SWORDFISH PLAZA
Civic, Public
Architecture, Urban Design, Placemaking
Singapore
Playground collaborators: Playpoint
A wave of blue washes down from the Upper Plaza to the Lower Plaza of Bukit Merah Town Centre via a flight of cascading Ripple Steps. This new injection of life into the heart of the neighbourhood creates a host of new exciting social encounters within its various zones.
The Malay folklore, “Singapura Dilanggar Todak”, depicts a boy’s brilliant idea to line the beaches of Singapore with banana tree trunks to ward off recurring swordfish attacks.
This story inspires the placement of a series of swordfish-themed play sculptures and murals to flow through the plaza. The red flooring of the playground and the reddish wavy roof over the event space mimics the red water which the defeated swordfish found themselves in. Various rest spaces such as the picnic circle, pavilions and green pods are weaved into the playscapes, fitness areas and event spaces.
Loose yellow furniture such as benches, seats and tables are scattered across the plaza to create a strong identity for the neighbourhood centre. Lamp posts inspired by its trunk and flower line the plaza as a tribute to the unsung hero of the story, the banana tree.
Swordfish Plaza is an urban intervention located at Bukit Merah Town Centre that connects Jalan Bukit Merah and Bukit Merah Central. Inspired by the local legend of swordfish attack, the design proposal aims to revitalise the urban corridor with thematic elements related to the legend. At the same time, the values of education and play are infused within our design, targeting residents and visitors of all ages.
Majority of the walkway is covered in granolithic floor finish due to its flexibility in creating a wide range of colours and cost-efficiency in term of construction. The overall colour pattern follows the gradient of the blue sea from one end to the other, and only the heart of the plaza is highlighted in red, resembling the red waters left by the defeated swordfish. Blue wavy floor patterns create a dynamic transition experience as one walk through the plaza.
As the wavy granolithic gradient flows towards the Upper Plaza where the playground is situated, a contrasting red gradient EPDM floor is used to create a transition from hard walkway to a playful and safe environment for children of various ages to enjoy the swordfish-themed playground. EPDM is used to construct undulating ground and mounts. A 3m wide buffer space is provided on all sides of the red zone to create spacious pedestrian walkways guided by the blue wavy floor pattern. Playful structures and interactive features are shaped like swordfish gliding through the undulating waves, allowing children to engage in imaginative play while learning about local history. The playground then becomes a landmark and focal point of the town centre which immerses children in the legend’s narrative. Play equipment and safety clearance is designed with compliance of playground safety standard ASTM1487.
The playground consists of 2 play zones, one is suitable for children between the age of 2 and 5, and the another is suitable for children aged 5 to 12. The former play zone is designed for toddlers and preschoolers, focusing on safety with soft, impact absorbing surfaces and rounded edges. They feature lower, simpler structures to promote physical development, balance, and coordination. These playgrounds encourage social interaction, imaginative play, and early cognitive skills with interactive, sensory, and themed elements. The latter play zone prioritises safety with soft surfacing and regular maintenance necessary for a more adventurous play. They foster physical, social, and cognitive development through inclusive and interactive features. Accessibility ensures all children can participate, creating an engaging, visually appealing, and inclusive space for active and imaginative play.
Separate by the linear arrangement of the playground, the elderly fitness area is located on both sides of the playground which increase the chance of interaction between the elderly and the young ones. The fitness area provides equipment for physical exercise, suitable for users of all ages. They include pull-up bars, balance beams, and cardio stations. These areas promote physical health, strength, and coordination, encouraging active lifestyles and offering opportunities for family fitness and community engagement in outdoor settings.
At the centre of the Upper Plaza, our proposal celebrates the glorious rain tree with a gently sloping mount towards it, creating a comfortable Picnic Circle where residents and visitors can sit around the trees. Numerous loose yellow urban furniture is also provided on the flat area of the upper plaza to flexibly accommodate users of different group sizes. Seating areas and sheltered social pods on the Upper Plaza offer rest and observation spots for parents, caregivers, children and the elderly alike. They provide a place for social interaction, supervision, and relaxation, enhancing the overall playground experience by ensuring comfort and convenience for visitors.
The Upper and Lower Plazas are connected by the Ripple Steps, a wave-themed staircase. Green pods are scattered on different levels to create small pockets of tree-shaded areas. When there are performances taking place on the stage, the Ripple Steps becomes a place for audiences to enjoy the performance from a higher ground. The value of play also extends to this staircase area, where a slide and fun climbing fixtures are installed and highlighted in a contrasting shade of yellow. Lamp posts inspired by its trunk and flower line the plaza as a tribute to the unsung hero of the legend, The Banana Tree. Right besides the Ripple Steps, an existing wall is extended and used as information boards to display information about the history of Bukit Merah. Swordfish murals are painted on the elevations of Tanjong Pagar Town Council, Block 162 and Bukit Merak Central Food Centre to interact with the metaphorical waves that flow through the plaza. The swordfish murals move in a direction that glides from the Upper Plaza to the Lower Plaza, continuing the flow of the swordfish play sculptures within the Upper Plaza.
Right in front of the staircase, a wave-themed ETFE lightweight shelter is provided to cover the originally unsheltered space for various social events such as performances and pasar malam. This Wave Roof is imprinted with customised texture and patterns, where interesting shadows is casted to simulate the sun’s rays on the sea floor.
The stage is inspired by a sunny island set in the sea, where an irregularly shaped platform is highlighted in brown. Curved steps wrap around the stage, making it accessible from all direction. These steps are also casual seating areas. A ramp is included for wheelchair users.
The existing trees at the Lower Plaza closer to Jalan Bukit Merah are retained and our proposal designs around these existing canopies. Circular tree grates of contrasting colours with wavy openings are added to transit from the granolithic finish. Social gathering pods such as pavilions, chess playing tables and urban furniture are provided for different activities. These pods are arranged to create unrestricted paths towards the Upper Plaza from Jalan Bukit Merah. The design of the social furniture in a consistent yellow theme gives the Plaza a clear identity.
At the entrance closer to Jalan Bukit Merah, a simple spring bicycle rack is also provided to invite cyclists to use slow down and use the Swordfish Plaza as a pedestrian zone. Red brick walls at the Lower Plaza entrance act as both a visual barrier to the blocks around, and also a signage possibility. The use of red bricks pay homage to the history of Bukit Merah as it was famous for its red brick production in the last century. Sign board of BUKIT MERAH TOWN CENTRE is also displayed in contrasting orange tone to attract attention.
