Two Singapore buildings receive universal design awards

From The Straits Times:

Two buildings share the crown for this year's most user-friendly building design, in the first time that the Building and Construction Authority has chosen to give out two gold awards in its annual Universal Design Awards.

Tampines Primary School and City Square Mall (pictured) each received the gong for their user-friendly designs which address the needs of all age groups and people with different abilities.

Tampines Primary, the first public school to earn the gold, offers wheelchair users easy access to facilities like the hall and gymnasium. Tactile floor markings also form routes leading to the main areas.

Mr Cheong Yip Seng, chairman of the awards assessment committee, on Tuesday said the school strikes him as unusual because besides addressing student needs, it provides public access to facilities after school hours.

'So it's an integrated facility that performs two functions, while being able to provide easy access for both children, staff, and also members of the public,' he said.

The other gold award went to City Square Mall and City Green, the 49,000 square feet park adjacent to it.

As part of safety consideration, the mall provides shoppers comfortable taxi and shuttle bus waiting areas, as well as seamless access to the MRT. Clear, colour-contrasted signs also make navigating the mall a breeze.

'Universal design features are inexpensive as long as you incorporate them from day one,' said Mr Allen Ang, head of the commercial projects division at City Developments, which owns City Square Mall. Better design is as simple as building a slope where a staircase should be, he said.

There were 35 nominations for the awards. Apart from the two golds, there were two silver and nine bronze prizes conferred. More than 120 projects have been submitted since the awards began in 2007.

The winners will receive their prizes at the BCA awards on May 26.