The buildings in Singapore adheres a very strict earthquake resistance standard - even earthquakes rarely happen (About once or twice every year), and have a maximum ritcher scale of just under 3.0. Singapore is located on the edge of a peninsula of Malaysia, and cornered by Indonesia and Sumatran island. And that's why our country is "protected" from strong quakes and typhoons. Rest assured, still all load bearing elements undergo a series of tests to ensure maximum stability and shear resistance up to 8.5 on the ritcher scale. It's under the Engineer's Code of Practice act in Singapore for all structural engineers to adhere this code. Foundations are always piled deep into the ground way beyond Earthquake resistance standards.
The edges gives an illusion as if flowing towards the city never ending and feels like falling. Not exactly. Below the pool are safety elements and a ridge just in case somebody plans to trip over the edge. There are also parapet walls offset from the edge of the pool, measured slightly shorter in height against the pool height, and that's why from the pool deck, you don't see the safety elements and are well hidden; it's the play of the eye-level. Again, a building safety act in Singapore.
Singapore is considered having one of the toughest and strictest architectural code of practices in the World; mostly derived from the British Construction standards. In residential and commercial buildings, all freestanding escape route and general usage staircases above 5 steps must have a railing, and its railing balustrades to have a minimal spacing no more than 100mm. (Baby's head measurement)
Another thing is, we Singaporeans have this so called "
kiasuism" effect; we get ready for events and issues even if a certain something doesn't happen at all. Or what we call, a "just in case" attitude. The new public housing in Singapore have bomb shelters in every unit.
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