Background

The Float @ Marina Bay was designed and built in 2007 as a temporary facility for events such as the National Day Parade as the National Stadium then was closed for renovation. The site has been used as a popular venue for many national and community events.

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Ministry of National Development (MND) announced the award of the design consultancy tender for the redevelopment of The Float @ Marina Bay on 15 July 2020.

The future NS Square will feature a permanent stage deck and grandstand, community sports facilities, a variety of dining options, a new public waterfront promenade and an NS-themed gallery.

Photo 1: Artist's impression of NS Square

Features of NS Square

The key features of NS Square are:

(1) A permanent venue for large-scale events and the National Day Parade (NDP)

To facilitate the staging of events, NS Square will have a new permanent stage deck with a purpose-built basement, that extends into the Marina Reservoir. The circular grandstand bowl which boasts cantilevered structures spanning up to 25 metres, will be the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, and will accommodate an increased seating capacity of about 30,000 to allow more Singaporeans to watch NDP and other events on-site each year. The seats will curve around the stage to provide a good view from every seat, bringing spectators closer to the performance and giving them a more intimate experience. This flexible space can also be configured for events of various scales and types from concerts and performances to sporting activities and competitions.

Photo 2: Artist's impression of NDP held at NS Square

Photo 3: Artist's impression of a sporting event organised at NS Square

(2) A vibrant community space with a unique sports and recreation experience

NS Square will be a vibrant and attractive venue for the public to enjoy all year round. When not in use for events, the stage will be transformed into a multi-purpose space for community activities like sports and recreation, and weekend markets. A new public waterfront promenade around the stage will form part of an uninterrupted, continuous loop around Marina Bay and allow for year-round pedestrian connectivity. The public can also enjoy a variety of dining options within the development, several of which will offer unparalleled views of the Bay.

Photo 4: Artist's impression of the new public waterfront promenade

Photo 5: Artist's impression of a waterfront restaurant at NS Square

Leveraging the site's unique waterfront location, NS Square will also be a community-focused sports destination which will include a water sports centre for activities like canoeing, kayaking and dragon-boating. There will also be an elevated swimming pool with water play areas, a gym and a team-building hall.

Photo 6: Artist's impression of the water sports centre

Photo 7: Artist's impression of the elevated swimming pool with a view of the bay

(3) NS-themed gallery

NS Square will house an NS-themed gallery which will showcase the stories and contributions of SAF, SPF and SCDF NSmen through various multimedia platforms and hardware displays. It will comprise a prominent street-level frontage and a public atrium where hardware from the SAF, SPF and SCDF will be displayed, an immersive exhibition space spanning across two storeys, and a viewing gallery with a view of the city skyline.

Photo 8: Artist's impression of hardware displays at the NS-themed gallery's street-level frontage

Photo 9: Artist's impression of hardware displays from the SAF, SPF and SCDF at the public atrium

(4) Environmentally sustainable design

NS Square aims to attain the Building and Construction Authority's Green Mark Platinum (Super Low Energy) Award in line with the Singapore Green Plan 2030, and will adopt a series of environmentally sustainable initiatives to reduce its energy consumption and footprint:

• District Cooling System.  To reduce energy consumption, more than 80% of NS Square will be naturally or mechanically ventilated to reduce energy consumption from air-conditioning. For the remaining areas, NS Square will tap onto the Marina Bay District Cooling network  for its air-conditioning systems, which will reap energy savings derived from the highly efficient centralised chilled water system.


• Solar green roofs.  Photovoltaic panels will be installed on the roofs of NS Square to generate renewable solar power to supplement the development's energy requirements. The roofs will also be extensively planted with greenery to provide rainwater retention, improve thermal insulation and reduce the urban heat island effect.


• Rainwater harvesting. Rainwater will be collected from the roofs of NS Square and used to irrigate the lush greenery in the building.


• Water-efficient fittings. NS Square will be equipped with water-efficient fittings to reduce the overall water consumption of the development.


• Recycling and repurposing of materials from The Float @ Marina Bay. The demolished materials from The Float – concrete and steel, will be recycled and used to supplement the construction materials for constructing NS Square. Some of the plastic bucket seats from the former Seating Gallery will be repurposed and reused. Several of the floating pontoons have also been reused as floating barges to support water-borne construction works.