Photo: Christopher Chitty
Worries about an economic slowdown haven’t dampened Singapore’s building boom, with a number of star architects designing stunning new projects that have not only won international awards, but are set to alter the city’s skyline. One example is the soon-to-be completed Tanjong Pagar Centre, Singapore’s tallest tower. We take a closer look at six famous buildings everyone’s talking about.
South Beach
View of the recently completed South Beach development. (Photo: Christopher Chitty)
Completed at the end of 2015, the South Beach mega mixed-use development on Beach Road comprises two towers and four conserved military buildings that have been refurbished into a fine dining and nightlife destination.
Jointly developed by CDL and the Malaysia-based IOI Group, the project was slated for completion in 2012, but was delayed due to the global financial crisis.
The 34-storey North Tower offers 500,000 sq ft of Grade A office space, with the anchor tenant being Facebook. The 45-storey South Tower is home to The South Beach, a luxury hotel offering 654 guestrooms.
Located on the 23rd to 45th levels of the South Tower is South Beach Residences, an ultra-posh project of 190 units that’s expected to launch when market conditions are more favourable. Earlier indicative prices for the apartments were in the range of a whopping $4,000 psf.
South Beach is easily accessible via two MRT stations – Esplanade MRT on the Circle Line and City Hall MRT interchange on the North-South and East-West lines.
Tanjong Pagar Centre
Artist’s impression of Tanjong Pagar Centre, Singapore’s tallest building.
At 290 metres high, Tanjong Pagar Centre will be the tallest building in Singapore once completed in mid-2016. Property developer GuocoLand recently topped out the $3.2 billion integrated mixed-use project located above Tanjong Pagar MRT station, one of Singapore’s busiest MRT stations.
Designed by world-renowned architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the building will integrate 890,000 sq ft of Grade A office space at Guoco Tower, a 100,000 sq ft lifestyle and F&B component, 181 luxury homes at Wallich Residence, the 222-room Sofitel Singapore City Centre and a 150,000 sq ft landscaped Urban Park that can accommodate up to 2,000 people in a sheltered event space.
Wallich Residence gets its name from the location of the development, Number 3 Wallich Street. It will house Singapore’s tallest and largest penthouse – a three-storey duplex on levels 62 to 64, measuring 21,000 sq ft. Only 16 units have been sold so far, at an average price of $3,200 psf.
Marina One
Architect’s perspective of Marina One.
Marina One is the largest integrated development to launch in Marina Bay, Singapore’s new downtown. Set to be completed in 2017, the 3.67 million sq ft complex is being developed by M+S, a joint venture between Malaysia’s strategic investment fund, Khazanah Nasional Berhad and Singapore’s investment company, Temasek Holdings.
It will comprise luxury condominium units, branded retail stores and prime Grade A offices, and will offer scenic views of the city skyline and the sea. A lush oasis of greenery and waterfalls will form the heart of the development.
The 34-storey residential tower, dubbed Marina One Residences, will comprise 1,042 one- to four-bedroom apartments, as well as penthouses ranging from 700 sq ft for a one-bedder to 8,568 sq ft for a penthouse. So far, 362 of the 401 units launched for sale have found buyers, with prices starting from $1.67 million.
Located close to iconic tourist attractions such as Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay, the development will be connected underground to four MRT lines: North-South, Downtown, Circle and the upcoming Thomson Line.
DUO
Aerial view of DUO by Ole Scheeren.
Another integrated development by M+S is DUO, located in Bugis, a trendy and vibrant enclave at the fringe of the business district. Scheduled for completion in 2017, it was designed by world-famous architect Ole Scheeren, the man behind the iconic CCTV Headquarters in Beijing.
DUO comprises 660 premium residences, the 5-star Andaz Singapore hotel, a boutique retail gallery and Grade A offices, all set within a park-like environment. Managed by Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Andaz Singapore will have more than 340 guestrooms overlooking the city centre and the sea.
Meanwhile, the 49-storey DUO Residences consists of studio apartments and one- to four-bedroom units and penthouses. Sales have been brisk, with 621 units already sold at an average price of about $2,000 psf.
DUO will be connected via an underground link to the Bugis MRT station, which serves two major MRT lines – the East-West Line and Downtown Line. Bugis Junction, Singapore’s first glass-covered, air-conditioned shopping street, is also a short walk away.
The Crest
Artist’s impression of The Crest.
Developed by a Wing Tai-led consortium, this sprawling 469-unit residential development is currently under construction and comprises four blocks of five-storey island villas and three towers of 23-storey apartments.
Designed by Toyo Ito, one of the world’s most revered architects, the three tower blocks resemble flowers in bloom. Residents living on the higher floors will enjoy unobstructed views of Sentosa on a clear day.
Comprising a mix of one- to five-bedroom units, around 100 units have found buyers, out of the 132 launched to date. In December 2015, four units were sold at a median price of $1,749 psf.
Located at Prince Charles Crescent near Redhill and bordering the Alexandra Canal, this project is nestled within the established Good Class Bungalow (GCB) areas of Chatsworth and Bishopsgate, and across the road from HDB estates.
Scheduled to obtain TOP in mid-2018, The Crest is close to Redhill MRT station and the Orchard Road shopping belt.
Project Jewel
Artist’s impression of Changi Airport’s Project Jewel expansion.
This upcoming mixed-use development is located on a 3.5ha site at Changi Airport Terminal 1, formerly an open-air car park, and is being developed by Changi Airport Group and CapitaMalls Asia at a cost of about $1.47 billion.
Currently under construction, Project Jewel was designed by a team of architects led by the world-renowned Moshe Safdie, who was behind the design of Marina Bay Sands. With its distinctive dome-shaped façade made of glass and steel, it is expected to become an iconic landmark in Singapore.
Jewel will comprise facilities for airport operations, leisure attractions (including a large-scale, lush indoor garden with a 40-metre high central waterfall), retail and food outlets, hotel facilities and a car park, all under one roof.
Scheduled to open by the end of 2018, the project will also enhance connectivity between Terminals 1, 2 and 3, and the Changi Airport MRT station.
Romesh Navaratnarajah, Senior Editor at PropertyGuru, wrote this story. To contact him about this or other stories email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg
