In 1992, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) received the United Nations’ World Habitat Award for Tampines New Town and its contribution to “innovation and successful human settlements”.[1] The award identifies new outstanding human settlement projects to serve as examples for others to follow.[2]
Singapore submitted the model of Tampines New Town, chosen out of 22 new town projects, as its entry for the developing world category in 1991.[3] According to the HDB’s then chief architect, Tony Tan Keng Joo, Tampines was representative of a typical comprehensive a new town development and was the culmination of improvements of the new town model. Some features of Tampines New Town were its green connectors or walkways that linked precincts to neighbourhood centres; transport network; parks and open spaces as well as varied block designs.[4]
Tampines New Town was shortlisted as one of the top five entries and later announced as one of the top three entries along with Vancouver, Canada and Boston, United States.[5] The judges of the award were so impressed with Tampines New Town that they upgraded the entry from the developing world category to the developed world category.[6] In 1992, after two trips were made to Singapore to assess Tampines New Town, it was awarded the World Habitat Award in the developed country category.[7]
The award was received by then HDB chairman Hsuan Owyang at the United Nations headquarters in New York on World Habitat Day, 5 October 1992.[8] The World Habitat Award also came with £10,000 (S$27,000) prize money.[9] A video on Tampines New Town and information on efforts to develop public housing in Singapore was produced and shared with interested countries.[10]
On 29 May 1993, then Minister for Communications and member of parliament Mah Bow Tan unveiled a 3-meter World Habitat Award Sculpture, which resembles the trophy presented to HDB, at the Tampines Branch Office.[11]
References
1. HDB wins international award. (1992, October 2). The Business Times, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.; World Habitat Awards. (n.d.) Winners and Finalists. Retrieved February 17, 2016, from the World Habitat Awards website: http://www.worldhabitatawards.org/winners-and-finalists/project-details.cfm?lang=00&theProjectID=116
2. HDB chairman receives UN award for Tampines. (1992, October 6). The Straits Times, p. 3. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
3. HDB pips Boston and Vancouver for UN housing award. (1992, October 2). The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
4. Transformation of Tampines from rural wasteland to world model. (1992, October 2). The Straits Times, p. 31. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
5. The Straits Times, 2 Oct 1992, p. 1.
6. The Straits Times, 6 Oct 1992, p. 3.
7. The Straits Times, 2 Oct 1992, p. 1.
8. The Business Times, 2 Oct 1992, p. 2.
9. The Business Times, 2 Oct 1992, p. 2.
10. The Straits Times, 2 Oct 1992, p. 1.
11. Orchard Rd, Shenton Way facilities for Tampines. (1993, May 30). The Straits Times, p. 26. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
The information in this article is valid as at Dec 2015 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.