“Journey of Possibilities” – Ideas Competition for the Rail Corridor

Press Release by URA, 30 Nov 2011.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) announced today the launch of an Ideas Competition titled “Journey of Possibilities” for the Rail Corridor. The Ideas Competition is intended to draw innovative and fresh new ideas from the public in addressing some of the key challenges and issues in planning for the future use of the Rail Corridor.

Since the return of the former railway land to Singapore on 1 July 2011, the Rail Corridor project has garnered widespread public interest. From the feedback we received, it is clear that there are many more people out there who would like to make tangible contributions towards the envisioning of the Rail Corridor’s future. In order to create the window of opportunity for all to participate in this project, the URA is conducting the Ideas Competition from 30 November 2011 to 9 March 2012.

About the Ideas Competition

The Ideas Competition covers a 25.3km stretch from Kranji coastal mudflats in the north to Tanjong Pagar district in the south of Singapore, as well as a 1.9km stretch of former Jurong Line which spurs off from the main line near Bukit Timah Railway Station to Ulu Pandan Canal.

We welcome participants to be bold and creative in envisioning the “possibilities” for the transformation of the Rail Corridor into a truly extraordinary trail with multiple landscapes and experiences that can be enjoyed by all. The challenge is to develop visionary and compelling ideas for the Rail Corridor in response to five key issues that we have identified over the course of our extensive public engagement process.

Useful ideas and concepts from the competition may be distilled into design principles as part of the brief for the Rail Corridor Design Competition that is being considered currently.

An exhibition which features a selection of entries including all award-winners will be held after the competition.

Two Categories – Open and Youth Challenge

There are two categories for the Ideas Competition, namely the “Open” Category and the “Youth Challenge” (secondary school students). While the “Open” Category is open to all interested participants, the “Youth Challenge” is a youth-centric competition which is targeted at secondary school students.

Under the “Open” Category, the public is invited to choose the issue that they would like to address and to propose innovative solutions and ideas in response to the issue. The five key issues are:

1. Bio-diversity and sensitive development
2. Inclusiveness, accessibility and resolving conflicts
3. Community ownership, pride and sense of well-being
4. Heritage
5. Great Ideas for a Public Space

See Annex A for details on the five key issues under the “Open” Category.

Under the “Youth Challenge”, we encourage young participants in secondary schools to come up with exciting new ideas and proposals that will surprise and excite Singaporeans. The ideas, concepts and proposals need not be limited to the five key issues. They could be wide-ranging reflecting the interests and aspirations of the younger generation, and how the Rail Corridor could be especially meaningful to them. We welcome secondary school students to join us on this exciting journey, to dream up possibilities that could eventually be turned into reality.

Judging and awards

Judging panels, comprising subject matter experts, representatives from the public and private sectors, as well as Rail Corridor Consultation Group members, will be formed for each of the five issues and “Youth Challenge”.

For the Open Category, three top prizes will be awarded for each issue, with cash values of S$2,000, S$1,000 and $500 respectively. Three top prizes will also be awarded for the Youth Challenge comprising cash values of S$1,000, S$500 and S$250 respectively.

Submission format

Participants are required to register for the competition online before submitting their entry. Registration can be done online at http://www.ura.gov.sg/railcorridor/ideas_comp/register.html.

Upon completion of online registration, participants will receive a confirmation and a registration number. The registration number must be printed to be attached together with their entry.

Each entry must be submitted in a single foam mounted A1 panel in portrait layout, together with a CD containing the soft copy of the proposals in .pdf or .jpg format at a resolution of 300 dpi. The presentation board should clearly outline the issue that the participant is responding to, and illustrate the idea(s) that he/she is proposing.

There will be no restrictions on the medium: drawings, sketches, diagrams and photographs are welcome. While accompanying written narratives can be included to supplement the illustrations, the entries should not be entirely presented in text.

For more information on the Ideas Competition, please visit http://www.ura.gov.sg/railcorridor/ideas_comp/.

Source: URA

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