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#32: Field Notes - An Exploration of the Greater Southern Waterfront: Labrador Park

  • Writer: Wen Xin Ng
    Wen Xin Ng
  • Mar 11, 2023
  • 1 min read

Updated: Sep 5, 2023

Signed up for GTA's field trip to explore Berlayer Creek, one of two mangroves located in the south of mainland Singapore. The trip also extended to Labrador Park, which is built on the edge of a secondary forest. Sharing my takeaways from the trip here:


Takeaways for student consumption: click on image to expand :~)



Takeaways for teacher consumption:

Possible applications to Sec 1 GI:

  • Adapting "Sensory Geography" scaffold for field observations (Refer to Slide 4 above)


  • Survey123: Collecting data of fieldsite (e.g. temperature at specific points) and generating heat maps to show trends (if any)

    • Sample from GI by NUS High School of Mathematics and Science: here.

    • Can potentially show how vegetation cover lowers temperature of the environment


  • Deepening connections (drawing links to other case studies)

On the topic of urban rejuvenation and the Greater Southern Waterfront, we discussed the plans announced by the government in 2019 to transform the southern stretch of Singapore into "The Greater Southern Waterfront". This entails a massive urban transformation that intends to set in motion urban rejuvenation without compromising the character of the neighbourhoods, and at the same time, encouraging economic growth and bring jobs and amenities closer to residents.

One area specifically flagged out for future development is the Pasir Panjang Power District. Built in the 1950s and 60s, the power district occupies the waterfront and is currently a derelict throwback to our industrial past. Dystopian buildings with rusted gates are locked away in a history of yesteryears - which, in is currently repurposed as an event space largely for indie acts (currently managed by 24owlssg). A parallel was drawn to the 're:Sewoon Project' in Seoul, South Korea in 2014, where the government decided to resurrect Sewoon District no. 4, an urban industrial area in Seoul. The success of the regeneration-without-demolition project was highlighted, and we then considered what are some elements/approach Singapore can potentially take in rejuvenating the Pasir Panjang Power District.

On this note, we can bring in case studies from other countries on the development of nature areas, and juxtapose them against that of Dairy Farm Nature Park's (DFNP), in getting students to consider:

  • How may the landuse of DFNP change in the next 20-30 years?

  • How can we sustainably manage/ develop DFNP and its surrounding area?

Note to self:

  • We can provide historical imagery (aerial view/old pictures) to allow students to contrast the changes in/around DFNP to better appreciate the context and/or propose solutions.


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