He laid the foundations for the country's conservation programme, and was HDB's first architect-planner.
SINGAPORE – Pioneer urban planner Alan Choe, the first architect-planner of the Housing Board and the founder of the Urban Redevelopment Authority , died on May 27 at the age of 93.
He worked for architectural firms in Australia and Singapore before he was recruited by HDB in 1960 – the year he turned 29.Mr Choe said he was headhunted by HDB as its first architect-planner – a title created for him. The housing densities that HDB required – 500 persons per acre, up from the 50 to 100 per acre that was the norm in Western societies – came as a shock to Mr Choe, but he pressed on and completed plans for the remaining neighbourhoods.
“I have seen the state of urban renewal where they literally tear down all the old parts of the city. And I realised for Singapore, we have all the more reasons to preserve because we have so little,” he said. Mr Choe’s work, along with the contributions of others over the years, paved the way for Singapore’s first conservation areas to be gazetted in 1989. These included 3,200 buildings in areas such as Clarke Quay and Emerald Hill.Former URA chief planner and chief executive Khoo Teng Chye said Mr Choe was his first boss when he joined URA in 1976.
Prof Khoo noted that Mr Choe had a “unique emphasis on quality and design”, adding that this led to many international architects designing many of Singapore’s early urban renewal projects. Prof Cheong said she served on some design review panels with Mr Choe while she was in URA, where they evaluated plans and projects.
He left RSP as a consultant in 1997, but continued to be involved in public projects outside his private sector work, such as Sentosa.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
'No plans' to merge cruise centres for now as URA, STB clarify report on consolidationThe Straits Times on Monday (May 13) said that Singapore Cruise Centre and Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore would undergo a merger in the coming years, following an interview with Urban Redevelopment Authority chief Lim Eng Hwee.
Read more »
More high-rise housing planned for one-north area as URA readies plots for developmentThe parcels of land are at Media Circle and Portsdown Road.
Read more »
URA reveals large site in Sengkang area for new residential estate'The proposed development will support the demand for housing in the area and provide current and future residents with commercial and recreational amenities...' — URA
Read more »
27 Turf City heritage structures could be kept, most of two forested areas to be retainedMost of Bukit Tinggi and Eng Neo Avenue Forest will be retained, said URA.
Read more »
EDM star Alan Walker sets up Singapore WhatsApp numberNorwegian electronic dance music (EDM) star Alan Walker has set up a Singapore WhatsApp phone number for fans to text him ahead of his performance here on June 14. The number, 8041-5585, will remain available until his upcoming show at Singapore Expo Hall 3 & 4A....
Read more »
EDM star Alan Walker sets up Singapore WhatsApp number, receives thousands of texts from fansThe DJ-producer received over 15,000 messages within two hours from fans in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Read more »