MacPherson Weave is located within one of the oldest HDB estates in Singapore completed since 1965. Although little is written on this area, the place holds many fond memories for both past and present residents. Known affectionately as “Chap Lau” by past residents and taxi drivers alike (probably due to the many 10-storey slab blocks here), this quiet humble district boasts the largest HDB block in Singapore at Blk 37 Circuit Road (16 storey with 570 units), a record held until 2016. There are also many small colourful snippets like local TV persona – Xiang Yun’s mother used to sell goreng pisa in the Balam Road Market and Food Centre, with the actress often seen helping out.

To celebrate these colourful memories of the small but close community, a Heritage Walk – the “Chap Lau Kampong” Walk is proposed to link Paya Lebar Road and Circuit Road across the site. Informational signages and donated photos from past residents will be showcased to foster a sense of kampong-ness for the old and new community.

Comprising 7 blocks, MacPherson Weave is composed as a series of semi-courtyards seamlessly interlinked to all blocks, amenities and to external transport nodes. 2 MRT station boxes are located on the southern side, where the childcare centre is located nearby with a large green space for spillover activities. The smaller units – 2rooms and 3 rooms are also located closer to these MRT access to promote elderly-friendliness. Blk F & G are both 3G residential blocks with 2-, 3- & 4-room units integrated into a single continuous building served by 4 lift cores and 2 CRC.

With the only main access located at Circuit Road, the 6-storey MSCP (future-ready) is located in close proximity to this entrance and right in the middle of the development. The roof garden at 7th storey is linked to all blocks within the development via linkbridges. Roof gardens are also provided at all blocks to intensify greenery and to diversify the communal spaces.

The semi-courtyard typology creates a high level of porosity throughout the development especially at the long streetscape along Paya Lebar Road. Each courtyard will be endowed with a thematic feature, visual or sensory to provide interest and talking points. Gable-end walls are designed as noise barriers against the potential disamenity from this Cat 2 road. Vertical screens are also introduced as further noise mitigation design feature to meet NEA noise requirement for units close to the busy road. To further enhance the streetscape, sky terraces are composed to step up from Blk A to Blk D along Paya Lebar Road, creating a unique distinctive feature for place-making.

LOCATION

MacPherson, Singapore