Tuan Sing Holdings Limited is making good progress with its integrated mixed-use township project, Opus Bay, in Batam, Indonesia, while simultaneously developing a luxury outlet mall in East Jakarta. Spanning 125 hectares and launched in phases, Opus Bay is one of Tuan Sing’s most expansive projects in Indonesia. Under Phase 1, Opus Bay’s Cluny Villas have completed structural works and have progressed on to architectural works, while Balmoral Tower is undergoing foundation works. These developments follow the completion of their respective show units, a marketing gallery and an arrival hall. Potential home buyers and property investors can now visit the show units to get an in-depth look at the development.
“As a leading regional developer in Singapore, Indonesia, China, and Australia, we are thrilled that Phase 1 of Opus Bay has reached a significant milestone. Alongside our partners, we are confident this development will surpass expectations and deliver an unparalleled living and lifestyle experience for our project’s purchasers,” says Mr. James Ong, Senior Vice President, Sales, Leasing & Marketing.
Opus Bay aims to unlock Batam’s untapped potential and transform the island into an exciting destination. It is designed to be a vibrant hub where residents can live, work, play, and learn, surrounded by lush greenery and a stunning seafront view.
Units of Cluny Villas, a community of luxurious resort-style villas, are expected to be completed from Q4 2023 onwards while Balmoral Tower which features high-rise residential apartments with seafront views will be ready by Q4 2025. Future developments at Opus Bay will feature lifestyle offerings such as entertainment, F&B, retail, hospitality, and tourist attractions.
Given its location next to the Waterfront Ferry Terminal in Batam, Opus Bay will benefit from a mere 40-minute ferry ride from the Singapore Harbourfront Ferry Terminal. The proximity to Singapore is set to appeal to Singaporean buyers, who desire an attractive home away from home. At the same time, Opus Bay will serve as a high-quality lifestyle destination for Indonesian residents.
Meanwhile, property investors can expect to capitalise on Batam’s free trade zone status and the Indonesian government’s significant investment in improving the island’s connectivity. The recently enacted Omnibus Law is anticipated to ease foreign ownership restrictions on residential properties, providing a boost to the property market, particularly in the high-end residential sector, which is Opus Bay’s target segment.
“We are excited to announce the opening of this property project in Batam, as it represents a significant step towards fostering economic growth in the region. By providing new opportunities for businesses and individuals alike, this development will help to drive investment, create jobs, and support the wider community. We remain committed to working closely with our partners and stakeholders to ensure that Batam continues to thrive and prosper for years to come,” says Muhammad Rudi, Chairman of BP Batam.
The development of Opus Bay reflects the close collaboration between Tuan Sing and several award-winning world-class architectural firms and partners. ONG&ONG is the architect behind the Cluny Villas, while homegrown architect RT+Q is the mastermind behind Balmoral Tower. Lead8 and Park + Associates are respectively the architects behind the design of the retail offerings and enhancement of the existing ferry terminal. Overall, New York-based Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates is the master plan architect, while China Construction is the primary contractor of the project.
Whilst the progress of Opus Bay is on track, Tuan Sing is also making headway with the construction of The Grand Outlet – East Jakarta. The latter, which is a joint venture project with Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd, is slated for completion in late 2023. The luxury outlet mall is set to be a landmark in Karawang, a rapidly growing economic hub connecting Indonesia’s capital city, Jakarta, and its third-largest city, Bandung.
Situated in the Nanyou district in the central Nanshan area, the Zhongtai Residential Development consists of a five-storey podium and above it a 33-storey residential building providing 238 units. On account of the site’s lack of pleasant greenery, the design’s primary objective is to inject vitality and improve the urban interface.
“The premise is to create an urban oasis, so the project will be a locus of calm and respite in the fast-growing city,” explains Cary Lau, Aedas Global Design Principal. The main pedestrian entrance, ancillary retail, and community services are located on the east side of the project. The first and second floors of the podium are reserved for retail use, and the third, as well as fourth, are where above-ground parking is proposed; on top of them, there is a roof garden.
The decision to allocate parking spaces to above ground accords greater opportunities for inserting green landscape space, in the same way the podium floor plates retreat for the creation of green platforms. The residential tower is also raised to afford a better view and a quieter environment. At the drop-off area and lobby, the design creates a rich green space to conjure an affable, home-like feeling: Pebbles and trees on both sides, a boulevard along the vehicular entrance, and a backlit feature wall at the center. The floor finish and water features also extend from the exterior to the interior that ensures a consistent and seamless entry experience.
On the tower facade, besides interpellating milky glass and aluminium louver materials, the timber pattern with aluminium cladding are low-emitting materials used to improve indoor air quality; Insulated Glazing Units are adopted to minimise solar heat gain, demonstrating adherence to the eco-conscious objective. Adding to the mix of beige and royal grey stone on the podium, the overall facade becomes variegated and pleasing to the eyes.
“The design explores alternatives to maximise green public space and achieves the ideal of placemaking. Our hope is to create an architecture that promotes people’s well-being as well as strengthens urban relations,” says Lau.
As the only municipal administrative centre of Guangzhou, Nansha New District is leading the future to be a free trade zone as the main linkage between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. Hengli Island, in particular, has been labelled an international financial island, acting as the most integral part of the financial blueprint in activating Pearl Bay, and shall serve as the benchmark for the future CBD of Nansha. Entrusted by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited, Ken Wai, Global Design Principal of Aedas, led the team to create a new landmark that strikes the city’s landscape.
The mixed-use project comprises a kindergarten, three low-rise buildings of mainly commercial uses by the riverbank, two mid-rise buildings for residential, commercial and public service use in the middle and four high-rise upscale residential towers towards the northern plot. By incorporating an unobstructed river view and vibrant city life with comprehensive amenities, the project forms a green oasis with close proximity to city living.
The project is a rare find within the city’s financial district, especially with an indulging panoramic view of the river. Located by the riverside of Hengli Island, Nansha District, a planned road runs across the plot and divides it in two. The south side of the plot is adjacent to the riverside ecological green corridor, where residents may enjoy a multi-layered river scenery from different viewpoints. Overlooking the estuary to the east and an endless stretch of river to the west, the plot attains a mesmerising unobscured view of the riverfront. The west and north sides of the plot are office building areas which link to the landmarks in the CBD. Being merely 600 metres away from the IFF Conference Centre, the project allows for city viewing from a prime perspective.
The project has posed several challenges to the team such as requesting a wide scope of functional uses and a high floor area ratio. To maximise flexibility, the design blueprint is altered in a way that different functions are dispersed across the plot to strike a balance between the need for functionality and the users’ spatial comfort. By distributing the buildings by the perimeter, most units can enjoy an all-embracing view of the river. The area is tied together with a central public void adorned with multilevel vegetation. It irrigates and connects different spaces through its porosity, energising the plot to provide an active public response and environmental benefits. Apart from enriching the greening of the residential area, the void coheres with the ecological environment of the city as well. A striking skyline that lights up the riverside is finally achieved with a multi-dimensional layout of buildings with disparate heights.
The design extends the urban vitality axis by Jinger Road to link it to the riverbank and local landscape. A portal that acts as a symmetrical axis is formed to echo the design language, achieving an airy and open environment by utilising sunlight and greenery. Individual corridors are also formed in their respective plots to penetrate the riverside landscape into the northern plots, creating an exemplar in blending the urban living experience with natural sceneries.
The team has drawn inspiration from the tip of Hengli Island that points towards the estuary, hence marking “Cloud Palace Above Sea” as the design concept. Comparing the building to a giant cruise ship sailing in the wind, the tower constantly overlooks the river and the vast sea, enjoying the gift of nature from the water and the sky. Through research on spatial structure, layout, and sunlight, the design team fully simulated the shape and viewing experience from a cruise, creating well-proportioned buildings to ensure that the view of the lavish landscape is maximised.
The façade of the residential tower is comprised of aluminium plates, reflecting the surrounding sea and sky. The overall design focuses on adjusting viewing angles to reduce visual obstructions between units, ensuring that the riverscape is accessible to most, to create a top-tier riverfront apartment. The viewing dock at the crown of the tower is ingeniously designed, offering a picturesque view of the river, while enriching the residential experience. Both residential towers stay true to the essence of the design concept in mimicking an experience on a cruise – the balcony itself resembles the viewing deck where you may immerse in the surrounding waters, and savour every moment of life by the river.
Aedas Global Design Principal Ken Wai remarks, “The balance between man and nature is deemed fundamental in the design of residential buildings. Architectural designs should uphold the belief of being people-oriented, directing them to explore the most primitive habitat combined with the pursuit of quality of life and modernity, in order to meet one’s vision of ideal lives.”
American Standard, one of the most iconic brands in sanitary ware and part of LIXIL, maker of pioneering water and housing products, unveiled a new global brand identity. The American Standard brand has grown phenomenally across the world. The new brand identity brings together brand nuances over time into a unified brand expression of empathy and closeness to consumers, together with a new brand claim of LIFE. LOVE. HOME. In the Asia Pacific region, this milestone was celebrated with a launch event held in Bangkok, Thailand, attended by over 200 prominent guests and dignitaries.
Dependable, Inviting and Pioneering
For over a century, the American Standard brand has focused on its mission to enable everyone to create a home to love everyday. The brand has always understood that it all begins with each person who aspires for a better life, and the brand has designed and crafted its bathroom and kitchen solutions around this idea.
From houses to hotels, master bath to kitchen sink, college to stadium, consumers trust and continue to choose American Standard solutions to create inviting, intuitive and comfortable spaces. The brand is committed to consumers by crafting innovative, purposeful solutions that enable them to enjoy life’s moments with those they care most about.
Building on this rich heritage, the new American Standard global brand identity renews its focus of improving homes around the world, while inspiring people to create homes that they will love every day. Based on the new brand claim of “LIFE.LOVE.HOME”, the American Standard brand visuals and “American Standard Red” implies love and passion, to evoke a closer emotional affinity with consumers. The American Standard Red will boldly unite multiple online and offline consumer touchpoints and product packaging for a seamless multi-dimensional revitalization of the consumer experience.
American Standard Trade Event
The new brand identity was unveiled on February 15th, 2023 at the American Standard Trade Event held in Bangkok, Thailand. The launch event was celebrated alongside over 200 invited guests comprising customers, architects, designers and media from across the region.
The multi-day trade event included thought leadership and trade activities, including the American Standard Design Catalyst L!VE (ASDC L!VE) that discussed trending and thought-provoking issues across health and wellness, circular and sustainable living and intelligent spaces. The ASDC L!VE event themed ‘Design Thinking Meets Urbanization’ was graced by leading architects, designers and expert industry speakers.
Satoshi Konagai, Leader, LWT APAC said, “LIXIL is excited to launch the new American Standard global brand identity to the enthusiastic response of consumers and the industry. In the Asia Pacific, the brand has built a trusted following for its bathroom and kitchen solutions that are innovative, dependable and comfortable to use. We are excited to deepen the American Standard brand empathy and closeness to consumers, with the new brand claim of LIFE. LOVE. HOME that matches their aspirations and lifestyles to create homes that they will love every day.”
“The ASDC L!VE event was also well received as a hybrid online-offline event. We are pleased to bring together expert speakers across the world to discuss the challenges facing the architectural and design communities around health and wellbeing, sustainability and urbanization. We look forward to increasing our engagement and solutions to these pressing issues with our partners and the industry.” Mr. Konagai added.
The launch event also introduced the new American Standard Loven Collection, which is the first collection launch under the new brand identity. The Loven Collection is designed with a cohesive aesthetic, ensuring a polished and well put-together look for any bathroom. The collection’s full-sized features in a compact footprint is a perfect match for urban residential projects, such as condominiums.
Through an innovative partnership with ELLE DECOR, 53 West 53 – the striking condominium tower rising above the Museum of Modern Art in Midtown Manhattan – has unveiled a massively scaled furnished duplex penthouse designed by ELLE DECOR A-List interiors firm Fox-Nahem Associates. Comprising the entire 76th and 77th floors for an astonishing 7,973 square feet, the two-story, four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom home stands out as a truly palatial residence atop Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel’s 82-story tower. Penthouse 76 is priced at $63.815 million. The furnishings and artwork are also available for separate purchase, making this sprawling duplex residence the city’s most exceptional turnkey furnished residence to date.
53 West 53
To create a stunning New York City residence that embodies the brand’s March Art issue, ELLE DECOR worked closely with the developers of 53 West 53 – Singapore-based luxury developer Pontiac Land Group and international real estate firm Hines – to enlist a designer with international perspective who would bring a unique sense of style to the home. Joe Nahem, principal of New York-based Fox-Nahem, drew inspiration from the impressive proportions of the spaces, including the massive ceiling heights, spectacular views from every room and Thierry Despont’s bespoke finishes. Fox-Nahem carefully balanced the furnishings, fabrics, rugs, one-of-a-kind artisan pieces and museum-quality artwork from the renowned Pace Gallery to ensure the various design elements were complementary and harmonious.
Stepping off the elevator directly into the penthouse, residents are welcomed by an entry foyer that connects both sides of the lower level and, to the left, leads into Penthouse 76’s dramatic double-height great room enveloped by three walls of floor-to-ceiling windows framing panoramic Central Park views. It features an 11-foot-wide limestone-clad gas fireplace that emphasizes the room’s grand scale and is further accentuated by a towering clay installation by Peter Lane. Joe Nahem and his team selected a variety of multi-textural furnishings and accessories to create a dynamic and layered space, including a chic custom bar by Amuneal and multiple seating areas by Vladamir Kagan. Continuing from the great room, residents will find the formal corner dining room, also with stunning Central Park and eastern skyline views, that incorporates several furniture pieces including a custom dining table and chairs by Patrick Naggar, a custom pendant light by John Koga, and an art installation by Studio Hoon Kim, all with plaster as a common design element. Adjoining the dining room is the windowed custom kitchen by Thierry Despont for Molteni with statuary marble countertops, backlit backsplash, and a complete suite of appliances by Miele and Sub-Zero.
Beyond the kitchen is a generous bedroom featuring a statement Campana Brothers Grinza Bed and an en-suite bathroom. Adjacent to the bedroom is a south-facing lounge offering expansive downtown skyline views. The room is graced with a custom bar by Scavolini, luxurious seating options from Atra and a discrete office nook adorned with a textural silver-toned wall installation by Chapter & Verse. A beautifully appointed powder room completes this level, with artwork from Pace Gallery and museum-quality pieces by Louise Nevelson, Maya Lin & Zhang Huan displayed throughout the duplex.
The 77th floor boasts equally impressive design within quieter, more private spaces. The 1,300-square-foot primary suite offers panoramic views spanning north towards Central Park, south, and east; a large walk-in closet custom designed by Scavolini; and an oversized en-suite bath with south- and east-facing exposures. An additional bedroom on this level offers south- and west-facing views and a windowed en-suite bath clad in high-honed Verona limestone, while a stylish TV room and windowed library nook complete the upstairs level.
“ELLE DECOR is all about design for a well-lived life. So, working on the ELLE DECOR Penthouse at 53 West 53 with Fox-Nahem, Pontiac Land Group and Hines offered lots of opportunity for alignment—and fun. We’re very proud of the result of this collaboration: an apartment that is as elegant and artful as it is playful and livable,” said Asad Syrkett, Editor in Chief of ELLE DECOR.
“ELLE DECOR and Fox-Nahem are leading authorities in the sophisticated style of luxury living that we have developed at 53 West 53, so it felt organic to partner with them on a collective vision for Penthouse 76,” said Samantha Sax, Chief Marketing Officer of Pontiac Land U.S. “Together, we sought to create a sophisticated and distinctly metropolitan home in one of 53 West 53’s crowning residences that would authentically convey what the pinnacle of Manhattan living can be. The caliber of the furnishings, artwork and overall design concept is unparalleled, and we are thrilled to unveil the elegant and modern lifestyle that ELLE DECOR and Fox-Nahem delivered in Penthouse 76.”
Fox-Nahem worked with world-class brands to furnish the home and tapped into the firm’s personal connections with artisans and craftspeople across the nation and around the world.
“It is an honor to be involved in such an illustrious project, and we are grateful to the teams at ELLE DECOR and 53 West 53 for allowing us to bring Penthouse 76 to life,” said Joe Nahem. “The canvas we were presented to work with was ideal, from the grand proportions to the versatility of the spaces and the seamless floor plan that connects it all and makes the home feel intimate despite its size. By taking advantage of these factors and playing up the one-of-a-kind views that are exclusive to this high-floor residence, we furnished the penthouse with pieces that reflect our firm’s aesthetic and would resonate with fellow design enthusiasts while also catering to the various interests and desires of potential residents who would call Penthouse 76 home. The result looks and feels like a true New York City penthouse, and we are proud to have had a hand in creating this.”
53 West 53 boasts over 30,000 square feet of amenities that are enhanced and activated by the on-site staff who provide deeply personalized, five-star-hotel-level services that transcend even the most discerning expectations.
53 West 53 features 161 residences including full-floor homes and duplex penthouses with private elevators. Pricing for remaining residences starts at $3.355M.
Penthouse 76 at 53 West 53
1,300-square-foot primary suite in Penthouse 76 at 53 West 53
Heatherwick Studio has revealed the design for The British School in Tokyo. This school will be the largest international school in the heart of the city. The school will open in August 2023 as part of the Azabudai Hills development, this will be the first school the Studio has designed anywhere in the world.
Commissioned by Toranomon-Azabudai District Urban Redevelopment Association, of which Mori Building Co., Ltd. and Japan Post Holdings are leading participants, the school comprises of 15,000 sqm, with outdoor learning and recreational spaces spread across eight levels, interspersed with trees and nature. The building will be able to host over 800 students from more than 50 countries, offering a British educational curriculum to the international community of Tokyo.
Neil Hubbard, partner and Group Leader at Heatherwick Studio said:
“Most inner-city schools don’t have enough playground space and the site was quite restricted. So we wedged playgrounds between each of the classrooms, creating outdoor learning spaces where pupils can explore and interact with each other and their teachers much more freely than in traditional school environments. The brick spandrels nod to the materiality of the historic Azabudai post office and undulate to create open balconies and variety along the elevation. It’s a little bit playful, like a school should be.”
Instead of rows of vertically stacked classrooms, outdoor spaces create social spaces where students and teachers can work together. Planted balconies will be cared for by the students and overlapping terraces cascade down to provide views of the surrounding area where the building meets the central garden landscape.
The design takes full advantage of the local climate with a seamless flow from the indoors to the outdoors. Beyond the classrooms, the site also includes shared areas for independent and group learning, two libraries, a suite of music studios, an art studio, a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) centre, two sports pitches, a dance studio, a sports hall and an indoor swimming pool.
The school is part of a recently announced Azabudai Hills development, that has taken a community focused approach to development, working with the local communities throughout this remarkable process of regeneration. In addition to the school, the studio has designed the public realm and lower level podium architecture including a generous 6,000m² central landscaped square. This exceptional new public district has been designed to nurture and engage communities; welcoming residents, businesses, school children and visitors to a district with amazing social spaces filled with lush greenery that can be cherished for generations to come. It’s estimated that twenty-five to thirty million people per year are expected to visit the area.
To keep pace with the development of the Greater Bay Area (GBA), which is deemed a key strategic role in the country’s development blueprint to implement innovation-driven reforms, the Greater Bay Area (Guangzhou)
Technology Finance Centre comprises of a five-star hotel, offices, retail and residential spaces. Aedas Global Design Principal Leo Liu has led the team to create a mixed-use complex to form an urban living room, encouraging social interaction, strengthening communities and creating a vibrant live-work dynamic.
Conveniently located in Huangpu district of western Guangzhou, the project is accessibly situated by Kexue Boulevard, to the north of the Guangshen Expressway that connects major cities of Guangdong. This double twin towers complex exemplifies an efficient high-density infrastructure integrating different functional programmes to cater to rapid urban development.
The masterplan integrates the functions and entrances, leading the pedestrians to the sunken plaza in the centre and embodying the agglomeration of assets. Derived from “waterfall cloud”, the architectural form adopts a dynamic landscape of flowing clouds pouring down like water. The simplistic yet fluid curves outline
the façade, symbolising the passage of clouds in the sky while emphasising the “flow” element.
The edges are softened through arched glass panels, creating smooth forms and reducing the massing of the towers. The linear architectural form then flows and extends outwards to form a grandeur entrance canopy, echoing its design language.
Further detailing the façade, a tapered section has been achieved by varying the depth of the fins design, adding texture to the otherwise flat plane. The decorative strips on the stainless steel curtain walls differ in width according to the height of the building, getting wider towards the bottom of the structure, allowing a more diverging and upright appearance. Inward-opening strips enable natural ventilation to inject fresh air to interiors without affecting the architectural form. With the stainless steel and glazing reflecting one another under the sunlight, looking like glistening water, the imagery of “waterfall cloud” is further reinforced.
The primary aim of this design is to create an energised complex that provides multiple-layered public spaces, greening and environmental benefits. The project is set to become a vibrant hub connecting the city through its porosity and adaptability. The smooth architectural form extends to a green podium and forms a biophilic communal space that promotes communication to activate the public realm.
Lodging different business types and functions, the mixed-use structure accommodates a plethora of floor plan types. The floor plan is optimised to maximise the floor area and achieve excellent corner view where each guest can enjoy a panoramic view of the city. It is set to become a theatre where comfort meets functionality.
“To incorporate the features of an innovative zone, we aim to create a vivid landmark that shall mark itself as a masterpiece in time through a simple façade and consistent architectural language,” said Aedas Global Design Principal Leo Liu.
Project Details:
Project: Greater Bay Area (Guangzhou) Technology Finance Centre
Location: Guangzhou, China
Client: GDD Holding Group
Design and Project Architect: Aedas
Gross Floor Area: 295,862 sq m
Design Directors: Leo Liu, Global Design Principal
The Exchange TRX, the lifestyle precinct of the Tun Razak Exchange, is set to become the social heart of Kuala Lumpur bringing experiential retail and entertainment to life when it debuts in Q4 2023.
Conceived as “a lifestyle precinct in the park”, The Exchange TRX will include more than 400 experience stores spanning only four retail levels featuring new-to-market brands, statement stores, and reimagined store formats.
Designed to offer a visionary glimpse of tomorrow’s urban living, the 17-acre lifestyle quarter of TRX is a progressive retail destination that brings international placemaking designs and sustainability standards to Malaysia.
Encompassing 1.3 million sq ft of Net Lettable Area (NLA), lifestyle anchor tenants include Golden Screen Cinemas which will be offering an exciting new immersive cinematic experience; Seibu department store which is bringing in Malaysia’s first “depachika” Japanese food hall and taking up 250,000 sq. ft. across four levels; and an up-scale supermarket by the Dairy Farm Group of Hong Kong, along with world’s leading international luxury brands, fast fashion and exciting new F&B concepts.
Mitch Wilson, Project Director for The Exchange TRX and Head of Retail for Lendlease Malaysia, said “Our vision and the cornerstone of Lendlease’s strategy with The Exchange TRX is to create a city defining project within TRX, Malaysia’s first International Financial District. As a global organization, we will showcase our international placemaking expertise alongside our 43- year history in Malaysia to introduce our signature approach to experiential retail. With our global platform, we have the trust of retailers from all over the world. We are grateful for their support in getting our occupancy levels to well ahead of market ratios, given we are under a year before opening. We believe the diverse retail mix complemented by dynamic leisure and entertainment activations will serve as a key point of differentiation and will drive visitors to linger longer and make repeated visits.”
“The Exchange TRX sits at the heart of TRX – which when completed is expected to be the working and living space for a community of 45,000 people. This, together with the masterplan’s high-quality infrastructure and unparalleled connectivity, demonstrates the precinct’s enormous commercial potential. When we open our doors to the public in Q4 2023, this iconic social and lifestyle destination will appeal to not only an increasingly thriving on-site population but to all Malaysians as well as international visitors,” he added.
Developed by Lendlease, an international real estate group with a global track record in urban regeneration and placemaking, The Exchange TRX is the group’s largest integrated development in Asia.
The masterplan’s centerpiece and a unique feature of The Exchange TRX is its seamless integration to a 10-acre rooftop public activated park which offers an extraordinary opportunity to break down barriers between indoors and outdoors, creating a multi-dimensional leisure experience for families, the working community, and visitors.
Designed by Lendlease in partnership with landscape architects Oculus & Pentago, the TRX City Park will house a unique biodiverse ecosystem of over 150,000 plantings from close to 150 native plant species. With cascading greenery, children’s play areas, water features, and beautifully shaded enclaves that will allow for everything from quiet contemplation and alfresco dining to community events, sports and leisure activities, the park will also serve as one of Kuala Lumpur’s most scenic locations to host red carpet galas, festivals, concerts, movie premieres, and international exhibitions.
Destination dining is another major highlight at The Exchange TRX. With over 100 unique dining outlets offered in each of its five dining precincts, an all-day food adventure beckons.
The “Food Exchange” introduces a modern twist to the traditional hawker scene, featuring local delicacies, snacks, and souvenirs. This precinct also features a rotating concept as well as cultural and live cooking shows by local chefs. “Concourse Dining” will feature an international food hall with seated dining offering trendy international and Asian food. “Park Dining” consists of six destination dining experiences with garden-inspired interiors providing a perfect backdrop for private and corporate events. “Premium Dining” combines gastronomy and aesthetics to present an exquisite, luxurious dining ambience, whilst the alfresco “Dining Terrace” serves as the ideal place for socializing.
The Exchange TRX sits within the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) modelled after international financial districts such as Canary Wharf in London, Marina Bay in Singapore, and the International Financial Centre in Hong Kong. With direct connection to the largest MRT station on the network, and access to all primary arteries of the city, The Exchange TRX offers unparalleled connectivity to the Klang Valley and beyond.
Pan Pacific Orchard Introduces First Look into Flagship Luxury Urban Oasis
Opening in May 2023, Pan Pacific Orchard will launch a vertical oasis of four toweringnatural terraces, redefining the cityscape of central Singapore
Pan Pacific Hotels Group, a member of Singapore-listed UOL Group Limited, introduces a new luxury destination hotel in the iconic commercial district of Orchard Road. Opening in May 2023, Pan Pacific Orchard, Singapore will be the Group’s next flagship hotel, presenting 347 keys within lush, open-air architecture. Its prime address on Orchard Road places it at the doorstep of Orchard station and shopping malls such as Palais Renaissance, ION Orchard, and Isetan Scotts.
Designed by WOHA Architects, Pan Pacific Orchard embodies luxuriant tropical hospitality that will add a green spectacle to Singapore’s prime shopping belt. It will showcase four high-volume, open-air terraces – Forest, Beach, Garden and Cloud – brimming with more than 7,300sqm of foliage that covers more than 200% of the hotel’s land area. Every guest room affords an inimitable view of either terrace landscape or the cityscape of Singapore.
Marcel NA Holman, General Manager of Pan Pacific Orchard and Vice President of Operations for China, Japan and Indonesia, shared: “Pan Pacific Orchard will bring the new vision of Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts to life, elevating the brand into graceful luxury. With sincere service from the heart, we deliver a brand-new luxurious experience for discerning travellers and transform the landscape of Singapore’s iconic Orchard Road. Our passionate team looks forward to welcoming guests with our sincere and graceful hospitality, creating memorable experiences for all.”
Brand-New Guest Experiences within a Landmark Destination Hotel
Arriving at Pan Pacific Orchard will resemble stepping into a tropical paradise. Guests will be greeted by the verdant Forest Terrace, enveloping the lobby space with rich foliage and cascading water features. A 120m-tall green column towers through the high-volume terrace, creating a spectacle of curling vines and thriving flora that spans the first three storeys of the hotel.
Here, guests can enjoy a breezy check-in amidst the relaxing greenscape, and indulge in afternoon tea at intimate seating spaces resting upon sparkling ponds. The hotel’s signature restaurant perches on the second and third floors of Forest Terrace, affording spectacular vistas of the surrounding sanctuary.
For guests checking into a room between the fifth to tenth storeys, Pan Pacific Orchard’s Beach Terrace will transport them to a balmy resort escape in the middle of the city. An outdoor pool runs across the fifth floor, met by sandy shores, tropical foliage that mimic a seaside getaway, and a pool bar for the ultimate beach holiday experience.
Overhead, a mirrored ceiling extends across the entire terrace, reflecting the rippling cerulean waves and creating the effect of an infinite blue sky. Ten special Beach Club Lofts each offer a private outdoor balcony with direct access to the pool.
Levels 11 to 16 will feature the exquisitely manicured Garden Terrace, featuring an outdoor lawn that stretches beneath the guest rooms. Lined by private cabanas, Garden Terrace offers a serene and picturesque space for customised events or relaxation in shaded comfort.
In this terrace, guests and visitors will discover Pan Pacific Orchard’s specialty destination bar. Club guests can also enjoy a dedicated check-in lobby, as well as a plush Pacific Club Lounge that extends from indoors to outdoors.
At the highest levels, the Cloud Terrace occupies the 18th to 23rd storeys. Here, Pan Pacific Orchard proudly presents the city’s only space for “meeting in the clouds” – a pillarless ballroom on the 18th floor with a sweeping capacity of 420 seats. This distinguished event space will present a dream setting for memorable events and celebrations, accompanied by a breezy vista of the city’s landscape.
Pan Pacific Orchard is BCA Green Mark Platinum-certified for its sustainability features, including renewable solar panel technology, an in-room filtered water system, and a bio-digester system that transforms food waste into cleaning water, driven by the sustainability agenda of Pan Pacific Hotels Group. Through parent company UOL Group Limited, Pan Pacific Orchard was also awarded Best Hotel Development Award in the PropertyGuru’s Asia Property Awards Singapore 2022.
For more information, please visit https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pp-orchard-sg.html.
A research by McKinsey experts estimated that the global wellness market now stands beyond $1.5 trillion. Hence, today’s hospitality leaders have to consider ways to merge wellness and landscape in their imaginative designs of the future of hospitality.
Landscape Architects at WATG have identified environmental or ecological assets of the hotel or resort property, and design ideas, to become part of the holistic guest experience:
Landscape design that integrates wellness and sustainability has the power to significantly enhance a hotel or resort guest’s experience, and the property’s bottom line.
Landscaped spaces get people to move from inside to outside, and according to research published in the journal Nature, “spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing,” improving sleep, breathing, motivation, immune function, and overall emotional wellbeing. Such tangible results further bond the guest with nature – and with your property.
When people feel connected to the land, the health of both improves, so we must weave their stories together from the start. We can identify the environmental or ecological assets of the hotel or resort property, and design ways for them to become part of the holistic guest experience, creating education, awareness and understanding between the guest and nature.
This approach also helps the property owner and operator shift beyond the status quo of sustainability and have an even bigger, regenerative impact on the ecosystem that surrounds them – especially as the guest starts to understand the role they play in this regeneration.
Consider these seven ways that landscape can become an integral part of a hotel or resort’s wellness program, and influence its environmental impact as well.
1. Outdoor Fitness
Fitness trails, yoga pavilions, meditation gardens, kids play areas and exercise lawns all encourage guests to move from the indoor gym to the outdoors. Consider gardens or green spaces that are adjacent to and directly accessed from the interior gym, offering space for steps or pushups, and extending the amenity and its usage. Outdoor fitness classes, presented in partnership with local experts, can become a source of revenue, too.
2. The Four Elements: Fire, Water, Air and Earth
The elements can be integrated to heighten the guest experience. Water and fire are often presented in tandem to illustrate nature’s balance. Kneipp walking – named for the 19th century priest Sebastian Kneipp who is known to have cured his own tuberculosis after several months of hydrotherapy – alternates between exposures to hot and cold water. We’ve recently considered this approach for a resort located in a region where snow and thermal springs are equally abundant, rejuvenating guests with the experience of both cold and hot sensations. Both inside and outside, water features can be used to soften ambient noise and create a sense of tranquility, while fire exemplifies nature’s power, and to nurture social connections reminiscent of campfire gatherings.
Bringing natural ventilation and fresh air into indoor-outdoor spaces can not only benefit guest and employee wellbeing, but also help to control energy costs. And the earth plays a role in reflexology. Consider the healthful effects of walks along nature trails, including opportunities for guests to walk, barefoot if they choose, along different textures of pebbles, sand, bark or grass.
3. Light
Trees can be selected not only to enhance shading and its cooling effect, but also to create the soothing effect of dappled light. The sun can become a natural centerpiece as well, with gardens or sculptural elements designed to frame views of sunsets or sunrises. Moon gardens, typically featuring fragrant white flowers or other night bloomers that reflect moonlight, offer guests activities after dark, again extending their use of hotel amenities.
4. Chromotherapy
Rooted in the ancient Chakra system, with colors corresponding to the body’s seven main chakras, color gardens with plants and flowers that showcase different colors through different seasons can enhance the guest’s journey through outdoor spaces. Red is considered grounding, for example, while yellow provides a boost to self-esteem, and indigo sparks imagination.
5. Aromatherapy
Scented plants, such as lilac or lily of the valley, and herbs, such as rosemary or lavender also promote wellness and can be planted along paths or trails to encourage meandering and enhance the guest journey. Consider incorporating educational components into the design too, encouraging guests to slow down and pause to read about the way different plants are used in wellness or cooking applications.
Color and aroma are often considered together, with regionally relevant plants and trees such as cherry or jacaranda trees that become natural attractions when they bloom. Using a wide variety of colorful and fragrant plants – outfitted with beehives and/or bug hotels – are also effective at attracting birds and pollinators, contributing to the property’s biodiversity and habitat regeneration.
6. Agriculture
Food and farming offer an important connection to the land
scape. Consider how and why foods are grown and used locally, and this becomes a meaningful – and marketable – part of the hotel or resort’s story. We are currently researching how much space a resort farm requires in order to grow enough food to satisfy most (if not all) of the property’s F&B service, but even urban boutique hotels can have a huge impact. Culinary gardens require very little space and can range from interior herb walls, rooftop beehives and terrace cocktail gardens all the way to full-scale organic farms at larger resorts. Properties can also partner with neighboring agricultural providers when their own space is limited, while reserving on-site space for events, artisan and farmers markets, farm dinners and more help to monetize the landscape.
7. Programs for Kids
Offering family-friendly amenities is another way to enhance a hotel or resort’s revenue potential. Outdoor spaces for children’s wellness, including healthy and fun fitness programs, spa treatments, nature play or other outdoor exploration, can set the stage for kids’ long-term love of nature.
At any scale, and at every age, guests can enjoy unique and immersive experiences with nature and form bonds that keep them coming back for more. For example, a program where guests are invited to plant seeds in the resort’s garden or farm, encourages them to return the following season to see (or even eat) the physical results of their efforts.
Landscape needs to be part of the strategy and design from the start. Showing a client images of wellness programs like those described here will quickly illuminate opportunities to enrich the guest experience and monetize a hotel or resort’s landscape. Consider that most operators and managers will also be locals, so the stories of a region’s ecology are their own stories too, and they’ll be motivated to help tell them.
Landscape has always been about wellness and sustainability and yet is now, finally, being recognized for the substantial impact it can have on a hotel or resort’s profitability. Landscape is an asset and an amenity – a critical component in the carefully orchestrated guest experience.
About the author
Ashley Scott is a Master Planner and Landscape Architect with more than twenty-five years of experience in design management and thought leadership. His portfolio of work represents a wide range of resort project types and scales, and spans Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America. Prior to joining WATG in late 2019, Ashley was the Global Lead for the Resort Master Planning and Landscape Architecture sector of AECOM, where he managed a cohesive and experienced team of over seventy-five Master Planners and Landscape Architects in London and across the UK.
According to Mr. Ashley Scott, Director of Landscape at WATG, “Landscape is an asset and an amenity – a critical component in the carefully orchestrated guest experience.”
Consumers today are spending more on wellness than they ever have before and with the wellness industry continuing its growth at around five to 10 percent annually, hospitality leaders must continuously innovate for new ways of creating a wellness playground within their built environment.