Discover how URA Scholar Colin Gay contributes to Singapore’s urban planning through the integration of data and digital tools, and how his multifaceted role as a Systems Analyst extends beyond technology to encompass strategic planning, insightful analysis, and effective communication of solutions. Explore the rich learning and collaborative opportunities at the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) that fuel Colin’s passion for making Singapore a great city to live, work and play.
A Marriage of Two Passions
As a child, I loved poring over world atlases and street directories, fascinated by the intricacies and beauty of the built environment in Singapore and across the globe. During my secondary school days, I had opportunities to build simple websites and games, which ignited my passion for technology. Hence, when the time came to choose a career path, URA seemed like the perfect place for me to marry the two passions.
Enabling Data-Informed Planning & Design
At URA, we are tasked with the challenge of balancing national, social, economic, and environmental needs on our small island. As a Systems Analyst in the Product Engineering Team at the Design & Planning Lab in URA, my role involves building digital planning tools for our urban planners. These tools help them analyse and gain insights from the diverse planning datasets we have accumulated over the years. This position allows me to gain a deep understanding of the wide-ranging planning issues and daily challenges that our planners encounter. Through working closely with them, I develop solutions that enable them to integrate data and digital tools into their work.
Technology in a Multi-Disciplinary Context
I work with my team to navigate the evolving field of technology, identifying the best tools to bring to our urban planners and delivering these tools in an intuitive web-based platform that fits seamlessly into their workflows. The work we do is inherently multi-disciplinary—not only must we be adept with the technological side of things, but we must also understand the urban planning context, analyse at different geographical and temporal scales, glean relevant insights, and effectively communicate our proposals to bridge the two fields.
We are also upgrading our business technology on the cloud, allowing us to use the latest tools in web development and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. In this project, I work alongside technology experts from the government and industry, gaining valuable insights while contributing to URA’s capabilities.
Learning & Collaboration @ URA
Based on a structured competency framework, URA provides support for skills-building by offering courses and connecting us with experts in the field. I had the chance to attend the Esri Developer Summit in March 2024 and meet like-minded developers, who use GIS technology to shape the world around us. This opportunity, coupled with my work experience at URA, allowed me to relate to the global developers’ community and appreciate the widespread impact of our work as geospatial developers.
URA’s Design & Planning Lab has also been appointed as the Whole-of-Government Urban Planning & Design Technology Centre of Excellence (URBEX), which gives us the mandate to drive the adoption of technology not only for URA but also for the entire urban planning and design sector. This provides exciting collaboration opportunities with partner government agencies, as well as with Institutes of Higher Learning, for research and innovation. We are always finding new ways to optimise land use and plan Singapore better, and I cannot wait to see what comes next.
Navigating Complex Urban Challenges: Present & Future
Here at URA, we are always asking many big questions to which there are no obvious answers; we must understand the consequences of our decisions, balance the trade-offs, and decide what is best not only for the present but also for the future of our city. I am privileged to be at URA, surrounded by passionate, like-minded individuals who constantly think about these issues and are not afraid to learn and push boundaries to find answers. If that sounds interesting to you, consider joining us in making Singapore a great city to live, work, and play!
GAY WEI EN, COLIN
URA Overseas Scholarship
Bachelor of Science (Computer Science), Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania, United States
Now: Systems Analyst, Design & Planning Lab, Urban Redevelopment Authority