Singapore: Gardens by the Bay, the Gardens of Innovation and Sustainability

Gardens by the Bay is an engineering and ecological design feat that aims to harmonize urban life with nature. It serves as a major tourist attraction and a significant public space for residents, while also providing a wide range of educational opportunities and environmental awareness.

© O. Robert

Gardens by the Bay is a 101-hectare botanical garden located in Singapore's Marina Bay district. It was inaugurated in 2012 and is the result of an urban planning project aimed at transforming Singapore into a "city within a garden."

Construction and Design

The project was initiated by Singapore's National Parks Board and was designed by landscape architects from Grant Associates and architects from WilkinsonEyre. The construction was carried out in several phases, with an estimated cost of about 1 billion Singaporean dollars (approximately 700 million USD).

Objectives

One of the main objectives is to improve the quality of life by integrating green spaces into the urban fabric. It also aims to diversify tourism in Singapore by adding a major attraction centered on botany and sustainable development.

And it's safe to say that this objective has been largely achieved. The thousands of photographers who visit each year to try and capture the most beautiful nighttime images serve as a strong testament to this.

My equipment: URTH. The ultimate filters for long exposure photography

Main Features

The garden is famous for its "Supertrees," which are steel arboreal structures ranging from 25 to 50 meters in height, equipped with sustainable technologies such as photovoltaic cells.

It also includes two large domes, the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. The Flower Dome is the world's largest column-less greenhouse, while the Cloud Forest simulates a moist mountain environment.

The park also has several themed gardens, including a Chinese garden, an Indian garden, and a Malay garden.

Roles

The roles of Gardens by the Bay in Singapore are numerous and varied:

• It offers a variety of educational programs for schools and the general public, aimed at raising awareness about environmental issues, biodiversity, and sustainable development;

• As an accessible green space, it contributes to improving the quality of life for residents by providing a place for relaxation, exercise, and social interaction;

• The design and installations in the garden focus on sustainability, featuring technologies like rainwater irrigation and solar panels on the "Supertrees."

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• The garden also serves as a platform for research in horticulture and botany, contributing to studies on tropical plants and their adaptation;

• Gardens by the Bay is often used as a venue for cultural events, artistic exhibitions, and community programs, thereby enriching Singapore's cultural scene;

• The garden contributes to Singapore's identity and image as an innovative and sustainable city, in line with the city's vision as a "city in a garden."

This is an absolute must-see work of art. Both day and night, the garden offers a multitude of facets and amazing vantage points for photography.

During each of my visits, and despite the supposed millions of tourists who visit, I've always been almost alone and undisturbed for night photography. However, be aware of the ambient humidity, which could ruin your photo session.

The Secrets of Long Exposure

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