Our Downtown
A Place for All
Downtown Singapore has always been the financial and commercial centre of our city. To attract talent, cities are racing to become attractive places that cater to the varied needs of modern lifestyles. In recent years, we have been moving away from a Downtown dominated by offices, to one which is more mixed use and lively after office hours.
Our Downtown will continue to evolve, and will accommodate a wider diversity of uses and creative lifestyle possibilities, so that it will not only be an attractive place for work, but also a vibrant place to live and play in. Better connectivity and an enhanced public realm will also help to anchor its position as a dynamic 24/7 downtown and global financial hub.
Dynamic Urban Neighbourhoods
Cecil: City Arcades
Tapping on the draw of Downtown living with its connectedness and convenience, more residences, hotels and other uses will be introduced in Downtown. Anson and Cecil precincts being close to existing residential areas, already enjoy proximity to a good number of amenities such as hawker centres, markets, community and social facilities. These areas can transform into lively urban neighbourhoods that support the best of city living.
Anson: Streets & Squares
Located adjacent to mature residential areas in Everton and Tanjong Pagar, Anson is set to become a new urban neighbourhood with a series of attractive streets and cosy squares.
Streetscape improvements along key streets will create more inviting, mobility-friendly, and greener streets, linking Rail Corridor to the CBD. Shops, eateries and amenities will front these key streets. Perfect for those coffee runs or quick errands on the way home from work.
Courtyards and pockets of open space will serve as outdoor ‘living rooms’ for communities to gather. Some offer spaces for events, while others are a relaxing respite from the hustle and bustle.
Delightful Places
Downtown isn’t all work and no play! Parks, public spaces and active streets combine to provide essential urban relief, with space for office workers and residents to relax and unwind, complete with exciting programmes to keep things fresh. Building owners and businesses are increasingly seeing the value of such spaces – they are investing not only in providing them, but also in organising activities and events to bring them to life.
Who says you can’t have fun in Downtown?
More Active Public Spaces
Places come alive when shaped by communities who use the space. Working with building owners, our Downtown will see the introduction of more public spaces with active programming by building owners and community groups.
Diversity of Experiences
To cater to the increasingly varied needs of emerging lifestyle trends, Downtown has to expand its palette of offerings, for working, living and playing. There is scope to do more with State land and State properties that may be available in the nearer term, to fill the gaps in offerings and amenities, and to serve as a test-bed for new, innovative ideas.
Test-bed Innovative Concepts at Marina Bay
Connected & Convenient
With more to see and do in Downtown, getting around easily is even more important. There has been an increase in active mobility options in major cities, arising from a renewed focus on sustainable transportation. As we move towards being a car-lite city, these alternative modes of transport will become increasingly important.
Public Transport & Active Mobility
The Downtown area will be even more connected than ever with upcoming Maxwell and Shenton Way stations on the Thomson-East Coast Line, and Prince Edward and Cantonment stations on Circle Line 6. With these additions, all developments in Downtown will be within a 10-minute walk of an MRT station!
Active, convenient commuting within the city will become a reality with the existing 22 km of cycling paths and another 5 km of expanded cycling path network by 2021!
Developments are also encouraged to provide end-of-trip facilities such as bicycle parking, shower rooms and lockers to make the whole commute journey a breeze.
Transit-Priority Corridor
At present, Robinson Road is a key bus corridor connecting the two Downtown hubs of Raffles Place and Tanjong Pagar. It has the potential to be transformed into a transit-priority corridor by giving more space to buses, cycling paths and pedestrian walkways. Wider sidewalks can also provide more space for greens and lend themselves to a host of appealing activities like al-fresco dining.