BCA partners with Google Maps and Open Government Products to provide easy access to information on Family- and Wheelchair-Friendly Features in Buildings across Singapore

Parents searching for a diaper-changing station, seniors looking for barrier-free routes, and wheelchair users checking for accessible toilets can now find these amenities via a quick search on Google Maps¹ or a new government platform at maps.gov.sg/friendlybuildings (opens in new tab). In collaboration with Google Maps and Open Government Products (OGP), the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has published user-friendly facility information for over 600 public and commercial buildings across Singapore in these maps. The information covers key amenities such as accessible washrooms, hearing enhancement systems and lactation spaces, enabling seniors, persons with disabilities, caregivers, and families with young children to look up the facilities they need before heading out.

2        The user-friendly facility information was compiled from architects and developers using the Universal Design Index (UDi)², a self-assessment framework introduced by BCA in 2022. The information will be updated as new buildings are completed and assessed while building owners can also directly update their building information on Google Maps.

3        BCA is also actively working with building owners to expand coverage to include established, older buildings that are not covered by the UDi framework. CapitaLand will be among the first building owners to contribute user-friendly facility information for its retail mall portfolio, expected to go live on Google Maps and maps.gov.sg (opens in new tab) from early 2027.

4        "Accessibility information should be as easy to find as opening hours or directions," said Ms Cordula Oertel, Head of Strategic Partner Development at Google. “By partnering with the BCA to bring comprehensive user-friendly information directly into the platform, we are giving everyone – persons with disabilities, seniors, families with young children, and even caregivers who want to plan ahead – the information they need to navigate Singapore with confidence."

5        The government platform at http://maps.gov.sg/friendlybuildings (opens in new tab)³ is developed by Open Government Products (OGP), an independent division of Government Technology Agency (GovTech). It lists more than 10 types of user-friendly facilities⁴ in newly completed buildings.

Four Universal Design Excellence Award (UDEA) winners showcase excellence in User friendly Designs

6        Alongside the mapping initiative, BCA announced four recipients of this year’s Universal Design Excellence Award (UDEA). They were recognised for exemplary user-friendly designs that serve people of different ages and abilities, all of which are now searchable on Google Maps and maps.gov.sg/friendlybuildings (opens in new tab).

7        The four winners, Rainforest Wild Adventure East, Enabling Village Extension (Vista Building), Great World Mall, and Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok, span a leisure attraction, community hub, a retail mall, and public housing development.

8        Rainforest Wild Adventure East, Singapore's fifth wildlife park at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, is designed for guests of varying abilities to enjoy its adventure and wildlife experiences. The park has sheltered, elevated walkways and activities designed for wheelchair users and ambulant guests — such as the Canopy Glider — which takes guests on a gentle ride through the trees and above animal habitats with audio narration. To make the ride accessible to wheelchair users, the Disabled People's Association was engaged to improve the ride’s design by having removable side guards, armrests and a portable side-access ramp, with trained staff to assist wheelchair users with boarding and alighting.

9        The Enabling Village Extension (Vista Building) by SG Enable, the national agency for disability, builds on the existing Enabling Village, a landmark of inclusive community design since 2015. Designed to strengthen the Village’s connection with the wider community, the extension introduces a new 750-metre sheltered walkway linking Redhill MRT through the Village to the Bukit Merah belt, seamlessly integrating the development with its surrounding neighbourhood. At its heart is Enable Lane, a colour-contrasted, textured pathway developed with the visually impaired community. Serving as both an intuitive wayfinding route for persons with visual impairment and a unifying design element, Enable Lane connects the existing and new parts of the Village — making accessibility an integral part of how people experience and navigate the space.

10        Great World Mall, located within an integrated mixed-use development, is the first refurbished building to receive the award, following an S$80 million transformation into a more inclusive, accessible and family-friendly community destination. The mall features nursing rooms and diaper changing stations across all levels, an outdoor playground, and 24/7 step-free connections to the MRT and surrounding residential developments — making it easier for families with young children, seniors, and persons with disabilities to navigate. Since the Asset Enhancement Initiative, the mall has seen a notable increase in shopper traffic, reflecting its strong appeal as a well-connected destination for the wider community.

11        Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok, Singapore's first Community Care Apartment (CCA) development, demonstrates how thoughtful design can support seniors to live independently while remaining engaged within their community. An assisted-living public housing project, it integrates senior-friendly housing with care services. Within the development, dementia-friendly features such as colour zoning and thematic icons provide visual cues for residents’ wayfinding. A key design innovation is the transformation of storey shelters into dual-purpose spaces that serve both as shelters and communal spaces. This facilitates social interaction and encourages residents to connect with their neighbours.

12        "Universal Design is about creating spaces that work for everyone. The buildings we are recognising today show what is possible when architects, developers, and building owners commit to that vision from the very start," said Mr Darren Lim, Group Director of the Building Plan and Management Group, BCA. "By partnering with Google Maps and Open Government Products, we aim to make it easier for the public to find and benefit from these features in their daily lives — so that persons of all ages and abilities can navigate our built environment with greater convenience and independence."

Download the PDF version of the media release here [PDF, 360.58 KB] (opens in new tab)


====

Download the PDF version of ANNEX A here [PDF, 764.52 KB] (opens in new tab)
Download the PDF version of ANNEX B here [PDF, 331.95 KB] (opens in new tab)
Download the PDF version of ANNEX C here [PDF, 1.30 MB] (opens in new tab)
Download the PDF version of ANNEX D here [PDF, 1.26 MB] (opens in new tab)
Download the PDF version of ANNEX E here [PDF, 719.50 KB] (opens in new tab)
Download the PDF version of ANNEX F here [PDF, 2.14 MB] (opens in new tab)

Factsheets

ANNEX A – Universal Design Excellence Award (UDEA) Winners Factsheet
ANNEX B – Universal Design (UD) Factsheet
ANNEX C – Photo description of Universal Design (UD) Features at Rainforest Wild Adventure East
ANNEX D – Photo description of Universal Design (UD) Features at Enabling Village Extension (Vista Building)
ANNEX E – Google Maps User Guide
ANNEX F – maps.gov.sg (opens in new tab) User Guide


About BCA
The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) champions a safe, sustainable, and liveable built environment for Singapore. As a leader in the sector, BCA is dedicated to driving industry transformation and setting rigorous standards in building safety, quality, and environmental sustainability. By advancing innovation, digitalisation, and the development of a skilled workforce, BCA fosters a dynamic industry that is ready to meet the evolving needs of the nation and build a resilient and progressive built environment for all. For more information, visit www.bca.gov.sg (opens in new tab).

^[1] Information on seven types of inclusive facilities is available on Google Maps: wheelchair accessible restrooms, assisted listening devices, help desks, lactation spaces, diaper changing tables, wheelchair accessible carpark and wheelchair accessible entrance.

^[2] The Universal Design Index (UDi) self-assessment framework allows building developers and designers to evaluate their buildings against a set of Universal Design criteria and incorporate user-friendly features to achieve higher standard of inclusivity. More info can be found here.

^[3] Maps.gov.sg (opens in new tab) is a free platform by Open Government Products (OGP) for government officers to use and share location information with citizens and across public service.

^[4] Information on seven additional inclusive facilities is available on the platform by Open Government Products (OGP): wheelchair changing bed, resting spaces, elder friendly restroom, diaper changing facilities, family restroom, children restroom and nursing room.