Singapore is a City in a Garden; Jurong Lakeside Garden is a classic example of this testament: The first-of-its-kind featuring a biophilic design of a deconstructed freshwater swamp, Jurong Lakeside Garden is the first national park in Singapore located in the heartlands of Singapore, providing families unprecedented access to the natural landscape – where people, animals and plants co-exist harmoniously.
Once a freshwater swamp in early-mid 1990s, Jurong Lakeside Garden and its natural surroundings now play host to multitude of recreational activities, garnering massive appeal from all walks of life, blurring the boundaries between city and nature.
Singapore’s First National Garden in the Heartlands
Identified as the first phase of development of Jurong Lakeside Garden, Singapore’s third national garden and the first in the heartlands, Jurong Lakeside Garden is a 53-hectare (530,000 sq. m.) site that looks to restore the landscape heritage of the freshwater swamp forest as a canvas for recreation and community activities. The development is envisioned to be a “people’s garden” accessible to all segments of the community and is a conscious effort to bring back the nature that was once unique to the area.
Located in the Jurong Lake District, it acts as an engine to transform the neighbourhood through the park development, a catalyst that brings regeneration to the entire Jurong Lake District. Not only does it provide access to green spaces for the community and wildlife, but it also helps Singapore to evolve into a biophilic City in Nature where the landscape elements and spaces are informed and inspired by nature. The seven biophilic design principles are adhered closely to such that nature and people can be brought together.
A Biophilic Space for People & Nature
- 4.16 million visitors count in 2019, 4.07 million visitors count in 2020, over 12,000 social media hashtags #juronglakegardens
- Singapore’s biggest nature-inspired playground in the heartlands, and the first closed-loop water playground that utilizes ABC features as part of the recycle process
- Singapore’s biggest allotment garden with 300 lots
- Over 5 km of Jogging Trails and Event lawns that can serve up to a total of estimated 16,000 people
- Over 3,000 existing trees retained, 7 huge Banyan clusters retained, over 200 trees transplanted, more than 7000 trees and 500,000 shrubs and grasses planted
- 7 more species of odonates recorded due to creation of aquatic habitats
- 8 nationally threatened bird species recorded including the Purple Heron, continued presence of migratory birds such as the Asian Openbill Storks
- One of the popular bird watching hotspots in Singapore with over 205 bird species spotted by bird watching enthusiast groups
Jurong Lakeside Garden is a park where infrastructure requirements, vibrant and well-loved green public spaces, and ecological-sensitive solutions are integrated and benefit everyone.
With approximately 4 million per-annum visitor count in the first two years after the park’s public opening, the various programs and different habitats that makes up Jurong Lakeside Garden has truly become a “people’s garden” accessible to all segments of the community, as the engine to transform the neighbourhood, and a catalyst that brings regeneration to the entire Jurong Lake District.
Jurong Lakeside Garden
Location: Singapore
Project Team
Landscape Architect: Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl
Landscape Team: Leonard Ng, Muhammad Faiz bin Zohri (RLA), Lingyi Gu, Hang Ka Kee Cathy, Matthew George Bheem(RLA), Pang Yurong, Jacky Pan Yuefeng, Do Phi Bang (Water Engineer), Melle van Dijk, Ryan Michael Shubin, Jade Chin Jie
Architect: CPG Corporation Pte Ltd
Water Engineer: Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl, CPG Corporation Pte Ltd Playground Designer: Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl, Kukuk
Arborist & Horticulturist: Camphora Biodiversity/Wildlife Specialist: Subaraj Rajathurai
Main Contractor: Hon Industries
Softscape Contractor: Prince’s Landscape
Playground Contractor: TYT Builders & CT-Art Creation
Bioengineering Specialist: Enviro Pro Green Innovations
Water Playground Specialist: Proserv
Biotope Contractor: Nature Landscapes
Client: National Parks Board (NParks)