Liveability of ground level circulation space in public housing an evidence based study

Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Liveability of Ground-level Circulation Space in Public Housing Neighbourhood: An Evidence-based Study Dr TO Kien1 Adjunct Assistant Professor, Architecture and Sustainable Design Dr CHONG Keng Hua2 Assistant Professor, Architecture and Sustainable Design HA Tshui Mum3 Research Assistant, Architecture and Sustainable Design 123 Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Singapore Somapah Road, Singapore 487372 Corresponding author Email: chongkenghua@sutd.edu.sg Targeted track: Street and Liveability Abstract: This paper seeks to investigate how ground-level public circulation space in Singapore public housing neighbourhoods is used by diverse user groups, towards improving their liveability Yuhua estate is chosen as a case study Studied circulation spaces include sheltered linkways, ground-floor corridors, foot paths, as well as parks, playgrounds, pavilions, ‘void decks’ and ‘parklets’, through which people move past Our study stems around a hypothesis that residents, on-site workers and passers-by use those spaces in ways that are, in some cases, different from its original function, and similar to how people used conventional ‘street space’ In particular, the study aims to find out how and how often they use it, and how they perceive those spaces The paper focuses on multiple qualitative research methods including urban mapping, observations and participatory workshops The mapping output, comprising of various maps of social, commercial, sports and community precinct amenities, has shown that different amenities were distributed throughout the neighbourhood and in close proximity with each other Their uses could be complementary Observation sessions at several circulation spaces within people’s ‘home-zone’ have also revealed interesting insights They help calibrate usage patterns of those spaces over time, and show that reasonable proximity induces the strolling of users between them The observations have also uncovered unexpected activities, casual interactions, spontaneous community life in informal or ‘pop-up’ spaces, or at ‘crossroads’ of various circulation footpaths around a more formal public space Finally, the participatory workshops with residents of different ages, genders and ethnicity have provided self-reported in-depth understanding from the users on their perception of these circulation spaces Based on these findings, less planned or unplanned spaces around planned circulation spaces could contribute to unexpected yet important social life Keywords: Street space, circulation space, public housing, liveability, Singapore Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Introduction Urban streets are usually places of economic, social and cultural significance, and the character of streets reflects the image of the cities When the streetscape changes over time such as historical periods, the image of the city also changes accordingly Since its founding in 1819, Singapore - the island of 716.1 km2 in Southeast Asia - has undergone tremendous physical transformation from a British colonial territory to a young sovereign state (Turnbull, 2009) In the ‘New Settlement’ stage (1819-1826), major ethnic groups were segregated into various specifically demarcated areas with bustling streets along the Singapore River One of the most significant dwelling forms at this stage was the ‘shophouse’, with its associated ‘five-foot-way’, foremost seen in the Chinatown area In this housing form, the upper floor projects out to the street, resulting in the formation of the covered sidewalk underneath, which shields pedestrians from the sun and rain, often known as the ‘five-foot way” (five feet wide), or verandah-way This is the transition space between the street and the buildings, and it also provides some extra space for the shops to spread out their merchandise during business hours, as well as for informal vending activities (Fig 1) In 1822, Sir Stamford Raffles who governed Singapore instructed to standardize this form Thus, the five-foot way became a popular and essential element in urban architecture throughout the Straits Settlements (including Singapore) and other parts of Malay Peninsula (Wan Ismail, 2005) The function of the traditional streets in old Malaya are also places for social interaction whereby the crowds on the streets primarily engaged in selling and buying activities, either along street sides or in five-foot ways (Shuhana and Ahmad Bashri, 2002) Fig Activities along a five-foot way (Source: NLB Memory Project) By the turn of the 20th century, the downtown area of Singapore had become quite overcrowded, with severe traffic congestions and uncontrolled slum growth In 1960, Housing and Development Board (HDB) was established, which had successfully tackled the housing crisis of the burgeoning population (HDB, 2015) In the past five decades of nation building, HDB has played an important role as a key driver of ‘nation building’ by continually improving its public housing system Today, over 80% of Singapore’s population is accommodated in numerous public housing estates island-wide The HDB housing neighbourhoods have been typically planned and designed based on the concept of ‘precincts’, where amenities are distributed relatively evenly amidst clusters of housing blocks Internal roads are small and often one-way, which primarily serve car traffic, and not for social interactions At a glance, a typical HDB housing typology looks very Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 different from the traditional shophouse settlements Yet its ground floors, sheltered by the units above, could possibly relate to the environmental feature of traditional five-foot way This ground-floor corridor often links with the subsequently added sheltered linkways at both ends of the block, forming an extended weather-proof circulation passageway In some blocks, one could also find small kiosks selling knick knacks on the ground floor, spreading their merchandise shelves along the corridor Selling and buying activities, shop browsing, casual encounters and greetings, people’s lingering and interactions, etc in a sheltered, linear space, all constitute to some form of social life within HDB estates Often unnoticed, such social life extends to other parts of the ‘void decks’1 (including the lift lobby), forming a larger, networklike social realm underneath and in-between the blocks Table show a typology of various forms of ground-level circulation spaces – which are the focus of this paper - in a typical HDB neighbourhood, including ground-floor corridors, sheltered linkway, foot paths, playgrounds, open pavilions, void decks and ‘parklets’2 Table Typology of various ground-level circulation spaces in HDB neighbourhoods Corridor / Sheltered Linkway / Foot path Void deck Playground Open pavilion / Parklet Pass-through Cut-across Cut-across Cut-across Void decks are ground floor areas that are often intentionally left empty, but are considered important common areas for social activities in public housing in Singapore The idea was introduced in the 1970s to serve both relatively permanent uses (kindergartens, childcare centres, small commercial kiosks) and temporary ones (weddings, funerals, celebrations, casual gatherings, sitting) Void decks function as lobby lounges to enhance the sense of belonging to communities, or as spaces for events organized by the Residents’ Committees (Chong et al, 2017) A parklet in HDB estate context is designed and planned by the HDB to provide a quick resting cum social interaction space for residents It is a special corner usually furnished with comfortable wooden benches and decorative planters, and placed at an end of a void deck, where pedestrain traffic is usually busy Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Case study The residential neighbourhood of Yuhua estate, Jurong East town (Fig.2) is taken as the case study This neighbourhood is a site for a larger research project that studies liveability of public space at the neighbourhood scale, as perceived by diverse user groups There is a total of 38 housing blocks The nearest regional centre Jurong Gateway - a transportation, commercial and office hub for the Western part (and in future, all) of Singapore - is about 1520 minute walking distant from Yuhua The site consists of all the typical ground-level circulation space described earlier, namely sheltered linkway, ground-floor corridors, foot paths, parks, playgrounds, pavilions, void decks and two ‘parklets’ under the void decks designed and built by HDB Our study stems around a hypothesis that residents, on-site workers and passers-by use some of the ground-level circulation spaces in ways that are different from its original function, and in some cases, similar to the ways people used ‘street space’ in Singapore in the past In particular, the study aims to find out how and how often they use it, and how they perceive those circulation spaces In this study, we adopt multiple qualitative research methods including urban mapping, observations and participatory workshops Fig Map of Yuhua estate, Jurong East (Source: Onemap.sg) Qualitative data collection and findings The different qualitative research methods provided different data points, and some of them are complementary For instance, mapping outcomes can facilitate the decision-making of where to conduct observation These observations, in turn, may uncover some interesting phenomena, which can be explained by residents themselves who attend the participatory workshop The followings are selected findings Site mapping In order to study liveability of various public spaces, we map all the amenities and facilities in Yuhua by layers, each represents one of the five categories:  Commercial facilities: Shop, kiosk, eating house, coffee shop  Social amenities: Healthcare, childcare, community club, eldercare, mosque, temple, Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016    National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Sports and recreational facilities: Fitness stations/jogging tracks, reflexology footpaths, playgrounds, landscape parks, community gardens, hard/multi-purpose courts, grass fields (for sorts) Precinct and community facilities: Fixed seating area, sheltered linkway, bicycle parking, precinct pavilion/pavilion shelter, drop-off porch, unsheltered footpath, low stage, low stage Others: Void deck loose furniture, liminal space, residents’ committee (RC)’s office Circulation spaces appear in the three last categories: Sports and recreational facilities, precinct and community facilities, and others Figure shows a map that combines selected elements of these three layers Fig Site mapping of Yuhua estate (Source: Authors) This mapping has shown that the circulation spaces - especially the sheltered linkways, ground-floor corridors and the void decks underneath the blocks - are seamlessly interlinked, and well linked with the nearest transportation points such as bus stops They create a pedestrian network inside the neighbourhood, which is somewhat similar to a ‘street’ network inside a neighbourhood Site observation The technique of naturalistic (or non-participant) observation is employed as one of the data collection methods in this study This technique is crucial, as what people may be different from what they report The ultimate goal of conducting observation is to achieve an in-depth understanding of the people’s daily routines and activities, particularly with regards to how public spaces (including circulation) are utilized as ‘street spaces’ in HDB neighborhood contexts, and whether they contribute to a sociable and neighbourly living environment Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Observation deployed in this study includes both spatial (three clusters of observation sites each consists of three adjacent public spaces) and temporal (weekday and weekend) dimensions Specifically, circulation sites include pathways, void decks, parklet, and sheltered linkways Table shows an example of the observation framework for one full day of each observer, who is in charge of one cluster of three adjacent public spaces Table Observation framework for one full day of each observer (7AM-7PM) Remark 07:00 - 07:10 08:00 - 08:10 09:00 - 09:10 07:15 - 07:25 08:15 - 08:25 09:15 - 09:25 07:30 - 07:40 08:30 - 08:40 09:30 - 09:40 In each hour, a 10-minute observation is conducted at one specific site … 18:00 - 18:10 … 18:15 - 18:25 … 18:30 - 18:40 END 20 transit to Site + break Site 3: Linkway transit to Site Site 2: Void deck transit to Site Site 1: Pavilion Pathway The pathway (Fig 4) selected in this observation exercise is an open and wide pavement located amidst a few residential blocks with a pavilion at one end, overlooking a sports field and a mosque, and leading to a nearby bus stop along the main road At the other end of this pathway, there are shops and coffee shop across the road, where the residents usually stop by for food and get their daily necessities Fig The broad pathday in the observation exercise (Source: Authors) It was observed that there was a general crowd that passed by throughout the day during the weekday, especially youths in the early morning, as they made a transit through this pathway to the bus stop and then commute to school, as well as around pm when they came back from school (see Appendix: Diagram 1) There was another crowd of adults in the early morning and evening as they commuted to work and vice versa As they walked past, some of them were either talking on or using their gadgets (Diagram 2) Another feature of this pathway is Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 that it is located in-between a playground and a childcare centre There was a large crowd of children that passed by in the weekday’s morning as well, as their teachers brought them to the playground during their break times (Diagram 3) The younger population seemed to barely use this pathway as a transitional space, while the elderly group did more activities along it during the weekday Some of the elderly took a rest on the benches along the pathway and did people or nature watching from noon to afternoon In addition, some elderly greeted and talked to their friends or neighbours as they walked past, while others did reading and exercise at this pathway (Diagram 4) Nevertheless, there were smaller crowds of children and youth population along this pathway during the weekend There were just a few of them walking past the pathway throughout the day, and in the late afternoon they were concurrently doing some other activities such as people watching, using gadgets, or eating (Diagram and 6) On the other hand, during the weekend, there was a slight increase of the number of adults passing along this pathway (as compared to the weekday), although most of the activities were observed later in the afternoon (Diagram 7) Other than simply walking past, many adults did exercise and people watching along it Some of them also spent some time sitting on benches, using gadgets, or talking to their friends and neighbors In other words, the adults spent longer time along this pathway later in the afternoon of the weekend However, the crowd of the elderly during the weekend appeared to be about the same as the one during the weekday In addition to simply walking past the pathway, various activities were observed, such as people watching, using gadgets, reading, eating, and talking to friends or neighbours (Diagram 8) Parklet The void deck parklet (Fig 5) observed in this study is located at the end of the block, which is a bustling junction between a few places: a sheltered linkway that connects to the adjacent residential block, a playground, and a community garden Fig The parklet in the observation exercise (Source: Authors) During the weekday, it was observed that some people made purposeful visits to the parklet, while some others made a casual stop to take a rest or to greet their friends and neighbours as they walked past There is an adjacent playground, to which parents or grandparents bring their children, while they sit at the parklet and watch out the children In the weekday’s late afternoon, there was a children crowd that mostly just walked past the parklet to access the playground (Diagram 9) They were accompanied by their guardians (an adult or elderly), who Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 were observed during the weekday’s late afternoon as well (Diagram 10 and 11) Thus, some children, adults, or elderly were observed roaming back and forth in-between the parklet and the playground There were also more different activities seen at the parklet within the adult population, such as using gadgets, petting or feeding stray cats, people watching, talking to friends or neighbours, and even caregiving to some elderly Youths only transited past the pathway (Diagram 12) On the weekend, the void deck parklet became more vibrant during the daytime There were bigger crowds of children, adults, and elderly from the morning through afternoon (Diagram 13, 14, and 15) Most of the children walked past with their parents or grandparents, and some talked to each other as they transited via the parklet Quite a number of adults made a purposeful stop to watch people, as well as to interact and talk with their friends or neighbours of the same or a different age group In the early morning, only small number of them spent some time here to exercise or pet stray cats The usage pattern of the parklet among the elderly population was similar to those of the adults, as many elderly stopped by the parklet to mingle and chit-chat with their friends and neighbors in the morning, other than people watching Youths remain relatively low in number (Diagram 16) Sheltered linkway The sheltered linkway (Fig 6) is a typical element in HDB neighborhood setting What makes this linkway unique and worth studying is that there are often loose chairs placed randomly along the linkway The linkway ends with a short staircase, which links to a row of shops at the ground-floor The shop owner even extends his merchandize display and spreads to the edge of the staircase Fig The sheltered linkway in the observation exercise (Source: Authors) It was observed that while some residents were sitting on the chairs, they interacted with the residents who were browsing at the shops This phenomenon happened mostly among the elderly people during the weekday, from morning through the afternoon (Diagram 17) As for the adults, although there were only a small number of them, variety of activities were seen along this linkway (Diagram 18) For instance, some of them used gadgets as they walked past, while some spent slightly longer here to smoke, eat take-away food, and talk to friends or neighbours In addition to these activities, during the weekday, most of them simply used this linkway as a transitional space throughout the day During the weekday, the crowds of children and youth population appeared to be even smaller along this linkway (Diagram 19 and 20) On the other hand, during the weekend, the sheltered linkway was observed to be more bustling with activities Many simply walked past, but there were a large number of adults and elderly browsing the shops from early morning till noon (Diagram 21 and 22) The adult Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 population was observed to be the most active group at this linkway during the weekend While most of the adults spent time there to interact and talk with their friends and neighbours, some others were watching people or using gadgets as they walked past Many elderly people were just sitting and watching people Meanwhile, the crowds of children and youth still remained relatively low (Diagram 23 and 24) Participatory workshops We have conducted two participatory workshops so far The first workshop was held in November 2015, with a total of 37 residents (15 male and 22 female) of different age groups (4 children and teenagers aged between 10-19, 23 young adults aged between 20-59, and 10 seniors aged 60 and above) The main part of the workshop was the activity “A picture worth a thousand words”, which comprised of three rounds In the first round, which aimed to understand residents’ perception of public spaces, the participants were shown 10 pictures showing different existing public spaces in the neighbourhood, and were asked to comment what they like or dislike the space – overall atmosphere, features, facilities, functions, material, spatial design, forms and shapes, size and volumes, etc In the second round, which aimed to better understand residents' opinions and preferences about public spaces, the participants were shown another 10 pictures showing different types of public spaces in Singapore or other countries, and were asked to comment based on their preference, and whether or not they would adopt in Yuhua estate In the last round, the participants were asked to write on coloured stickers their preferences and suggestions to create better public space environment and facilities, and stick them on a large site map at the locations where they want to see improvements or changes (Fig 7) Fig Scenes of the first participatory workshop (Source: Authors) The workshop provided a number of insights, including those related to circulation space For instance, a participant (female, 30s) mentioned that the trellis in colonnade form at a playground “has neither shading nor sheltering effect”, while two others stated that the walkway “is unsheltered” (male, 70s) and “should have shelter” (male, 10s), so it might be useless to protect passers through from sun and rain Regarding a stand-alone pavilion next to a football field, a couple of residents suggested that there should be a “covered walkway that link to this” (male, 30s) and “need a linkway to pavilion” (male, 30s, and female, 50s) because when it rains, one is only “able to stay under the pavilion, unable to move to other place” (male, 10s) A resident (female, 50s) finds the nearby landscaped park “an excellent place for jogging”, while another one (female, 50s) finds it a “good environment to walk around” However, another resident (female, 50s) stated that there were “too few benches” for resting Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 An interesting example in the second round attracted a number of comments was the “Home Zone” in London This is basically an open car park along an inner street in-between residential blocks, which is utilized as a football ground for children during the day when there is much less car traffic However, this example invited criticism from most participants, such as “dangerous for kid to play near cars” (male, 60s), “very dangerous for kids to play as cars will drive in and out” (male, 10s), or “Dangerous, the cars may hit the kids when playing” (female, 50s), and many more In the third round, some residents suggested to have “more sheltered linkways” (female, 50s), “covered walkway to school” (male, 10s), “More accessible paths for handicapped with shelters” (male, 50s), “Overhead bridge to cross to Block 207 bus stop” (male, 50s), and “Cycling track” (female, 40s) The second multi-stakeholder workshop was held in July 2016, with a total of 13 participants They comprised of second-time residents, first-time resident, representatives from the Shuqun Secondary School located in Yuhua, from residents’ committees (RC), from Yuhua Community Club and from a Voluntary Welfare Organization (VWO) The workshop was carried out in two steps In step ‘Community Envisioning’, three potential sites were selected for participants to envision the future of these public spaces, with each group focusing on one site Participants brainstormed ideas for new public space, while considering what they would preserve, remove, or create In step ‘Asset Mapping’, each participant was asked to write what they or their organization could gain from this new public space and how they could contribute The outcomes of the workshop included notes, urban sketches and asset mapping diagrams (Fig 8) Fig Scenes of the multi-stakeholder workshop (Source: Authors) Some of the insights from the workshop concern circulation space For instance, a resident expressed concern with merchandise display racks that are “blocking the corridors” and “may have safety issues” Another resident then suggested to “build a mobile rack to better organize the items and can move faster in emergency” A resident commented on a linkway that “chairs should be removed or replaced by a bench, then install a fan” For foot path, it was recommended to have a shelter Two residents suggested to have barbecue pits along it For a stage pavilion, one resident suggested to remove it because “it was not in use”, while another resident wanted to “revamp and add more shelters” At a void deck near linkways, a resident recommended to “set up neighbour bazzars, so residents can sell their unwanted things to their neighbours monthly” Another resident commented that the void deck is a good resting place “for residents to rest their legs” The asset mapping activity, on the other hand, provided a very different type of information on how stakeholders wanted to contribute based on their specific role For example, the school’s Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 representative shared that the school could offer “bazaars for students to raise fund” or “set up a Maker Space workshop with their Design and Technology students” A RC representative said that RC could “maintain a DIY workshop or maker space” or “help to organize monthly bazaar in void decks” Although there was no representative from the Town Council in the area, participants also suggested Town Council to build “more sheltered linkways”, provide “more lighting”, or “create designated smoking corners at void decks” Discussion Based on site mapping, the various linkways in HDB estates could possibly serve as a form of neighbourhood ‘street’, while the void decks and parkets can be considered as ‘nodes’ in this street pattern morphology Figure shows that the integrated linkway-void deck network is almost seamless in facilitating an uninterrupted, weather-proof walking experience, while their orientations are parallel to vehicular street pattern In the site observation study, the fact that the major pathway leading to a bus stop explains its busy pedestrian through traffic (the commuting crowds of youths and adults) During the weekend, it was understandable that there were fewer children and youths, as it was nonschool day Furthermore, as the pathway is located in-between a playground and a childcare center, there was many children passing by More adults were seen to pass by during weekend as many of them spend their weekends doing various activities or running errands Also, during weekends, many people stay home in the morning to rest or housework, it was reasonable to see a heavier pedestrian traffic in the afternoon Overall, it was observed that the pathway functioned as if it was a secondary street connected to the main arterial road (primary street) At the parklet, the close proximity between it and the playground explains the observed flow of children walking past the parklet to go to the playground in the late afternoon after school Also, due to this proximity, the children’s guardians (adults or elderly) can watch the children while sitting at the parklet, thus social interactions were able to be extended to span a much larger boundary It was noticed that the youths mostly treated the parklet only as a transitional space, while the parklet function as a cross-road among children, adults, and elderly groups At the sheltered linkway, the placing of loose chairs shows a degree of appropriation by some residents The placement overlooking the stairs and the shops beyond is interesting, as it provides a place to sit and wait for some, while still able to communicate with their family members, neighbours, or friends who were shopping These loose chairs resemble the benches placed along a sidewalk in the past From the two participatory workshops, it was noted that many residents expressed their top preference to have more shelters for linkways, open pavilions or playgrounds, where they pass through frequently This has also shown that the residents are highly appreciative of and are much accustomed to weather-proof mobility, given the tropical climate of Singapore with abundant rainfall, high temperatures, and high humidity all year round It was also observed that people wanted to have more community-oriented programs amidst or along circulation spaces, such as barbecue pits, weekly or monthly bazaars, etc., or better lighting conditions which support circulation, security and neighbourly interactions If these suggestions were to be realized, activities such as lingering and interactions at some circulation spaces would possibly be increased, making these public spaces more like former ‘street spaces’, and inducing ‘street life’ within the neighbourhood In conclusion, in a mature HDB estate context, although there is no form of conventional street, the ground-level circulation space actually could behave like the conventional ‘street space’ Especially, the many sheltered linkways and corridors outside void decks share similar Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 characteristics with the traditional five-foot way typology, but has yet to be emphasized and further explored A similar hierarchy of main foot path - secondary sheltered linkway - tertiary void deck corridors could also be analogous to the street system of main arterial road secondary street - tertiary lanes The lift lobby is the hub of pedestrian traffic in each block, resembles a ‘node’ or a street junction, where more casual encounters and purposeful social interactions occur The parklets, small kiosks, and other new suggestions by residents to place in the void decks or along linkways could possibly add more community activities and life into the neighbourhood To some extent this is different from the original intention of these circulation spaces, but yet such relatively less planned spaces could contribute to the unexpected yet important social life of the community, and bring back the ‘street life’ References Chong, K.H, To, K., and Fischer, M.M.J (2017) Dense and Ageing: Social Sustainability of Public Places amidst High-density Development In Joo Hwa Bay and Steffen Lehmann (eds.) (2017) Growing Compact: Urban Form, Density and Sustainability HDB (2015) Public Housing – A Singapore Icon Last reviewed on 26 Oct 2015 URL: http://www.hdb.gov.sg/cs/infoweb/about-us/our-role/public-housing a-singapore-icon Shuhana, S., and Ahmad Bashri, S (2002) The vanishing streets in the Malaysian urbanscape In P Miao (Ed.), Public places in Asia Pacific Dordrecht: Kluwers Academic Press To, Kien, Chong, Alexandria Z.W and Chong, Keng Hua (2014) Identity of a Conserved Housing Estate in Transition: The Case of Tiong Bahru, Singapore The Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Working Paper Series (by IASTE), Vol 254: House, Home, and Tradition, pp.50-72 Berkeley, CA Turnbull, C Mary A Modern History of Singapore 1819-2005 Singapore: NUS Press, 2009 Wan Ismail, Wan Hashimah (2005) Houses in Malaysia: Fusion of the east and the west Penerbit UTM, Skudai, Johor Bahru ISBN 983-52-0362-8 Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Appendix: Diagrams of the observation study List of diagrams: Diagram Usage pattern of pathway by youth during weekday Diagram Usage pattern of pathway by adults during weekday Diagram Usage pattern of pathway by children during weekday Diagram Usage pattern of pathway by elderly during weekday Diagram Usage pattern of pathway by children during weekend Diagram Usage pattern of pathway by youth during weekend Diagram Usage pattern of pathway by adults during weekend Diagram Usage pattern of pathway by elderly during weekend Diagram Usage pattern of parklet by children during weekday 10 Diagram 10 Usage pattern of parklet by adults during weekday 11 Diagram 11 Usage pattern of parklet by elderly during weekday 12 Diagram 12 Usage pattern of parklet by youth during weekday 13 Diagram 13 Usage pattern of parklet by children during weekend 14 Diagram 14 Usage pattern of parklet by adults during weekend 15 Diagram 15 Usage pattern of parklet by elderly during weekend 16 Diagram 16 Usage pattern of parklet by youth during weekend 17 Diagram 17 Usage pattern of sheltered linkway by elderly during weekday 18 Diagram 18 Usage pattern of sheltered linkway by adults during weekday 19 Diagram 19 Usage pattern of sheltered linkway by children during weekday 20 Diagram 20 Usage pattern of sheltered linkway by youth during weekday 21 Diagram 21 Usage pattern of sheltered linkway by adults during weekend 22 Diagram 22 Usage pattern of sheltered linkway by elderly during weekend 23 Diagram 23 Usage pattern of sheltered linkway by children during weekend 24 Diagram 24 Usage pattern of sheltered linkway by youth during weekend Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Diagram Usage pattern of pathway by youth during weekday (Source: Authors) Diagram Usage pattern of pathway by adults during weekday (Source: Authors) Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Diagram Usage pattern of pathway by children during weekday (Source: Authors) Diagram Usage pattern of pathway by elderly during weekday (Source: Authors) Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Diagram Usage pattern of pathway by children during weekend (Source: Authors) Diagram Usage pattern of pathway by youth during weekend (Source: Authors) Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Diagram Usage pattern of pathway by adults during weekend (Source: Authors) Diagram Usage pattern of pathway by elderly during weekend (Source: Authors) Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Diagram Usage pattern of parklet by children during weekday (Source: Authors) Diagram 10 Usage pattern of parklet by adults during weekday (Source: Authors) Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Diagram 11 Usage pattern of parklet by elderly during weekday (Source: Authors) Diagram 12 Usage pattern of parklet by youth during weekday (Source: Authors) Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Diagram 13 Usage pattern of parklet by children during weekend (Source: Authors) Diagram 14 Usage pattern of parklet by adults during weekend (Source: Authors) Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Diagram 15 Usage pattern of parklet by elderly during weekend (Source: Authors) Diagram 16 Usage pattern of parklet by youth during weekend (Source: Authors) Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Diagram 17 Usage pattern of sheltered linkway by elderly during weekday (Source: Authors) Diagram 18 Usage pattern of sheltered linkway by adults during weekday (Source: Authors) Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Diagram 19 Usage pattern of sheltered linkway by children during weekday (Source: Authors) Diagram 20 Usage pattern of sheltered linkway by youth during weekday (Source: Authors) Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Diagram 21 Usage pattern of sheltered linkway by adults during weekend (Source: Authors) Diagram 22 Usage pattern of sheltered linkway by elderly during weekend (Source: Authors) Great Asian Streets Symposium (GASS) 2016 National University of Singapore 12-13 Dec 2016 Diagram 23 Usage pattern of sheltered linkway by children during weekend (Source: Authors) Diagram 24 Usage pattern of sheltered linkway by youth during weekend (Source: Authors) ... such as lingering and interactions at some circulation spaces would possibly be increased, making these public spaces more like former ‘street spaces’, and inducing ‘street life’ within the neighbourhood... ultimate goal of conducting observation is to achieve an in- depth understanding of the people’s daily routines and activities, particularly with regards to how public spaces (including circulation) ... past five decades of nation building, HDB has played an important role as a key driver of ‘nation building’ by continually improving its public housing system Today, over 80% of Singapore’s population