Policy Memo Regarding to Covid in Singapore

Course Code: SCO201

Title: TMA01

COVID-19: The severe impact on placemaking

Back when the circuit breaker was implemented by the government, a friend immediately

sent me pictures showing the before and aftermath of my neighbourhood recreational centre,

Our Tampines Hub (OTH). The distinction between the photos could not have been any

clearer, a hub once bustling with people throughout the day had turned into what he described

as a “ghost-hub” overnight with an exception of some F&B outlets.

Even OTH, a place dubbed as a place of many places, opened in 2017 to replace the run-

down Tampines stadium, an integrated hub that encompassed all mediums of leisure, from

sports facilities to libraries and countless of retail and F&B outlets (worldachitecture.org,

October 2020). It had been designed to be public space that draws people together, where

friends run into each other and people of different ages and cultures mix, otherwise known as

placemaking.

It then dawned upon me that a place that advocates a model of shared economies and

placemaking experiences would not be spared by these social distancing measures.

Prior to these social distancing measures, my grandfather who belongs to our pioneer

generation would fervently head down to OTH every weekday to meet his friends for coffee.

Now, cooped up at home, he would share with me how he and his usual group of elderly

friends would sign up for the activities provided by OTH such as breadmaking and pottery.

He shares what he missed the most was the open-air plaza, where there is a stage and a large

theatre-sized screen where he and his friends would chat over the programs or movies

screened.

Just last week, I as I headed down to OTH to takeaway lunch, I noticed the plaza had all the

chairs removed, staged cordoned off. It made me realise that the impact of social distancing

greatly affects placemaking, even more so to the pioneer generation of Singaporeans who are

largely technology illiterate that rely on these common spaces to interact with others, keeping

their mind and body active.

Currently, retail outlets have been allowed to continue and people have been allowed to dine

out. However, the economic impacts brought about by social distancing measures is clearly

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seen. Many small shop owners unable to keep up with their overheads in OTH has winded-

up. The design and construction industry had shrunk by 21.8% (Arcadis, 2020) due to supply

chain disruptions amongst many other factors, evident by the postponed rooftop eco-garden

project at OTH.

Events where people gather to share common interest, such as my grandfather’s pottery

classes, cancelled. This hinders the potential that placemaking has in creating jobs for these

talented artists and cultivating heritage. They are the people that place make and bring life to

our city through their activities and performances (S.F, April 2020).

Some may say, why not go digital? Digitalisation is not the core of their business and having

to transit to that medium would require funding and outsourcing from production companies.

Furthermore, many of these cultural workshops require hands-on materials and equipment.

Although the social distancing measures from the circuit breaker are temporary, the socio-

cultural and economic ramifications that it has on placemaking will be present till a vaccine is

developed. (S. Khalik, July 2020)

Social distancing may be in the best interest for our lives and health. However, the bottom

line is that social distancing’s aim is to ultimately reduce movement and interactions in all

spaces and places where there may be reasons to congregate. This pandemic has been

disrupting every aspects of our lives, and placemaking is not an exception. (594 words)

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References

1. (Arcadis, 2020)

Navigating the POST COVID 19 Landscape for Singapore Construction. (n.d.).

Arcadis. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.arcadis.com/en/asia/our-

perspectives/navigating-the-post-covid-19-landscape-for-singapore-construction/

2. (S.F, April 2020)

Hoe, S. F. (2020, April 23). Helping the Singapore arts sector survive the Covid-19

crisis. TODAYonline. https://www.todayonline.com/commentary/helping-singapore-

arts-sector-survive-covid-19-crisis

3. (S. Khalik, July 2020)

Khalik, S. (2020, July 5). At least one more year of living with Covid-19, Singapore

News & Top. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/at-least-one-

more-year-of-living-with-covid-19

4. (worldachitecture.org, October 2020)

Our Tampines Hub. (2018, October 7). Worldarchitecture.Org.

https://worldarchitecture.org/architecture-projects/hczcm/our_tampines_hub-project-

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