Playgrounds galore, butterfly walks, groceries next door: Why this mum can’t stop promoting her Tengah home

For her family, everyday life flows easily between greenery, play and daily errands – showing how thoughtful HDB planning can turn a new town into somewhere people love to live

Jorene Lee, her husband Stanley Ong and their daughters Alysson (on bicycle) and Audelia, spend most weekday evenings exploring the gardens and playgrounds near their Garden Vale @ Tengah home.

Published Sep 25, 2026, 04:00 AM

Every weekday evening, Jorene Lee’s two young daughters get an immersive science lesson just minutes from their Tengah home.

They spot colourful butterflies such as the orange-winged Plain Tiger and tiny Pygmy Grass Blue flitting among flowering shrubs, and sometimes catch sight of the red-eyed Asian Glossy Starling.

Three-year-old Alysson Ong squeals in delight as she pedals past her favourite pink and purple flowers, while her one-year-old sister Audelia has recently learnt to say “grass” and “leaves”.

Their evening usually ends at one of the precinct’s nature-inspired playgrounds, with themes such as Bee, Enchanted Tree House and Giant Mushroom.

For Lee, a 33-year-old patent scientist who moved into Garden Vale @ Tengah with her family about 18 months ago, the precinct offers the green outdoor environment she had hoped for when choosing a home.

Garden Vale @ Tengah is a Housing Board (HDB) Build-To-Order (BTO) development in Tengah’s Garden District, one of five districts in the new town.

The district is adjacent to the future Central Park, and the proposed park and waterbody in the south of Tengah, with the 1.5km Garden Farmway linking housing precincts to playgrounds, fitness corners and community gardens.

But greenery is only part of the appeal for Lee. Playgrounds, childcare, shops and places to eat are also close to home, allowing her family to fit outdoor time, play and everyday errands into their daily routine without having to travel far.

Lee and her husband, Stanley Ong, 35, chose Tengah as both grew up in western Singapore and wanted to raise their family in a new town with greenery, spaces for their children to play and everyday amenities within easy reach.

She says: “I like my kids to look at greenery, and I believe in outdoor play as it makes them curious about the world. There’s a lot of greenery in this estate. I can see that a lot of effort has been put into planting different coloured plants and flowers, and it’s very enjoyable for us.”

Greenery woven into Garden Vale and Garden Vines @ Tengah

For its work on Garden Vale and the adjacent Garden Vines @ Tengah, home-grown architecture firm Design Link Architects won this year’s Best Design Award at the HDB Awards 2026.

A key part of the projects’ design is how greenery is woven into the spaces residents pass through and use every day, with landscaped courtyards and paths connecting homes to play, fitness and community spaces.

Shiela Carelnina, a senior landscape architect at HDB, was part of the team that oversaw the implementation of the precinct’s landscape design.

She says: “We wanted greenery to be part of residents’ everyday lives rather than something confined to specific areas of the development.”

This way, residents can enjoy greenery as they walk home, exercise, bring their children to play or spend time outdoors.

This resulted in a more organic layout, where garden paths, playgrounds, fitness areas and gathering spaces flow into one another.

“A resident may move from a garden path into a fitness area, playground or gathering space without feeling that each area is completely separate from the next,” she adds.

HDB senior landscape architect Shiela Carelnina’s team oversaw the implementation of Garden Vale and Garden Vines’ landscape design, which aims to make greenery part of residents’ everyday lives. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA

HDB senior landscape architect Shiela Carelnina’s team oversaw the implementation of Garden Vale and Garden Vines’ landscape design, which aims to make greenery part of residents’ everyday lives.

The landscaping also does more than provide pleasant surroundings. Ecological pockets dotted around Garden Vale and Garden Vines @ Tengah provide habitats and food sources for birds, butterflies and bees – which residents like Lee and her daughters encounter around the precincts.

Carelnina hopes that over time, seasonal flowering will attract more birds and pollinators, making this part of Tengah even greener and richer in nature.

Nature-themed details add to the overall effect. Besides plant- and insect-themed playgrounds, residents will find playful touches such as rock-inspired seats, boulder benches, leaf-shaped tables and trellises inspired by tree branches.

Shared spaces bring neighbours and generations together

The greenery is one part of what draws residents outdoors. For Garden Vale @ Tengah resident Awyong Chian Chian, enjoying the precinct’s common spaces have also become part of her regular routine.

The 45-year-old, who works in the private education sector, says: “Having greenery close to home makes the environment more peaceful and relaxing, especially when coming home in the evening.

She takes walks three to four times a week and cycles occasionally, sometimes stopping to unwind on the precinct’s swing benches, which bring back fond childhood memories.

“There are many playgrounds and I can often hear children playing and laughing. It makes the estate feel lively and pleasant,” she says.

“It’s nice to see families and neighbours using the common spaces within the precinct.”

The precincts also bring children, adults and seniors together through 3-Generation playgrounds, which place playgrounds and fitness stations meant for different age groups, close to one another.

The way these spaces are laid out also makes it easy for residents to move between everyday activities and spend time around their neighbours, says HDB’s Carelnina.

For instance, the open plaza outside the coffee shop is close to the playground and seating areas.

“Someone waiting for food can spend time at the nearby swings, while families using the playground can see and interact with residents passing through,” Carelnina says.

“The spaces feel livelier, with more opportunities for everyday interaction and for residents to look out for one another.”

Garden Vale @ Tengah is part of the Garden District, where homes are connected to playgrounds, fitness corners and community gardens by the 1.5km Garden Farmway. PHOTO: HDB

Garden Vale @ Tengah is part of the Garden District, where homes are connected to playgrounds, fitness corners and community gardens by the 1.5km Garden Farmway.

The two-room Flexi and five-room flats at Garden Vale and Garden Vines @ Tengah adopt a “plug-in” concept, using HDB’s standardised layouts as a base while incorporating additional living space to create different flat configurations.

For example, the five-room flat builds on HDB’s standardised four-room layout, with extra space that home owners can adapt to their needs – as a study, work-from-home area, lounge, nursery or larger wardrobe.

These different configurations also shape the appearance of the blocks. The additional spaces project from different parts of the façades as cantilevered extensions, creating the layered, three-dimensional look of the developments.

Beyond the design of the homes and shared spaces, having everyday amenities close by also shapes how residents experience the precinct.

For Lee, that means being able to fit childcare, outdoor time, errands and meals into the family’s daily routine without travelling too far.

After a 45-minute express bus ride from her Tanjong Pagar workplace, she picks up her daughters from their childcare centre, just a street away from their flat.

They explore the gardens and expend their energy at the playgrounds before making a grocery run at the nearby supermarket. By then, the girls are ready to tuck into their favourite fishball kway teow soup at the coffee shop.

“We can teach them about fruit and vegetables at the supermarket, and also about hawker culture during dinner,” says Lee.

The couple also go for lunch dates at Plantation Plaza, a short walk from their home in Garden Vale @ Tengah.

Lee feels that this combination of nature, spaces for her children to play and the convenience of having everyday needs close to home makes Tengah a good place to raise her young family.

She says: “I feel that Tengah has so much potential and I always promote my town to my friends!”

What Tengah residents have now and what’s coming

Garden Vines @ Tengah features interconnected garden spaces and green pockets designed to bring residents closer to nature. PHOTO: HDB

Garden Vines @ Tengah features interconnected garden spaces and green pockets designed to bring residents closer to nature.

For early residents of Tengah, moving into Singapore’s newest Housing Board (HDB) town meant getting used to a neighbourhood that was still taking shape.

As more homes have been completed, shops, transport links and essential services have progressively opened, making the town more complete for residents.

They now have Plantation Plaza, which houses a supermarket, restaurants and enrichment centres, as well as Parc Point, across the road from Tengah Bus Interchange, with a polyclinic and some 40 shops.

These add to the amenities within individual housing developments, including coffee shops, supermarkets and childcare centres, giving residents more options for their day-to-day needs.

Tengah, the first new HDB town to be developed in about two decades after Punggol, will eventually have five districts: Plantation, Garden, Park, Brickland and Forest Hill.

Going forward, residents moving into new large-scale BTO estates will enjoy earlier access to bus services and key amenities.

As Tengah is progressively developed, more amenities and infrastructure will be rolled out to serve residents in the coming years, such as Tengah Town Centre, Central Park and the Jurong Region Line.

Learn how the Housing Board and its partners work to deliver homes Singapore residents love returning to.

对她一家来说，日常生活在绿地、玩耍和日常琐事之间轻松自在地穿梭——这充分展现了建屋发展局周全的规划如何将一个新市镇打造成人们喜爱的居住地。

Jorene Lee、她的丈夫 Stanley Ong 和他们的女儿 Alysson（骑自行车）和 Audelia，大多数工作日的晚上都会去探索他们位于 Garden Vale @ Tengah 的家附近的园林和游乐场。

发布于 2026 年 9 月 25 日 上午 4:00

每个工作日的晚上，Jorene Lee 的两个小女儿都能在离她们位于 Tengah 的家几分钟路程的地方，接受一堂沉浸式的科学课。

他们可以看到橙翅虎斑蝶和小巧的草蓝蝶等色彩斑斓的蝴蝶在开花的灌木丛中翩翩起舞，有时还能看到红眼亚洲辉椋鸟。

三岁的艾莉森·翁骑着自行车经过她最喜欢的粉色和紫色花朵时，高兴地尖叫起来；而她一岁的妹妹奥德莉亚最近学会了说“草”和“树叶”。

他们的夜晚通常以在园区内以自然为主题的游乐场之一结束，这些游乐场的主题包括蜜蜂、魔法树屋和巨型蘑菇。

对于 33 岁的专利科学家 Lee 来说，她和家人大约 18 个月前搬进了 Garden Vale @ Tengah，这个住宅区提供了她在选择房屋时所希望的绿色户外环境。

Garden Vale @ Tengah 是建屋发展局 (HDB) 在登加花园区 (Tengah Garden District) 开发的预购组屋 (BTO) 项目，登加花园区是该新镇的五个区之一。

该区毗邻未来的中央公园，以及登加南部拟建的公园和水体，1.5公里长的花园农场大道将住宅区与游乐场、健身角和社区花园连接起来。

但对李来说，绿化只是吸引她的地方之一。游乐场、托儿所、商店和餐馆也都在家附近，这让她的家人可以轻松地将户外活动、玩耍和日常琐事融入到日常生活中，而无需长途跋涉。

李和她 35 岁的丈夫 Stanley Ong 选择在登加定居，因为他们都在新加坡西部长大，希望在一个绿树成荫、有空间供孩子们玩耍、日常生活便利的新城镇抚养他们的孩子。

她说：“我喜欢让孩子们看绿植，我相信户外活动能激发他们对世界的好奇心。这个小区绿化很好。看得出来，业主花了很多心思种植各种颜色的植物和花卉，我们很喜欢。”

绿植融入花园谷和花园藤蔓 @ Tengah

本土建筑事务所 Design Link Architects 凭借其在 Garden Vale 和毗邻的 Garden Vines @ Tengah 的设计作品，荣获了 2026 年建屋发展局 (HDB) 奖项的最佳设计奖。

项目设计的一个关键部分是如何将绿化融入居民每天经过和使用的空间，通过景观庭院和小路将住宅与游戏、健身和社区空间连接起来。

建屋发展局 (HDB) 高级景观设计师 Shiela Carelnina 是负责监督该区域景观设计实施的团队成员之一。

她说：“我们希望绿化成为居民日常生活的一部分，而不是局限于开发项目的特定区域。”

这样一来，居民们在步行回家、锻炼身体、带孩子玩耍或在户外消磨时光时，都能欣赏到绿意盎然的景色。

这样就形成了一种更加自然流畅的布局，花园小径、游乐场、健身区和聚会空间彼此之间相互连通。

她补充说：“居民可以从花园小径走到健身区、游乐场或聚会场所，而不会觉得每个区域与下一个区域完全分离。”

建屋发展局高级景观设计师希拉·卡雷尔尼娜（Shiela Carelnina）的团队负责监督花园谷（Garden Vale）和花园藤蔓（Garden Vines）的景观设计实施，旨在让绿化融入居民的日常生活。图片：新加坡报业控股（SPH）媒体

建屋发展局高级景观设计师 Shiela Carelnina 的团队负责监督 Garden Vale 和 Garden Vines 景观设计的实施，旨在让绿化成为居民日常生活的一部分。

景观设计不仅提供了宜人的环境。花园谷和登加花园藤蔓周围点缀的生态区为鸟类、蝴蝶和蜜蜂提供了栖息地和食物来源——像李和她的女儿们这样的居民经常在社区周围看到它们。

卡雷尼娜希望随着时间的推移，季节性花卉能够吸引更多的鸟类和授粉昆虫，使登加的这一地区更加绿意盎然，自然环境更加丰富。

自然主题的细节设计增添了整体效果。除了以植物和昆虫为主题的游乐场外，居民还会发现一些充满趣味的设计，例如仿岩石座椅、巨石长椅、叶形桌子和灵感源自树枝的棚架。

共享空间将邻里和不同世代的人们联系在一起。

绿化是吸引居民外出活动的因素之一。对于居住在登加花园谷 (Garden Vale @ Tengah) 的居民 Awyong Chian Chian 来说，享受社区的公共空间也已成为她日常生活的一部分。

这位45岁、在私立教育部门工作的女士说：“家附近有绿地，环境会更加宁静祥和，尤其是在晚上回家的时候。”

她每周散步三到四次，偶尔骑自行车，有时会在警局的秋千长椅上停下来放松一下，这让她想起了美好的童年回忆。

“这里有很多游乐场，我经常能听到孩子们玩耍和欢笑的声音。这让整个小区感觉充满活力，令人愉悦，”她说。

“很高兴看到居民和邻居们都在使用小区内的公共空间。”

这些区域还通过三代游乐场将儿童、成人和老年人聚集在一起，将适合不同年龄段的游乐场和健身站设置在彼此附近。

建屋发展局的卡雷尼娜表示，这些空间的布局方式也使得居民可以轻松地在日常活动之间转换，并与邻居共度时光。

例如，咖啡店外面的露天广场靠近游乐场和休息区。

“等餐的人可以在附近的秋千上玩耍，而使用游乐场的家庭可以看到路过的居民并与他们互动，”卡雷尼娜说。

“这些空间感觉更生动了，为日常互动和居民之间的互相照应提供了更多机会。”

登加花园谷 (Garden Vale @ Tengah) 是花园区的一部分，该区域的住宅通过 1.5 公里的花园农场道 (Garden Farmway) 与游乐场、健身角和社区花园相连。（图片：建屋发展局）

Garden Vale @ Tengah 是花园区的一部分，这里的住宅通过 1.5 公里的 Garden Farmway 与游乐场、健身角和社区花园相连。

Garden Vale 和 Garden Vines @ Tengah 的两房式灵活组屋和五房式组屋采用“插入式”概念，以建屋发展局的标准化布局为基础，同时融入额外的居住空间，从而创造出不同的组屋配置。

例如，五房式组屋是在建屋发展局标准化的四房式组屋布局的基础上，增加了额外的空间，业主可以根据自己的需要进行改造——例如用作书房、在家办公区、休息室、婴儿房或更大的衣柜。

这些不同的布局也塑造了建筑群的外观。额外的空间以悬臂式延伸的形式从立面的不同部分伸出，营造出建筑群层次分明、立体感十足的视觉效果。

除了住宅和公共空间的设计之外，日常生活便利设施的近在咫尺也会影响居民对该区域的体验。

对李来说，这意味着能够在家庭日常生活中安排好照顾孩子、户外活动、跑腿办事和吃饭的时间，而无需长途跋涉。

从她在丹戎巴葛的工作地点乘坐 45 分钟的快速巴士后，她会去离公寓只有一条街的托儿中心接女儿们。

她们在花园里玩耍，在游乐场尽情释放精力，然后去附近的超市采购。之后，女孩们就准备好去咖啡店享用她们最爱的鱼丸粿条汤了。

李说：“我们可以在超市里教他们认识水果和蔬菜，也可以在晚餐时教他们认识小贩文化。”

这对夫妇还经常去 Plantation Plaza 吃午餐，那里距离他们在 Garden Vale @ Tengah 的家只有几步之遥。

李女士认为，登加地区兼具自然环境、孩子们玩耍的空间以及日常生活所需物品近在咫尺的便利，是她抚养幼小家庭的好地方。

她说：“我觉得登加很有潜力，我总是向我的朋友们宣传我的家乡！”

登加居民现在拥有什么以及未来会怎样

Garden Vines @ Tengah 拥有相互连通的花园空间和绿地，旨在拉近居民与自然的距离。图片：建屋发展局

Garden Vines @ Tengah 拥有相互连通的花园空间和绿地，旨在让居民更亲近自然。

对于登加的早期居民来说，搬进新加坡最新的组屋区意味着要适应一个仍在形成中的社区。

随着越来越多的房屋竣工，商店、交通枢纽和基本服务设施也逐步开放，使这座城镇对居民来说更加完善。

他们现在拥有 Plantation Plaza，里面有超市、餐厅和教育中心；还有位于 Tengah 巴士转换站对面的 Parc Point，里面有综合诊所和大约 40 家商店。

这些设施丰富了各个住宅开发项目内的便利设施，包括咖啡馆、超市和托儿中心，为居民提供了更多满足日常需求的选择。

登加是继榜鹅之后近二十年来第一个开发的新组屋市镇，最终将有五个区：种植园、花园、公园、砖厂和森林山。

未来，搬入新建大型组屋区的居民将能更早地享受到公交服务和重要配套设施。

随着登加地区的逐步发展，未来几年将推出更多便利设施和基础设施来服务居民，例如登加镇中心、中央公园和裕廊区域线。

了解新加坡建屋发展局及其合作伙伴如何努力打造新加坡居民喜爱居住的家园。