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Afro-Asia Shipping Company and Shimizu Corporation Enter into Joint Venture Agreement

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Afro-Asia Shipping Co (Pte) Ltd (AAS) and Shimizu Corporation Investment and Development Division recently announced their joint venture to redevelop Afro-Asia Building, one of the oldest office blocks along Robinson Road in Singapore’s Central Business District (CBD), into a brand new Grade A office building. Cushman & Wakefield’s Capital Markets team acted as the advisor for the transaction.

AAS and Shimizu Corporation have incorporated a joint venture company, Robinson Development (Pte) Ltd, to which AAS will be transferring the lease rights and retain a controlling interest in the company. Robinson Development (Pte) Ltd will fund the cost of constructing the office building with loan assistance from financial institutions. The total cost for the entire project is estimated to be in excess of SGD320 million. Shimizu Corporation will carry out the demolition in November this year and construction is expected to commence in April 2018, with completion scheduled for mid-2020.

Mr. Tan Chin Hoon, Managing Director, AAS said, “AAS is privileged to partner with Shimizu Corporation, a well-established name in the real estate and construction industry. The new development will enhance the façade of Robinson Road and we are confident that the redeveloped 63 Robinson Road will be a much sought-after commercial address in Singapore.”

Mr. Hideto Kawakami, Deputy General Manager, Shimizu Corporation said, “We are excited to expand our investment portfolio in Singapore through this joint venture. For the new development, we will be bringing in the latest eco-friendly designs and state of the art technology from Japan to meet the future needs of commercial occupiers. They can expect flexible and efficient prime space with a modern touch that will accommodate the latest and future working trends.”

Built in the 1950s, Afro-Asia Building, which is currently seven-storeys high with a four-storey annexe will be redeveloped into a 19-storey high development with a total gross floor area of 16,908 square metres. It will boast panoramic views of the CBD skyline and a roof top garden. Adopting a green design approach, the building will incorporate innovation and green technologies including efficient air- conditioning management, cleaning and maintenance services, which are prevalent in Japan. There are also plans to get the development certified under the Green Mark Platinum and LEED Platinum standards.

The new development will have a Food & Beverage (F&B) component on the ground floor with office spaces from levels 7 to 18. The site is highly accessible and is in close proximity to the North-South, East-West and Downtown MRT lines. It is also about 120 metres away from the new Shenton Way MRT station due to complete in 2021.

Ms. June Chua, Executive Director, Leasing at Cushman & Wakefield noted that the redevelopment comes at an opportune time as demand for new Grade A office space in the CBD is picking up momentum and this new development tactically meets market demand for exclusive space sought after by mid-size office occupiers.

“According to our research, there will be approximately 137,000 square metres of Grade A office space completing in the CBD in the next three years, and all these developments, with the exception of 63 Robinson Road, are designed for larger office occupiers. Given the very limited good quality office buildings which have been developed over the past 10 years in Shenton Way and Tanjong Pagar, we expect pent-up demand for quality and exclusive space which 63 Robinson Road is well placed to serve,” she said.

The Warehouse Hotel Gets New Lease on Life

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A double-volume space greets visitors at the Hotel lobby, complete with the original warehouse trusses.

A double-volume space greets visitors at the Hotel lobby, complete with the original warehouse trusses.

Located along the old Straits of Malacca trade route in Singapore, The Warehouse Hotel boasts an aesthetic that blends the air of a bygone era with modern-day Singapore – featuring exposed ceilings trusses, brickwork walls and mid-century style furniture.

Local architecture studio Zarch Collaboratives and design studio Asylum, commissioned by Singaporean hospitality firm The Lo & Behold Group, chose finishes to reference the industrial history of the building and the culture of the country.

Sited in a conserved building off Robertson Quay, the Warehouse Hotel’s roots extend far back to Singapore’s trading history as early as the late 19th century. Three warehouses have been combined and outfitted, starting a new lease of life as a 37-room boutique hotel.

The Hotel fronts the Singapore River with a distinctive, symmetrical facade and jacked roofs while original design elements like louvre windows, doors, cornices, mouldings and the Chinese characters on the leftmost gable are sensitively retained and restored. These elements have been complemented with restrained touches, including a metallic black canopy on the main entrance. The white facade stands apart from the high glass and steel constructs of the urban context, maintaining its presence and historic importance along the Singapore River.

The rooms are suffused with natural light.

The rooms are suffused with natural light.

A double-volume space greets visitors at the Hotel lobby, with the original warehouse trusses, now re-finished in black spanning the lobby. Natural light filters in through the jack roofs in the daytime, while new portal frames serving as discreet structural interventions fringe the lobby space, providing a clear access and line of sight to the waterfront.

The spatial configuration of the Hotel sets the entryway in the middle of the volumes, while the rooms are split into two wings, with high-ceilinged corridors leading to the double-volume rooms on the second storey. The rooms are suffused with natural light through a combination of the existing fenestration, skylights and the use of glass blocks; the trusses and portal frames are kept in sight throughout the circulation spaces as well as the rooms, puncturing walls and lines of sight, creating a curious spatial dialogue while accentuating the character of the warehouse’s former life.

A new extension complements the strong silhouette of the main wing, housing an elevated infinity pool as if hovering just above the Singapore River, provoking visual interest at the corner of the street. Extending the visual (and tactile) connection to the waterfront, consideration was also given to the selection of finishes surrounding the development including the pavers at street level – selected to match those along the promenade of the Singapore River, and the salmon pink tiles used in the pool – serving as a visual metaphor for the relationship between the pavement and the River.

MIPIM Asia announces top winners of 9th annual awards

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MIPIM Asia, the property leaders’ summit in Asia Pacific, recently announced the final ranking of the 36 finalists in the 9th edition of the annual MIPIM Asia Awards.

The winners of the MIPIM Asia Awards, which recognise excellence and innovation in real estate development in the Asia Pacific Region, were announced during a gala dinner on December 1 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Hong Kong with Mrs Carrie Lam, Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR government as the Guest of Honour. The final Gold, Silver and Bronze rankings were awarded to the 36 projects previously announced, which had been selected by an international jury of 16 industry experts.

JTC's Fusionopolis 2 won an award in the "Best Mixed-Use Development” category.

JTC’s Fusionopolis 2 won an award in the “Best Mixed-Use Development” category.

 

The jury can, in total independence, base its selection upon various and unlimited criteria such as infrastructure and transport access, integration into the environment, originality of the concept, technical and architectural quality, and services offered. Nicholas J. Loup, President of the Jury said, “It was a very competitive process this year with a number of high-quality and interesting projects among the finalists. I am delighted to announce the final rankings of the 9th edition of the MIPIM Asia Awards and we are excited to see how several of these projects are changing the urban landscape in Asia Pacific.”

The winners spanned across 12 distinct categories such as Best Mixed Use Development, Best Innovative Green Building, Best Refurbished Building and more and a complete list of the 2015 winners can be found at www.mipim-asia.com/en/the-programme/awards/

Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa To Open In 2015

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Royal Group partners with Accor to bring second Sofitel Hotel to Singapore

 

The Sentosa, A Beaufort Hotel, now renamed The Singapore Resort & Spa Sentosa,will be unveiled as Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa in the second half of 2015. It will be a luxury property and wellness enclave in Singapore. Managed by Accor, a full refurbishment and renovation of the newly purchased property by Royal Group Development has commenced for the iconic hotel. The refurbishment will cover all accommodation, public areas, the Spa facilities, conference rooms, landscaping and some back-of-house areas.

After the new facelift, the Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa will be one of the most spacious resort properties in Singapore and one of the very few hotels in the country located next to the beach, whilst still accessible to the city. The property will オンライン ブラックジャック have 215 keys including suites and villas, with renovations handled by DP Architect / DP Green Landscape, and interiors by design house MaxStudio. As General Manager for both Sofitel So Singapore and The Singapore Resort and Spa, Mr. Tony Chisholm and his team will oversee the transformation of the new resort.

The Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort and Spa will cater to all markets as a must-visit destination hotel. Under the Sofitel brand it will become a luxury destination for regional & international leisure travelers as well as a week-end gateway for local leisure travelers. It will also offer an extravagant wedding venue in Singapore, with a grand ballroom and terrace with sea views, as well as extensive landscaped grounds. MICE business will be well catered to with two refurbished ballrooms and a brand new pre-function room. The property will also offer opportunities for corporate guests to experience a sustainable & green environment hotel.

The spa will become a destination in its own right. The award-winning Spa Botanica will be transformed into an exclusive So Spa, offering an unparalleled experience for Singaporean residents and international travelers. The So Spa will feature 14 treatment rooms, six outdoor spa pavilions and a spa garden. Other leisure facilities will include two swimming pools, tennis, volleyball and badminton courts as well as an extensive landscaping to transform the property into Singapore”s “Urban Oasis”.