GuocoLand Limited plans to build the most extensive privately-developed collection of gardens in the central business district (CBD), sited at the company’s second flagship integrated mixed-use development, Guoco Midtown.
Known collectively as Guoco Midtown Gardens, they feature 30 thematic gardens and landscaped spaces spanning 3.8 ha. Ten of these gardens will be publicly accessible, said the developer. The gardens will be ‘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.
“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,” explained Cheng Hsing Yao, group managing director of GuocoLand Singapore.
“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.”
Guoco Midtown is a 3.2-ha mixed-use mega development on Beach Road and Tan Quee Lan Street, which is set to be the epicentre of Singapore's 'Midtown'. The project is scheduled to be completed in phases starting from 2022.
Australia’s Denton Corker Marshall helms the overall site over at Beach Road, while ip:li Architects designed the latest addition to Guoco Midtown – the 558-unit Midtown Modern with its twin residential towers and a retail podium. 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.
Some of the publicly accessible thematic gardens include a 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; and Eucalyptus Plaza for people and cyclists to rest.
According to GuocoLand, the gardens will have more than 350 species of plants, including several rare and endangered native species.
Gardens in the city
Directly linked to the Bugis MRT Interchange Station, Guoco Midtown will have three distinctive public spaces – Midtown Square, Midtown Market and Midtown Common.
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.
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.
Located next to Midtown Market is the Water Garden, which features freshwater waterside plants such as the native Paku Wangi, Sakat Hitam and flowering plants like the Giant Spider Lily and the Bamboo Orchids.
Right below Midtown Modern (residential component) is Midtown Common, a large public space for the community.
Private sanctuaries
Located at Level 7 of the office tower are the Mid Levels Garden spaces comprising a sanctuary garden, a bamboo grove and an event space. The Network Pool Terrace on the roof of the Network Hub includes a 40-m lap pool and a private dining room. At the top of the office tower, the Sky Gardens offer views of Marina Bay, Kallang Basin and various city skylines.
Residents at Midtown Modern will have their own private gardens on Level 3. Here, there will be more than 10 thematic gardens, many of which are designed as forests, with plants and trees species being selected to create the atmospheres of Spring, Summer and Autumn. The gardens will also feature the Grand Lawn, surrounded by the Summer Wood.
Owners of the premium business homes at Midtown Bay can look forward to their own green oases like the Pool Gardens on Level 7 with a 30-m lap pool, lawns for exercising and pavilions, or the Sky Terrace on Level 25 with its panoramic views.
Besides adding a critical green lung into the city with Guoco Midtown, GuocoLand said it will also adopt technologies to conserve water and energy. This includes a fully automated water-efficient irrigation system that will meet 20% of its irrigation needs through rainwater harvesting and sub-soil dripping.
Images: GuocoLand
