BIG and carlo ratti team up for raffles place development in singapore

bjarke ingels group (BIG) and carlo ratti associati (CRA) have teamed up to design a 51-storey development in raffles place at the center of singapore’s financial district. conceived as a vertical community, the scheme seeks to ‘empower occupants with mobility and flexibility.’ the 280 meter-tall development, which is under construction, comprises 635,000 square feet of grade A office space, a 299-unit serviced residence, ancillary retail space, and a two-storey food market.

image by bjarke ingels group (also main image)
all images and video courtesy of CapitaLand

the concept has been developed by bjarke ingels group and carlo ratti associati, with singapore firm RSP serving as project architect. in line with the government’s efforts to transform raffles place into a vibrant green zone with more public spaces, wider walking and cycling paths, enhancements that will be made to the streetscape include the partial conversion of the street into a 12,500 square foot public park.

image by bjarke ingels group and VMW

the design features orthogonal lines running through the façade that pull back to reveal the organic greenery and social spaces at the base, core, and rooftop. 100 meters above ground, the tropical green oasis will feature a jungle gym, treetop cocoons, sky hammocks, a café, and a spiral stairway set within a botanical promenade, offering views across the city. the development will also feature cascading landscapes at the rooftop which will house a restaurant and singapore’s highest urban farm.

greenery and social spaces are found at the tower’s base, core, and rooftop
image by bjarke ingels group

the scheme includes integrated facial recognition technology, meaning that executives will have seamless and secure access to their offices with a glance at a camera. tenants can also customize workspace preferences — such as temperature and lighting — using their mobile devices. to further optimize user experience and business operations, sensors, internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) technology will be deployed throughout.

orthogonal lines run through the façade
image by bjarke ingels group

‘buildings can no longer be designed with a singular purpose or customer profile in mind — the definition of work is rapidly evolving and will continue to take on new forms,’ says lim ming yan, president & group CEO of CapitaLand limited — the firm who are developing the project alongside venture partners CapitaLand commercial trust and mitsubishi estate. with construction work already underway, the development is on track to complete in 2021.

the project is located in raffles place, the center of singapore’s financial district
image by bjarke ingels group

image by bjarke ingels group

video highlighting the project’s construction innovations

image by bjarke ingels group

a tropical green oasis will feature a café and a spiral stairway set within a botanical promenade
image by bjarke ingels group

image by bjarke ingels group and VMW

project info:

overview: 280-meter AMSL (above mean sea level), 51-storey integrated development comprising:
premium grade A offices – L21 – L49 green oasis – L17 – L20
serviced residence – L9 – L16 (299 units) car park – L4 – L8 (350 lots)
food center – L2 – L3 retail units – L1
site area: 65,700 sqf / 6,104 sqm
total GFA: 1,005,000 sqf / 93,368 sqm
office NLA: 635,000 sqf / 58,993
ancillary retail NLA: 12,000 sqf / 1,115 sqm
car park: 350 lots
targeted completion: 1H 2021

tenure: leasehold expiring 31 jan 2081 (remaining 63 years)
total development cost: S$1.82 billion (estimated)
concept architect: bjarke ingels group and carlo ratti associati
project architect: RSP architects planners & engineers (pte) ltd
main contractor: dragages singapore pte ltd