The Vision of a New Oasis: “Jurong Stratums” by alumnus Kenneth Chiang wins first prize in the “Reimagining Former Jurong Bird Park and Jurong Hill” Ideas Competition

It is our pleasure to share that alumnus Kenneth Chiang (MArch, Class of 2021) has secured another first-place, this time in the Professional category of the “Reimagining Former Jurong Bird Park and Jurong Hill” Ideas Competition, organised by JTC and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in October 2024.

The competition sought innovative proposals to transform a 39.2-hectare site, comprising the former Jurong Bird Park, Jurong Hill Park, and The Village, into a vibrant destination that honours its heritage while supporting Singapore’s future economic growth. A total of 37 submissions were received across two categories (Open and Professional), with winners selected by a multidisciplinary jury from the planning, architecture, real estate, and heritage sectors.

Plan drawings of “The Valley Heart” by Kenneth Chiang

Chiang’s winning proposal, “Jurong Stratums,” celebrates the site’s heritage through an Industrial Living Museum housed in the iconic Jurong Hill Tower and a refreshed Garden of Fame. The scheme reconciles contrasts in Jurong’s industrial landscape through strategies of layering, looping, and adjacency, articulated as three interconnected loops linking four key zones:

– The Undercroft, integrating dense industrial developments along the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) with new public spaces connected by the Central Loop;

– The Marshland, centred on water-based activities;

– The Valley Heart, featuring three ring-shaped buildings supporting indoor recreational facilities; and

– The Jurong Hill zone, which preserves and enhances heritage elements, including the Jurong Hill Tower, to create spaces for community gathering and reflection on Singapore’s development.

His former thesis supervisor, Associate Professor Cheah, expressed, “Heartiest congratulations to Chiang on winning first prize in the JTC/URA competitions. As his former thesis supervisor, I recall Chiang’s penchant for cultural and social place-making. His thesis explored creating diverse, transformable cultural and recreational spaces in the HDB heartland to promote greater participation, and enjoyment of, the performing arts by the community. We are proud that Chiang was able to further develop his thesis ideas to imagine new public places by invigorating existing buildings and infrastructure in the two design competitions. His achievements also reflect key attributes of his architectural education at NUS—critical thinking, a systems approach to problem-setting and problem-solving, and technical imagination.”

For more details on his proposal, visit: https://www.jtc.gov.sg/about-jtc/news-and-stories/feature-stories/reimagining-jbp-and-jh

Chiang’s past winning entry: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/arch/news_and_events/news_ay2425_ura_railway_kenneth_chiang_190924/