Alyson Michelle Lee Zi-ying, Ho Mun Yee, Mindy, Lau Seow Boon Damien, Sia Chi Hon, Tan Ying Ling Cheryl Ann
Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari
Industry Advisor: UCI
The NUS campus has several high maintenance low-use landscaped areas. Our project, a case study of Lovers Park (CLB, NUS), was aimed at identifying key design elements that can assist in transforming such spaces to high-value landscapes that are more relevant to user needs. Our field work used timelapse videos, to identify and evaluate space use patterns. Our initial results indicated that the park is under-utilised, possibly due to location and limited flexibility in its use. This was corroborated in an interview with a long-serving staff in CLB. Next, we quantitatively measured and analysed user perception of the park, and their receptiveness to alternative design solutions, through a survey. Results indicated weather variability, poor maintenance, and pests as key deterrents in the existing design. Our analysis also indicated that value-added functionality plays the determining role in the use of open spaces from a student perspective. We recommend that the design and purpose of outdoor spaces on campus should be re-directed flexibly to cater to evolving stakeholders needs.
Keywords: Built Environment & Green Infrastructure, Green spaces, Urban Design