Description

Kampung Admiralty was conceived as an integrated community hub for the elderly in a high-density suburban neighbourhood. Drawing inspiration from the self-sufficiency of traditional villages, it stacks retail amenities and a medical centre with apartments and social spaces within a single site. These diverse programs are woven together through shared landscapes, from outdoor recreational spaces, rain gardens and the retention pond to the community farm. It is a prototype for integrating blue-green infrastructure with built form, while interpreting local Singaporean kampung culture and traditions to redefine active aging for the 21st century.

Life in the kampung was lived outdoors – on the front porch, in the garden and the forest. This communal living fostered community spirit, as neighbours interacted daily and supported each other in times of need. As Singaporeans moved from villages to high-rises in the 1960s, void decks were used to replace these shared spaces; but the scale had shifted, and the connection to nature and food production was lost. Kampung Admiralty restores these shared spaces in a modern context. Throughout their day, residents are immersed in nature. This improves mental health and encourages physical activity, while reducing the risk of social isolation. Benches along common corridors enable informal interactions; residents can also work together in the community farm, exercise in the lush rooftop gardens, or gather for events in the public plaza. There is space for residents to host friends and family, and the community farm enables residents to reconnect with their culinary heritage, and to pass on knowledge of local produce and traditional dishes to the next generation.

Landscape Architect

Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl