JTC Explores Mixed-Use Industrial and Residential Buildings

Toa Payoh Selected as Case Study for Integrated Industrial and Residential Spaces

JTC Corporation and the Singapore Institute of Architects announced they have partnered to study the feasibility of combining industrial and residential spaces within a single building. According to a joint statement provided to The Straits Times, the initiative aims to provide residents with more convenient access to quality jobs, entrepreneurial ventures, and local amenities. Lighter industrial activities such as dry labs, maker spaces, design studios, and 3D printing could share developments with residential units, shops, and community facilities, provided there is sufficient separation between living, working, and making spaces.

Architects have focused on Toa Payoh as a realistic testing ground due to its multi-generational community comprising seniors, young families, and working professionals. The neighborhood already features residential and industrial developments on separate plots alongside JTC-owned industrial sites. Two specific locations serve as case studies: a 2.3-hectare plot in Toa Payoh Industrial Park currently occupied by seven-storey industrial buildings, and a 2.4-hectare site at Lorong 3 Toa Payoh housing the Jackson Square light industrial development. The Industrial Park site sits across the road from existing Housing Board (HDB) developments like Kim Keat Ripples and the upcoming Kim Keat Crest, near the Toa Payoh Polyclinic and Toa Payoh South Community Club. Meanwhile, the Lorong 3 Toa Payoh plot sits adjacent to Keng Cheng School and close to multiple HDB estates.

Study Stages, Timeline, and Architectural Shortlisting

The joint study is structured into four distinct phases and is slated to conclude in the first half of 2027. During the first stage, which ended in July, participating teams submitted overall visions for the proposed developments and specific plans for the two Toa Payoh sites. JTC and the Singapore Institute of Architects shortlisted three teams for the second stage to produce concept designs for both locations. The shortlisted groups include representatives from CPG Consultants, RSP Architects Planners & Engineers, and a third team led by Roy Pang of Architects Studio with members from various practices.

Following the concept design phase, organizers will shortlist one team for each site—either separate teams for each location or a single team handling both—to submit schematic designs and replication guidelines. After the study concludes in 2027, JTC and the Singapore Institute of Architects will review submissions to identify viable ideas for further exploration. Promising concepts may be assessed for practical implementation at suitable sites across Singapore, subject to feasibility studies and safeguards required by relevant agencies.

Urban Planning Challenges and Expert Perspectives on Co-Location

Urban planning experts note that transforming the concept into reality requires navigating significant regulatory and operational hurdles. Heng Chye Kiang, deputy dean for research and innovation at the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) College of Design and Engineering, stated that co-location can create diverse, lively, and resilient neighborhoods supporting start-ups, small businesses, repair services, and urban farming like artificial-lighting plant factories. However, Heng noted that current land zoning regulations generally assign residential and industrial uses to separate plots with distinct development rules, environmental requirements, and tenure arrangements. An integrated model would necessitate a flexible zoning category or special planning framework, alongside performance-based criteria governing noise, emissions, vibration, traffic, and safety.

Thomas Schroepfer, a professor of architecture and sustainable design at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, emphasized that industrial activities generate noise, vibration, odour, emissions, and delivery traffic that conflict with residential needs for health, safety, and privacy. Schroepfer explained that compatibility must be designed rather than assumed through appropriate light industrial uses, spatial buffering, acoustic treatments, and operational hour management. While international projects like NovaCity I in Brussels integrate housing, workshops, and offices, Schroepfer observed that the JTC study stands out due to its ambition at the building scale within Singapore’s dense urban context. He noted that public sector leadership and a public-private pilot model are essential to coordinate regulations, land use, and infrastructure.

Dalmia Adithya, co-founder of 3D printing and fabrication studio Additive Inn, described living and working in such a complex as very desirable, noting it could save employees hours of commuting daily. However, Adithya acknowledged that fabrication processes involving painting and sanding generate noise and waste that could disrupt nearby residents without clear physical buffers. He suggested that such living arrangements could encourage younger couples without children to consider starting families earlier.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main goal of the JTC and Singapore Institute of Architects study?
The study aims to determine whether industrial and residential spaces can be brought together under one roof to bring jobs closer to homes, make better use of land, and inject vibrancy into industrial spaces.

Which locations are being used as case studies?
Architects are using two sites in Toa Payoh: a 2.3-hectare plot in Toa Payoh Industrial Park and a 2.4-hectare site at Lorong 3 Toa Payoh occupied by Jackson Square.

When is the study scheduled to end?
The entire study is slated to conclude in the first half of 2027.

How might integrating industrial workshops into residential buildings alter daily commuting patterns for workers in Singapore?