Singapore is a very small island. In fact, it is one of the smallest nations in the world, as we would all probably know by now. To top up to that constraint, Singapore is extremely populated. With 5 million people and such a small area of land, we rank the 3rd in the world in terms of population density. This just tells you how much Singapore is so cramped up and squeezed up. Hence, we definitely need more space to increase our space.
Over the years the government has been very efficient in ensuring that every inch of land put to its full use. The government has been strategic when it comes to selecting the areas to built infrastructure and also the type of infrastructure. For example, in many HDB flats and even some condominiums, it is common to spot retail shops usually at the ground level of these buildings. This way the land use is mixed. The Pinnacle and Paxton apartment is a good example of a building that serves retail and residential purposes. Suntec City would be a decent example of a building that serves both commercial and retail purposes. We also observe that buildings are densely built. Tessellation plays a helpful part in increasing land space.
We also observe that the structure and features within the buildings itself are also designed to conserve space. Many buildings make use of multi-storey car parks. This 'stacking' can further increase the efficiency of land use. Essentially building upwards is multiplying the piece of land by the number of storeys you choose to build. If there are car parks above ground, there definitely are underground car parks that are mostly used in private buildings. These two types of car parks are so commonly seen nowadays!
Transport has been very cleverly designed to save space as well. MRT stations and interchanges are quite common nowadays. It is also very common to see an MRT station or interchange that is located above ground. Examples of such would be the Choa Chu Kang MRT Station and the Woodlands Interchange. Expressways for private vehicles are also underground. Examples are the Central Expressway and the Kallang Paya Lebar. Similar to the car park example above, expressways are built to be above ground too. An example would be the Bukit Timah Expressway.
In addressing the issue of land scarcity our government has undoubtedly done a very good job. In future, we are certain to prosper. (Well maybe not with a slightly new cabinet).
It is a fact that land is a very scarce resource for Singapore and the government is pushing out new ways to tackle this limitation. Besides maximizing the use of the land, there is also the method of reclaiming land where reclaimed land has stand a staggering 10% of our total land. This extra land allowed for the development of both the economical and residential usage.
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