Savills Singapore appointed as consultant project manager for Geylang Serai Cultural Belt rejuvenation

The winning team for the Geylang Serai Cultural Belt Design Competition comprised of: Savills Singapore Pte Ltd as Project Manager, BDP Architects (Southeast Asia) Pte Ltd as the Architect, SC Consultants Pte Ltd as the Civil and Structural engineer, W2Square Consultancy Pte Ltd as the Mechanical and Electrical engineer, and DK Outsource Pte Ltd as the Quantity Surveyor.

The winning team is commissioned to develop the design and to oversee the project's implementation with several agencies: People's Association, Housing Board, National Environment Agency, and the Land Transport Authority.

The Geylang Serai Cultural Belt is a historic area in Singapore known for its rich cultural heritage and bustling markets. The project aims to enhance the public realm and gateway to the cultural belt, adding vibrancy and strengthening the collective cultural identity of the area. The project will transform the area into a dynamic cultural destination, and Savills Project Management team’s key focus is to ensure the success of the execution while minimising the impact on the community during the construction period.

The works on sprucing up the Geylang Serai Market and Joo Chiat Complex as well as the construction of the iconic arch anchored at the corner of Geylang Serai Market and Tristar Inn will commence in Q2 2023 and are expected to be completed in Q2 2024.

Improvements will include: new bicycle parking areas, shared pathways for walking and cycling, resting benches, new designated wheelchair pick-up areas, a new canopy at the entrance of Joo Chiat Complex, a pavilion, resting areas with benches, a sheltered linkway to the bus stop, ramps, bicycle racks, and a children's play area.

Bryan Tung, Associate Director of Project Management at Savills Singapore says, "Savills played a crucial role in assessing the on-site conditions and leveraging on our past experiences to identify potential design issues during the construction phase. Our Project Management and Qualified Professionals (QP) Team worked collaboratively with internal stakeholders, the client, relevant government agencies, retail tenants, and hawker association representatives to ensure effective communication and engagement. We worked with the architect to map out the project timeline and obtain approval before awarding the contract to the contractor.”

Vincent Lau, Senior Director of Project Management at Savills Singapore, adds, “The successful execution of this project requires careful planning and execution due to the project's unique requirements. With the area being densely populated and the need to complete the project within a tight construction timeline, it is crucial to minimise disruptions to the bazaar during the month of Ramadan. Our involvement in this project also presents an opportunity to contribute to Singapore's rich cultural heritage preservation. As such, the team is fully committed to delivering this project with excellence, ensuring the betterment of the community and future generations.”

Marcus Loo, Chief Executive Officer at Savills Singapore says, “"The Savills Project Management team is proud to have played an instrumental role in the Geylang Serai community project, where we had the opportunity to apply our innovative and consultative expertise to provide tailored solutions that make a real difference at a grassroots level. We feel extremely privileged to be have been selected as part of a community-wide initiative at Geylang Serai, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact that the revamped and revitalized space will have on everyone upon completion.”

Marcus adds, “Our involvement in this community project is a testament to Savills’ commitment to making a positive, lasting impact in the communities we serve, and we will continue to leverage our expertise to drive meaningful change, create value and deliver exceptional results for our clients and stakeholders.”

Alexander Chng, Architect Director at BDP Architects says, “Our vision aims to connect Geylang Serai’s rich historical culture and heritage, the present urban narrative and the community’s aspirations for the future through a cultural experiential journey. The design is inspired from elements of the Malay community’s everyday culture and are interpreted into a palette of urban design apparatus and principles – from the living room as the central communal space of the Malay kampong home to the festive garment and textile of Kain Songket that is worn for festive celebrations.

Alexander adds, “As a symbol of progression and modernity, we have designed a contemporary gateway arch at the crossroads of the cultural belt, representing the evolution of the place and its context using modern materials and adapting the language of the pitch roof of kampong houses. From a public realm perspective, we see this project as a catalyst, where the urban design language that is curated for this project, will bring together the various rejuvenation strategies across the Geylang Serai cultural precinct.”

Through ground-up feedback and communication with stakeholders, Savills Singapore was able to confirm the design, timeframe, and budget for the project to edge up and be appointed as the choice consultant project manager. The entire pitching process took three months, and the official announcement for roll-out followed soon after. The main contractor has now been appointed and preparatory works are in progress for work commencement for the revitalisation of the Geylang Serai Cultural Belt.

The Geylang Serai project is just one example of Savills Singapore's commitment to excellence in the real estate industry. This rejuvenation exercise was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the National Day Rally in 2018 and is being led by Dr Maliki Osman, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Education and Foreign Affairs, with lead representations from the PA and URA, alongside other public sector agencies.