Going Green On The Beach

Source : TODAY, Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Eco-features mark upcoming Beach Road development















SKY gardens, sunken courtyards, slant-sided towers and a huge environmental canopy — these will be the hallmarks of a whole new street block that will be springing up across from Raffles Hotel.

Come 2012 or so, the South Beach development will boast premium office space, two luxury hotels, exclusive city residences and high-end retail space with a total gross floor area of 146,827 sq m.

This idea for a “revolutionary eco-quarter” — plus a $1.69-billion bid — helped the City Developments Limited-led consortium beat six rivals to the prized site tender awarded by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

At stake was a strategic 3.5-ha land parcel bounded by Beach Road, Bras Basah Road, Nicoll Highway and Middle Road. The site includes four conservation buildings — the former NCO Club building and part of the former Beach Road Camp — and is next to the upcoming Circle Line Esplanade MRT station.

The consortium’s concept proposal impressed evaluators with its green approach.

For instance, a pedestrian “green axis” sweeps upwards from the basement MRT station exit through multi-tiered gardens. The block layout features alleyways reminiscent of the nearby Seah Street area, tiered gardens, cafes and shops.

Two towers, each more than 40 storeys high, will include louvres and slanting facades designed to direct air flow down to street levels. A filter canopy will provide pedestrians shelter from the sun while inducing cooling air currents.

According to Mr Li Hiaw Ho, the executive director of CB Richard Ellis, “at least 500,000 sq ft of new office space” and “about 700 to 800 hotel rooms” can be expected.

“This significant addition of office space and hotel rooms will address the present tight availability situation in the office market and the accommodation shortage for Mice visitors as well as spectators to the future F1 races,” he said.

The winning consortium comprises CDL subsidiary Scottsdale Properties, Istithmar Beach Road Fze — owned by Dubai World, whose investments include the iconic Palm in Dubai — and Elad Group Singapore.

The tender, launched in March, was awarded through a “two-envelope” system, where the bids were first evaluated based on their concept proposals before the bid prices were made known.

The URA said proposals were assessed on their contribution to the city’s skyline profile, the provision of attractive public spaces and high-quality architecture. Stipulated conditions included the use of at least 40 per cent of the total gross floor area for office use and 30 per cent for hotel use.

The CDL consortium was one of two shortlisted concept proposals, and its winning bid was $300,000 higher than that of Ocean and Capital Properties Private Limited and Billion Rise Limited.

Said CDL’s managing director Kwek Leng Joo: “Singapore has evolved into a true ‘world’ city that is able to attract international investors, exclusive hotel and retail brands. South Beach is designed with the clear intent of bringing economic benefits to complement the rapid growth of our city-state.”