Planning & Development

Choo Li Jie, Manager  (Land Planning & Policy)

"It's like building Lego blocks in the air, but someday, these lego blocks may very well translate into a real concrete structure."

I analyse and keep stock of Singapore’s industrial land demand and supply, keeping an eye on both the near- and long-term outlook. I also work out different policy scenarios to future-proof our land use policies.

What opportunities did the JTC Scholarship come along with?

It was indeed an honour to graduate from the renowned Bartlett School of Planning and LSE Cities Programme. The overseas experience allowed me to brush shoulders with some of the most experienced and acclaimed urban planners and thinkers in the world. Both my undergraduate and Masters programmes also advocated hands-on learning through workshops, project work, site visits and classroom interaction. Beyond strengthening my knowledge on urban planning, these experiences allowed me to acquire indispensable skills like leadership and teamwork. During my course, I also had a plethora of opportunities to go on study trips around Europe to learn from urban designers of design capitals like Porto in Portugal and Barcelona in Spain. These experiences were integral in helping me to envision how we could transform Singapore’s industrial estates into better urban spaces.

Share with us an awesome fact about JTC?

Something about JTC that truly stands out for me is its seriousness in investing in its staff. JTC’s officers are encouraged to hone niche skills and learn from our overseas counterparts. Thus far, I have had the chance to participate in masterclasses cum workshops with star architects and planners. A personal highlight was attending the 50th International Society of City and Regional Planners in the Netherlands, where I had the opportunity to attend workshops and exchange knowledge with several other planning practitioners and academics. The management also empowers staff with the freedom to think big and far. It would not be much of an exaggeration to say that innovation and creativity are ingrained in JTC’s DNA.