Participatory approaches to enact meaningful interconnectedness with the natural environment: a case study in Singapore

ABSTRACT

Over the last decades, Singapore has reintroduced biodiverse green spaces in the city with the aim of enhancing the wellbeing of residents through nature connection. Despite the impressive urban green infrastructure built, surges in mental health related problems have questioned the efficacy of the methods applied to reconnect citizens with the natural environment. Of interest are the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) nature placemaking programmes introducing new social-ecological values that influence the sense of psychological wellbeing in the long-term. Nevertheless, since nature placemaking is a relatively new practice, more knowledge on the methods implemented to connect residents to the natural environment is needed, considering also the values enacted, how facilitators impact or accelerate the process, and the necessary frequency of interaction and time of engagement. To explore this, we conducted an in-depth analysis at the NGO ‘The Ground-Up Initiative’ (GUI) in Singapore. A sequential mixed-methods study, including seven focus groups and a survey was conducted with core members and volunteers. It was found that the duration of engagement and number of programmes attended are correlated to feelings of social cohesion, sense of community, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. Additionally, the role of facilitators was found to be a determinant to enable values that promote interconnectedness with the natural environment.

KEYWORDS:

• Active engagement
• urban greening
• psychological health and wellbeing
• mixed methods
• nature values

This article is related to:

Research for city practice

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank the reviewers of this paper for their insightful and thorough feedback that helped enhancing the quality of this manuscript. Our gratitude to all the members of the Ground-Up Initiative, including Hui Ying Koo, Bingyu Cai, the GUI core members, and volunteers that assisted the development of this study. All authors contributed to the development of the study and writing of the paper. This study was conducted as part of New Urban Kampung research programme, led by Singapore University of Technology and Design together with the Housing and Development Board, supported by the Singapore Ministry of National Development and the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister Office under the Land and Livability National Innovation Challenge (L2 NIC) Research Programme (L2 NIC Award No. L2NICTDF1-2017-4). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of the Housing and Development Board, Singapore Ministry of National Development and National Research Foundation, Prime Minister Office, Singapore.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in figshare at, https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Nature-placemaking_at_GUI_in_Singapore_Survey_Data/14921256, reference number 14921256.

Notes

1. The definition of “Kampung” varies slightly according to geographical location. In Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, the word Kampung means village. More recently, it also comes to denote a certain kind of community life, colloquially termed as “Kampung spirit”, which often evokes a nostalgic physical atmosphere and memory (Chong 2018).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Diana M. Benjumea

Diana M. Benjumea is an architect and Ph.D. in Urban Studies and Social Sciences engaged in practice and research projects in Asia, Europe and Latino America that contribute to landscape design for the health and well-being of communities. She has worked as Scientific Board member for international research organizations and leads the initiative ‘Networks of Nature: Integrating Urban Farming into the city fabric’ that explores inclusive alternatives to development that integrate ancestral knowledge and modern practices for health and wellbeing. She is an Associate Lecturer at the Singapore University of Social Sciences and researcher at the National University of Columbia.

Yohei Kato

Yohei Kato is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Architecture and Sustainable Design program at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. He works on interdisciplinary projects to promote community engagement in designing and building inclusive built environment. His doctoral research aims to understand mechanisms of community engagement leading to empowerment of stakeholders involved in Community Design. He also conducts mixed-methods research, social network analysis, and computational urban analysis to examine urban interventions that contribute to making cities more inclusive and sustainable. He received his M.S. in Community Development from University of California, Davis.

Keng Hua Chong

Dr. Keng Hua Chong is Associate Professor of Architecture and Sustainable Design at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), where he directs the Social Urban Lab (SOULab) and co-leads the Opportunity Lab. He is a Senior Academician at Changi General Hospital, and also the Founding Partner of COLOURS: Collectively Ours, an award-winning design consultancy specializing in social architectural design. Author of two books Creative Ageing Cities: Place Design with Older People in Asian Cities, and Second Beginnings: Senior Living Redefined, he is currently researching on urban design and community development for physical health, mental well-being, and dementia inclusivity.