There is a common and sometimes negative perception that Singapore is a concrete jungle. However, the label “concrete jungle” fails to convey Singapore’s numerous architectural wonders, which range from cutting-edge works of art to revered landmarks of the past. Make a Singapore Airlines booking and take a tour of our favourite buildings in Singapore, packed with history and expert info.
Marina Bay Sands, a 10-million-square-foot integrated resort designed by Moshe Safdie to boost tourism in Singapore, is a landmark and the city’s reputation. The landmark hotel with its three spires is beautiful from every angle and is sure to leave an impression on guests. From the deck, one can watch not only the cityscape from a great height but also the breathtaking view of Singapore’s other famous landmarks. It’s an experience in itself to go to the SkyPark before sunset in the evening. You will get the opportunity to see both the daytime and nighttime sides of Singapore as a guest. Observing the sunset from this location is equally captivating.
No introduction is necessary for Gardens by the Bay. Many publications, blogs, and Instagram feeds feature the gardens’ Supertree Groves. However, the park is also home to other notable examples of cutting-edge design. The Cloud Forest Conservatory is a miniature arctic rainforest, replete with a 114-foot artificial waterfall, while the Flower Dome is a gigantic glass greenhouse as impressive as the flowers it houses.
The 274-metre Henderson Waves Bridge, Singapore’s tallest pedestrian bridge, towers above beautiful greenery. The bridge’s steel arches and hardwood curving ribs generate twisting, undulating waveforms that hikers recognize. Enjoy the sweeping vistas from every viewpoint as you trek from Telok Blangah Park to Mount Faber, pausing along the route to take pictures. This bridge has won several important awards.
The Helix Bridge was recognized as 2011’s World’s Best Transport Building and winner of that year’s World Architecture Festival Award. The 280-metre pedestrian bridge between Marina Centre and Marina South in Marina Bay resembles a DNA thread. The bridge is illuminated to highlight the double helix construction and is surrounded by stainless steel beams. Pedestrians can see Marina Bay’s stunning skyline from various bridge observation pods.
Parkview Square looks like Gotham from afar. Singaporeans nickname it the ‘Batman Building’ because of its magnificent granite facade with lacquer and bronze lines. The 1929 Chanin Building in New York City inspired this office building’s Art Deco design. The open square within is designed to seem like Venice’s Piazza San Marco, complete with a 15-metre-high roof, intricate carvings, bronze monuments, and statues.
The Esplanade is an essential part of any conversation about Singapore’s architectural marvels. The structure is made up of two spherical glass domes covered with more than seven thousand triangular aluminium sunshades, all of which must be cleaned by hand by skilled personnel and are situated completely on reclaimed ground. The inside is equally impressive. Performing arts fans would brag about the performing arts centre’s 1600-seat Concert Hall, 2000-seat Lyric Theatre, Recital Studio, Theatre studio, and other arts-related facilities. Additionally, each building has food and retail shops on its periphery.
NTU’s flipped classroom initiative inspired the construction of The Hive, an on-campus learning facility. While the exterior resembles a beehive, the inside lives true to its name. The inside resembles a honeycomb with long, vertical, interconnecting classroom towers. Sara Fanelli’s concrete designs imprint its walls. The eco-friendly structures enable natural shade, ventilation, and light into this stunning building, garnering its many sustainability awards.
The Interlace reinvents Singaporean living areas. Although most of us live in typical, vertical, boxy structures, this condominium offers an alternative by incorporating futuristic architecture into apartment life. The site’s thirty-one residential buildings are piled on top of one another to create an interlocking hexagonal structure. The hexagon has green areas with luxuriant vegetation between it and common areas with upscale facilities. In other words, think of Lego but with a luxurious lifestyle.
One benefit of Singapore’s continuous renovations is the emergence of some amazing examples of contemporary architecture. With a mix of traditional buildings that show Singapore’s mixed and varied past, the city has made its own mark among other places.
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