Revamped *Scape ready by end-2025, rest of youth spaces in Somerset to be completed by end-2027

SINGAPORE – Youth hangout *Scape will be progressively ready for public use by the end of 2025, said the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) on Feb 8.

The building, located in Orchard Link, has been closed for physical upgrading since February 2023, as

part of a masterplan to revitalise the Somerset Belt.

Some new features will include more spaces for youth entrepreneurs, as well as digital and physical spaces for content creators.

Upgraded community dance spaces on levels four and five of *Scape are already open for use, while the other spaces within the building are still undergoing renovation.

MCCY said in a statement on Feb 8 that the physical redevelopment of the rest of the Somerset Belt will kick off by the first half of 2026 and be completed by end-2027.

Its statement came in conjunction with the first of a series of workshops in a youth engagement campaign held on the same day.

*Scape declined to share more details on the planned upgrades for the building.

The redevelopment of Somerset Belt spans multiple sites in Somerset Road, Exeter Road and Devonshire Road, covering more than 8,714 sq m of space.

This is the stretch between the Youth Park and Somerset Skate Park, and features the graffiti wall and an elevated stage for performances at the Youth Park as well as the area between Somerset Skate Park and the 111 Somerset mall.

Thirty youth volunteers will be involved in the series of three workshops, during which they will propose ideas to include in or remove from the masterplan.

They will also be asked to give more specific directions on site layouts, and suggest activities to be held along the Somerset Belt.

They will work directly with architects, planners, *Scape and government agencies on the detailed design of the rest of the Somerset precinct, taking on the role of co-designers.

This first workshop was a two-day overnight camp held at *Scape from Feb 8 to Feb 9, where participants brainstormed on how to make the Somerset Belt more meaningful for youth.

They toured the area at night to gain first-hand insights into how people interact with the spaces.

Among the 30 participants was Mr Isaac Goh, 27, a gym co-founder, who hopes the upgraded Somerset Belt can bring youth together, especially those who may not have found their own hobbies or passions, and expose them to creative spaces.

He described the discussion as a “big idea bank”, to combine what the precinct means to different young people into potential designs for the area.

Mr Goh also wishes for more accessible roads and pavements, allowing different generations of pedestrians, families with baby prams, and people with pets to walk around the area together.

Other ideas raised during the session include an open space for community activities with a retractable roof, a skate park with features that cater to skaters of different proficiencies, and youth lounges similar to airline lounges.

Mr Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, attended the session on Feb 8.

“Think about the philosophies that helped us to design our nation, and apply some of these philosophies to design your Somerset Belt... and to think through what is most important to you,” Mr Tan told the participants.

“You’re not alone because you have all of these tools with you, all your great ideas, *Scape, MCCY, but we are also giving you access to architects and also planners... (who can) help you to think about things which are doable and practical,” he added.

The participants will later transfer their ideas into an interactive virtual sandbox environment on online gaming platform Roblox to see how they pan out, and make adjustments accordingly.

In the later stages, volunteers will reach out to more youth to get them to join the campaign through interactive roadshows and activities.