Linkways and sheltered walkways are familiar and necessary structures in our heartlands to create more comfortable access points and shelters from the elements of tropical weather. The Afternaut designed Sprout@AMK, which provides a sheltered space between HDB blocks and shops in Ang Mo Kio Central, but it is also an innovative incubator hub of businesses with a wide range of lifestyle offerings, supported by Enterprise Singapore and the Ang Mo Kio Constituency Merchant’s Association.
Design Challenge
The business challenge was to improve the attractiveness and vibrancy of Ang Mo Kio Town Centre for businesses and local communities, to create an increase in revenue for heartland enterprises and for Singaporeans outside Ang Mo Kio to rediscover the heartlands as a destination of interest.
Retail in the heartlands is known to consist of the usual mix of shops which are necessary, but instead of bringing in new shops for the sake of it, our design challenge was to find a way to integrate into the existing fabric, while being useful and meaningful to the residents and people passing through, and meeting the business challenge posed by the Ang Mo Kio Constituency Merchant’s Association (AMKCMA).
Insights
The AMKCMA wanted to help young entrepreneurs set up business with cheaper rental and try out more unique business models. Selected through an incubator programme from Enterprise Singapore, there would be 16 different brands that would be housed at Sprout.
Key research from the merchant’s association found that the majority of the products are essential goods like commodities, provision shops, groceries, and services that cater to local residents, such as banks, medical institutions and beauty. But the rapid growth of e-commerce has reduced demand for some heartland enterprises’ products and services.
Additionally, 100% of all shops in AMK Town Centre are sold to private owners / investors. As such, town planners are unable to control and diversify the trade mix, which often leads to businesses with high margins dominating the scene.
Therefore, the merchant’s association found the need to introduce a differentiated experience in AMK Town Centre to encourage more visitors to AMK Central from other parts of Singapore, and to liven up the town centre.
Approach
The space in AMK central that we were to intervene in was so open and lacked shade except from what the existing trees provided, thus we saw an opportunity to create a meaningful design enhancement to the neighbourhood. Instead of an architectural building, we built in an open space without intruding into the HDB estate.
Sprout consists of 16 kiosks plus 1 administration office, and there will be a refresh of the brands in the kiosks every year as new brands are brought in under the Heartland Innovation and Transformation Programme by Enterprise Singapore. Thus residents will experience new offerings regularly, and this constant programme refresh will also bring in new visitors to rediscover the heartlands.
Creating Enjoyable Outdoor Spaces
This site was carefully designed to enable the public to enjoy outdoor spaces comfortably, even in Singapore’s weather. Thus we created the space to be thermally conducive for use during the day, while also integrating well with the shade from the existing trees around it. Additionally, the design of the canvas roof allows for filtered daylight to brighten the spaces so as to reduce the reliance on artificial lighting in the day.
A Connectivity Space for the Community
Sprout brings the community to a common gathering spot, to allow for planned or spontaneous events to be held within the core of the heartlands. Sprout is a space for all - residents, regulars, or even people in transit, where this space is a pitstop in their daily journeys.
The designers ensured that Sprout provides a more seamless and sheltered connectivity within the urban fabric of the heartlands. The community can stop to rest, escape from the heat or rain, browse the goods on sale, and interact with their neighbours. By being in this same space with other members of the neighbourhood, they can also be a part of the conversations and activities happening at Sprout, and this brings them closer, fostering a sense of belonging.
Designs for Adaptability
Sprout is designed with the intention to be readily deployed to fit all kinds of sites, including irregular-shaped ones, and also accommodating existing conditions like the terrain as well as the trees to be conserved. All trees on this site were conserved and new landscaping added.
Each retail kiosk allows their users to make use of the adaptable design features and clear guidelines to best suit their branding and business needs so they can create a unique identity for themselves. For example, owners can use the front glass facade as their shopfront or even the smaller windows at the back as a pick up counter - flexible for each use.
Strategically Connected Paths
The kiosks are arranged in an expo of services and goods in a very organic and informal way. There are many exits and corridors for people to walk in and out of the space, creating a free-flowing journey through the space. This quality is relevant to the heartlands, as our heartlands are filled with facilities that are also in the nature of being an organic melting pot of goods and services, with complementary services to visitors / residents that pass by. As a bonus, Sprout is also a pet friendly facility — pet owners can bring their pets into the space as they like.
With the setup of Sprout, sheltered linkways were created such that folks can cross from one side of the neighborhood to another while still under shelter. In this way, footfall is driven towards and through the kiosks naturally — people would walk through the kiosks on their way to another location like from the HDB blocks to the hawker centre without going one big round. Thus this new space actually provided more protection from the elements and increased the flow of people to more areas of the heartland central in addition to adding fresh energy to our heartland shops.
Rejuvenating our Heartlands with a Heartland Caravansarai
Just like how the ancient silk road caravansarais were a meeting spot for different people who come together with a single goal, Sprout is also a space for the community to gather. Sprout @ AMK is more than a linkway. It is a physical connector that provides shelter from the sun and rain, amenities, and connectivity to surrounding areas. It is also an emotional connector, as by being in this same space with other members of the neighbourhood, they can also be a part of what’s happening at Sprout throughout the day and feel a sense of belonging to the community.
