Location: Singapore, Singapore.

Architect: Zarch Collaboratives.

The Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden in Singapore Botanic Gardens was established in 2007 as the first garden in Asia dedicated to children. In 2017, a 2-hectare extension was added to accommodate children up to 14 years old. The extension had to be designed in a way that would resonate with older children while maintaining the successful focus on tactile and sensorial exploration. The historic context of the Botanic Gardens required a sensitive approach, with the extension designed to augment but not overpower nature. A workshop involving small groups of children was conducted on site to provide feedback and elicit ideas. The design had to accommodate the widely differing interests of the various age groups, with a process of ‘graduation’ enabling children to move on to a different part of the Garden while remaining in a position of mentorship to younger children. The Garden reflects the value and importance society accords to children and the development of their potential, in addition to providing families with valuable space for recreation.

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon, Zenas Deng.