MLA Options Studio Field Report: LA5701 | MLA Studio Country: Landscapes Of Empowerment: Towards An Inclusive City

The Landscapes of Empowerment: Towards an Inclusive City studio fieldwork comprised three site visits conducted between 18 August and 3 October 2026. The fieldwork included a visit to URA City Gallery on 18 August, visits to Sembawang, Rainbow Centre (Admiralty Hill campus), Kampung Admiralty and HDB Exhibition Gallery on 20 August, and a visit to Enabling Village on 3 October, Singapore.

The studio centers on reimagining Sembawang as a model for inclusive design, with a primary focus on Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). Students are challenged to move landscape architecture beyond standard accessibility, drawing inspiration from the lived experiences of vulnerable groups to design spaces that foster belonging, empowerment, independent living, and community integration. By integrating multi-agency urban planning, ecological stewardship, and social policy, the studio encourages constructive engagement with Singapore’s ongoing master planning efforts.

Immersive site visits to the Enabling Village and Rainbow Centre ground these concepts in practice. At the Enabling Village, a sensory tour facilitated by Ludus Lab and led by their PWD guide, Brenda Khoo, offered invaluable firsthand insights into navigating the site, illuminating key spatial nuances, barrier-free mobility, and integrated assistive technologies. This experience prompted students to consider how such localized models can be scaled across HDB precincts, the wider city, and the nation. Meanwhile, the Rainbow Centre Admiralty Hill campus—located directly within the studio’s site boundary—offers immediate opportunities to study integration with surrounding communities. A comprehensive site survey of Sembawang further allowed students to analyze real-world terrain, heritage, and development constraints.

Special thanks to Collaborators：

Barnabas Sim, Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), Physical Planning (North) Team
Claire Chong, Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), Physical Planning (North) Team
Xia Wannuo, Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), Physical Planning (North) Team
Mohammed Fahmy bin Razali, Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), Physical Planning (North) Team

Jean Loo Qingwen, Rainbow Centre
Jannice Lim Jiaxin, Rainbow Centre
Adeline Chan Jiaping, Rainbow Centre
Emmanuel Prabhu, Rainbow Centre
Kum Kinfai, Rainbow Centre