The Ministry of National Development (MND) and the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) have recently announced the award of the design consultancy tender for the redevelopment of The Float @ Marina Bay. The Float @ Marina Bay will be renamed as NS Square.
The completed space will be a distinctive, attractive and flexible events venue. NS Square will also feature an NS-themed gallery, community sports facilities and a new public waterfront promenade.
A new permanent stage deck will replace the existing floating platform, with a new grandstand of increased seating capacity of around 30,000 seats. The tiered curved seating stacks will wrap around the stage to provide an uninterrupted line-of-sight to the stage from all angles as well as bring spectators closer to the 'action'. In addition to hosting the National Day Parade, the space can also be configured for events of different scales and types, such as concerts, performances, sporting activities and competitions.
When not in use for events, the stage area will be a multi-purpose space for community activities. The public can also enjoy a new waterfront promenade around the stage that will form part of the continuous loop around Marina Bay and improve pedestrian connectivity in the area. This lower promenade area will be opened all year round; supporting F&B and retail options are also being considered within the new development.
To leverage the site's unique waterfront location, the development will feature a water sports facility to support activities such as dragon boating, canoeing and kayaking. This facility, part of a larger network of water sports facilities around Marina Reservoir, will provide the community with greater access to water-based recreational options in central Singapore. There will also be a swimming pool and water play areas for the public to enjoy.
With a mix of open and enclosed spaces, the planned NS-themed Gallery will showcase our nation's defence and NS story, and acknowledge the contributions of our national servicemen past and present. Stories of servicemen from the Singapore Armed Forces and Home Team will be told through various multimedia platforms and hardware displays.
The submission by Kengo Kuma & Associates in collaboration with K2LD Architects has been selected as the winner of the international architectural design competition for the Founders’ Memorial. The competition, launched in January 2019, attracted a strong response of 193 submissions from local and foreign firms. From these, five designs were shortlisted by the Jury Panel.
The Jury Panel chose the winning design by Kengo Kuma & Associates and K2LD Architects as it stood out as a site-specific design that best encapsulates the aspirations of the design brief. Its organic form creates a welcome counterpoint to the domes of Gardens by the Bay. It represents a bold and imaginative new type of memorial which rises out of the landscape. Conceptually different from the other shortlisted designs, it emphasises Singapore as a “City in a Garden” and allows for future growth. More than a singular building, it is a sustainable, environmentally progressive reflection of the ideals of Singapore. In addition, the design has great potential to provide multi-layered experiences for all visitors in its blending of external and internal spaces.
Following the announcement of the winning design, Kengo Kuma & Associates and K2LD Architects will be commissioned to develop the design of the Founders’ Memorial with the National Heritage Board and Gardens by the Bay. The construction works for the memorial are expected to commence in 2022, and the Founders’ Memorial is expected to be completed by 2027. Public will continue to be consulted in the development of the detailed building design and the formulation of the content and programming concepts over the next few years.
The Founders’ Memorial will commemorate the values and ideals exemplified by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Singapore’s first generation leaders, as well as other key personalities who played important roles in Singapore’s path to independence, and in the early years of Singapore’s nation-building process. The Memorial’s narrative will take a values-driven approach as guided by its concept, which was derived from the Founders’ Memorial Committee’s engagement with Singaporeans in 2015 – 2017.
Envisioned as an integrated gallery and gardens experience at the Bay East Garden, the Memorial aims to both commemorate how independent Singapore came to be, and inspire Singaporeans to commit themselves to contribute towards the nation’s future.
The Memorial is currently in its second stage of development, and the Committee will continue to engage Singaporeans to gather their views on its design. More information on the Founders’ Memorial is available at foundersmemorial.sg.
See the sea as never before as the rebirth of Amber Park.
Once a feature for East Coast, now a new freehold icon for the future. From the visionary minds of its original developer City Developments Limited (CDL) and the acclaimed SCDA Architects, the new Amber Park is poised to redefine seafront living just as it first did over 30 years ago.
Revel in an address that keeps you close to the sea and its idyllic pleasures but is yet mere minutes from the city centre. Within the development, 22 levels apart, 2 distinct recreation zones let you take full advantage of the coastal location. At the end of the day, retreat to your inner sanctum, resting easy on the assurance of quality and luxury that comes with every CDL home.
Connecting the 3 residential towers at the top is The Stratosphere. This rooftop recreation deck is the signature feature of Amber Park. Rising 235 feet above sea level. The Stratosphere lets nothing come between the sky, sea and you. Catch the dawn from the Yoga Deck, and watch the rays lingering from the Lounge at the other end. Together with the sea-facing Gymnasium, the 600-metre Jogging Track elevates exercise to a delightful sensory experience.
Slated to be a showcase of environmental sustainability when completed in 2021, Pan Pacific Orchard is Pacific Hotels Group’s first zero-waste hotel with four levels of soaring gardens that will redefine vertical sky-rise typology. The hotel is ideally located along Singapore’s famed Orchard Road with its distinctive luxury brands, high street shopping and dining options right at the doorstep, and the central business district just a 10-minute drive away.
Amongst other innovative elements, Pan Pacific Orchard will feature a rainwater harvesting system, a recyclable water system, and a compactor that turns food waste into compost – which will then be channelled into fertiliser for its sky gardens.
Offering 350 eco-friendly rooms, the latest sustainable hotel to debut in Asia comes complete with a gym, swimming pool, bars and restaurants, a club lounge, and a sky terrace ensconced within its gardens and cascading greenery.
Ascott Residence Trust (Ascott Reit) has acquired a prime greenfield site for S$62.4 million for its maiden development project. It will build the first co-living property in Singapore’s research and innovation business hub, one-north.
Located at Nepal Hill amidst 400 companies, 800 startups and 50,000 professionals, the property is expected to be managed by its sponsor, The Ascott Limited (Ascott) under the coliving brand, lyf, targeted at the rising millennial segment. To be named lyf one-north, the property will offer 324 units1. It is slated to achieve Temporary Occupation Permit by 2020 and open in 2021.
The 60-year leasehold site was put up by the JTC Corporation (JTC) for sale in a two-envelope concept and price tender. Ascott Reit’s concept proposal features the creative use of communal spaces, a holistic design centred on building a vibrant and collaborative community, as well as comprehensive programmes which promote social bonding, wellness, personal development and business networking.
The 200-hectare one-north estate has attracted over S$7 billion worth of investments in critical growth sectors such as the biomedical, info-communications and media industries. The location is also a talent development hub, home to world-renowned business schools and corporate universities.
lyf one-north Singapore is located right next to the one-north MRT station and a 30-minute ride to the Central Business District. The property enjoys easy access to key districts within the city via the Ayer Rajah Expressway and public transportation network. Commercial buildings as well as dining and retail options are available in the vicinity. Guests can look forward to fully-digital customer experience and communal amenities such as a lap pool, social kitchen, fitness area, barbeque garden, outdoor seating area, residents’ lounge, laundromat, thematic function rooms, and indoor events hall. Spanning a gross floor area of over 73,447 square feet (6,823.5 square metres)2, lyf one-north Singapore will offer a mix of studio and loft units.
With this acquisition, Ascott Reit will own five properties in prime locations in the central and western regions of Singapore, offering approximately 1,000 apartment units. Ascott Reit’s other four properties in Singapore are Ascott Orchard Singapore, Ascott Raffles Place Singapore, Citadines Mount Sophia Singapore and Somerset Liang Court Singapore. Please see Annex for further details of lyf and lyf one-north Singapore.
The Design Competition seeks to generate new and fresh ideas and secure the best design for St John's Home new five-storey building, providing facilities and services not only to its present residents but to the elderly living in the surrounding precincts i.e. Sennett Estate, Potong Pasir, Joo Seng and Bidadari Town. The Home is envisaged to be an integrated service facility centre serving the needs of the elderly in the community, possibly working with other service providers, complementing the Home as a Sheltered Home.
This two-staged competition saw 52 entries, where seven were shortlisted. And Aamer Architects' serrated profile plan and well-thought-out design was selected as the winning entry.
In 2018, St. John's Home for Elderly Persons (previously known as St. John's Home for the Aged), celebrates 60 years of caring for needy elderly persons.
Over the years, the Home has the privilege to look after hundreds of elderly who:
Are no longer able to care for themselves due to age or physical/mental problems;
Have no immediate family or whose family members have passed away, or who themselves are elderly and thus unable to provide care;
Have severe conflict within members of the family;
Have limited or no financial resources making commercial residential Homes unaffordable.
It is estimated that the new building will cost $15 million. As at June 2018, they have $10 million in their reserve, after paying the Lease Renewal Premium for the land. They depend on the community to raise the remaining $5 million required in stages, as the building moves towards completion by December 2020.
Every drop makes an ocean. Help their residents realise their new Home at Giving.sg.
An ambitious five-year plan was announced by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and it will see Asia's largest wooden building being contructed on its campus.
The proposed $180 million, six-storey building will be completed in 2021 and will also be the new home for Nanyang Business School.
Ninety-five per cent of NTU buildings are already certified 'Green Mark Platinum' and they are seeking to the greenest university campus in the world.
The multi-tenanted JTC Logistics Hub @ Gul, which will be the first of its kind, will integrate a multi-storey inland container depot, warehouses and a heavy vehicle park when it opens by 2019.
The development comprises a warehouse block of modular units of between 1,600 sqm to 2,500 sqm including rooftop space for heavy vehicle and/or chassis parking; and another block with high ceiling for Inland Container Depot (ICD) operations. The gross floor area is approximately 143,370 square metres.
Located along Tampines Road, north of Paya Lebar Air Base, Goldhill Memorial Centre will be a fully automated columbarium and it will also use innovative technology to optimise its space. It is expected to open around the end of 2019.
A team of veterans in the bereavement industry envisioned a heavenly destination that unites generations to celebrate the eternal bond of families. A quintessential space and rejuvenating atmosphere where ancestors peacefully rest and eternal blessings flow, Goldhill Memorial Centre was born as a reality of their commitment to immortalize legacies and family roots by leveraging into cutting-edge innovations and exceptional experiences.
Constant evolution and breakthroughs are the essence of success and prosperity. Singapore’s economic history have testified to this statement, continually innovating quickly. Interestingly, the columbarium industry has a different pace of progress despite the growing demand from the society. Singapore land scarcity and generations’ unmet expectations of memorial services drive Goldhill memorial to pioneer a new age of columbarium service.
Goldhill Memorial Centre is presenting a leap of the industry’s evolution in Singapore.
Toll Group operates an extensive global logistics network across 1,200 locations in more than 50 countries. It has opened a SGD$228 million next-generation logistics hub in Tuas by the name of "Toll City" which spans over 1 million square feet.
Toll City is purpose built and designed to cater for growth industries, including pharma and healthcare, component and parts management and eCommerce, while redefining supply chain excellence in the retail and FMCG industries.
But Toll City is more than a building — it’s a future-ready gateway to Asia Pacific and the world.
Situated less than 3km from the new Tuas Port, which will consolidate all of Singapore’s current container operations in one terminal by 2027, Toll City is an integrated local and regional hub that offers us the ability to move our goods with minimum on-ground transit time.
Toll City is designed to accommodate industry-specific technologies and automation for safer, more secure and faster throughputs and increased productivity to support future and current demands in the region.
Within an environment of innovation, Toll City provides the latest in logistics technology and advancements to continually improve their service offering.
One of their systems is the SiTadeL Supply Chain Control Tower - The award-winning IT platform which allows continuous service monitoring and management, enhancing the traceability and visibility of their supply chain at all stages. The system features a mobile application to give drivers a real-time view of transit times, a web application for operations and supplier management, and devices that monitor and trigger event excursions.
Eunoia Junior College will move into its permanent Bishan site at the end of 2019, ready for the commencement of the school term in 2020. The Bishan campus is situated at the junction of Sin Ming Avenue and Marymount Road, overlooking Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park and both Bishan and Ang Mo Kio estates.
Eunoia Junior College will be the first high-rise junior college in Singapore, with two academic blocks 10 and 12 storeys high respectively. A library with splendid panoramic view towards Bishan Park sits at the top two floors of the 10-storey block, allowing all to be inspired by the green serenity of Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. A 900-seater theatre will be equipped for performances, seminars and cohort-based lectures, on top of a range of seminar rooms, learning rooms, science laboratories and other special programme rooms.
The college will also be the first school in Singapore with an elevated track and field stadium as part of its infrastructure. A full 8-lane track, field, space for sports and games, and a viewing gallery will be located at the top of the structure adjacent to Marymount Road. The field shelters various student interaction areas from the sun and rain, including music rooms, CCA rooms, a dance studio, a multi-purpose hall, a 900 pax auditorium and various arcades for mass activities.
From the first half of 2020, residents of Sembawang will have a uniquely designed Bukit Canberra – an integrated sport and community hub, that will inspire them to live better.
To be opened in phases, the 12-hectare hub will provide amenities such as a hawker centre, indoor and outdoor sport facilities, a polyclinic, a senior care centre, green spaces for community farming and lifestyle related amenities for the community within a lush and naturalistic environment.
The State Courts handle about 90 per cent of Singapore's caseload, which equates to more than 300,000 cases per year. The new State Courts Towers on Upper Cross Street (located just beside the current State Courts building) are currently under construction so to meet with future needs and to support the push for an efficient, responsive and effective judiciary.
When completed, the new State Courts Towers will house more than 60 courtrooms and over 50 hearing chambers to meet the needs of society, providing better access to justice and timely dispute resolution.
The project consisting of a court tower and an office tower costs $450 million. The new State Courts Towers will stand at 178m tall with 3 basement levels and slated to be operational in 2020.
The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has awarded the BCA Universal Design* (UD) Mark to 26 exemplary projects this year. Kampung Admiralty is one of four completed developments, to clinch the apex UD Mark (Platinum) award.
Kampung Admiralty designed by WOHA Architects comprises two 11-storey residential blocks and offers 104 units of Studio Apartments. Integrated with healthcare, eldercare, childcare and commercial facilities, Kampung Admiralty serves as a one-stop hub that encourages social interaction and active living through its innovative design, communal spaces and sustainable features.
As reflected in its name, Kampung Admiralty is envisaged to foster greater community bonding and reignite the kampung spirit of yesteryear.
Kampung Admiralty is Singapore's first integrated development that adopts UD principles extensively to create an inclusive, well-designed and user-friendly environment for senior residents of all abilities to live comfortably and independently. For instance, the development incorporates a 900-seater hawker centre which is well-lit and well-ventilated as well as a medical centre which brings specialist care and day surgeries targeted at common ailments faced by the elderly. In the flat, elderly-friendly features include grab bars, the use of non-slip vinyl floor, the installation of retractable laundry hanger and built-in induction cooker. The active-ageing hub also offers day programmes for seniors and has day care and rehabilitation services for those with greater needs.
Tengah Town embodies Housing & Development Board's (HDB) vision for new towns of the future - green, sustainable and smart. The first HDB town to full intergrate with its surrounding ecosystems, it will also be the first to have a car-free town centre nestled next to a lush green park.
Guided by HDB's Smart and Sustainable framework, Tengah will offer some 42,000 residential dwelling units, providing new living opportunities in the west to meet housing needs.
Around 1,500 HDB flats will be the first to be launched in November this year at Tengah, the first new town in more than 20 years.
When it is fully developed in two decades, Tengah could comprise 42,000 new homes: 30,000 units of public housing and 12,000 units of private housing.
And when completed, Tengah will grow to about 700 hectares, which is roughly equivalent in size to Bishan Town.
Tengah was conceptualised as a unique town in Singapore and as the country's first "Forest Town" with a green theme spread across the district.
CapitaLand’s 51-storey future-ready skyscraper integrated development, CapitaSpring, will rejuvenate Singapore’s CBD with its vibrant vertical community.
As a world-class integrated development where the possibilities for future of work will be expanded amidst a vibrant work-live-play vertical community, CapitaSpring has secured its first anchor office tenant; ahead of its scheduled completion in the first half of 2021. J.P. Morgan, the global banking and financial services provider, will take up close to a quarter of the 635,000 sq ft of the net lettable area at CapitaSpring. This translates to approximately 155,000 sq ft of premium office space from levels 24 to 30.
The name “CapitaSpring” is inspired by the Green Oasis, a four-storey high botanical promenade between the Grade A office floors and the modern serviced residences. Embodying a connection with nature for urban dwellers in the heart of Singapore’s downtown core, the Green Oasis will become the central social space for placemaking and community activities as well as a city-defining architectural feature at a breathtaking 100 metres above ground.
CapitaSpring which broke ground for construction in February 2018, will be one of the tallest and greenest buildings in Raffles Place, with integrated commercial and community spaces and a City Room at the ground floor. Community events such as fitness sessions and lunchtime performances can be held at the City Room, which will blend into a 12,500 sq ft public park. Occupants can also look forward to a café, treetop cocoons, sky hammocks, meeting and activity spaces connected by a spiral stairway at the Green Oasis. CapitaSpring will also be home to Singapore’s highest urban farm and a fine-dining restaurant on the rooftop at around 280-metres-high.
Harnessing some of the latest Internet of Things and artificial intelligence technologies, robots and sensors – executives will be securely and seamlessly connected to their offices through an all-in-one lifestyle app. CapitaSpring will also allow tenants more flexibility in space planning with the option of inter-floor network connectivity, expansive column-free floor plates as well as one of the tallest floor-to-ceiling heights of 3.2 metres in the CBD. With a prime location in the downtown core, CapitaSpring will have excellent connectivity island-wide, with sheltered access to three train lines via Raffles Place MRT interchange and Telok Ayer MRT station as well as major expressways. CapitaSpring will also have a cycling path in its perimeter, 165 bicycle lots and well-equipped end-of-trip facilities, complementing the government’s strategy for a car-lite Singapore.
Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group, in collaboration with Carlo Ratti Associati, CapitaSpring will also comprise a 299-unit Citadines serviced residence managed by The Ascott Limited, ancillary retail space, as well as a food centre located on the second and third levels of the development. Stallholders from the well-loved Market Street Food Centre will return to the new food centre at CapitaSpring upon the building’s completion.
With over a million residents living in the west region, JLD will grow into its full potential as the largest regional centre outside of the CBD. It will also be the gateway between ASEAN and Singapore, where it will be home to the Kuala-Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail terminus.
JLD is strategically located near high-value industries, the future Tuas Port, two world-class research universities, and offers convenient connections to the city and Malaysia.
The High-Speed Rail to Kuala Lumpur will open new markets and opportunities in a metropolitan region of more than 10 million people. It will enhance the flow of talent and travellers, facilitate knowledge, business and cultural exchanges, and stronger social links to make JLD an attractive hub for regional businesses..
Building on the existing cluster of firms and public agencies in Jurong Gateway, JLD could be a hub for infrastructure development firms. It also offers an attractive location for firms in the maritime services sector, given its proximity to the new port and the surrounding industrial and logistics clusters.
The Verandah Residences is an upcoming & rare freehold residential development with a black & white colonial concept by established developer, Oxley Holdings Limited. This exquisite low-rise apartment is located on Pasir Panjang Road.
This project will have a total of 4 blocks and it comprises a total of 170 residential units.
As an investment opportunity, The Verandah Residences is expected to enjoy strong tenant demand from surrounding employment nodes such as Mapletree Business City, Singapore Science Park, One North and National University of Singapore (NUS).
The recently unveiled integrated complex in Bedok, Heartbeat@Bedok, was designed to incorporate amenities that cater to all age groups, providing family-friendly facilities. Parents with kids, grandchildren and grandparents can all come together as families to enjoy themselves in a single location.
Built upon a formerly forested site, it is apt that the main theme of Heartbeat@Bedok is greenery. Every floor plate is bordered with greenery, seemingly enveloping the building within a park’s forest. The multiple layering of plants, trees, shrubs and ground cover simulate a terraced landscape on the south façade, acting as privacy and acoustic screens from the neighbouring residential units. Heartbeat@Bedok’s unique design has also caught the eye internationally and it has won numerous architectural awards both home and abroad.
Bringing multiple services together under one roof, Heartbeat@Bedok is one of Singapore’s largest integrated complexes - it occupies 2.1 hectares or the size of about three football fields. The building houses several facilities such as a community centre, sport centre, polyclinic, senior care centre, a public library, as well as food & beverage outlets and shops.
Designed by architectural firm Ong and Ong, the new Gateway Theatre is a multi-theatre venue located in the heart of Bukit Merah Central.
An arts venue built by the Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC), the Gateway Theatre project cost over $50 million to complete. It aims to be a creative arts space that promotes Made-In-Singapore works and talents of all cultures, while developing an appreciation of the arts within the heartlands of Bukit Merah and in Singapore.
The Gateway Theatre occupies the site of the former Touch Community Theatre. A wall dating back to the Dhalit cinema which first stood there has been repurposed into a decorative feature of the Sky Garden.
The space is operated by production entertainment company Gateway Entertainment, which is helmed by Faith Community Baptist Church's pastor Lawrence Khong and his daughter Priscilla.
Its two main venues are the 930-seat Main Theatre and the 200-seat modular Black Box theatre. Within the building are two studio spaces for multi-purpose use, an outdoor roof garden and small balcony gardens for open-air performances. Gateway Theatre aims to fill this building with performances big and small, of various genres and styles.
One of its kind, Gateway Theatre’s Sky Garden is a unique green space in the middle of the Bukit Merah heartland that is landscaped with manicured lawns, shade trees, a water feature and an outdoor stage. This green refuge can be transformed into a unique event space for product launches, weddings, dinner receptions and even fitness lessons.
Originally used for movie screenings in the 1980’s, the main theatre is now the prime space and heart of Gateway Theatre for arts and performances. The intimate two-tiered theatre is fully equipped with a 12m x 6.45m LED wall and an array of visual, audio and lighting systems that can meet the needs of various art genres. It’s also great for product launches, conferences, film screenings or lectures.
Gateway Theatre’s Black Box is a space for your imagination. It’s an intimate and unique space where the most innovative and engaging type of performances unfold right before your eyes. Their Black Box has flexible staging and lighting configurations to suit a wide range of events, and it’s a great space for concerts, exhibitions – even movie filming. A key feature is the three-meter high LED wall that can give new depth to a performance or conference.
Bidadari-based public housing project, Woodleigh Glen clinches the Innovative Design Award at this year’s Housing Development Board (HDB) Design Awards.
The Build-to-Order project is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2021. The project was planned and designed by the HDB’s in-house team of planners, architects and engineers, It is also one of 18 HDB projects to have been designed with roofs that will allow for fast and easy installation of solar panels.
Woodleigh Glen boasts three levels of green community spaces (urban verandas, community farms and butterfly gardens) and a 200m-long sky terrace on the 10th storey. The sky terrace contains sheltered pavilions for birdwatching in the direction of Bidadari Hill Park.
The Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) building located by the fringe of the Central Business District is a contemporary translation of the traditional 3-tiered unity of 'earth', 'people' and 'sky' elements in Chinese architecture. Its principal architect is DP Architects Pte Ltd.
SCCC will be celebrating its official opening with an 8-days Cultural Extravaganza from 20th of May. The extravaganza will include cultural workshops on puppetry, crosstalk, Chinese opera, and performances by local arts and culture groups.
The architectural expression of SCCC took its cues from the composition of elements and varied textures of a Chinese landscape painting. The play of composition, texture, decoration and symbolism in the different stacked zones softens the building expression. The façade is read as a progression of illustration from bottom to top, distinctive in their treatment, yet coherent as a statement.
SCCC is a non-profit organisation that aims to develop Singapore Chinese culture and promote racial harmony. They hope to reach out to Chinese and non-Chinese residents, new immigrants and the youths through a wide range of carefully planned activities.
The long-awaited S$110 million SCCC building on Straits Boulevard aims to preserve traditions, promote innovation in ideas, and enrich the multi-faceted nature of Chinese culture in Singapore.
Dutch architecture office UNStudio has completed the first two buildings of a major new university campus in Singapore, designed as a seamless network of rooms, balconies and courtyards.
The two firms have now completed the first phase of construction. This includes the seven-storey-high blocks one and two, as well as parts of blocks three and five – accounting for 106,000 square metres of floor space.
The design is centred around the idea of "non-linear" structures. Rather than dividing the campus into different faculties, the architects want to encourage interaction between different departments, as well as between staff and students.
The campus is organised around a north-to-south and an east-to-west axis. These intersect at a point called the campus centre, which forms a flexible multi-purpose space that can be used to host exhibitions and other events.
From here, corridors lead through to the main auditorium, the main library and the International Design Centre – a hub for technology-driven research. Classrooms, laboratories and meeting rooms are spread out across the campus.
Externally, a pre-cast concrete facade system gives the building a bright white surface. This is interspersed with flashes of green, red and purple, helping users to navigate the campus.
The two completed buildings and those still underway frame courtyards, which are planted with native trees and flowing plants. Balcony corridors cover the surrounding courtyard walls, and there are also roof gardens and terraces.
Responding to the tropical climate, the structures incorporate natural ventilation. Sheltered walkways provide safe routes across the site during monsoons, while louvred sunshades across the windows protect the interiors from direct sunlight.
Embodying IHC’s vision, the four-storey IHC building is an iconic, unique and sustainable building that blends both traditional Indian as well as modern architectural elements. The architectural design for the facade of IHC is inspired by the “Baoli” (or Indian stepwell), and seeks to create an urban forum for the celebration and appreciation of Indian culture.
The diversity and multi-faceted nature of Indian culture is also captured in the use of a translucent shimmering façade to create an impression of IHC as a “shining jewel” in the day, and the transformation of the IHC into a “glowing lantern” of the Indian community with the lighting of the colourful façade mural at night.
The IHC adopted an inclusive curatorial approach under the guidance of the IHC Concept and Content Sub-committee; and defines Indian in the pre-modern context of the subcontinent. Thematic permanent displays and/or special exhibits as well as programmes at the IHC will showcase various communities from the subcontinent with ‘lived histories’ in Singapore. In addition, memories and accounts of the community have also been captured.
The IHC’s permanent gallery storyline revolves around five themes arranged chronologically to span the time period 1st century CE to the 21st century. The themes present, through artefact and interactive displays, the long history of interactions between South and Southeast Asia as well as the experiences of South Asians in Southeast Asia (especially Malaya); Singapore in particular. They narrate the history of the migrant community and their contributions to Singapore.
The latest edition to the Keong Saik district is an urban Izakaya, Neon Pigeon.
Inspired by the world of flavours found in the hidden spots of Tokyo and the underground culture of buzzling cities like New York and Hong Kong, the establishment is a vibrant social house offering great value for money and the soul of a Japanese Izakaya with a punch of urban grit.
With a selection of starters (appropriately named ‘Bird Feed’), soups, greens, seafood and meats, Japanese snacks are given a modern and in-house twist at Neon Pigeon. The Izakaya-style menu, designed for tastings, serves up dishes in ‘small’ or ‘large’ portions and you are recommended to order six to eight small dishes to share between two people.
A look at the menu and you will notice the heavy use of classic, no-frills Japanese flavours in the condiments and among the assortment of "Bird Feed", is a cold dish of Chilled Cucumber with home-mixed crushed chilli peanuts, nori (seaweed) and goma (sesame), as well as the Tsukune Sliders, an east-meets-west combo of a Japanese meatball patty and a western slider bun, coupled with pickled kyuri (Japanese cucumber) and tare (soy basting sauce) aioli.
Keeping up with the fun-sharing concept, Neon Pigeon also offers a large format dining option of Barbecued Pork Shoulder for groups of four to six. With a two-day advance order required, the hearty fare of pork shoulder is slow-cooked for 20 hours and served in a black pepper teriyaki glaze, with a ginger scallion dipping sauce, bibb lettuce wraps, steamed buns, a spring onion salad, onigiri rice cake, kimchi and pickles to complement.
Also an integral part of the concept’s underground vibe is the Neon Pigeon bar. The bar’s Japanese-inspired drinks list includes a selection of Japanese beers and whiskeys, each a representative of different prefectures, as well as a curated list of spirits and Japanese inspired speciality cocktails. These include Throw A Kyuri-Ken, a vodka-based cocktail with a refreshing touch of lemon juice, yuzu and cucumber, as well as Harajuku Girl, a mix of gin, shiso leaf, and plum bitters.
The bar also houses a selection of sake of varying fragrances and complexity, including a range of Junmai, Daiginjo, Ginjo and Honjozo sakes, that were all hand-picked from sake distilleries across Japan to complement the dishes offered at Neon Pigeon.
Specially designed by US-based EDG Interior Architecture + Design, the Neon Pigeon space at The Working Capitol building on Keong Saik is built to own the vibe of a hidden spot off the main street only known to the locals, as a veiled corner of an urban metropolis. The exterior shows only a fluorescent pink pigeon, lit when in business, while the interior is paved with raw elements of steel and bricks that are softened with sophisticatedly designed wood finishing, giving the social hangout an urban grit with comfort and familiarity – an atmosphere reminiscent of Shibuya district in Tokyo or East Village in New York. A semi-open concept kitchen is also featured, with the action in the kitchen open for a close-up view.
A final and crucial touch to the space is the loud graffiti work plastered on the walls of the interior that gives the restaurant a touch of the underground New York City vibe. The team had specially commissioned local visual artist, ZERO to create these murals.
Share on : 
Facebook
Twitter
Delicious
Digg
Email This
