From Dreams to Rail-ity: NUS MArch Graduate Kenneth Chiang's Visionary Design Wins 1st Place in URA's Tanjong Pagar Railway Station Re-Purposing Competition

Alumnus Kenneth Chiang from the MArch class of 2021 has won 1st place in the General Public category of the recent URA Competition to Re-Purpose the Former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station (TPRS), titled “From Dreams to Rail-ity,” which was launched in April 2024.

The competition attracted 93 submissions from individuals and teams based in Singapore and overseas, which were thoroughly evaluated by a jury panel comprising representatives from URA and the private sector. Participants were challenged to formulate an overall design concept for the TPRS site, taking into account the site’s heritage and its relationship with surrounding developments.

His submission, titled “RAIL LIFE,” envisions TPRS as a key recreation node for the future Greater Southern Waterfront. The proposal transforms the site through a series of diverse leisure programmes focused on five key themes, namely Community, Arts & Culture, Culinary, Health & Wellness, and Sports & Fitness. The wide variety of uses are also intended to synergise with nearby arts institutions in the adjacent Tanjong Pagar Distripark, while strengthening the appeal to and fostering new connections across diverse age groups.

The jury commented that the proposal presented a well-rounded and coherent programming strategy for a synergistic mix of uses across the site. The strength of the scheme lay in its creative harmonisation of old and new architectural elements to introduce new gathering spaces for the community. For instance, the front forecourt was raised as a landscaped lawn becoming a central communal space for events and gatherings, under which were tucked the major M&E services for the repurposed TPRS building.

For more details, please visit: ‘From Dreams to Rail-ity’ (ura.gov.sg)