Johor Bahru-based Malaysian architect Chin Yee Chong’s design has been picked as the winner of the future Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link station in Bukit Chagar, Johor. He took home the award prize of S$82,000.
The Facade Design Ideas Competition, which ran from November 23, 2020 to January 25, 2021, was jointly organised by MRT Corp and Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (Malaysian Institute of Architects), invited Malaysian architects to submit proposals for the RTS Link station, which saw 91 submissions from across Malaysia.
The 4km RTS Link that spans 2.7km in Malaysia and 1.3km in Singapore will link Johor’s Bukit Chagar station to Singapore’s Woodlands North MRT station, massively easing the congestion of the two causeway points connecting the two Malaysian state and with the Lion City. Construction works in Bukit Chagar have already begun. It will take commuters about five minutes to commute between Bukit Chagar and Woodlands North station. It will have the capacity to carry up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.
The winning entry – “Integration of Two” – is symbolic of Johor and Singapore’s deep-rooted relationship and intertwined history, said Malaysia’s Mass Rapid Transit Corporation CEO, Mohd Zarif Hashim, at a virtual press conference on February 19.
“It is very modern and futuristic. It will be a design all of us will be proud of. An iconic landmark in Johor once it’s completed. The building will be 16-storeys high that will include four storeys for the purposes of co-locating the Immigration, Customs and Quarantine (CIQ),” Datuk Zarif added. The CIQ facilities will be co-located at each station in order to save time for the commuters as they will only need to clear the immigration checks once at the point of departure.
Mr Chin’s environmentally-friendly proposal includes features such as ample natural lighting and self-cleaning glass that can help to reduce the maintenance cost, and light-weight composite building materials.
The 4km RTS Link that spans 2.7km in Malaysia and 1.3km in Singapore will link Johor’s Bukit Chagar station to Singapore’s Woodlands North MRT station, massively easing the congestion of the two causeway points connecting the two Malaysian state and with the Lion City. Construction works in Bukit Chagar have already begun.
The RTS Link stations will be fully integrated with the local transport networks in Johor and in Woodlands. Eventually, the Woodlands RTS Link will be connected to the Thomson-East Coast Line (currently under construction) in Singapore.
The rail link project has been in the news for over a decade since it was first launched back in 2012, with the expected completion in 2018. It has been stalled after the Pakatan Harapan came to power in 2018, and wanted to review the project scope, design, and cost.
Important changes made during the reviewing process include the use of a standalone light rail transit (LRT) system instead of using the trains and systems as the Thomson-East Coast Line.
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