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GuocoLand Wins Top Honours at Three Major Award Ceremonies

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At The Edge Singapore Billion Dollar Club Awards held recently, GuocoLand Limited was named the Overall Sector Winner for the Real Estate Companies category. The Billion Dollar Club honours the best and most valuable companies listed on the Singapore Exchange with at least S$1 billion in market capitalisation.

 

The title of The Edge Singapore Billion Dollar Club’s Overall Sector Winner is awarded to companies based on the following evaluation components:

  • Returns to shareholders over three years;
  • Growth in profit after tax over three years;
  • Weighted return on equity over three years; and
  • ESG score based on ESG risk rating score as provided by Morningstar Sustainalytics.

In addition, GuocoLand won a total of fourteen awards and took top honours at Singapore’s two major real estate industry awards – including its third consecutive year as Top Developer at the 7th EdgeProp Singapore Excellence Awards 2023 and the Best Developer at the 13th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) 2023.

 

GuocoLand’s latest integrated development, Lentor Modern, emerged as one of the biggest winners with a haul of 10 wins across both awards. The development received three wins at the 13th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) 2023 (“APA 2023”) on 27 October 2023, namely Best Integrated Development, Best Private Condo Development and Best Private Condo Architectural Design. For its commitment to sustainability in the built environment, GuocoLand was also conferred the Special Recognition in Sustainable Design and Construction and Special Recognition in ESG awards for the third year.

 

At the 7th EdgeProp Singapore Excellence Awards 2023 (“EPEA 2023”) held on 6 October 2023, Lentor Modern clinched seven awards, including Top Development, Landscape Excellence, Design Excellence, Sustainability Excellence, Innovation Excellence, Marketing Excellence, and Showflat Excellence in the Mixed-use (Uncompleted) category.

 

Mr Cheng Hsing Yao, Group Chief Executive Officer of GuocoLand, said, “In the twin engines of our development and investment businesses, we always focus on the experience of our customers. In conceptualising our products and services, we also look at emerging trends, so that they can be future relevant. We are very honoured to be conferred these awards.”

Numerous Accolades for Lentor Modern Set the Bar for Lentor Hills Estate

Lentor Modern, the first and only integrated mixed-use development in the Lentor Hills Estate, is spearheading the transformation of the neighbourhood. Surrounded by greenery, the development bridges nature with modern conveniences. When completed, it will have a wide selection of retail offerings, including a 12,000 sq ft supermarket and 10,000 sq ft childcare centre, and direct access to the Lentor MRT Station on the Thomson-East Coast Line. Designed by ADDP Architects and Ortus Design as landscape architect, the development boasts unique features such as a Flex Room within the 2- to 4-bedroom units, which provide adaptable spaces to cater to various living needs and an abundance of shared amenities that support a live-work-play lifestyle.

 

Ms Dora Chng, Director (Residential), GuocoLand, said, “Lentor Modern is our third project in the ‘Modern’ series, and the recognition it has received from both buyers and our industry peers affirms our team’s capabilities to conceptualise and design quality residential and integrated developments that meet the needs of residents, tenants and visitors. Lentor Modern will be pivotal in the transformation of the Lentor Hills estate, and will create lasting value for the community and enhance the residents’ quality of life.”

GuocoLand-led Joint Venture Awarded Lentor Gardens Site

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GuocoLand Limited (“GuocoLand”) and Intrepid Investments Pte. Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Leong Holdings Limited, announced today that they were awarded the Lentor Gardens land parcel. The site, which measures 235,371 sq ft (equivalent to 21,866.7 sq m), will yield a maximum permissible gross floor area of 494,289 sq ft (equivalent to 45,921 sq m). The Lentor Gardens site is located within the Lentor Hills estate, a private condominium neighbourhood surrounded by landed estates and low- to mid-rise condominiums. The Singapore Government plans for the Lentor Hills estate to be a sustainable and pedestrian-friendly neighbourhood.

 

Mr Cheng Hsing Yao, Chief Executive Officer of GuocoLand Group, said, “We have a strong track record in creating high-end residential projects with innovative concepts. We have also demonstrated our capabilities in transforming and uplifting neighbourhoods through our developments, such as Guoco Tower for Tanjong Pagar and Guoco Midtown for the Beach Road-Bugis area. For the Lentor estate, we and our partners will position this new neighbourhood into a new premium residential estate with our various projects in the area.”

 

To be developed in partnership with Hong Leong Holdings, the Lentor Gardens site is GuocoLand’s third project in the Lentor Hills estate. GuocoLand’s mixed-use development Lentor Modern was the first new development to be launched in the Lentor Hills area in September 2022. In January 2022, GuocoLand, Intrepid Investments Pte. Ltd. and TID Residential Pte. Ltd. successfully acquired the site for the upcoming Lentor Hills Residences.

Lentor – a new town for modern families

Ms Dora Chng, General Manager (Residential) at GuocoLand, said, “The Lentor area is well-connected and it is also close to amenities and green spaces. It is rapidly emerging as a premium residential estate. Demand for homes in this area will continue to grow.”

 

“GuocoLand developments are designed for people with modern lifestyles. Lentor Modern, the only mixed-use development in the area, offered buyers an integrated lifestyle. For the new development at Lentor Gardens, we envision a high-end residential development with around 530 units based on modern concepts of living amidst nature and greenery. The development will comprise a combination of 8-storey blocks and 16-storey towers with sky terraces. More than 6,000 sq ft of childcare facilities will provide added convenience to families with young children,” added Ms Chng. The development is expected to be ready for launch in the second half of 2024.

 

“The Lentor estate has tremendous potential. We are pleased to once again partner GuocoLand in developing high quality and distinctive residential homes in this exciting and transformed area, following the development of Lentor Hills Residences which will be launched soon,” said Mr Loke Kee Yeu, General Manager (Projects), Hong Leong Holdings Limited.

 

The following features of the Lentor Gardens site make it an ideal residential location. Residents of the new development will enjoy unblocked views of the vast greenery in the vicinity. Besides being close to several nature reserves and parks, the Lentor Gardens site will have a new Hillock Park next to it and a future Linear Park just a few minutes away. There will also be seamless pedestrian and cycling connectivity as the neighbourhood is developed.

 

The Lentor mass rapid transit (“MRT”) station, part of the Thomson-East Coast Line (“TEL”), is just a short 5-minute walk away via a seamless sheltered walkway. When the TEL is completed around 2025, residents of the new development will have convenient access to many parts of the island, from Bukit Timah, Botanic Gardens, Orchard Road, and Central Business District to Marina Bay and the East Coast. In addition, the TEL will enable residents to connect to all the major lines – Circle Line, Downtown Line, North East Line, North-South Line, East-West Line and even the future Cross Island Line. The TEL will also link to the Johor Bahru- Singapore Rapid Transit System Link (RTS), that is on track to commence passenger service by end-2026.

 

Residents of the upcoming development will have convenient access to more than 96,000 sq ft of commercial, F&B and retail spaces, including a supermarket, at GuocoLand’s Lentor Modern mixed-use development currently being built above Lentor MRT station.

 

The Lentor Gardens site is close to several established schools, such as CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School, which is about 1km away, Anderson Primary School, Presbyterian High School, Eunoia Junior College, as well as tertiary institutions and international schools, such as Nanyang Polytechnic and the French International School.

Strong track record in high-end residential and mixed-use developments

GuocoLand has a stellar track record in developing high-end quality residential developments. It has developed more than 11,000 residential units across nearly 40 developments in Singapore, including Wallich Residence, Leedon Residence, Goodwood Residence and the 450-unit Martin Modern, completed in 2021.

 

GuocoLand’s developments that are currently under construction, such as Midtown Modern and Lentor Modern, have achieved strong sales. To date, Midtown Modern has sold 90 per cent of its 558 units, while Lentor Modern, launched in September 2022, has already seen 88 per cent of its 605 units being taken up.

 

In addition, GuocoLand is known for its capabilities in developing large-scale, integrated mixed-use developments. The Group’s flagship Guoco Tower is a “vertical city” with Grade A office space, luxury residences, six storeys of retail and dining options, a five-star business hotel and an urban park directly above the Tanjong Pagar MRT station. The Group’s Guoco Midtown, which is being constructed above the Bugis interchange MRT station, will transform the Beach Road-Bugis district with its 30-storey Grade A office tower (completed in January 2023), three retail clusters, 30 thematic gardens and landscape areas, as well as two high-end condominiums – Midtown Bay and Midtown Modern.

 

The 99-year leasehold Lentor Gardens site was acquired through the 2H2022 Government Land Sales Programme for a tender price of approximately $486.8 million. The public tender was launched on 31 October 2022 and closed on 4 April 2023.

Midtown Modern_Day Hero

GuocoLand Named Top Developer by Two Major Industry Awards

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Midtown Modern was also honoured as Top Development and secured multiple wins across major design, architecture, landscape categories

GuocoLand Limited achieved the exceptional feat of winning top developer honours at two of Singapore’s major industry awards – the EdgeProp Singapore Excellence Awards and the Asia Property Awards (Singapore). This is also the second consecutive year that the real estate Group was named Best Developer at the Asia Property Awards (Singapore).

At the 5th EdgeProp Singapore Excellence Awards 2021 (“EPEA 2021”) announced on 24 November 2021, GuocoLand took home honours in eight major categories, including Top Developer and seven development awards for Midtown Modern, which is a new record for the most number of wins by any development in a single year.

In addition, Mr Cheng Hsing Yao, Chief Executive Officer of GuocoLand, was conferred the title of Personality Of The Year in recognition of his leadership in driving company growth and bringing to the industry innovative, game-changing concepts to integrated mixed-use developments.

On 19 November 2021, GuocoLand also received seven awards, including the top honours of Best Developer for a second successive year, at the 11th Asia Property Awards (Singapore) 2021 (“APA 2021”).

Mr Cheng said: “We’re honoured to be recognised by both these prestigious awards as a real estate group that delivers on innovation and premium developments. With healthy competition, the true winners are the home buyers who will benefit from better design and offerings.”

On Midtown Modern’s success, Mr Cheng said: “The recognition given to Midtown Modern is a strong affirmation of the project’s distinctive qualities in offering a green sanctuary for urban family living in the city and as a part of the transformative Guoco Midtown integrated development. We will strive to better ourselves as we continue to bring our signature innovative and holistic approach to ensure that all our projects achieve best-in-class standards that home buyers desire.”

Midtown Modern wins big at EdgeProp Singapore Excellence Awards 2021

Midtown Modern, GuocoLand’s latest luxury residential project, scored a resounding success at the EPEA 2021 by winning a total of seven awards. One of the first family-oriented residential developments in the CBD, it was bestowed the coveted Top Development Award for scoring high points in the design, innovation, marketing and landscaping categories.

The project clinched six other awards, including Mixed-Use Development Excellence, recognising the development’s high-quality and forward-looking approach to mixed-use developments. It was also honoured with awards in Layout Excellence and Landscape Excellence, a nod to its unique “Gardens in the Woods” landscaping concept. In addition, it was recognised in the  Innovation Excellence and Marketing Excellence categories, as well as the People’s Choice Award, a category that was voted by the public.

Midtown Bay wins in new Best WFH Development category at 11th Asia Property Awards 2021

At the APA 2021, GuocoLand bagged a total of seven awards, including Best Developer, and will go on to represent Singapore at the Asia Property Awards Grand Final, to be held in December to honour the best of the best developers in the region. GuocoLand also attained two special awards in recognition of its Sustainable Design and Construction and ESG practices – an industry acknowledgement of its continuous efforts to champion sustainability across its business practices, operations, and developments.

Midtown Bay was the inaugural winner of the newly-created Best WFH Development category this year. The 219-unit Midtown Bay, also part of Guoco Midtown, is the first luxury development to offer a ‘Business Homes’ concept in Singapore to provide small business owners and entrepreneurs with a hybrid residential-and-office environment.  The development is designed to allow work-from-home flexibility while supported by a business eco-system of services, amenities, and a community at Guoco Midtown.

Midtown Modern took home awards for Best Luxury Condo Development, Best Luxury Condo Architectural Design and Best Luxury Condo Landscape Architectural Design. Designed by four-time President’s Design Award winner Yip Yuen Hong of ipli Architects, Midtown Modern showcases a rugged aesthetic where cosy garden homes and lush greenery unfolds within. It is the second condominium of Guoco Midtown, GuocoLand’s 3.2 hectare (“ha”) integrated mixed-use development located in the prime Bugis-Beach Road district. Midtown Modern comprises two 30-storey towers with 558 units and a retail podium. Bringing to life “Nature in the City”, Midtown Modern is the only CBD residential project with full condominium facilities, and more than ten thematic gardens and landscape areas spanning over 1 ha.

International accolades garnered by GuocoLand

GuocoLand’s triumphs at the EPEA 2021 and APA 2021 follow their achievements at the 2021 FIABCI World Prix d’Excellence Awards, where Guoco Tower won World Silver Winner in the Office category. GuocoLand also clinched three titles at the Real Estate Asia Awards 2021, namely Developer of the Year, Mixed Use Development of the Year for Guoco Midtown and Luxury Residential Development of the Year for Martin Modern.

In addition, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) also accorded GuocoLand the Quality Champion (GoldPLUS) 2021 award, the second year in a row. The BCA Quality Excellence award, launched in 2013, honours developers and builders for their dedication and success in constructing high-quality properties.

Looking ahead, GuocoLand will be developing a mixed-use development of three 25-storey towers with around 600 residential units, including a double-volume sky terrace in each tower at the recently-awarded Lentor Central site. The new development is expected to spearhead the transformation of the Lentor Hills neighbourhood.

Guocoland Brings Largest Garden Collection to CBD with Guoco Midtown Gardens

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Guoco Midtown, the second flagship integrated mixed-use development of GuocoLand Limited, will transform the city’s skyline, as well as its landscape, when completed in phases starting from 2022.Building on its strong track record in green and sustainable developments, GuocoLand has upped the ante by introducing a gamechanger with the most extensive privately-developed collection of gardens in the Central Business District (CBD).
Known collectively as Guoco Midtown Gardens, 30 thematic gardens and landscaped spaces spanning 3.8 hectares (ha) will turn the 3.2 ha of prime land in the Beach Road-Bugis district into a new leisure destination. The gardens are ‘weaved’ like a botanic tapestry into Guoco Midtown’s built environment, extending from the ground floor to various levels at the podium and all the way to the rooftops of the towers. Ten of these gardens are publicly accessible, providing the community with a chance to immerse themselves in nature and partake in public events – right in the heart of the city.
Mr Cheng Hsing Yao, Group Managing Director of GuocoLand Singapore, said, “Our vision for Guoco Midtown is to bring about a transformation of the neighbourhood into a new business and lifestyle destination in the CBD. One of the new identities of the future ‘Midtown’ of Singapore is a botanic garden in the city –one that is knitted into the urban fabric of an integrated mixed development.”
“The biophilic design of Guoco Midtown also demonstrates how the private sector can play a role in a whole-of-nation effort to contribute to the Singapore Green Plan 2030. Guoco Midtown’s city in nature concept is built upon these principles to make our city greener, more liveable and promote a sustainable lifestyle with green transportation and green buildings,” added Mr Cheng.
Guoco Midtown is the result of GuocoLand’s collaboration with many preeminent design firms. Australia’s Denton Corker Marshall led by Design Director Adrian Fitzgerald helms the overall site over at Beach Road,while four-time President’s Design Award winner Yip Yuen Hong of ip:li Architects designed the latest addition to Guoco Midtown – the 558-unit Midtown Modern with its twin residential towers and a retail podium.

Midtown Market with its collection of epiphytes hanging from the ceiling

Ortus Design is the landscape architect tasked with integrating nature into the multiple components of Guoco Midtown, from its office tower, retail clusters to the two residential developments. This is not the first time Mr Chia Jui Siang, Partner at Ortus Design, has collaborated with GuocoLand. He said, “Guoco Midtown Gardens will show how nature can be weaved into spaces for live-work-play. The botanic tapestry is purposefully designed to achieve a delicate balance between the built-up and the green spaces in the development. It will enhance wellness and productivity of the community, and serve some ecological functions like mitigating heat island effect, collect and purify rainwater for use or as run-off into the city reservoir.”

With a total of more than 350 species of plants, including several rare and endangered native species, these gardens are part of GuocoLand’s efforts to create a green destination to connect with the surrounding community through recreation, wellness, in-nature dining, events and placemaking activities. Some of the publicly accessible thematic gardens include:

  • Native Garden of indigenous plants and orchids.
  • Midtown Market with an epiphyte collection that forms a hanging garden above the public space
  • Forest Giants Walk with its tall tropical forest trees
  • Water Garden with a fresh waterside plant collection
  • Eucalyptus Plaza for people and cyclists to rest.

Gardens in the City for the Public

Directly linked to the Bugis MRT Interchange Station, Guoco Midtown will have three distinctive public spaces – Midtown Square, Midtown Market and Midtown Common. The Midtown community will enjoy unique shopping and dining experiences at these spaces elevated by an abundance of greenery and participate in a curated programme of public events and activities.

Midtown Square is located near the grand arrival of Guoco Midtown’s office tower. Overlooking Midtown Square on Level 3 is the Native Garden, an outdoor botanical library of native plants and orchids, and home to one of the world’s largest orchid species, the Tiger Orchid. An ideal space for informal markets, concerts and festival celebrations, Midtown Market is anchored by the Network Hub and Midtown House, the conserved heritage building of the former Beach Road Police Station. Visitors can dine al fresco at one of the gastro bars under the collection of epiphytes, or plants with hanging foliage and flowers such as the Curtain Ivy and Jade Vines.

Water Garden with a public pavilion. The community will enjoy public access to 10 of the 30 gardens at Guoco Midtown.

Located next to Midtown Market is the Water Garden, a garden of serenity featuring freshwater waterside plants and flowering plants such as the Giant Spider Lily and Bamboo Orchids. Right below Midtown Modern is Midtown Common, a large public space where the community can shop and dine amidst a natural setting. It will further enliven Tan Quee Lan Street, and serve as the de facto gathering point and venue for public energy for the neighbourhood.

Located at Level 7 of the office tower are the Mid Levels Garden spaces comprising a sanctuary garden for relaxing, a bamboo grove with a jogging track and an event space. The  Network Pool Terrace on the roof of the Network Hub includes a 40-metre lap pool and a private dining room. Together, these spaces become an extensive recreation area for executives to participate in personal relaxation activities like jogging, swimming and meditating or in curated events like group exercise classes, poolside cocktail parties and private dining events, all while enjoying nature and views of the Marina Bay.

At the top of the office tower, the Sky Gardens offer even more spectacular views of Marina Bay, Kallang Basin and various city skylines, making it a great place for corporate events or private meditation when there are no events held. Residents at Midtown Modern will enjoy being surrounded by nature while living in the heart of the city with their own private gardens on Level 3. The landscaping is designed with more than 10 thematic gardens comprising almost 200 species of trees and flora, some rare and indigenous, spread over 1 hectare – a rarity for a condominium in the heart of the CBD. Many of the gardens are designed as forests, and plants and trees species are selected to create the atmospheres of Spring, Summer and Autumn.

The garden also provides a backdrop to a wide range of amenities including a 50m pool, tennis court, hot spring and a clubhouse,among others.At the heart of the expansive Level 3 gardens at Midtown Modern is the Grand Lawn, surrounded by the Summer Wood. Residents will enjoy appreciating the white flowers of the intriguing Snake Tree as they fall on the lawn. Besides a selection of tree and plants, the Grand Lawn is ideal for activities such as yoga or just a place to watch the children play.

Owners of the premium business homes at Midtown Bay can also look forward to their own green oases like the Pool Gardens on Level 7 with a 30mlap pool,lawns for exercising and pavilions, or the Sky Terrace on Level 25with its panoramic views. They can choose to unwind and relax or use them as picture-perfect spaces to work or hold informal business meetings, or to use them to entertain friends and business associates.

Besides adding a critical green lung into the city with Guoco Midtown, GuocoLand will also adopt technologies to conserve water and energy. This includes a fully automated water-efficient irrigation system that will meet 20 per cent of its irrigation needs through rainwater harvesting and sub-soil dripping.