Jurong Lake Gardens: A Garden for the People

Completed in 2019, the 53-hectare Jurong Lake Gardens restores the landscape heritage of swamp and forest as a canvas for recreation and community activities. Complementing Singapore’s two flagship national gardens – Singapore Botanic Gardens and Gardens by the Bay – Jurong Lake Gardens is designed to be a people’s garden accessible to all segments of society.

The effort to bring back nature unique to Jurong connotes a shift towards environment- and community-building in the country’s most heavily industrialised region. Ramboll’s expertise in water sensitive urban design and approach to ecosystem regeneration manifests a restored swamp forest and wetlands as a public attraction, supported by allotment gardens and other communal components such as a nature-themed play area, lifestyle and sports facilities. Design elements like a meandering boardwalk seek to enhance visitor connection to Jurong Lake by weaving close to the water’s edge.

Enhancing habitats for wildlife and maintaining the area’s tranquility are key considerations in the development of Jurong Lakeside Gardens as a public enclave of nature and biodiversity. For example, our design of the wetland habitat is based on the water levels in the lake that create zones for water birds to feed and forage. At Clusia Cove, children experience a unique water playground experience featuring tidal patterns, surface ripples and directional currents that mimic water movement of coastal shores. A cleansing biotope serves as a natural water treatment system, supplemented by UV treatment that disinfects the water prior to being pumped into the play area.

Jurong Lake Gardens forms part of a western belt of green spaces and waterways that represent the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s decentralisation efforts, bringing closer to Jurong residents more quality employment, amenities and recreational areas. It puts liveability and biodiversity at the fore, and marks our commitment to sustainable change towards better and healthier communities.