Traditionally, cities have been neatly organised into dedicated zones, and Singapore’s development plan has also embraced this land planning approach. Perhaps it was a response to our rushed housing needs in the post-Independence years, or perhaps it was a memory of how “messy” urban development during colonial Singapore was – with homes drowned in the noise and traffic from shops or warehouses right next door. But from around the 1960s to 1990s, Singapore was divided into very neat, clear-cut urban zones, and that resulted in:

• Jurong = Industrial
• CBD = Offices
• Orchard = Malls
• Changi = Anything related to planes
• Sentosa = High-end Tourism
• Pasir Ris = Chalets

These broad characterisations have shaped the way most Singaporeans view these locations. To some degree, these identities persist today, but you might notice they’ve also evolved in recent years. A familiar example is Jurong which was initially “just” for industrial zones. Today, Jurong East is envisioned as the “second CBD,” whilst the Jurong Lake area  ...