Latest news with #EthenOng
CNA
07-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
*SCAPE to reopen in November, offering more room for programmes aimed at youths
SINGAPORE: Youth hangout spot *SCAPE, will fully reopen in November this year after three years of upgrading works, with an expected annual footfall of more than 2 million people. The space, located in the heart of Orchard Road, will shift its focus from retail offerings to youth-led programmes such as career pathways and community building. It plans to add 30 per cent more openings for such programmes. Through this, it hopes to reach more than 30,000 youths every year, said Mr Ethen Ong, deputy executive director of *SCAPE. He added the change in focus was due to the impact on retail businesses by e-commerce as well as building a community for youths, after noting a demand for such spaces because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr Ong told CNA: "(We) got our feedback from our youth that they would like to have more sitting capacity, more open spaces for them … to catch up with friends and to connect.' The plaza at the entrance to the refreshed *SCAPE previously contained retail spaces, which have been replaced by open communal spaces for youths to use as a stage for concerts and performances. WHAT DOES THE NEW *SCAPE OFFER? Mr Ong said the new open plaza was designed to allow youths to run events and performances. The redeveloped *SCAPE is part of the SG Youth Plan, a five-year blueprint on how to support the nation's youth that is set to be released in 2026. Youths looking to host events such as exhibitions can also benefit from lower rental fees when applying to use spaces in *SCAPE that are specially allocated for youth-run programmes, he added. Mr Ong noted that the rent will be cheaper by around half compared to other locations in the shopping belt and the space may also waive the rent for programmes upon application review. Youths can also tap micro-grants for projects benefitting their peers. *SCAPE's chairman David Chua said that the rejuvenated space is part of a larger Somerset youth belt. '(It) is the key node from which partnerships and programmes will then be able to spill over into the belt and give even more space and opportunity for our young people to showcase their talent," he added. *SCAPE will partner nine organisations to help youths learn and engage with industries including wellness, artificial intelligence, urban sports, creative arts, media, entertainment and sustainability. One partner, Lenovo Singapore, said it intends to show how opportunities in technology can benefit students before they enter the workforce. Lenovo Singapore's general manager Nigel Lee added that its programme will look at AI, augmented reality, virtual reality, robotics and more. '(It) is about mentoring (youths), coaching them and (offering internships), making sure that they are ready for the real world once they leave school,' he said. HISTORY OF *SCAPE This is *SCAPE's third revamp since it opened its doors 18 years ago. *SCAPE was first established in 2007 at the Red Box, in response to a call for more youth-centric spaces. Its own building was officially launched in 2010 and underwent its first revamp in 2012, when HubQuarters was introduced as a base for youth organisations and their development programmes. It went through another rebrand in 2016, putting in place new facilities and platforms for entrepreneurship and volunteerism. In 2022, *SCAPE was announced as part of the Somerset Belt Master Plan revitalisation effort. Last year, the Ground Theatre and HubQuarters reopened after renovations. Property experts said community engagement is important in creating youth spaces that can thrive and succeed. Mr Ethan Hsu, head of retail at property firm Knight Frank Singapore, said: 'If you look at other countries where youth-centric precincts have been successful, places like Hongdae in Seoul and Harajuku in Japan … a lot of the activity is driven by the community.' He noted that designing spaces for youth activities also requires an understanding of their diversity. 'We have … creatives … gamers, entrepreneurs (and) social activists. And … youth culture is constantly evolving … so without inviting them to become co-collaborators … to design the space or what (it) is used for, it's hard to say whether it will be sustainable,' added Mr Hsu.
New Paper
07-07-2025
- Business
- New Paper
Revamped *Scape to reopen in Nov with more spaces for youth, eyes 2 million annual visitors
The revamped *Scape will officially be relaunched in November with more dedicated spaces for young people, aiming to reach more than two million people in footfall within a year. The youth-centric hub, which was established in 2007, underwent redevelopment in the past few years as part of the rejuvenation of the Somerset Belt. Some spaces in the five-storey building, like dance spaces, are already open for use, while others are still undergoing renovation. Among the changes after renovation works is the almost doubling of capacity at The Ground Theatre, an event space within *Scape that opened in 2013. It will now be able to host 870 guests, up from 450. Mr Ethen Ong, deputy executive director of *Scape, said around 20 per cent of the building will be dedicated to free spaces and seating that young people can use freely for hanging out. Some spaces in the five-storey building, like dance spaces, are already open for use. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO "Since the Covid pandemic, we noticed that there is a need for youth to find common spaces for them to connect and build friendships. We want that community to be built in *Scape," he added. The remaining space in the building will be occupied by organisations and businesses, most of which are catered to young people. Around 30 per cent of the businesses in the building are up and running, with the rest progressively finishing renovation works before November. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO One of them is Access Singapore, a charity that aims to help students facing academic, financial or social challenges. The Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health (Chat), a mental health service for young people, will continue with its lease at *Scape. It has been running its services there since 2010. SM Universe, a subsidiary group of SM Entertainment that specialises in training programmes related to K-pop, will also house its Singapore campus at *Scape. This will be SM Entertainment's first K-pop training academy in South-east Asia. Dance lessons will be held for trainees on the fourth level of the building. Around 30 per cent of the businesses in the building are up and running, with the rest progressively finishing renovation works before November. The first and second floors of the building will be occupied by Innovate 360, an organisation that supports start-ups. It will bring together youth-run businesses like cafes and photo booths. The outdoor courtyard of *Scape, which was long occupied by tenants like McDonald's and The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, has been redeveloped into an open space where young people can hold performances or sit with their friends. A seating deck that overlooks Grange Road has also been extended to fit more seats. "We got feedback from youth that they would like to have more seating capacity and more open spaces for them to catch up with friends and connect. It is also designed in such a way that allows these youth to run their events and performances here," said Mr Ong. Mr David Chua, chairman of *Scape, said the hub will be the key node in the Somerset Belt precinct from which partnerships and new programmes can be made to provide more opportunities for young people. For example, *Scape will be collaborating with its neighbour Cineleisure to develop design programmes for young people, and with Youth Corps Singapore across the road to tap volunteering opportunities.
Straits Times
01-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
New *Scape space to fully open in Nov, aims to reach 2 million people yearly with more hang-out spots
The youth-centric hub, which was established in 2007, underwent redevelopment in the past few years as part of the rejuvenation of the Somerset Belt. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO New *Scape space to fully open in Nov, aims to reach 2 million people yearly with more hang-out spots SINGAPORE – The revamped *Scape will officially relaunch in November with more dedicated spaces for young people, aiming to reach more than two million people in footfall within a year. The youth-centric hub, which was established in 2007, underwent redevelopment in the past few years as part of the rejuvenation of the Somerset Belt. Some spaces in the five-storey building, like dance spaces, are already open for use, while some other spaces are still undergoing renovation. Among the changes after renovation works is the almost doubling of capacity in The Ground Theatre, an event space within *Scape that opened in 2013. It will now be able to host 870 guests, up from 450. Deputy executive director of *Scape Ethen Ong said around 20 per cent of the building will be dedicated to free spaces and seating that young people can use freely for hanging out. Some spaces in the five-storey building, like dance spaces, are already open for use. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO 'Since the Covid pandemic, we noticed that there is a need for youth to find common spaces for them to connect and build friendships. We want that community to be built in *Scape,' he added. The remaining space in the building will be occupied by organisations and businesses, most of which are catered to young people. Around 30 per cent of the businesses in the building are up and running, with the rest progressively finishing renovation works before November. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO One of them is Access Singapore, a charity that aims to help students facing academic, financial or social challenges. The Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health (Chat), a mental health service for young people, will continue its lease at *Scape. It has been running its services from there since 2010. SM Universe, a subsidiary group of SM Entertainment that specialises in training programmes related to K-pop, will also house its Singapore campus in *Scape. This will be SM Entertainment's first K-pop training academy in South-east Asia. Dance lessons will be held for trainees on the fourth level of the building. Around 30 per cent of the businesses in the building are up and running, with the rest progressively finishing renovation works before November. The first and second floors of the building will be occupied by Innovate 360, an organisation that supports start-ups. It will bring together youth-run businesses like cafes and photo booths. The outdoor courtyard of *Scape, which was long occupied by tenants like McDonald's and The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, has been redeveloped to be an open space where youngsters can hold performances or sit with their friends. A seating deck that overlooks Grange Road has also been extended to fit more seats. 'We got feedback from youth that they would like to have more seating capacity and more open spaces for them to catch up with friends and connect. It is also designed in such a way that allows these youth to run their events and performances here,' said Mr Ong. Chairman of *Scape David Chua said the hub will be the key node in the Somerset Belt precinct from which partnerships and new programmes can be formed to provide more opportunities for young people. For example, *Scape will be collaborating with its neighbour Cineleisure to develop design programmes for young people, and the Youth Corps Singapore across the road to tap volunteering opportunities. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
