Forum: Design multi-storey carparks to include sports facilities
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Singapore has to make careful use of its limited land. As we continue building infrastructure and community facilities, perhaps we should consider how a single piece of land can serve more than one purpose.
One opportunity is our multi-storey carparks (MSCPs). When a new estate is planned, could suitable MSCPs be designed from the outset to incorporate dedicated sports or recreational facilities?
This could increase the amount of sports provision within an estate without requiring separate land parcels for every facility.
With multiple MSCPs within an estate, this could potentially provide residents with a greater variety of facilities while making better use of land already allocated for parking.
The facility need not be the same at every location and could depend on the site’s surroundings and the needs of the community. An MSCP at the edge of an estate, beside a major road or with suitable buffers could accommodate noisier activities such as football or basketball. One surrounded more closely by residential blocks could instead have a running track, fitness equipment or other quieter activities.
The important point is to consider the sports facility during the design stage, rather than first constructing an MSCP and later looking for space to convert.
Such facilities would give residents of all ages more convenient opportunities for exercise, recreation and community activities close to home.
Mohamad Nurhafiz Mohd Noor