New Placemaking Project Office to support Singapore's heritage businesses, enliven precincts

EdgeProp Singapore

/ EdgeProp Singapore

March 6, 2026 4:07 PM SGT

propertyeditor@edgeprop.sg

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The new project office will also provide seed funding, link groups to agencies, and build placemaking capabilities. (Photo: Unsplash)

The National Heritage Board (NHB) will set up a Placemaking Project Office to enhance and protect Singapore’s historic districts, including Kampong Glam, Little India, and Chinatown.

The new project office will work closely with key district stakeholders — such as the Kampong Gelam Association, Little India Shopkeepers & Heritage Association, and Chinatown Business Association — to better understand their needs and empower them to enliven their precincts and boost footfall.

In addition, it will provide seed funding, link groups to relevant agencies, as well as build capabilities to design, implement and scale placemaking initiatives, said Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, on March 5 at the Committee of Supply debate on the ministry’s budget.

“Heritage businesses play an important role in enhancing the unique character of our historic districts and serve as community anchors,” she added.

Placemaking is the process of proactively managing a place to enhance the built environment and create vibrant, welcoming places that encourage social interactions. It may be done by improving infrastructure, organising events and engaging with the community.

Business owners and community partners have requested more support for placemaking to make their precincts more vibrant and increase footfall and revenue for heritage businesses.

The Placemaking Project Office will come under the Interagency Task Force for Heritage Businesses, Traditional Trades and Cultural Life, which is co-chaired by Low and Faishal Ibrahim, Acting Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs.

Low also spoke about the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth’s (MCCY) plan to allow more Singaporeans to play an active role in celebrating their neighbourhood heritage.

Through its Heritage Activation Nodes, NHB partners residents and stakeholders to co-create programmes celebrating their neighbourhood.

Since 2024, NHB has launched three such nodes — in Katong-Joo Chiat, Clementi, and Punggol — that have drawn more than 30,000 visitors and seen over 360 volunteers stepping forward to deepen their local community heritage.

Building on this momentum, NHB will launch two new Heritage Activation Nodes in 2026, Low said.

One will be in Telok Blangah, in partnership with Participate in Design. This will focus on uncovering hidden neighbourhood gems and stories.

The other will be in Tiong Bahru, with Tiong Bahru Community Centre as the partner. It will celebrate public housing architecture, religious sites, and heritage businesses.

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