Designs On Asia: CapitaSpring, Singapore’s Newest Green Skyscraper With Sky-High Gardens and Rooftop Dining
PUBLISHED March 4th, 2022 05:00 am | UPDATED March 11th, 2022 10:40 am
In the concrete jungle of Singapore’s CBD, something fresh has blossomed. Soaring 280 metres into the clouds, CapitaSpring is the newest and greenest skyscraper to grace the Raffles Place skyline. Unlike its office-crammed counterparts, CapitaSpring is a soaring public playground for dining, working, and unwinding in nature. Packed into its 51 stories are not only workspaces and serviced apartments but also lush gardens, restaurants and bars by 1-Group – and even a hawker centre.
Designed by the award-winning Bjarke Ingels Group in collaboration with Carlo Ratti Associati, CapitaSpring’s sleek aluminum façade undulates with pin-striped fins. From the outside, its sinuous curves unfurl to reveal glimpses into the sky-high greenery within. And there’s a lot of greenery to peek at – over 80,000 plants from more than 130 species, each selected for their ability to thrive in Singapore’s tropical climate. It’s no wonder that this biophilic building has already clinched the Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark Platinum Award.
Step into the polished 18-metre-high lobby, and your eye will be drawn upward by a burst of blooms. Fronting the elevator is a floor-to-ceiling digital artwork by teamLab, aptly dubbed Proliferating Immense Life. Flowers unfold vibrant petals, butterflies twinkle, and daylight fades to night in this ever-changing dreamscape.
But don’t mistake this for a mere pre-recorded video – the visuals are generated live by a computer program in tune with their environment. That means you’ll see the scene growing brighter with sunrise, and the flowers changing as seasons pass. Even the opening of the lift doors will cause the butterflies to scatter in response.
Hop into the lift and step out on the 17th floor to an Edenic haven: the Green Oasis. Spiraling seamlessly over four storeys, this lush promenade lives up to its name with its curving walkways lined with greenery and airy balconies. Soaring to a total height of 35 metres – the equivalent of ten storeys in your typical apartment building – the open-air oasis offers views of the CBD from every angle. Cool air, recycled from the air-conditioned office spaces above it, helps keeps the space breezy even at noon.
But the Green Oasis is more than just a scenic spot to stroll. At its heart, you’ll find a glasshouse-like cube, enclosed with six-metre-high glass panels – Sol & Luna, a newly launched Latin-European bistro by 1-Group. Laptop warriors, meanwhile, can make a beeline to cosy workbenches tucked amidst the greenery, equipped with charging points and free wifi. A feature in the works, we’re told, is a QR code placed by each bench, allowing anyone to order takeaways from Sol & Luna and have them delivered directly to your nook. It’s basically an alfresco – and free – co-working hideout.
The Green Oasis, though, is just the bottom of the iceberg. High up on level 51, the rooftop is home to Singapore’s tallest public-access observation deck. Here, glittering skyline views vie with verdant gardens for your attention. CapitaSpring has teamed up with Edible Garden City to create Singapore’s highest urban farm, and the results promise to be spectacular. Take an epicurean tour across five themes, from the Singapore Food Heritage Garden to the Wellness Garden, Mediterranean Potager Garden, Australian Native Garden, and Japanese Potager Garden.
You can expect a taste of these edible herbs and greens too – many of them will fetch up on your plate in 1-Group’s upcoming restaurants on the same level. Soon to open to public in the second quarter of 2022 are a slew of exciting concepts: coastal Australian restaurant KAARLA, modern kappo dining spot Oumi, as well as a raw bar.
That isn’t all the feasting that CapitaSpring has to offer. Recently launched on the ground floor, Bee’s Knees Urban on the ground floor is an offshoot of the all-day café in Botanic Gardens Singapore. Meanwhile, the second and third floors will be home to the long-running Market Street Hawker Centre. The interim market now housed at Cross Street will be making its homecoming in CapitaSpring by this April, with a grand total of 56 stalls.
CapitaSpring is located at 88 Market St, Singapore 048948, p. +65 6713 3948.
All photos courtesy of CapitaLand
