Woodleigh Glen, Woodleigh Hillside & Hillock Park by Housing & Development Board – Landscape Design & Environmental Management Section

Woodleigh Glen, Woodleigh Hillside & Hillock Park (Woodleigh Neighbourhood) is a unique 13.2-hectare high-density public housing project in Singapore that is planned and designed around the existing natural environment, using it as a spatial organizing driver to guide the holistic design of building and landscape. 3 broad strategies were used:

• Respecting nature through enhancing natural assets such as biodiversity, topography and hydrology;
• Providing greater access to nature to allow more opportunities for people to reconnect with nature;
• Enhancing environmental health and human well-being through optimising urban ecosystem services

Woodleigh Neighbourhood is inspired by the existing undulating terrain. It was the site of the picturesque Alkaff gardens of rolling hills and garden bridges. These topographical features are still largely present today. The project capitalized on and retained several key distinctive topographical features – valley, hills and basin, and the building blocks are carefully designed and interwoven with the terrain accentuating the site’s natural features.

On a larger scale, migratory dryland birds which are of interest to nature groups have been sighted on the existing site resting and foraging for food. The retention of the topographical features such as the hillock allows the migratory birds to continue using the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Building blocks were deliberately crafted to facilitate the movement of migratory birds, and bird watch areas were curated providing residents the opportunity to understand birds and get close to nature.

Woodleigh Glen

Woodleigh Glen comprises 9 residential blocks set around a natural valley and nestled amongst inter-connected roof gardens above low-lying multi-storey carparks. The valley forms the heart of the precinct, an experiential journey through a multi-layered series of landscapes. Inspired by garden bridges of the Alkaff Gardens, link-bridges span across the green valley, joining up 6 roof garden courtyards to form one inter-connected precinct landscape.

Within the valley where water-sensitive urban design features such as rain gardens are deliberately located, residents can enjoy the greenery and learn about the importance of stormwater management in built-up environments. One can take a stroll up the valley to the Hillock Park via the roof garden courtyards in between residential blocks, where a variety of recreational amenities such as playgrounds, fitness areas, open plazas and community gardens are located.

Hillock Park

The highest natural point of Woodleigh Neighbourhood lies within the Hillock Park. Through extensive consultation with nature groups, the final park alignment is achieved capitalizing on the high point where the biodiversity hotspots are found. The Hillock Park serves as a steppingstone for migratory dryland birds using the East Asian-Australasian Flyway to rest and forage for food.

The natural hilltop is retained and left largely untouched except new simple footpaths, an educational shelter and two birdwatch areas around a core wildlife refuge area. Around 15 existing mature trees along with several bird habitats were retained in the core refuge area, with some trees above 20-metres tall. More than 300 new trees and 7,000 new shrubs were planted to enhance the habitats and biodiversity. A 200-metre-long bird-watch terrace atop 8-storey residential stacks overlook the Hillock Park where residents can come together and enjoy the canopy views.

Now the Hillock Park is a lush and thriving sanctuary where, Kingfisher, Black-naped Oriole, Tiger Shrike and Finlayson’s Squirrel have been sighted in addition to common birds and butterflies.

Woodleigh Hillside

Woodleigh Hillside comprises 13 residential blocks and roof garden courtyards (above low-lying multi-storey carparks) like pearls strung along a necklace, a main pedestrian spine at the third storey of this precinct that hugs the slopes of a basin feature. The ‘pearls’ offer various recreational amenities for residents of this precinct free of vehicular traffic. The main spine connects to the valley of Woodleigh Glen via the Hillock Park to the west, and can potentially connect to other residential precincts to the east once they are developed.

One can branch off 6 of these ‘pearls’ along the main spine on a stroll down to second-storey roof terraces towards the basin. The alignment and elevation of the roof terraces are designed to facilitate the movement of the migratory birds between the residential blocks. Within the lowest point of this precinct, the ‘basin’ is a conducive environment where there are boardwalks and educational pavilions around several rain gardens and a playground.

Through methodical site investigations and analyses, this project has realised a green urbanism of inter-connected communities through sensitive ecological design that promotes a greater sense of place, better well-being and enhanced quality of life for its residents.

• Project typology:
A 13.2-ha public housing project

• All landscape architecture offices involved in the design of landscape:
Housing & Development Board – Landscape Design & Environmental Management Section

• All architecture offices involved in the design:
Housing & Development Board – Building & Research Institute