Wanted: Ideas for revamp of Marina Bay's floating platform

The Float @ Marina Bay was built as a temporary stage in 2007, but it has since become a popular venue for national and community events. Mindef and URA are now seeking public suggestions for facilities and activities for the new, permanent space tha
The Float @ Marina Bay was built as a temporary stage in 2007, but it has since become a popular venue for national and community events. Mindef and URA are now seeking public suggestions for facilities and activities for the new, permanent space that will replace the floating platform and be renamed NS Square. ST FILE PHOTO

Suggestions for facilities and activities are being sought for the new, permanent space that will replace The Float @ Marina Bay and be renamed NS Square.

The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) and the Ministry of National Development are inviting the public to submit their suggestions at https://ura.sg/artsculturefeedback until May 24, or at http://www.nssquare.sg until June 30.

Members of the public can also suggest ideas on exhibits they would like to see at a new gallery dedicated to national servicemen, the ministries said in a statement yesterday.

The Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) will launch a call for an expression of interest (EOI) for the redevelopment of The Float @ Marina Bay in the second quarter of this year.

The DSTA will also launch a request for proposals for the design and development of the themed gallery.

The statement said that parties with experience in projects of a similar nature and scale are welcome to participate in the EOI.

Interested tenderers need to form multidisciplinary consultant teams to provide full professional consultancy services and submit their design proposals.

These services comprise architectural, civil and structural engineering, and mechanical and electrical engineering works, as well as quantity surveying, security design, seating gallery design and exhibition gallery design.

The members of the public can view the selected design for the new NS Square at an exhibition next year, with more details to be released in the future.

The Float @ Marina Bay was built as a temporary stage in 2007, but it has since become a popular venue for national and community events, such as the River Hongbao, Marina Bay Singapore Countdown and National Day Parade.

In 2017, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that the floating platform would be redeveloped and turned into a vibrant space for arts, culture and sports activities all year round.

The redevelopment will also improve pedestrian connectivity and provide a continuous loop around Marina Bay.

Currently, several limitations to the structure exist as the platform was not designed for long-term use.

Event organisers often face difficulties in staging events at the venue as only basic facilities are provided, the ministries said in the statement.

Access to the waterfront has also been restricted during event days, which affects public enjoyment of Marina Bay, the statement added.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 30, 2019, with the headline Wanted: Ideas for revamp of Marina Bay's floating platform. Subscribe