Master Plan Consultant Appointed for North-South Corridor’s Surface Streets

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced today the appointment of Henning Larsen and partners as the Master Plan Consultant for the surface streets along the North-South Corridor (NSC). Henning Larsen's proposal, themed Singapore's Life Reserve - a Place for All, outlines the vision and design strategies that will integrate active mobility, placemaking and greenery through people-centric spaces and experiences along the 21.5km Corridor.

2. Following a Request for Proposal (RFP)^[1], LTA invited consultancy firms with expertise in landscape architecture, urban design, public space design, placemaking and active mobility to form multi-disciplinary Design Teams and submit proposals to develop a Master Plan for the surface streets along the NSC. The Master Plan will provide a vision for the future of the NSC, as well as serve as a blueprint to guide the detailed design and implementation of the NSC surface streets and the integration of surrounding developments and neighbourhoods to the Corridor, taking into consideration the needs of the community and stakeholders.

3. About 30 football fields of road space is expected to be freed up for active mobility, public spaces, and greenery as majority of the current on-road vehicular traffic is redirected to the NSC tunnel and viaduct. This will support greener travel modes in line with our Walk-Cycle-Ride vision, enhance safety and create welcoming streets for the communities along the Corridor.

4. The RFP attracted strong interests from 26 local and international Design Teams. Three of them - CPG Consultants, Henning Larsen and Mitsubishi Jisho Design were shortlisted to develop a preliminary Concept Master Plan, which includes the design proposal for segments of the NSC near the city (from Beach Road to Bencoolen Street) and in residential areas (from Marymount Lane to Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3), a public engagement plan and a design guide. The three Design Teams also had to incorporate the preliminary ideas proposed at the earlier visioning workshops by the community and stakeholders into their proposals. Some of these ideas included making public spaces more flexible for diverse uses and safe for walking and cycling, having more shaded areas, and adding landscaping features to enhance the experience along the Corridor.

5. Their proposals were evaluated by a 10-member Design Advisory Panel^[2], which assessed the quality of their preliminary Master Plan principles and concept against the planning, design, and functional goals for the NSC. The Panel reviewed the robustness of their design methodologies and the effectiveness and creativity of the proposals in integrating the Corridor with its diverse surroundings to benefit the communities.
North-South Corridor - Creating a Distinctive Identity and Streets for People

6. Henning Larsen's proposal adopted a people-centred approach that is inclusive and prioritises walking, cycling and public transport users. It involves integrating active mobility modes with how new public spaces throughout the entire Corridor are designed and experienced, complemented by lush greenery. Their proposal focused on reimagining the way people commute by:

a. Fostering deeper connections among communities through shared spaces and activities;
b. Enhancing connectivity to places with greener travel options to improve the overall commute experience, and
c. Developing a unique travel experience along the NSC for diverse user groups.

Connecting Communities

7. Henning Larsen had envisioned the NSC as a linear corridor featuring four distinct character segments - from the North to the South - a 6km Community-Industrial segment, a 7km Ecological Loop, a 5km People's Wellness Corridor, and a 3.5km Cultural-Heritage Segment (see Annex A). These four segments will collectively be lined with more than 20 public space nodes that reflect the unique characteristics of the adjacent neighbourhoods and destinations.

8. One preliminary idea was to create an iconic public space at the intersection between Rochor Canal Road, Sungei Road and Jalan Besar that would serve as a focal point connecting the three cultural districts in the area - Little India, Kampong Gelam and Waterloo Street, and education institutions such as LASALLE College of the Arts, the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and the Singapore Management University in the vicinity (Annex B1). Part of Ophir Road next to Kampong Gelam could also be pedestrianised to create public space for landscaping and events, providing opportunities for celebration of heritage and culture. At the same time, this would improve walkability, enhance cycling experience, and strengthen connections to surrounding districts and streets.

9. Another preliminary idea would be the creation of a "Life Reserve" in Ang Mo Kio along the proposed Ecological Loop, featuring nature-based public spaces, cycling paths, footpaths and play areas lined with lush greenery. They connect the Corridor to neighbourhoods and destinations such as Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park (Annex B2). For the northern stretch of the NSC, Henning Larsen proposed to create public spaces beneath the viaduct at Gambas Avenue for recreation, including playground and art installations (Annex B3).

10. Mr Ng Lang, Chief Executive of LTA and Chairperson of the Design Advisory Panel, said, "The North-South Corridor presents an opportunity for us to transform surface streets into a landmark Corridor for Singapore. It offers new experiences through integrating active mobility options, welcoming public spaces and meaningful connections to places to benefit local communities. We look forward to co-creating the Master Plan with the community and stakeholders to explore new possibilities and make the Corridor a showcase for sustainable transport."

11. Mr Leonard Ng, Country Market Director, Singapore. Henning Larsen said, "We're not just redesigning the surface streets; we're crafting a living, breathing space that will be a blueprint for future mobility and urban living, one that can inspire similar transformation in cities across the world. Together with the community, we are building a corridor that will grow and adapt with Singapore, ensuring our city remains resilient, inclusive, and vibrant for generations to come. We are delighted to partner with LTA to create a new common corridor that not only connects people physically but also strengthens the social fabric of our city."

12. Mr Cheng Hsing Yao, Group Chief Executive Officer of GuocoLand, and a member of the Design Advisory Panel said, "The project is an ingenious transformation of a major transport infrastructure such that it now also doubles up as a recreational and community corridor. It will positively impact the adjacent developments, and presents many opportunities for the private sector and community to participate in the co-creation of the hardware and software to make it into a people's corridor."
Continued Community Involvement

13. Henning Larsen's proposal are preliminary concepts for the Master Plan. As they develop these concepts further in the upcoming months, they will continue to work with LTA and the relevant agencies to seek further feedback from the community, stakeholders, and members of public through a series of public engagement sessions. Beyond the community's needs and aspirations, the Master Plan will also take into account other considerations, including the broader development plans, transport connectivity for the surrounding areas, and site layout and provisions. Members of public who wish to participate in the NSC Master Plan workshops and events may express their interest via a survey at go.gov.sg/nsc-survey-2024.

14. The Master Plan is expected to be completed in 2026 and the repurposing of NSC's surface streets will be implemented in stages from 2027 onwards.
About NSC

The 21.5km North-South Corridor (NSC) is a multi-modal transportation corridor that will enhance connectivity from the northern region to the city, serving towns such as Sembawang, Yishun, Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh, Novena and Rochor. It will support new developments in the northern region and alleviate congestion on the Central Expressway (CTE) and major arterial roads such as Thomson and Marymount Roads, facilitating quicker journeys between the north and city. It will also intersect and provide links to existing expressways, including the Seletar Expressway (SLE), Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) and the East Coast Parkway (ECP), to improve the overall connectivity of the road network. With more traffic being channelled to NSC's 8.8km viaduct and 12.3km tunnel, surface streets along the corridor, which pass through diverse residential neighbourhoods, recreational spaces, industrial areas, and historic districts, will be repurposed to give more priority to walking, cycling, public transport, and community spaces.
Annex A: Overview of the Proposed Preliminary Concepts
Annex B1: Artist's Impressions of Proposed Concept for Rochor Road and Ophir Road Areas
Annex B2: Artist's Impression of Proposed Concepts for Ang Mo Kio and Marymount Road Areas
Annex B3: Artist's Impression of Proposed Concept under the NSC Viaduct
Annex: List of Design Advisory Panel members

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