NUS Landscape Architecture Team Wins Bronze at SIP 9th Planning Awards

A team of Landscape Architecture students earned a bronze award at the Singapore Institute of Planners’ 9th Planning Awards in the Outstanding Student Projects category. Their Design 8 studio project, titled “Land Sharing+: Prototyping Mixed-Use Landscapes in Sheung Shui, Hong Kong,” was completed as part of their Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and Master of Landscape Architecture programmes. Kudos to Lina Altoaimi, Mariam Yusuf Rajkotwala, and Pan Yuwen! The Land Sharing+ master plan aims to manage urban growth and address housing needs without compromising the area’s existing natural habitats and wildlife. The team adopted an urban-ecological approach, conducting a thorough analysis of the site’s natural and urban layers before iterating the master plan proposals. To guide the methodology, the team conducted theoretical research to establish two opposing design iterations: land sharing and land sparing. Land sharing is commonly observed in Singaporean town planning, as it explores an integrated approach where conservation and development coexist within the same space. Land sparing is more commonly represented in Hong Kong, as it is an approach that separates conservation and development by designating specific areas for ecological preservation and others for urban or industrial use. The final plan reflects a combination of the two iterations, titled ‘Land Sharing+’.

The leading theme of the design studio focused on pattern process function analysis and iterative planning, with five key layers analysed for each design iteration: biodiversity, hydrology, climate, health, and economy. Urban and natural patterns of the site were analysed using computational models that produced 16 measurable urban indicators, such as street edge density, slope variation, and green space area, and four projected quantitative urban functions: bird species richness, point of interest count, mitigated flood volume, and mitigated land surface temperature. The values of these indicators and projected functions were compared across the existing conditions, the government master plan, and the team’s various design iterations, in an effort to maximise the benefits yielded by the master plan.

Land Sharing+ strives to define a novel model for compact cities by emphasising natural systems as critical building blocks of urban form and by adopting a landscape-first approach to planning. The students believe the future of planning should embrace atypical approaches that optimise spatial design for people and create ecological spaces that benefit the city and beyond.

“The “Land Sharing+” proposal stands out as a research-driven and innovative master plan that redefines brownfield regeneration in Sheung Shui, Hong Kong through the lens of Landscape Urbanism. The jury highlights the project’s comprehensive methodology, combining land sharing and sparing strategies to balance housing, industry, and ecology. Supported by thorough analyses and an evidence-based, iterative design process, the plan integrates biodiversity, hydrology, climate, and economy into a coherent framework.”

Judges’ Citations

The team extends its gratitude to their studio tutors, Professor Tan Puay Yok and Associate Professor Yun Hye Hwang, for their guidance throughout the semester and for organising site visits that yielded crucial insights for the design. They also thank their studio mates for their support and critical discussions.

For more information about the competition, visit https://www.planning.org.sg/web/sp_awd-20250201-2.html

Singapore institute of Planners (SIP)
The Singapore institute of Planners is a professional organisation established in 1971 which is dedicated to the advancement of sustainable urban and regional planning with a view to create better communities and environments. The Institute collaborates with government planning agencies including the Urban Redevelopment Authority, the Housing and Development Board, the JTC Corporation, the Centre for Liveable Cities and Institutes of Higher Learning.  The Institute is an industry association partner of the Design Singapore Council (DSg).