The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has launched the exhibition – Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city: Model for Sustainable Urban Development – to showcase joint efforts between Singapore and China in building a sustainable city.
Organised by URA in collaboration with the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co. Ltd (SSTEC), with support from the Eco-City Administrative Committee (ECAC), the exhibition showcases the significant achievements of the project to date as well as the collaborative efforts among Singaporean and Chinese government agencies and companies in developing the Tianjin Eco-city.
Also featured at the exhibition are fresh ideas submitted by international design firms for the Tianjin Eco-city Main Centre and its waterfront cultural belt, gathered from a call for urban and building design proposals for the area held earlier this year.
A joint seminar was organised in conjunction with the exhibition launch to share with policy makers, urban planners and industry professionals key lessons and experiences gained in planning and developing the Tianjin Eco-city.
Two key speakers at the seminar were SSTEC CEO Mr Ho Tong Yen and ECAC’s Director of Construction Bureau Mr Li Dong. They shared the highlights and future plans for the Eco-city Project from the perspectives of the Joint Venture Master Developer and the Local Government respectively.
Giving an update on the project, SSTEC CEO Ho Tong Yen said, “We are currently focusing on the development of the 3 sq km Start-up Area in the Eco-City. Looking ahead, beyond the Start-up Area, our focus would increasingly shift towards the Eco-City Centre. This exhibition provides a glimpse into what the Eco-City Centre could look like in future.”
“Singapore and China have their respective areas of expertise and strengths in developing sustainable cities. The Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city Project brings together the governments and people of the two countries to work together and learn from each other. The holding of this exhibition and seminar in Singapore reflects this two-way exchange of ideas, and our win-win cooperation”, he added.
The Seminar also saw speakers from local firms – Surbana International Consultants and Jurong Consultants – sharing their experiences in planning and developing public housing and industrial parks in Tianjin. Speakers from the Building and Construction Authority also shared insights on developing and implementing the green building assessment system for the Tianjin Eco-city, while URA Director for URA International introduced the urban design ideas for the Eco-city Main Centre and its waterfront cultural belt.
“The exhibition and seminar are excellent platforms for local planners to get invaluable insights into the planning and development of the Tianjin Eco-city, and perhaps draw some inspirations from the work being done there”, said Mr Ng Lang, CEO of URA.
The Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city: Model for Sustainable Urban Development exhibition is on display at the URA Centre till 31 Dec 2012.