You have a degree in finance and worked in a bank for 15 years. What made you switch to landscape design in 2000?

Leonard Ng (LN): I was trading currencies, stocks, and bonds and it was a stressful environment where most people didn’t stay for long. At the end of the day, you were measured by your balance sheet, which reset to zero every year. I did not want to continue working like that forever, so I started looking for something else.

I’ve always been interested in design. I enjoyed creating the interiors of the homes I’ve lived in over the years and thought of being an architect. But the runway to becoming qualified was quite long and I was already in my late thirties. I discovered Lincoln University from New Zealand was then offering a new part-time landscape architecture degree programme in Singapore, which I could take after office hours. While studying, I also began dabbling in the landscape design for my new house and I realised I really enjoyed the experience. It is probably because I developed a love for the outdoors while studying for my finance degree in Canada.

As I learnt more about landscape design, I saw a lot of potential in the field too. Beyond just aesthetics, it’s about creating environments that inspire and tackle issues such as climate change, which was only just beginning to be discussed then.

In 2007, you began working on a breakthrough project, Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. How was it pivotal to your career and landscape design in Singapore?

LN: After graduating, I returned to Singapore to set up my own firm. I was working on various projects, including the front lawn of the New Majestic Hotel, when the German landscaping firm Atelier Dreiseitl asked if I could help set up their Singapore office. They had won a competition to redesign Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park and my role in the project was to design the softscape for the park, including selecting the plant types and deciding how to use them.

I also worked closely with the firm’s hydraulic engineers to naturalise an existing concrete canal into a meandering river. The project demonstrated to Singaporeans how a drainage system can be multifunctional. It can drain water and alleviate floods, but also be a surface for play when it is not full and even a space for nature to flourish.

Coincidentally, my post-graduate thesis at the Architectural Association was about how to incorporate water systems into urban environments. I was also then working on a hotel project in Lijiang, China, where I learnt about its ancient water supply system that brings people together with nature. Together, these experiences helped me to understand the importance of incorporating water seamlessly into a landscape and making it a visible part of a city’s design.

In a career spanning over two decades, you have designed many public parks in Singapore, from Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve to the recently completed Lakeside Garden at Jurong Lake Gardens. What defines a successful park design for you?

LN: A successful park is one that is multifunctional. The park must work not just visually but also at the engineering level so it is adaptable and resilient to climate change. It must engage multiple user groups – not just the young, but also seniors, families, and all demographics. It must be a space where humans and nature can coexist, too. Finally, it must be a compelling space where people will want to return to build memories.

Lakeside Garden is one example of a biophilic environment that helps to manage stormwater flows while enriching nature and the human experience of it. Our rendering for the design competition showed a flock of birds flying over the park and that is exactly what you can see when you visit it today. It was all by design. We made sure we provided different elements to create a place where birds can feed, roost, and raise their young. For instance, we planted grasslands of Chinese Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) to feed the Munia birds. There are trees of different heights for birds like raptors to perch on. There is even a separate island for the Grey Heron to feel secure enough to roost.

Our design also balances these spaces for nature with human needs so that visitors can reflect on their relationship with nature. A meandering boardwalk allows visitors to see the birds without intruding on them. There is also a playground with animal-inspired equipment that educates children about the wildlife in the park. Finally, we created a tree sculpture made from iron reinforcement bars salvaged from the park’s old pathways, which encourages visitors to take pictures and build memories of the park.

Singapore is well known for its greenery and landscaping today. What future opportunities lie ahead for the local landscaping industry?

LN: As the city gets denser, we need to find more spaces for nature. For example, there is a large expanse of roofs in Singapore that contributes to the urban heat island effect. How could we soften these surfaces with landscape to improve thermal comfort?

Another big topic is how we could use landscape to change mindsets about nature. Many people want landscapes but their relationship with these areas can be very transactional in that they want to gain something but not take ownership. Just consider how much litter you see in our parks. Whenever there is a conflict with nature, it suffers first. We often hear calls to cull the otters, crows, and wild boars when they encroach on our spaces. But we should be looking at how we can design landscapes so that these conflicts can be better managed.

What advice would you give to the next generation of landscape architects and designers?

LN: I believe we must continue to push for landscape architecture to have an equal footing with other design professions. Architects and engineers have their own governing bodies and can sign off on their designs. Landscape architects should be able to as well, because the scale and impact of our work is significant.

We should also make landscaping an attractive profession so that we draw in the very best talents. That is one of the reasons why I applied to the P*DA. I want to show future generations that landscape design is a respectable profession, and we can stand up to be counted just like everyone else.