SINGAPORE: The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) may make family—friendly features compulsory in some future buildings.
But it stressed the decision will be made only after careful consultation with stakeholders.
The Authority gave a record 13 awards this year to buildings with good design.
Tampines Primary School has set the standard for buildings with good design features.
The school has pro—family facilities like changing rooms for mothers with babies and shower stalls with flip—down seats for the disabled.
Nazreen Osman has benefited from the school’s pro—family facilities.
The 33—year—old mother of a newborn frequently uses the school’s nursing rooms.
Mrs Osman says: It is really essential for me to have the space to actually do my motherhood duties. And especially that it’s located within the premises, within the staffroom, I can actually do my teacher duty and at the same time do my motherhood duty."
It’s one reason why Tampines Primary is the first and only public school so far to win a Gold award for Universal Design.
Universal Design refers to features that take into account the needs of users of all abilities, including the elderly and disabled.
The building design awards, in its fourth run, received a total of 35 nominations this year.
Buildings are given Gold, Silver, or Bronze awards based on criteria like user—friendliness, safety and accessibility.
Cheong Yip Seng, chairman, awards assessment committee, BCA, says: "I hope that in future, people who are providing such infrastructure take into account the needs of the general public, not just their own needs — how can their buildings, their facility be made more user—friendly."
The school’s sports facilities are clearly a hit with students.
The interactive wall lets people of different physical abilities take part in fun games. There are lights at different levels, and you hit them to score points.
The school is also scoring points with the community as well, since some facilities were recently made available for public use after school hours.
— CNA/jy