Discover Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, in Singapore, and understand how the restoration of a river created leisure spaces and helped prevent flooding
Submitted at Oct 16, 2026, 12:00 PM
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Amid Singapore's densely urbanized landscape, a landscaping project demonstrates how nature can reclaim spaces once dominated by urban infrastructure. Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park is an international example of environmental restoration, in which a former concrete channel was transformed into a naturalized river, surrounded by green areas, pathways, and community spaces.
More than a public park, Bishan-Ang Mo Kio represents a shift in the way we think about the relationship between water, landscape, and city. By integrating drainage solutions, biodiversity, and leisure, the space shows how landscaping can help address environmental challenges and improve the population's quality of life.
Located in central Singapore, Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park covers approximately 62 hectares and is considered one of the country's main urban parks. Originally opened in 1988, the space underwent a major transformation, completed in 2012, which redefined its relationship with water.
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Before the intervention, the Kallang River ran through the region in a concrete channel, built to quickly convey stormwater. Although functional for drainage, this structure created a physical and visual barrier between the population and the watercourse, limiting its possibilities for integration with the landscape.
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The transformation was part of the Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) program, a Singapore government initiative aimed at enhancing urban water resources. The landscape design was developed by the Atelier Dreiseitl firm, later integrated into Ramboll, in collaboration with local public agencies.
The main innovation of the project was the replacement of approximately 2.7 kilometers of concrete channel with a winding river of about 3.2 kilometers, with vegetated banks and a configuration inspired by natural watercourses.
Unlike a conventional channel, the new design allows the river to expand into nearby areas during periods of heavy rainfall. In this way, part of the park functions as a floodplain, temporarily accommodating the increased water volume and contributing to flood management.
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The stabilization of the banks also incorporated bioengineering techniques, using plants, natural materials, and vegetated structures to reduce erosion. These solutions replace part of the rigid engineering interventions with systems that evolve along with the landscape itself.
The river's restoration created conditions for the development of different habitats. The vegetation along the banks, the wetlands, and the grassy areas now form a mosaic of projects that favors the presence of birds, insects, and other species.
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The project also demonstrates the potential of green and blue infrastructure, a concept that integrates vegetation and water systems into urban planning. Instead of treating water merely as an element to be controlled, the proposal recognizes its ecological, scenic, and social role.
This approach contributes to making the city more resilient to climate change, especially in the face of heavy rainfall and the growing impermeabilization of the soil.
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In addition to its environmental functions, Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park was conceived as a multifunctional public space. The park brings together playgrounds, gardens, restaurants, trails, resting areas, and expansive lawns that bring residents closer to nature.
One of the most interesting aspects is the possibility of experiencing the landscape in different ways. Bridges, paths and contemplation areas allow visitors to observe the river, while open spaces encourage physical activities, gatherings and leisure moments.
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Recognized with the Honor Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) in 2016, the project has become a reference in nature-based solutions. Its importance lies in the ability to combine hydraulic engineering, ecological restoration and landscape design in a single intervention.
This text was developed with the assistance of CASACOR Publisher, an exclusive content agent developed by the CASACOR Technology team based on the knowledge base of casacor.com.br. The generated content was subsequently edited by Yeska Coelho.
