggol Waterway
c) Environmental Sustainability
d) Accessibility

The judging panel will shortlist up to five submissions to progress to Stage Two of the Competition.


STAGE TWO

Under Stage Two, the competition area is approximately 4.9 hectare, comprising Parcel A (1.8 hectare), Parcel B (2.7 hectare) and a common green (0.4 hectare). The two parcels and the common green are to be designed together to achieve an integrated layout and synergy with the flexibility to launch the two parcels as separate contracts for sale.

The shortlisted firms are required to form their own multi-disciplinary teams to further advance the design concepts proposed in Stage One into an implementable, full architectural design solution for the first public housing parcel. This first public housing parcel along the Punggol Waterway will set the new benchmark standard for the rest of the developments within the 4.2 km long Punggol Waterway Corridor.

The winning team will be appointed as the Consultant team to execute the design.

Timeline
· Registration Opens: 12 Dec 08 (Friday)
· Technical Seminar for registered participants: 11 Feb 09 (Wednesday)
· Registration Closes: 16 Feb 09 (Monday)
· Stage One Submission Deadline: 9 Apr 09 (Thursday)
· Short-listed firms informed of progression to Stage Two: End May 09
· Stage Two Submission Deadline: 21 Aug 09 (Friday)
· Results and public exhibition: Oct/ Nov 2009

As reported in SGPressCenter.


Related Posts:
1 Landscape design contest for Punggol waterway
2 Announcing Punggol Waterway Competition Results
3 Punggol Waterway Winning Design

Punggol Waterway Winning Design

ANNEX 1

The Punggol Waterway Landscape design adopts a unique design concept which allows the public to have an experiential journey as they travel along the waterway. It also provides an interesting and delightful way for the public to learn about the history and heritage of Punggol.

The design incorporates a mosaic of activities ranging from recreational, educational, adventurous and leisure to take place along both sides of the promenade and Town Park. All these are strung together by the water, greenery, and landscaping to form this unique Punggol Waterway.


Town Park

There are four sectors:
• Nature Cove
• Recreation Zone
• A Green Gallery
• Heritage Park

Nature Cove
This is a bio-pond that will be a repository of floral and fauna. There is a viewing tower next to it to provide a commanding view of the surrounding. This tower will be a landmark and a meeting place for park users.

Recreation Zone
It will be for the active and the adventurous. There will be a sand-play area, and water-based play spaces for children and families. A rope bridge is also proposed across the water for the more adventurous park users.

Green Gallery
This is a series of open spaces carved out of the existing terrain. They are of different sizes to cater for different activities.

Heritage Park
A pedestrian "Kelong-like" bridge is built to re-capture the idyllic mood of old Punggol with its fishing villages. The bridge will lead to a heritage trail, which follows the alignment of the existing Punggol Road. Part of the road and the existing vegetation will be preserved and the heritage of Punggol will be told along a wall on the side of the trail.


Heartwave Wall

The diaphragm wall for the LRT track will be turned into a feature wall. There will be water curtains and greenery to adorn the wall. At the centre segment of the wall, the water curtain will be articulated to form a water tunnel. The history and development of Punggol, from its early days to its transformation into a 21st century waterfront town will be depicted along this wall.


Promenade fronting future Sports Complex

Along this promenade there will be a sand and open plaza for outdoor games. A boardwalk extending onto the waterway will enclose a body of water for more active water play. Commercial activities such as F&B facilities will also be introduced here to further liven up this area and turn this into a hive of activity.


Landscape theme along Promenade

The overall landscape theme along the promenade shifts to a more natural and rustic feel. There will be inter-twining footpaths, meandering cycling tracks and streams. The stream will be designed as the collection point to drain the surface run-off from the adjoining residential precincts. Further up, the landscaping spaces will be more undulating. The terrain will be contoured to form landscape strips, which will form shelters or terraced to create different levels. Nearer to the Sungei Punggol end, the landscaping theme will be more urban like to reflect the urban and vibrancy of the Town Centre next to it.


Cycling Network

The cycling network will provide an exciting cycling experience. It will take the cyclists along rustic routes, undulating tracks, nature trails as it meanders near and away from the waterway, offering different scenic views throughout the waterway.

As reported in SGPressCenter.


Read also:
1 Landscape design contest for Punggol waterway
2 Announcing Punggol Waterway Competition Results
3 Punggol Waterfront Housing Design Competition

HDB Resale Transactions - Dec 08

HDB Resale Transactions - Dec 08

Treelodge@Punggol

TREELODGE @ PUNGGOL
A PROJECT UNDER BUILT-TO-ORDER 2007
CONTRACT : PUNGGOL WEST S3 C7
BLOCKS : 305A, 305B & 306A to 306D
COMPRISING : 96 UNITS of 3-ROOM, 600 UNITS of 4-ROOM & 14 UNITS of 5-ROOM LOFT PREMIUM FLATS

Treelodge@Punggol (previously known as Treetops@Punggol) is Singapore’s First Green Mark Platinum Award Public Housing Project. Located in Punggol New Town, at the junction of Punggol Road, Punggol Drive and Punggol Place, Treelodge@Punggol is just a few minutes’ walk from the future Town Centre, Punggol MRT/LRT Station station and the Punggol Bus Interchange.

Treelodge@Punggol consists of 712 units of Premium flats housed in seven 16-storey residential blocks. There are 98 units of 3-room flats, 600 units of 4-room flats and 14 units of 5-room loft units. Unique to this Eco-Precinct is the 5-room loft unit which features a double-volume living room and an open terrace that can be converted into a sky garden.

Distribution of Flats

Housing Development (Contract)	Flat Type	Floor Area (sqm)	Internal Floor Area (sqm)	No. of units	Indicative Price Range ($)
Treelodge@Punggol (Punggol West C7)	3-room	67 -70	65	98	$139,000 - $165,000
	4-room	92 -97	90 -93	600	$208,000 - $254,000
	5-room loft unit	147	111	14	$370,000 - $383,000

Note:
1) Floor area refers to the estimated area of the whole apartment, inclusive of the area of the air-conditioner ledge (where applicable).
2) Internal floor area refers to the estimated area of the apartment computed based on the centre line of the apartment wall.
3) The indicative prices do not include the cost of optional components.


The application period for this BTO exercise was in March 2007.

Announcing Punggol Waterway Competition Results

The remaking plans for Punggol are fast shaping up. Minister for National Development, Mr Mah Bow Tan, today unveiled the results of the Punggol Waterway Landscape Masterplan Design Competition. Launched on 21 May 2008, it attracted 11 entries from local architectural firms.

The winning entry comes from Surbana International Consultants Pte Ltd and Sen Inc. Their winning design plays up the history and heritage of Punggol, while incorporating new and different experiences from water curtains to vertical greening and alfresco dining. The merit prizes go to Arc Studio Architecture + Urbanism, and Co-Design Architects. More on the winning design can be found in Annex 1.

Today also marks the launch of the 2-Stage Housing Design Competition for the first public housing parcel fronting the waterway, which is located within the housing district to the west of Punggol Town Centre. This marks another important milestone in the remaking plans for Punggol to be a “Waterfront Town of the 21st Century". The competition aims to generate innovative designs and concepts for public housing along the waterway to capitalise on the views of the waterway and explore different environmentally sustainable features. For the second stage of the competition, the top five short-listed participants will develop the design concepts with full architectural designs and solutions. The winner of this housing competition will be appointed as the consultant team to implement the first waterfront public housing parcel. The winning design will set the benchmark for the rest of the developments along the 4.2 km waterway. Annex 2 details the competition objectives of the housing design competition.

Mr Mah said that, “The Remaking Our Heartland plans for Punggol are well on-track. By engaging a wider audience through the waterway and housing competitions, residents in Punggol can start to look forward to an exciting and new living environment in the near future. We are also moving forward in our plans to build up critical mass in Punggol, and HDB has plans to offer about 3,000 units annually for sale, subject to demand.”

Members of the public are invited to view the exhibition on the waterway and housing design competition at the Sales Display Area at HDB Hub from 12 to 21 December 2008.


Press Release issued by:
Issued by: Housing & Development Board
Date: 12 December 2008


As reported in SGPressCenter.


Read also:
1 Punggol Waterway Winning Design
2 Punggol Waterfront Housing Design Competition

Punggol Vista

PUNGGOL VISTA

A PROJECT UNDER BUILT-TO-ORDER 2007

CONTRACT : PUNGGOL EAST S6 C18
BLOCKS : 601A to 601D & 602A to 602C

COMPRISING : 105 UNITS of 2-ROOM, 210 UNITS of 3-ROOM & 313 UNITS of 4-ROOM STANDARD FLATS

Punggol Vista (PE C18) is located at the junction of Punggol Central and Punggol Road, near the Punggol MRT/LRT station, bus interchange and future Town Centre. There are also 3 schools located in the vicinity of the precinct (namely, Edgefield Primary, Mee Toh School and Punggol Secondary). In addition, there will also be an eating-house, supermarket and shops located just across the road.

Distribution of Flats

Housing Development (Contract)	Type	Floor Area Range (sqm)	Internal Floor Area Range (sqm)	No. of Units	Indicative Price Range ($)
Punggol Vista (Punggol East C18)	2-room	50	45	105	$75,000 - $91,000
	3-room	70	65	210	$121,000 - $145,000
	4-room	93 - 94	90	313	$184,000 - $227,000

Note:

1) Floor area refers to the estimated area of the whole apartment, inclusive of the area of the air-conditioner ledge (where applicable).
2) Internal floor area refers to the estimated area of the apartment computed based on the centre line of the apartment wall.

3) The indicative prices do not include the cost of optional components.

More information can be found on HDB's website.

The application period for this BTO exercise is from 14 Aug 2007 to 03 Sep 2007.

Punggol Breeze

PUNGGOL BREEZE

A PROJECT UNDER BUILT-TO-ORDER 2008

CONTRACT : PUNGGOL EAST S6 C33
BLOCKS : 617A to 617D, 618A to 618D & 619A to 619D

COMPRISING : 778 UNITS of 4-ROOM & 166 UNITS of 5-ROOM PREMIUM FLATS

Punggol Breeze is a Premium Contract comprising 778 units of 4-room and 186 units of 5-room flats. Bounded by Punggol Drive and Edgefield Plains, it is served by Oasis LRT station, which is just two stops away from the Punggol MRT station where the future Punggol Town Centre is located. There are also commercial amenities and educational institutions nearby such as Punggol Secondary and Edgefield Primary.

Distribution of Flats

Housing Development (Contract)	Flat Type	Floor Area (sqm)	Internal Floor Area (sqm)	No. of units	Indicative Price Range ($)
Punggol Breeze (Punggol East C33) Premium Flats	4-room	93 - 95	90	778	$223,000 - $278,000
	5-room	113 - 120	110 - 115	186	$315,000 - $382,000

Note:
1) Floor area refers to the estimated area of the whole apartment, inclusive of the area of the air-conditioner ledge (where applicable).
2) Internal floor area refers to the estimated area of the apartment computed based on the centre line of the apartment wall.
3) The indicative prices do not include the cost of optional components.

More information can be found on HDB's website.

Click through for the map and perspective of Punggol Breeze.

The application period for this BTO exercise is from 30 Jun 2008 to 14 Jul 2008.

Punggol Sapphire

PUNGGOL SAPPHIRE

A PROJECT UNDER BUILT-TO-ORDER 2008

CONTRACT : PUNGGOL WEST S2 C17 & C18
BLOCKS : 267A to 267C, 268A to 268D, 269A to 269C & 270A to 270C

COMPRISING : 760 UNITS of 4-ROOM & 305 UNITS of 5-ROOM PREMIUM FLATS

Punggol Sapphire is a development with 1,065 flats, comprising 760 units of 4-room, 282 units of 5-room and 23 units of 5-room loft units.

The project is situated along Punggol Field and is a short walking distance away from the future Town Centre and Punggol MRT/LRT station. It is uniquely designed and oriented to provide each unit with maximum vantage views of the surroundings. With green balconies or planters extending from the living room in more than half of the units, residents will have the luxury to experience vertical gardening.

Distribution of Flats

Housing Development (Contract)	Flat Type	Floor Area (sqm)	Internal Floor Area (sqm)	No. of units	Indicative Price Range (S$)
Punggol Sapphire (Punggol West C17 & 18) Premium Flats	4-room	93 -100	90 - 94	760	$234,000 - $305,000
	5-room	112 -117	110 -113	282	$329,000 - $396,000
	5-room loft unit	148 -149	120	23	$442,000 - $477,000

Note:

1) Floor area refers to the estimated area of the whole apartment, inclusive of the area of the air-conditioner ledge (where applicable).
2) Internal floor area refers to the estimated area of the apartment computed based on the centre line of the apartment wall.
3) The indicative prices do not include the cost of optional components.

More information can be found on HDB's website.

Click through to read more about Punggol Sapphire:

1 online brochure

2 general information

3 layout and floor plans

4 map

5 perspective

The application period for this BTO exercise is from 22 May 2008 to 04 Jun 2008.

The Estimated Delivery Possession Date (EDPD) for Punggol Sapphire is 30 Sep 2012 and 31 Dec 2012. The EDPD is an estimate of the date that HDB is required under the Agreement for Lease to deliver possession of the flat. Applicants will be informed of the actual Delivery Possession Date during the signing of Agreement for Lease. The flats may be completed earlier, depending on the progress of construction. Punggol Sapphire is expected to complete by Sep 2011 and Dec 2011 respectively.

Punggol Lodge

PUNGGOL LODGE

A PROJECT UNDER BUILT-TO-ORDER 2007
CONTRACT : PUNGGOL EAST S6 C19
BLOCKS : 603A to 603C & 604A to 604C
COMPRISING : 52 UNITS of 3-ROOM & 464 UNITS of STANDARD 4-ROOM FLATS

Punggol Lodge is a Standard contract with 516 flats, comprising 52 units of 3-room and 464 units of 4-room flats.

Located in Punggol East along Punggol Road, the project is conveniently situated across the road from upcoming commercial facilities such as an eating-house, supermarket and shops, and is within walking distance from the Damai LRT station. The project is also located near the Punggol MRT Station, bus interchange and future Punggol Town Centre. Nearby educational institutions include Edgefield Primary, Mee Toh School, Greendale Secondary and Punggol Secondary, which will cater to the needs of families with school-going children.

Distribution of Flats

Housing Development (Contract)	Flat Type	Floor Area Range (sqm)	Internal Floor Area Range (sqm)	No. of Units	Indicative Price Range (S$)
Punggol Lodge (Punggol East C19)	3-room	68	65	52	$122,000-$150,000
	4-room	92 - 93	90	464	$190,000 - $234,000

Note:
1) Floor area refers to the estimated area of the whole apartment, inclusive of the area of the air-conditioner ledge (where applicable).
2) Internal floor area refers to the estimated area of the apartment computed based on the centre line of the apartment wall.
3) The indicative prices do not include the cost of optional components.

More information can be found on HDB's website.

Click here for the map and perspective of Punggol Lodge.

The application period for this BTO exercise is from 25 Oct 2007 to 14 Nov 2007.

Rental Flats Being Built In Punggol

As confirmed with the HDB rental unit, two blocks of rental flats are currently being built in Punggol, Edgefield Walk.

The construction site is located directly behind Central Christian Church.

HDB Resale Transactions - Nov 08

HDB Resale Transactions - Nov 08

Punggol EC site fails to draw any bid

Source: Business Times
12 Nov 08 (Wed)

NO bid was received for an executive condominium housing site - despite its being attractively located in Punggol - by the time the tender closed yesterday.

The 99-year leasehold site at the junction of Punggol Field and Punggol Road was launched for sale by the Housing & Development Board (HDB) on Sept 17.

Property analysts had said then that they expect lukewarm response from developers despite its location near Punggol MRT Station and the future Punggol Town Centre.

Nicholas Mak, director of research and consultancy at Knight Frank, predicted fewer than five bids.

When the tender closed at noon yesterday, there wasn’t a single taker.

‘The lack of interest in the site reflects the cautious sentiment in the market,’ said Eugene Lim, assistant vice-president of property firm ERA.

There is also now a problem in deciding how to price executive condominium (EC) flats, he said.

EC flats are thought to be a cut above HDB’s Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) apartments. With the DBSS scheme, developers have flexibility in designing and pricing the flats - but the homes are still public HDB flats in nature.

EC flats, on the other hand, are just a step away from private apartments as they come with condo-like facilities and land rights.

With DBSS flats now mostly going for $500,000-$750,000 each and mass market private homes selling for just a bit more than that, it is hard to find a pricing range for EC flats where they will be attractive to homebuyers, Mr Lim said. ‘EC flats target the same market as the DBSS flats - first-time homeowners and HDB upgraders.’

The 242,159 sq ft site is the fourth EC site the government put on the market this year.

Unlike the private residential property market, the HDB market is still going strong.

HDB’s resale price index rose 4.2 per cent in the third quarter. This means that in the first nine months of 2008, HDB resale prices climbed 12.4 per cent. The number of transactions also rose in Q3 to 8,110, from 7,760 in Q2.

Related post: No takers for Punggol EC site

No takers for Punggol EC site

Source: The Straits Times
11 Nov 08 (Tue)

By Joyce Teo, Property Correspondent

IN THE latest sign of a weakening property market, a tender for an executive condominium (EC) site in Punggol closed yesterday with no bids received.

Property consultants attributed the dearth of interest in the entry-level condo site to still-high construction costs and a lacklustre property market which is expected to trend lower.

This is the fourth EC site the Government has put on the market this year and the only one it kept for confirmed sale for the rest of this year.

Due to the poorer outlook for Singapore's economy and property market, the Government recently transferred all remaining confirmed sites for sale - apart from the Punggol EC site - onto a 'reserve list' where sites are put up for sale only if there is interest.

The 242,159 sq ft Punggol site can accommodate a development of about 16 storeys housing about 600 units.

It is a 99-year leasehold site at the junction of Punggol Field and Punggol Road and near the Punggol MRT station.

While property consultants consider the location to be fairly attractive, they also say the market is not.

They said that high construction costs are probably a key factor deterring developers from bidding.

'Right now, construction costs have not come down yet so developers will still have to build at high construction costs. As a result, they do not have a lot of price flexibility,' said Knight Frank's director of research and consultancy, Mr Nicholas Mak.

'They will end up with a case where some resale 99-year leasehold condo units cost the same or less than EC units,' he said.

'With construction costs still high, the numbers are just not attractive. If you're going into a market that is trending down, there's no point taking this risk,' Savills Singapore's director of marketing and business development Ku Swee Yong said of developers.

Besides, not all developers can get attractive financing terms in today's market. The weaker ones have trouble raising any funds at all, he said.

Mr Ku also thinks the demand for an EC in Punggol may not be strong. 'The market is not big in Punggol as many had bought in 2000 when prices were quite high so they haven't made a profit yet.'

Applicants for EC homes are subject to a household income ceiling of $10,000.

Upgrading may not be a top priority for residents in Punggol as it is a fairly new town, he added.

According to the Housing Board, the fate of the site will be known by next month, when the National Development Ministry puts out its land sales list for the first half of next year.

Related post: Punggol EC site fails to draw any bid

Beautiful Homes for Rent

District	Project	No. of rooms	Floor area (sqft)	Monthly Rent (S$)	Remarks
10	Montana Studio	Studio		3,900	Great view
10	7 Draycott	3+1	1,500	6,000	All with attached toilets
15	The Makena	3+1	1,538		Spectacular Sea View
15	Cote D’Azur	4+1			Full Sea View
16	Bleu @ East Coast	3	1,206	4,000	Nice balcony, Exclusive

Note:

1. All prices are quoted in Singapore Dollars.

2. For more infomation please call(65) 9853-3323 or email lawrencecyk@gmail.com. Owners or Landlords wishing to have their homes listed with me are most welcome.

3. The above list is by no means the only homes I have, Expats or Tenants are welcome to call or email me with their requirements for me to match them to a beautiful home of their desire.

Surf in to www.chanlawrence.com for more information.

For Sale - Fully Renovated 5i in Punggol

FOR SALE
Cozy 5i in Blk 196a Punggol Field

110sqm. High-floor.
Renovated. Nice, cozy and windy. 3 bedrooms (No hacking done).
Beautiful granite flooring. Parquet flooring in all bedrooms.
PR eligible. All races eligible.

Near LRT, schools, 24hour coffeeshop, minimart.
Lush landscaped gardens, covered carparks.Short drive to the beach.

Call Jessica at 9858-0214 for viewing appointments now.

More photos available at www.leejessica.com

Draft Master Plan 2008

As the tagline goes, A Home of Choice, Punggol is indeed rightly so. Or at least, judging by the Plan, that's the direction we are hopefully heading towards.

The main highlight will be in the transformation of Punggol into a beautiful waterfront community with a 4.2km waterway connection between Sungei Punggol and Sungei Serangoon. There will also be two commercial waterfront developments built to complement the water theme.

Expect improvements to be made to our transportation system with the widening of the TPE and the construction of the KPE that stretches from the ECP (in the south) to the TPE (in the north-east). Time taken to travel to the city will be cut by 25 percent with its completion!

For other exciting developments lined up for Punggol and the North-East Region, surf in to URA's website for details of the draft Master Plan 2008.

Couple struck by lightning at Punggol jetty

As published in The Straits Times
24 Aug 08 (Sunday)

A couple fishing in the open at Punggol jetty were hit by lightning yesterday afternoon. Paramedics said the 61-year-old Chinese man was not breathing and there was no pulse. There were also burn marks on his chest.

'I just kept screaming for help and for someone to call the ambulance,' said his 54-year-old wife, who declined to be named .'My husband was just saying that it's okay, there's no thunder today. Shortly after he said that, the lightning struck and he collapsed,' she said.

She added that had they gone to their usual fishing spot at the East Coast - where there is shelter - they might have averted danger. They had chosen Punggol because it is nearer their home in Sengkang.

Prices of HDB resale flats still climbing

As published in The Straits Times
02 July 2008 (Wednesday)

1,600 premium flats in Punggol, Sengkang for sale

As published in The Straits Times
01 July 2008 (Tuesday)

Punggol Sapphire - Additional Information

Distribution of Flats

Housing Development (Contract)	Flat Type	Floor Area (sqm)	Internal Floor Area (sqm)	No. of units	Indicative Price Range ($)
Compassvale Pearl (Sengkang N2 C4) Premium Flats	4-room	95 - 100	90 - 92	336	$216,000 - $269,000
	5-room	115 - 121	110 - 113	84	$308,000 - $367,000
Punggol Sapphire (Punggol C17 & 18) Premium Flats	4-room	93 -100	90 - 94	760	$234,000 - $305,000
	5-room	112 -117	110 -113	282	$329,000 - $396,000
	5-room loft unit	148 -149	120	23	$442,000 - $477,000

Note:

1) Floor area refers to the estimated area of the whole apartment, inclusive of the area of the air-conditioner ledge, bay window, planter and balcony (where applicable).

2) Internal floor area refers to the estimated area of the apartment computed based on the centre line of the apartment wall.

3) The indicative prices do not include the cost of optional components. Actual selling prices will vary according to the attributes of the individual units at the time of selection.

Landscape design contest for Punggol waterway

The Business Times
22 May 2008 (Thursday)

Competition includes design of Punggol Town Park

Following its announcement to develop Punggol into a modern waterfront town, HDB is also engaging with the private sector to design the landscaping of the Punggol waterway through a Landscape Masterplan Design Competition for the Waterway.

The competition aims to draw on fresh and innovative ideas for the landscaping of the 4.2 km waterway, and also includes the designing of the Punggol Town Park - a 10.6 ha land that will provide a range of water-based activities and facilities.

Besides proposing the landscape design development direction of the waterway, entrants to the competition can also actively participate in creating the communal and commercial spatial typologies along the waterway.

Proposals for the competition are expected to introduce new sustainable development concepts and features, in line with HDB’s concept of ‘green living by the waters’.

According to HDB, response to the competition has been good, with 17 firms registered as of yesterday.

Design Link Architects is one such company, and its director Mabel Goh said: ‘We feel that this project is quite innovative. So far, waterfront housing has been largely limited to the East Coast side, but this is an innovative attempt to integrate the water body with public housing.’

Another firm, Atelier Dreiseitl Asia, which has years of experience in landscape architecture and urban hydrology, is evaluating the competition brief and its director Leonard Ng has expressed interest in the project.

‘Right now, it’s a clean slate and it gives you the potential to work out a complete approach to design, being sensitive to all the aspects of an urban environment. If that’s taken into consideration, it can have a cutting edge design that integrates the urban fabric with the waterway.’

The winner of the competition will receive $300,000, which will form part of the professional fee to be paid to the appointed firm or team. The professional fee will be fixed at 3.68 per cent of the total construction costs of the landscape development. In addition, two merit prizes of $50,000 each will be awarded.

The competition is opened to urban planners, architects and landscape architects from May 17 to September 16 and registration closes on July 16.


Read also: Announcing Punggol Waterway Competition Results

Punggol Waterway Landscape Masterplan Design Competition

Under the Punggol vision "A Waterfront Town of the 21st Century", the new waterway runs along the East-West Corridor of Punggol Town and links up the Reservoirs at Sungei Punggol and Sungei Serangoon to form an enlarged water body thereby bringing water closer to people.

The proposed Waterway will meander through the town and create a delightful waterfront environment for all. There will be promenades on both sides of the Waterway where residents can go for a leisurely stroll or bicycle ride. In addition, the Waterway will allow more opportunities for water-based recreational activities and sports, right next to the homes.


Competition Details

The design competition will incorporate the water-based sports and leisure activities with the following:

- Landscape design for the 4.2km waterway and two tributaries (1.3km)
- A 10m wide promenade on both sides of the waterway
- Town Park

It will also include the integration and connectivity of pedestrian bridges, water features, common greens and facilities to the overall landscape masterplan of the waterway.

The aims to draw fresh, innovative and new ideas on the landscaping of the Waterway, the landscape Masterplan Design Competition (details for requirement) was launched on 17 May 08 during the "Shaping My Punggol" Exhibition. The submission had closed on 16 September 2008.


Source: Remaking Our Heartlands website

For Sale - Beautiful 5i in Edgefield Plains

FOR SALE

Beautiful 5i in Blk 185 Punggol

Rare! New listing! Just matured.

110sqm. High-floor. Renovated.
Nice and cozy.
3 bedrooms (No hacking done).
PR eligible. All races eligible.

Near LRT, Punggol Plaza, schools, church.
Lush landscaped gardens, covered carparks.
Short drive to the beach.

Call Jessica at 9858-0214 for viewing appointments now.

More photos available at www.leejessica.com.

Punggol Sapphire - Picture

As published in The Straits Times
23 May 2008 (Friday)

Shaping Punggol Into A Waterfront Town

As published in The Straits Times
23 May 2008 (Friday)

More homes coming up in Punggol, Sengkang

As published in The Straits Times
23 May 2008 (Friday)

Government to spend S$30m on Punggol Waterfront Town

Channel NewsAsia - Thursday, May 22

SINGAPORE : The government will spend about S$30 million to develop key features of the new Punggol Waterfront Town.

Most of that amount — S$25 million — will go towards the man—made Punggol Waterway, which will be constructed next year.

The waterway will be the focal point of activities, according to plans by the Housing and Development Board (HDB).

Professional planners have been invited to submit designs and concepts to develop the areas along the waterway.

Punggol residents have a lot to look forward to. They will soon have plenty of activities that are centred around a new 4.2—kilometre waterway.

The waterway will connect Sungei Serangoon and Sungei Punggol. It will snake through various areas, including the proposed Town Centre — bringing water and water activities closer to residents.

Dr Johnny Wong, Deputy Director, Building Technology Department, HDB, said: "We are hoping that it will promote activities like canoeing, some passive walking along the waterways, and even alfresco dining. So we are quite excited about this project."

Architects, engineers and landscape planners have been invited to enter the Punggol Waterway Landscape Masterplan Design Competition. Interested groups were brought to the sites of some of the developments — including the waterway — on Wednesday.

The waterway will be built mostly on vacant land, so that there will be minimal disruption to the surrounding areas.

Mabel Goh, Director, Design Link Architects, said: "We have done quite a fair bit of public housing and it's not new to us. The exciting thing is to redesign public housing with spaces, balconies overlooking the waterways and even private space to integrate with the waterways..."

Leonard Ng, Landscape Architect, Atelier Dreiseitl Asia, said: "It has to be considered in the urban context. We have to relate it to the buildings around it, to the open spaces, the parks around, and how the edge of the river can connect the people and engage the people.

"And so the challenge would be how to carry that out while still being mindful about the safety and security aspects."

The winner of the competition will be announced in November and stands to win S$300,000 and will work with the HDB to develop the Punggol area.

Punggol Town will have 96,000 housing units eventually, with 60 percent allocated for public housing and the rest for private housing.

The residential areas will also house eco—friendly features and be a showcase for green technology. — CNA/ms

"Shaping My Punggol" Exhibition (17-18 May)

Dear Resident,

Following PM's NDR speech 2007 and the successful exhibition and public consultation of "Remaking Our Heartland" plans for Punggol in Sep 07, HDB will be holding an exhibition to inform you on the progress of the plans exhibited and to engage you further in shaping the Punggol plans.

Exhibition Details

2. We would like to invite you to visit this exciting exhibition "Shaping My Punggol" and be updated on the plans for Punggol. The details are shown in the following :

Date/Time :
17 May 08 (Sat) - 12 pm to 9 pm
18 May 08 (Sun) - 10 am to 9 pm

Venue :
Open Field Next to Punggol Plaza

3. In conjunction with this event, HDB is organizing three competitions i.e. Colouring Contest (on-the-spot registration), the Children's Art Competition and Model Making Competition on 17 May 08. The competitions are organized to create awareness and engage residents on their ideas of the Punggol Town and the proposed Waterway. Attractive prizes will be given away and HDB will also be displaying some of the commendable art entries during the exhibition. Pre-registration for the competitions will be closed on 15 May 08(Thurs). Forms can be submitted to either the Punggol 21 Committee Club or the HDB Sengkang Branch Office.

Call for Ideas Exercise

4. The Call for Ideas Exercise will also be launched at the exhibition. This is an islandwide exercise to invite residents to submit ideas for the future developments on both sides of the proposed waterway based on the theme "Green Living by the Waters".

5. We would like to strongly encourage you to contribute your ideas through our "Remaking Our Heartland" webpage at www.hdb.gov.sg from 17 May 08.

6. We look forward to you visiting the exhibition!

Sengkang Branch Office
Housing & Development Board

Couple refuses to pay seller's agent fees

Tue, Apr 29, 2008
As published in The Straits Times

A COUPLE who bought a home and refused to pay the seller's agent the 1 per cent commission are being taken to court by a property company which is claiming a fee.

PropNex associate director Ricky Low Yong Sern, who is in his late 30s, is seeking about $4,000 in commission or a service fee, in a case that is likely to turn the spotlight on the issue of whether home buyers should pay a fee to sellers' agents, The Straits Times reported.

He was the exclusive agent handling the sale of a terrace house in Whampoa built over 30 years ago, which is classified as a Housing Board flat.

Marketing specialist Loh Yi Min, 29, and his wife, polytechnic lecturer Ariel Wee, 33, bought it for $400,000 in April last year. They acted on their own without engaging an agent.

In documents submitted to court, Mr Low claimed that he had a right to collect a commission as he had exclusive rights to market the property. He also claimed that he provided services to the buyers.

However, the couple refused to sign the commission agreement when they inked the sale last year. They claim they had made no deal to pay him a fee in the first place.

Both sides will attempt to reach an agreement when they attend a court dispute resolution session next month.

This is the first lawsuit of its kind started by PropNex.

The issue of commissions payable by independent buyers - or buyers who deal without agents - has been hotly debated in recent years.

While there is no law fixing fees payable, property sellers typically pay their agents a 2 per cent fee, while buyers pay their agents a 1 per cent fee.

Many agents marketing HDB flats also charge independent buyers a 1 per cent fee, but this is not practised in private property deals. Property veterans say this disparity is due to the lower prices of HDB flats, which amounts to a lower commission payable to agents.

Some independent buyers have complained that sellers' agents inform them that they have to pay a commission just before the purchase documents are signed, leaving them little time to find out about their rights.

Once the buyers sign the commission agreements, they are bound to pay the fee.

However, agents have countered that independent buyers often leave the paperwork to the sellers' agents but refuse to pay a service fee.

Major real estate agencies contacted by The Straits Times have varied responses to such situations, although they all maintain that independent buyers of HDB flats should pay a fee.