Geography Assignment Findings: The Built Environment Proudly - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Geography Assignment Findings: The Built Environment

Proudly presented by: IDU 109 Group 7

Introduction

• Neighbourhood that we have chosen: Bukit Panjang
• Places we have selected:
• Senja-Cashew Community Club
• Bukit Panjang Plaza
• Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre and Market
• Zhenghua Park

The story behind bukit panjang

• Bukit Panjang was formerly known as Zhenghua, and often

abbreviated as either Bt. Panjang, BP or BPJ.

• Bukit in the Malay Language means "hill" and Panjang means

"long". Bukit Panjang literally means "long hill" which gets its name from the long range of high hills which ends in Bukit Timah to the south.

Choosing the 4 locations to observe

Street Map

Note: Arrows show where the places are

Why did we choose these 4 places?

• This is because we think that these places are where people

usually go every day in the neighbourhood, and there will be a contrast during comparison on different days and timings

Observation Summary and interviews

Senja-Cashew Community Club

• Senja-Cashew Community Club is the first fully integrated

Community Club and sports complex in Bukit Panjang.

• It is also situated in the heart of Bukit Panjang Town opposite

Bukit Panjang Plaza (also connected to Bukit Panjang Plaza with a link bridge)

To the right is a sketch

• f the swimming pool in

the Community Club

Senja-Cashew Community Club

• Has modern sports facilities (swimming pool, infinity pool, multi-

purpose hall, street soccer court, dance studios, gym)

• Has a childcare centre
• Makes use of greenery, as there are plants on the top of the

building to keep it cooler.

Never seen these potted plants before...probably for decoration purpose and to increase the greenery in the CC

Senja-Cashew Community Club

• Through our observations, we concluded that Senja-Cashew Community

Club is most often used in the afternoon during weekends. This is due to activities (painting flags, swimming events and competitions, etc) that are conducted by volunteers for both the young and old.

• Is going through renovation, building shelter to host events during rainy

days

The picture on the right shows some volunteers are helping to prepare for an acitivity in the Multi-Purpose Hall. To the left is a painted flag which was completed during a flag art session.

Senja-Cashew Community Club

• On weekdays, there are more elderly in the CC and they come

every day to sit down and chat with their friends (we saw the same faces)People come here to help organize events / exercise /play sports / relax/ eat.

• Most people swam in the swimming pool, as Singapore’s

weather is very hot.

• The café has the most number of people .
• Overall, not a lot of people come to the CC, but there are

slightly more people on Sundays.

Bukit Panjang Plaza

• Bukit Panjang Plaza is located in the high-

density residential area of Bukit Panjang New Town and between the Bukit Panjang and Senja LRT stations. It will also be adjacent to the planned Bukit Panjang Integrated Transport Hub scheduled to

• pen in 2017.
• The location is very convenient as it is

located right next to some HDBs

Bukit Panjang Plaza

• Bukit

Panjang Plaza was renovated when the Town Improvement Plan was put into action. The overall design was not changed, but it was painted a different colour. The logo was placed more conspicuously on the top of the building during the renovation.

• The Plaza renovated once again last year → extended, and the

Kopitiam was changed to another food court called “Kampung”

A row of shops during “peak hours”. As you can see, there are quite a number of people doing their shopping.

Bukit Panjang Plaza

• People usually come here on Saturdays as it is a weekend,

and they mostly go to FairPrice and the Level 2 atrium area, where there are sales.

• Most people come here to: shop, buy groceries, eat, watch
• ccasional performances, go for tuition or enjoy the library.

Sketch and real image of atrium at level 2.

Interview with Mrs Ng

Interview with Mrs Ng

• Mrs Ng enjoys meeting up with friends at Bukit Panjang Plaza

as it is very near where she lives and most of her friends stay near that area.

• She is able to buy her groceries with her friends, have a wide

range of food to choose to eat , catch up with the news, know what is happening with the latest activities and drink coffee and tea together.

FairPrice in Bukit Panjang Plaza

Interview with Mrs Ng

• Other than plaza, Mrs Ng also likes going to the Senja-

Cashew Community Club nearby as there are programmes for her age like yoga, baking and cooking.

• By participating in the programmes, she can strengthen her

relationships with her friends while having fun.

• Her friendships with her friends will definitely continue
• utside the Plaza, she will continue to catch up with her

friends outside to advise each other, share good information with each other, make their relationship stronger, communicate more often and get toknow each

• ther better.

Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre and Market

• Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre and Market is located at the junction
• f Bukit Panjang Road and Bukit Panjang Ring Road, the hawker

centre is one of 20 being built by the Government over the next few years, to ensure the availability of affordable food options

• It was officially open last year and the vegetables are sold at cheap

prices, and the hawker center sells a huge variety of delicious food.

You can see the building’s unique design from the main entrance.

Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre and Market

• There are plants growing on the sides
• f the building vertically which makes

use of greenery to keep place cooler.

• On the first level is Hawker Centre and
• n the second level is market that
• pens every day (except on Mondays)
• There are areas in the Hawker Centre

that are meant for prams which makes it very convenient for parents to leave their prams there.

Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre and Market

• Many people come here every day, especially

during the weekends for dinner

• In the morning, people go to buy groceries in

the market for cooking.

• Because of the many people every day, the

Hawker Centre and Market have very good

• business. The main attraction is probably the

cheap prices and convenience.

Right: A sketch of the side of the building. The darkened window-like parts are actually the plants growing on the building.

Zhenghua Park

• Zhenghua Park is located in Bukit Panjang. Skirting the Central

Catchment Nature Reserve, the nature park serves as a green buffer for the reserve and had a large diversity of plants and wildlife (37 bird species).

• Some examples of the facilities provided there is a multi-purpose

event lawn, a children’s play area, an exercise station, a pavilion, public toilets, shelters (that are quite unique looking), as well as jogging and cycling tracks.

To the left is a picture of a group of ladies taking a break after an intense workout session.

Zhenghua Park

• We concluded that most people are at the park on weekends.
• Many children play in the playground (which has sand) and,

accompanied by their parents, they make new friends in the park → social interaction and exposure.

• Here are some examples of what most people do: jog, cycle,

ride a scooter, play ball games, do mass exercise sessions, do Taiji and walk their dogs.

A sketch of the many activities going on in the park (playground)

Zhenghua Park

• On weekdays, the people who go to the park are mostly the elderly

since most children are in school while their parents are at work.

• The elderly exercise to keep themselves fit and healthy to stay

active.

Left: A fern in the park Right: A map of the park Right: Some unique signs in the park, reminding the people about the rules in the park

Interview with Aunty May (45 years-old)

Interview with Aunty May

• Aunty May seldom brings family to park, so usually goes with

friends

• She feels that environment is conducive to exercise and talk as

she can meet new and old friends, while being in contact with nature.

Right: A photo of Aunty

• May. It is really nice of her

to let us take a decent photo of her!

Interview with Aunty May

• Aunty May feels that the Park has better and fresher air, while

she can keep herself physically active through jogging.

• She has tried keeping fit at other places( eg. doing Yoga at

Community Centre), but feels that park is the best place to exercise.

• She is able to keep fit while having a wider circle of friends.

Rachael and Aunty May posing for a picture!

How do people make use of the space?

Community Centres

• People get to know their neighbours better as Community

Centres becomes a place where everyone hangs out during their free time (mini get-togethers).

• They are able to spend time with people in their

neighbourhood as they get to know more neighbours through forging good relationships (which is encouraged by the government as well!)

RIght: An activity (kayaking) which was organized by one of the Community Clubs in Singapore

community centres

• We can play chess, badminton and enjoy the facilities there as

well as take up enrichment classes.

• Conclusion: Even though Community Centres are not that big,

people still make use of the space wisely to interact with more people in the society, as well as to organize activities

Right: A gym in a Community Centre in Singapore

Plazas

• Items sold at the Plaza are worth our money and is very

convenient for the residents nearby, especially if they are one

• f the shop owners.
• Not only do they have a source of income, their workplace is

also nearby. Thus, they can save money on transportation to and fro from work.

• The Library nearby can be used for research as most people

probably do not have most of these books at home. There is also free air-conditioning and it is a quiet place, making it a conducive environment for students to study.

Plazas

• The best thing: Air-conditioning → Singaporeans dislike the heat,

so it is easy for them to just get a drink nearby and sit in a coffee shop to talk to friends and family → spend quality time with them.

• Conclusion: The Plaza is a great place for people to bond with

their family and friends and be provided with entertainment at the same time.

Left: Plaza Singapura

Hawker Centres

• With the prices of food increasing, the food in hawker centres

(in comparison to other food courts and restaurants) are cheap and delicious

• There is a wide range of food sold, ranging from Vietnamese

and European dining to our local delights

• The food is not only cheap, but also healthier than fast food →

many people approve of hawker centres

Right: Tiong Bahru Hawker Centre

Hawker Centres

• People can buy their groceries if there is a market there (like

Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre and Market), especially for housewives or grandparents who cook at home

• Working adults can drop by to have their breakfast or lunch

before going to work, while teenagers also go there after school for lunch

Right: A stall in Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre and Market (Level 2 Market area

hawker centres

• Hawker centers are often very conveniently located near

HDBs.

• Conclusion: There are many benefits (as mentioned above) to

have hawker centres in the neighbourhood, thus making good use of the space

Pictures show some food sold in hawker centres

Parks

• Most people live in HDB and do not have the space in their

homes to exercise (or the fitness equipment are too pricy). The fitness corners in parks allow them to keep healthy and fit.

• It is very convenient to get to the park and you can get there

by walking, which could even count as a warm up.

• Fitness equipment in parks are also free to use (unlike those

in Gyms)

Right: Bishan Park

parks

• People have their morning jogs in the park while enjoying the

cool breeze.

• In the afternoon, children go to the park to play ball games,

cycle, enjoy themselves at the playground or simply anything they want.

• The elderly also go to the park for some Taiji sessions or sit at

the benches to chat with their friends or enjoy the scenery

• Going out makes them more active instead of just staying at

home all day long and they can interact with the community.

Parks

• People also bring their families to the park for picnics or play

games → family bonding

• Conclusion: The park benefits everyone ranging from a

toddler to the elderly. Therefore, building a park certainly makes use of the space well

Right: Alexandra Canal Linear Park, where the park is built on top of a covered canal

Link to built environment

• In The Built Environment, we learnt about the different types of

materials and how they are used to make different types of buildings.

• Now, these materials are used to build buildings like our

Community Centres, Malls, Markets and Parks.

Link to Built Environment

• It helps us to understand more of the environment and why

these buildings may possibly have been built out of those materials.

• It also helps us to know how long these buildings may last →

enables us to be more mindful of the environment and care for the community.

Together as One Community

Thank you!

Above: A scenic view of Bukit Panjang. Below: A picture of a train which does not run

• anymore. There used to be an old railway

station (and track) near Railway Mall but has closed down permanently. Above: An Urban Farm located at BUkit Panjang Hill Community Farm.

IDU 109 Group 7

Other places in Bukit Panjang:

Citations

• Association, People's. "Senja-Cashew Community Club". Pa.

gov.sg. N.p., 2016. Web. 29 June 2016.

• "Getting Here". Bukitpanjangplaza.com.sg. N.p., 2016. Web.

29 June 2016.

• Lim, Stacey. "Bukit Panjang’s First Hawker Centre Sees

Sizeable Crowds On Opening Day". Channel NewsAsia. N.p.,

• 2016. Web. 29 June 2016.
• Parks, National. "Zhenghua Nature Park". Google.com.sg. N.

p., 2016. Web. 29 June 2016.