At a recent launch event for the 160th Anniversary celebrations of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the National Parks Board (NParks) unveiled their plans for the 8 ha extension to the Gardens along Gallop Road. Comprising an arboretum which will hold 200 to 300 species of dipterocarp forest species, Singapore’s first permanent collection of botanical art on display, a restored ridge-top habitat and a biophilic play area, the Gallop extension brings the total area of the Gardens to 82 hectares – the largest in its 160-year history. For the first time in Singapore, visitors of all ages and abilities will be able to explore and appreciate native forest ecology in one location, furthering the Gardens’ mission of connecting people with plants.

As Singapore’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Singapore Botanic Gardens has a rich history of research, conservation, education and recreation.

With its rolling terrain of open lawns framed by landscapes of native plants and forests, and featuring two conservation buildings, the Gallop extension will continue the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ heritage roles in research, conservation, education and recreation. As a natural extension of the Gardens’ Nature Area which covers 6 ha of primary rainforest and the Learning Forest, the Gallop extension will enable visitors to learn about forest ecology and the importance of conservation in a single location when it opens in late 2019. The extension will also buffer against urban development surrounding the native flora and fauna within the Gardens’ UNESCO World Heritage Site. Read more about the various new features of this green project here. 

Facebook announces on their official page that Facebook's first custom-built data center in Asia will be located in Singapore. The 170,000 sqm data center represents an investment of more than $1.4 billion Singapore Dollars and will support hundreds of jobs and form parts of their growing presence in Singapore and across Asia. 

Official Facebook Page & more info: https://bit.ly/2CaDS26

Photo Credits: Facebook Singapore 

Commanding a prominent waterfront location with the Singapore skyline as its backdrop, the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore (MBCCS) serves as a marine gateway to the heart of the city. 

Occupying 28,000 sqm, equivalent to three football fields, the MBCCS is designed as an architectural icon with the capability to accommodate some of the world's largest ships. The terminal features a spacious arrival and departure hall as well as a large ground transportation area to ensure a smooth and seamless experience for passengers.

MBCCS is set to expand as regional traffic grows. MBCCS, which has two berths now, has enough capacity to survive the next 3-5 years. More berths needed as Marina Bay terminal is set to receive over one million passengers a year

With passenger numbers at MBCCS likely to cross the 1-million-passenger mark this financial year, the terminal is taking steps to avoid possible congestion by tapping smart technology. 

By September 2019, a total of 460 cameras, each capable of clicking 750 images a second, will be installed at MBCC with sensors fixed at key locations such as the check-in and baggage handling areas.

61 Marina Coastal Drive

A new and bigger Arrival Hall has opened at Changi Airport Terminal 1, increasing the terminal’s floor area by 35% to 8,500m2.

The new hall is part of a larger expansion plan for T1, estimated to boost the terminal’s handling capacity to 24 million passenger movements per annum. The terminal served about 3.2 million passengers in the first quarter of 2018.

With the recent opening of the new arrival zone; travellers will collect their bags and walk down a passageway before entering the public area which used to be the road outside the terminal.

Within the arrival hall is a new garden featuring palm trees of up to 15m in height, a feature pool and a diversity of flora incorporated with dragonfly topiaries and sculptures. This is the airport’s first garden situated in the public area.

80 Airport Boulevard, Changi Airport Terminal 1

Changi Airport Terminal 1's new arrival pick-up zone is now open and is the first of several changes under a $323 million expansion project to boost the terminal's capacity.

The changes include a new "meeters and greeters hall", a five-storey underground carpark, an expanded baggage claim area plus more baggage belts.

80 Airport Boulevard, Changi Airport Terminal 1

Firmenich, the world’s largest privately-owned fragrance and flavor company has open a new cutting-edge $13 million Global Perfumery Creative Centre at Singapore’s Science Park.

Expanding the Group’s footprint in Asia, the 3,500 sq m state-of-the-art facility will offer world-class capabilities from perfume creation and technology innovation, to cutting-edge application labs and consumer insights. This Global Centre of Excellence houses the Group’s leadership teams for Hair Care, Soap Bars and Detergent Powders, uniting Firmenich’ s expertise in Fine Fragrance, Body Care and Home Care.

Founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1895, Firmenich has created many of the world’s best-known perfumes and flavours that billions of consumers enjoy each day. Its passion for smell and taste is at the heart of its success. It is renowned for its world-class research and creativity, as well as its thought leadership in sustainability and exceptional understanding of consumer trends.

Each year, it invests 10% of its turnover in R&D, reflecting its continuous desire to understand, share and sublimate the best that nature has to offer. Firmenich had an annual turnover of 3.2 billion Swiss Francs at end June 2016.

Website: www.firmenich.com