Replacing The Float at Marina Bay, NS Square is set to become one of Singapore’s most significant new landmarks.
Singapore is never short on ambitious ideas, especially in Marina Bay, where the skyline has long doubled as a symbol of the city-state’s constant reinvention. The next major addition to that landscape is NS Square, a new multi-purpose development that will replace The Float at Marina Bay and bring a more versatile venue to one of the city’s most recognisable districts.
Announced by former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during the NS50 celebrations in 2017, NS Square has been conceived as a tribute to past and present National Servicemen and their families. But while its symbolic purpose is important, the project has also been designed with day-to-day city life in mind. Rather than functioning solely as a ceremonial space, it is being positioned as a year-round public destination that blends civic pride with lifestyle appeal.
At its core, NS Square will serve as a permanent venue for large-scale national and community events, including future National Day Parades and the Marina Bay Singapore New Year’s Countdown. The temporary floating platform will make way for a permanent stage deck that extends into the Marina Reservoir, paired with a circular grandstand with a seating capacity of 30,000, which can also be reconfigured for concerts, performances, and sporting events.
In everyday use, the stage area will transform into a flexible public space for sports, recreation and even weekend markets. A new waterfront promenade will also wrap around the development, improving pedestrian connectivity and forming part of a continuous walking loop around Marina Bay.
NS Square will include a water sports centre for activities such as kayaking, canoeing and dragon boating, alongside an elevated swimming pool, water play areas, a gym and a team-building hall. Dining options are also planned within the development, with several expected to overlook the bay. There will also be an NS-themed gallery that tells the story of National Service in Singapore through multimedia exhibits, hardware displays, and immersive exhibition spaces across two storeys. The gallery is intended to honour the contributions of servicemen from the SAF, SPF and SCDF, while also introducing future generations to the role National Service has played in the country’s development and security.
The official timeline now points to completion in 2027.
Where: NS Square, Marina Bay, Singapore
Contact: https://www.marinabaysands.com/