Planning a Liveable City: Our Learning Journey to the URA Centre

Following the end-of-year examinations, our Secondary 1 iSpark students visited the URA Centre on 29 October 2026 to learn more about Singapore’s approach to urban planning and development. Kieran reflects on what he learnt about the challenges of balancing limited land, competing needs and the preservation of Singapore’s heritage.

Written by: Lee Zhuo Yuan, Kieran (1i1, 2026)

My learning journey to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) Centre gave me valuable insights into Singapore’s strategic approach to land use and urban planning.

Before exploring the main exhibition, we took part in an interactive quiz that introduced us to some key ideas. It highlighted important facts about Singapore’s limited land and the many competing demands placed on it. This helped me better understand one of the central challenges faced by urban planners: how to balance different land-use needs while continuing to make Singapore a liveable city.

Walking through the exhibits allowed me to explore Singapore’s development more deeply and see how urban planners make use of limited space while preserving cultural heritage.

One example that stood out to me was the transformation of the Singapore River. Although it stretches for only about three kilometres, the area has changed significantly over time, from a crowded commercial hub into the modern precincts of Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay.

What interested me most was how historic shophouses and other features of the area have been conserved while the waterfront has been redeveloped for new uses. This showed me how urban planning is not only about making space for future development, but also about preserving parts of Singapore’s history and identity.

Overall, the visit helped me appreciate the amount of planning and thought that goes into shaping the city we live in. It also showed me how decisions about land use involve balancing practical needs, economic development and the preservation of heritage.