Rainforest Wild Asia among 16 to clinch award for good landscape design

Key Concepts Rainforest Wild Asia, City in Nature, Landscape Excellence Assessment Framework (LEAF), Green Pillars, Community Well-being, Biodiversity Conservation, Tree Protection Zones, Pervasive Greenery, Vertical Greenery, Sustainable Landscape Design.

Singapore's "City in Nature" Vision and Greenery Recognition

Singapore is actively pursuing its vision to transform into a "City in Nature," a strategic goal that integrates greenery deeply into urban planning and daily life. This transformation is supported by a National Parks Board (NParks) scheme that recognizes excellence in greenery and landscape design, making these spaces accessible to the public.

Rainforest Wild Asia and Pan Pacific Orchard: Exemplars of Green Design

• Rainforest Wild Asia: Singapore's newest wildlife park, located in Mandai, has been awarded for its contribution to the "City in Nature" vision. Its design emphasizes the use of natural and recycled materials, incorporates inclusive features, and notably retained approximately 300 existing trees. These trees were protected under "tree protection zones" during construction to preserve the natural rainforest ambiance.
• Pan Pacific Orchard: This hotel exemplifies innovative green architecture. It features "four green pillars" that serve dual functions: fire escape stairwells and safe access points for plant maintenance. The hotel's design incorporates greenery amounting to more than three times the size of its land footprint, effectively multiplying ground space vertically through "lushly landscaped sky terraces" and common green areas. This design contributes significantly to the city's green infrastructure.

The Landscape Excellence Assessment Framework (LEAF)

The Pan Pacific Orchard hotel was accredited under the Landscape Excellence Assessment Framework (LEAF), a scheme that has been recognizing projects since 2013. LEAF aims to promote the creation of natural, accessible, and communal green spaces.

• Scope and Impact: Since its inception, LEAF has recognized close to 120 projects, including residences, public parks, and schools.
• Core Criteria: A key criterion for LEAF accreditation is "community well-being." The framework emphasizes that well-integrated greenery provides easy access for residents and the public, thereby enhancing their physical and mental well-being. This aligns with LEAF's overarching goal to ensure greenery brings tangible benefits to people.

Importance of Greenery and LEAF's Role

Angie Ping, Co-chairperson of the LEAF evaluation panel and Group Director of Policy and Planning at NParks, highlighted that greenery is not merely a "nice-to-have" but a "must-have" and an "integral part of our daily life" and city planning.

• Benefits of Pervasive Greenery: Green spaces offer opportunities for relaxation and contribute significantly to physical and mental well-being.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Achieving "pervasive greenery" across Singapore requires the collective support and efforts of various stakeholders to creatively integrate green elements into the built environment.
• LEAF as a Standard-Setter: LEAF provides essential guidelines and standards for the industry, helping developers understand "what constitutes a quality landscape design" and adopt "best practices" for long-term sustainability. It fosters learning and improvement within the industry.

LEAF's Six Assessment Aspects and Impact

The LEAF framework assesses projects based on six key aspects:

1. Design and landscape
2. Accessibility
3. Sustainability
4. Community well-being
5. Biodiversity conservation
6. (Implicitly, the overall meaningful integration of greenery)

A LEAF-certified project demonstrates "a certain standard or certain excellence across these six aspects." The goal is to encourage developments where integrated greenery is not just an "addition of greens" but something "meaningful" that brings benefits to larger communities.

Impact Over 12 Years:

• Increased Quality and Diversity: Over the past 12 years, LEAF has driven an increase in the number of quality projects across Singapore, featuring diverse typologies of greenery such as rooftops and facades.
• Broader Adoption: More development types are now adopting greenery. Notably, the Mandai North Crematorium was the first such facility to be awarded for integrating greenery, a trend that was uncommon in the past.
• Continuous Improvement: This indicates a continuous effort to raise the quality of landscape design in Singapore.

Applicability to Existing Developments: LEAF is not exclusively for new constructions; it also applies to existing developments.

• Examples: This year's awards included applications from an existing residential site at the National University of Singapore and the refurbished Changi Airport Terminal 2.
• Changi Terminal 2 Case Study: The development team at Changi Terminal 2 cleverly integrated greenery into confined airport spaces. This greenery serves to calm busy travelers and acts as a form of "wayfinding," demonstrating the potential for enhancing existing environments.

Conclusion

Singapore's commitment to becoming a "City in Nature" is underpinned by strategic initiatives like the LEAF scheme. This framework plays a pivotal role in guiding the industry towards high-quality, sustainable, and community-centric landscape design. By setting clear standards and recognizing exemplary projects, LEAF ensures that greenery is not merely decorative but an essential, integrated component of urban development, contributing significantly to public well-being and environmental sustainability across both new and existing structures.