I want to find out all the buildings in Singapore which have a facelift over the years. Its so hard to find any photos of the past (the original design). Maybe you all can fill in the rest of them... :)

Hong Leong Building (bef makeover)
http://www.asiatravelling.net/singapore/singapore/images/singapore_waterside_2.jpg

UOB Plaza (aft makeover)
http://www.frictionhead.com/firstlight/images/sg/sg_buildings.jpg

Singapore Land Tower (aft/former Shell Tower)
http://www.ceosuite.com/imgs/SINLand.jpg

Comcentre (dying to see the original look!!)

What's the difference of the Hong Leong Building?

Ang Mo Kio Library has had an amazing makeover, from an old fashioned concrete two storey building to a stunning glassy building resembling the Villa Savoye.

I dont see how Hong Leong should be in this thread too. There are many more possible candidates, including our beloved Euro-Asia and High Street Centre! :D

These are examples that have a facelift without changing physical appearance of the building:
1. Hong Leong
2. DBS Bldg I
3. CPF Bldg
4. OCBC Centre
5. UIC Bldg
6. Ocean Bldg.... in th CBD

What's the difference of the Hong Leong Building?

Ang Mo Kio Library has had an amazing makeover, from an old fashioned concrete two storey building to a stunning glassy building resembling the Villa Savoye.


oh wowowowow please show!! i only went when it was ugly!

Ok, its not such an architectural masterpiece, so don't expect too much.
I'll go and take pics someday.;)

Let's not forget this:
http://picas.nhb.gov.sg/data/tn_pcd/19980005494-8073-3222-4699/img0001.jpg
http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/500/300cathay4.jpg

I remember this one!! The original is in yellow colour...anyone having a pic of the old face.

IBM Towers
http://www.gaffney-cline.com/images/sing.jpg

United Square had a change of facade from brown to blue in 2001/02

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/103novena.jpg

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/503/103us3.jpg

I remember this one!! The original is in yellow colour...anyone having a pic of the old face.

IBM Towers
http://www.gaffney-cline.com/images/sing.jpg
There was a change? I tot its the same all these while? :D

yup..I remember it had a dirty yellow colour before. I guess it didnt age too well. :cheers:

United Square had a change of facade from brown to blue in 2001/02

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/103novena.jpg

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/503/103us3.jpg

Hehe. I remember this too... sense of nostalgia settling in... i actually think the brown colour looks better on the building. More solid-looking. But yeah, blue looks more hip so....

uic building got makeover ,meh?

Come to think of it...maybe the buildings got a nice washup rather then a makeover? :D

uic building is which one arh?

Wah biang ,leh!:D
http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/500/300uic_building.jpg

ohohoh... ok... :P

I love it..still looks great despite its age.

I dunno if I like it or not...its a little to concreaty for my liking. :D

There are a few shopping centres/bldgs in Orchard Road having a great facelift over the past few years:
1. Orchard Point
2. Paragon
3. Liat Towers
4. The UOB Building next to OG Orchard
5. Plaza Singapura
6. Comcentre...still prefer the original look... :)

Original?

You mean its been different?Any old pics?

i prefer comcentre's new look alot!

There are a few shopping centres/bldgs in Orchard Road having a great facelift over the past few years:
1. Orchard Point
2. Paragon
3. Liat Towers
4. The UOB Building next to OG Orchard
5. Plaza Singapura
6. Comcentre...still prefer the original look... :)
I think you forgot Isetan! :D

The original look of Singapore Land Tower, UOB Plaza II
(taken from RafflesCity thread)

http://psych.fullerton.edu/navarick/Sing1.jpg

The former Maybank Chambers had been refaced ,twice!

The drastic change of the Whiteway Laidlaw Building ,built 1910:
http://picas.nhb.gov.sg/data/tn_pcd/19980005504-8073-3222-4710/img0053.jpg
1965 ,first reclad.It was heightened by 3 floors ,renamed Malayan Bank Chambersw:
http://picas.nhb.gov.sg/data/tn_pcd/19980002917-8262-3202-1098/img0087.jpg
1993 ,reclad again and renamed Maybank Chambers:
http://picas.nhb.gov.sg/data/tn_pcd/19980000770-7736-3282-3482/img0008.jpg

You sure it was reclad all the time? Or simply demolished and rebuilt?

It was the Whiteway Laidlaw all the while ,until 1998 when it was demolished for the Maybank Tower.:D

It was the Whiteway Laidlaw all the while ,until 1998 when it was demolished for the Maybank Tower.:D
But the same building can be demolished and rebuilt what. Not all foundations can support massive refurbishments?

I confirm it was the 1910 building all the while.Read it before.
I think the white girders help to support the additional floors.Or perhaps the pillars were thickened?

IMO the minute they refaced the 1910 building they converted it into junk. I'm glad we have the stunningly beautiful Maybank Tower today.

i do think the 1910 building is rather interesting actually... but sstill prefer the maybank building now of course :D

Yes. The all-glass cladding blends in seamlessly with the rest of the skyline...

Imagine this thing

http://picas.nhb.gov.sg/data/tn_pcd/19980002917-8262-3202-1098/img0087.jpg

at 190m high. Ewww.........

Terrible eyesore, aye...

It seems to produce alot of tiny windows. :D

i find it really interesting :tongue2:

If it was still aound ,it would be the oldest office building in the Financial District.:(

I actually like that Maybank building of the 60s. Pretty unique and typical of its era. Its location on prime CBD land probably caused its demise in favour of something taller.

i find it really interesting :tongue2:

Interesting? yes. Pain? yes also.

Yup ,looks very 'Modernistic'.:D :cool:

Dunno lah.. Just puts me off. Doesn't do well as a building facade.... better on paper i guess...

Are you talking about the white version ,cause that's what I'm commenting.

woot!

http://m1.cust.educ.ubc.ca/kilp/Singapore/Pict0029.jpg

From the UOB construction pic, can see that the roof is actually removed bef the new structure is built on it...(compared with the original)

From the UOB construction pic, can see that the roof is actually removed bef the new structure is built on it...(compared with the original)
Is it? You mean they sheer off the topmost level ah?

Yup...and the top 8 to 9 floors are re-designed to look like the taller UOB if u look at it carefully... :)

Yup...and the top 8 to 9 floors are re-designed to look like the taller UOB if u look at it carefully... :)
Is it? But when compared to the old photos, it looks like no more then 3 floors?

The top 3 'floors' are fake.The 'windows' on these 'floors' are actually grilles.

So there are only 2 new real floors.;)

i prefer comcentre's new look alot!

so do I!

I was walking past it today and was really impressed by its metallic facade and base. Considering I never really liked this building its a big improvement!

http://img40.exs.cx/img40/465/com1.jpg

http://img38.exs.cx/img38/5449/comcentre.jpg

^
looks much nicer compared to the past.......:)

^

I have a hazy memory of what it looked like last time, it wasnt so shiny and looked big and dull and I find the top ugly. But at least it lights up powerfully @ night :cool:

Any old pictures?

The former Cable Car Tower is now virtually unrecognisable after its reclad works. :cool:

^
Yup.....looks nicer now......:cool:

http://www.mapletree.com.sg/home.asp

Facelift for Oriental S'pore

Hotel to close for 7 months, but no staff member will be laid off

4 Aug 2004

By Serene Goh

FOR almost seven months, The Oriental Singapore will close its doors for business to get a multi-million-dollar makeover, which starts in about 10 days.

However, none of the 17-year-old hotel's 300-plus employees is to be laid off during the shutdown.

Rather, many will be sent to the parent company's other hotels in Bangkok and Macau for skills training programmes.

Staff who have chosen to stay in Singapore are to be posted to jobs within the conglomerate Jardine Matheson Group, which owns the Mandarin Oriental Hotel chain and other companies such as Jardine Cycle & Carriage.

The decision underlines the hotel's emphasis on its people, said its general manager, Mr Rajesh Jhingon. 'The biggest asset we have is our people and during short-term measures like this, the last thing you want to do is hive off your most important asset.'

What's more, he pointed out: 'A lot of the staff have been here since the hotel opened in 1987.'

The move is not unusual. Last year, when occupancy was badly hit by the Sars outbreak, the 527-room hotel chose to close the rooms on a few floors and redeploy staff instead of laying them off.

The hotel is jointly-owned by the public-listed Mandarin Oriental Hotel group and Marina Centre Holdings. It declined to disclose how much it is spending on the makeover.

The overhaul of its public areas, rooms and suites, as well as dining and meeting facilities, will be undertaken by LTW Design Works, which specialises in hotel design and worked on The Oriental Bangkok.

The first phase of the fresh look is slated for completion by mid-November, when the hotel will restart some operations. But work is expected to be fully completed only by March next year.

The hotel updated its 6,670 sq ft spa with modern Zen decor and added restaurant Dolce Vita to its dining list a year ago.

Now, the rest will be upgraded, Mr Jhingon says, 'to provide guests with a more luxurious experience'.

The hotel's trademark capsule-shaped, see-through lifts, which Mr Jhingon calls 'Star Trek elevators', will be replaced.

'They'll be a little more sophisticated,' he added.

Amid the din and dust of refurbishment, one restaurant will continue to stay open: Morton's The Steakhouse.

Its regional general manager, Mr David Martin, told The Straits Times: 'It's business as usual. Morton's is a restaurant that defies renovation.'

But, to keep diners coming, Morton's is offering a free taxi shuttle service to those coming from surrounding hotels, The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, the Conrad Centennial Singapore, the Marina Mandarin and the Pan Pacific Singapore.

Just when we were whining about those Marina Centre buildings, this article appeared! :D

it doesnt really say if its exterior will be made over?

I think it is more the interior they are updating...

OG building, after. dont have before pics

http://files.photojerk.com/sybarite/IMGP5344.JPG

OG Building? Jeez...I HATE the old building!

I never knew there was an OG Building there to begin with! :lol:

Funan Centre is also getting a makeover.(or already done)

I think its already been redone. The base is now glassy and lights up in neon pink at night.

Funan Centre is also getting a makeover.(or already done)
Didnt Funan centre get a makeover years ago?

funan's makeover is quite superficial and actually rather pointless... just a small glass façade. not sure what its for

here it is

http://files.photojerk.com/sybarite/IMGP5669.JPG

Oh...you mean the changed the lower floor facades recently?

http://www.pcr.com.sg/images/COMM/comcentre.jpg
Old Comcentre

uh.. what do you mean change the lower floors? i think they just added another opening that's it...

funan's makeover is quite superficial and actually rather pointless... just a small glass façade. not sure what its for

Dun seem like it make much of a difference........

Actually I dunno, at night the base of Funan in neon pink really brightens up that Coleman St area, cos its really quite dark there at night..

that's interesting.. didnt know it was neon pink.

HSC now looks great!

Kinda like Cable Car Tower now. :cool:

Actually I dunno, at night the base of Funan in neon pink really brightens up that Coleman St area, cos its really quite dark there at night..

Hmm...thats interesting......I didn't know as I seldom go funan.....for computer stuff...it's sim lim for me......:yes:

ok I will try to get a night snap of Funan one of these days :neon:

ok I will try to get a night snap of Funan one of these days :neon:

Thats great........:yes:

October 15, 2004

Clarke Quay makeover

UK architecture firm's plan includes Teflon roof over streets, platforms over river

By Janice Wong

VISITORS to Clarke Quay in mid-2006 will be greeted by a gigantic roof covering the streets of this 23,000 sq m site.

http://www.streats.com.sg/article/data/images/mr041015a.jpg

Daytime visitors need not be burned by the sun, drenched by rain or squint.

British architecture firm Alsop, undertaking the $50-million makeover project, will have the streets there roofed over with a translucent foil membrane, ethylene tetra flurorethylene, more commonly known as Teflon.

This is the first time that Teflon is being used on such a grand scale in Asia.

For a cooling effect, fans will blow fine mists to give an air-conditioned feel.

Landlord CapitaLand's plans to improve the physical environment include turning the riverside location into a garden of sorts with flower-inspired structures.

The Singapore River will be dotted with platforms, evocative of lilypads, for dining while brightly coloured canopies shaped like the petals of bluebells will overhang the river along the water's edge.

The lilypads will sit above the ground and extend up to 1.5m over the river.

Also, if CapitaLand's proposal to the authorities gets the green light, visitors using the Clarke Quay MRT station would need only to stroll along a bridge over the river to reach Clarke Quay.

The $7 million first phase, involving the exterior, will be completed in December.

Business will operate as usual throughout the refurbishment.

CapitaLand commissioned Alsop for the project because of the firm's "wow" ideas.

This is its first major project in Asia.

Founder Will Alsop, who designed the North Greenwich underground station in London, has a reputation of a maverick for his avant garde ideas.

CapitaLand described the firm's design as "a bold statement that blends innovation with the history of Clarke Quay". The site, consisting of five blocks once housing 60 godowns and shophouses which are now restored to their 19th-century style, will have more retail options.

Some corridors and store rooms will be converted into retail space, increasing the leasable area from 230,000 sq ft to 270,000 sq ft.

Clarke Quay has already attracted tenants such as IndoChine's Michael Ma.

A new entertainment block is being built along River Valley Road to create a stronger presence away from the river.

Joining Singapore's first reverse-bungee ride, which is already operating, as entertainment are regular free shows such as busking and street theatre.

Since its opening in 1993, Clarke Quay has undergone many revamps.

It went from being a family and tourist-oriented retail and restaurant complex to targeting nightspots, tourist souvenir shops and factory outlets.

Its popularity has waxed and waned over the years.

But its management now thinks that it has found a winning combination.

A CapitaLand spokesman said: "We aim to develop Clarke Quay to the stage where it is a must-do and must-see for all - Singaporeans and tourists alike.

"We are seeking to create Singapore's premier food, fashion and leisure precinct."

Copyright © Singapore Press Holdings, 2004. All rights reserved.

Wow!

This is crazy!!! :eek2:


We'll have so many enclosed streets:
Bugis Junction
Far East Square
Clarke Quay! :eek:

It's time to revamp Clarke Quay.....I'm expecting the place to be more exciting once SOHO@ central opens........

finally got a will alsop project... i find it very beautiful but too bad not real air con :/

FINALLY a design that looks really stunning and functional!

Hopefully this new roof will provide the much-needed shade because Clarke Quay is just so hot in the daytime that it kills any mood.

Business Times - 29 Oct 2004

A facelift for S'pore architecture

Singapore - despite being thoroughly modern on the surface - is a city in need of regenerating, says UK-based architect and urban planner Will Alsop. GEOFFREY EU finds out how Singapore can have buildings that capture the imagination

http://www.streats.com.sg/article/data/images/mr041015a.jpg

THEY don't give away prizes for mediocrity in modern architecture, but if they did, there would be no shortage of buildings up for consideration here in Singapore. At least, that seems to be a commonly held view among members of both the local and overseas architectural community, who agree that Singapore could do with more interesting buildings - something along the lines of an architectural makeover.

There is no simple explanation for this current state of architectural affairs, architects say, but one significant issue - from the perspective of local firms anyway - concerns a lack of opportunity rather than a dearth of talent. As it is, a good number of architects have gone regional in search of work and established themselves to such an extent that the Singapore Architect is now a familiar brand in high demand in the region.

Meanwhile, despite the presence here of several big-name 'designer' buildings - those bearing the signatures of world-famous architects like I M Pei, Kenzo Tange and Richard Meier - the consensus is that the examples found here are not among their best works, as the architects themselves would probably agree.

While the four-decade-long exercise in nation-building has been a key component of the Singapore Success Story, good urban planning and good architecture is not necessarily the same thing. Sure, our city skyline is justifiably rated one of the most impressive in the world - especially so on the drive in from Changi Airport - but it is also true that Singapore has yet to produce a public building with the iconic impact of, say, the Sydney Opera House or the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Yet there is no real reason why it shouldn't be able to.

'It doesn't need to be something like the Sydney Opera House, but we have missed many opportunities,' says Tan Kok Hiang, principal of Forum Architects, who advocates a more level playing field during the decision-making process to select firms for major projects. There was no open competition for The Esplanade, for instance, and having open competitions for significant projects is more desirable than simply short-listing a few firms and asking them for proposals, he says.

'Because of the small base, the potential for architects to develop a track record is tougher for Singaporeans,' adds Mr Tan. 'In places like Washington DC you can visit a different museum every Saturday for a whole year - this is obviously not the case here. Maybe without the critical mass, this 'eminent architecture' concept doesn't work. The architecture doesn't need to be on the scale of a Guggenheim, but it can be done.'

Mr Tan emphasises that such projects should be sympathetic to the local context rather than simply mimic something from abroad, but he also says that the opportunity to do so must come from those at the top, and the entire architect selection process should be re-evaluated. 'If you want competent buildings built on time and on budget, a lot depends on the vision of the decision-makers, who are fearful of the risks they have to take.' He adds: 'Pockets of good work are still possible, but it's a struggle - it need not be so. There should be the right conditions to do good work.'

According to UK-based architect and urban planner Will Alsop, principal partner of Alsop Architects, the notion of architectural tourism, whereby a building is able to attract attention to such an extent that it becomes a destination in itself, is a useful way to regenerate a tired or faded urban area. And Singapore - despite being thoroughly modern on the surface - is a city in need of regenerating, he says.

Mr Alsop was in Singapore as a keynote speaker at the inaugural regional forum of the International Union of Architects (UIA), an organisation that represents over one million architects globally. The event was held at the Biopolis biomedical research complex (a recent example of the preference for overseas designer chic - it was built by Pritzker Prize winner Zaha Hadid) and was jointly organised by the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) and Reed Exhibitions.

Exciting buildings

'Singapore has become a modern city, but other cities have caught up and overtaken it,' says Mr Alsop. 'If Singapore is to maintain its place as a world city, it needs more varied architecture, and in particular to look at the quality of life at street level - meaning to encourage people to occupy the streets. The big revolution in architecture is that people have discovered that they like interesting, exciting and modern buildings.'

While he approves of the exterior shell look of The Esplanade, Mr Alsop says the interior is 'very disappointing - am I going to a cultural centre or a shopping centre? Buildings need to say something about what they are but it doesn't have to be obvious.'

Mr Alsop, whose eye-catching building projects in England, Europe and North America include city masterplans, railway stations, libraries and medical centres that range from the racy to the radical, has a particular interest in raising urban areas from the dead.

His firm has also been commissioned by CapitaLand to revive Clarke Quay, which was first restored a decade ago but has suffered a malaise stemming from a general lack of traffic. It is undergoing the first phase of a two-year renovation designed to increase commercial and leisure activity.

Mr Alsop says that one of the reasons foreign architects are selected for local jobs is that they bring 'different sensibilities' to the specific project. 'We have perhaps a greater awareness of what's going on in many places in the world.' He adds that, on the other hand, the rest of the world is also open to Singapore architects. Many of the best architectural students from Singapore and Malaysia work abroad because there are more challenges, he says.

'A building first has to do the job that it is supposed to do, but it also should have that something extra that captures the imagination,' says Mr Alsop, adding that his brief for Clarke Quay was to bring life back into the area and make the project more diverse.

The first phase will deal with bringing people closer to the river edge while later stages will include building a footbridge across the Singapore River to make the area more accessible.

His vision of Clarke Quay includes 'lily-pad' shades along the river's edge and 'thermal chimneys' or cooling 'angels' that channel air from the river and help to lower temperatures in pedestrian areas that are further in from the river, as well as a new entertainment block facing River Valley Road. However, local planners rejected his proposal to incorporate some residential elements into the project.

'Because modern Singapore is like a new city, you don't tend to think of it in terms of rejuvenation - but perhaps you should,' he says. 'In Singapore, everything looks okay, feels okay, but you don't see that it's all getting a bit tired. It's time to say what we are, who we are and do what we need to do to maintain our position.'

To that end, culture is very important, says Mr Alsop, adding that city planners need to be a little more flexible when it comes to building regulations. 'The Singapore of 30 or 40 years ago needed some organising but now, planning regulations should be less rigid, more flexible. Rules should be open to discussion so that the city becomes a more fluid organism.'

In the end, it doesn't matter whether you're in Singapore, Chicago, London or Toronto, says Mr Alsop. 'People like to be in places where they can just do nothing. Singapore is a very exciting place but it needs to let it 'hang out' a bit and be a bit looser.'

As an example of more innovative design, he cites his firm's recently completed Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, which incorporates a new box shape building on stilts into a site with older existing buildings.

'You can teach people to find the best in themselves but you can only teach so much,' says Mr Alsop. 'They must also observe and feed the imagination - Singapore needs to have more places where there is public access to the work. There is a lot of office space here, but what is the future of working in offices?'

He says: 'You can take a genuinely old piece of architecture and put a radical new piece next to it. What doesn't work is to build new buildings in a traditional style - it's like lying.' He adds: 'The biggest threat to life anywhere is boredom. Sadly, up to 90 per cent of new buildings are unremarkable - the general public should demand much more of its planners and designers.'


Mr Alsop, who has worked on masterplans to regenerate cities like Bradford and Barnsley in the north of England and built the much-heralded Peckham Library outside London, says he has never worked with a big budget in his career.

Dollars and sense

'If you put the effort in, you can do it at an average cost. You can't do it on the cheap, but you'll find it increases the value of the building, so it's also good business sense.' He says the Peckham Library now caters to three times as many people as it was intended to. 'I want to wake up in the morning and be excited by a new building.'

Jaime Lerner, president of the UIA and another keynote speaker at the regional forum this week, says a city's ability to improve its quality of life is not a question of scale or funding. 'To make it happen, you have always to propose a scenario that everyone understands is desirable. It is an equation of co-responsibility - if everyone understands that, they will help you to make it happen,' says Mr Lerner, an architect and three-term term mayor of Curitiba in Brazil who had a reputation for finding innovative urban solutions and implementing quality projects (such as a mass transit system) at low cost.

Curitiba has a 312-year history and preserving architectural heritage is like thinking of your home city as an extended family photo, says Mr Lerner - meaning that everything that contributes to your reference to the city should be maintained and enhanced. 'Sometimes, you integrate the old with the new, giving new context to old buildings; sometimes you add new history to old history. Even if they are not important as landmarks and not beautiful, they are your references.'

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Been lllllllllllllllllllllllllooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggggggggggggg time since we had visual update of HSC!

How's it going? :?

it looks pretty normal now. like a toilet i think haha.

@redstone, The building has been completely recladded in blue glass. From the last time I saw they were still working on the base and they have yet to finish the top. No changes from my last pic but soon I guess...

it looks pretty normal now. like a toilet i think haha.

Kaoz......toilet talk again.......:lol:

Toilet??????????????????????????????? :?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?

well, the old High St Centre facade looked like toilet tiles!

Er.... looks really radical to me leh.... dunno how it'll fit the atmposphere....

i think we must not forget that foreigners including myself would most often prefer the outdoors to enclosed streets especially at night which is when clark quay is most active correct? I'm all for this redevelopment, but i just hope they leave some open air restaurants and don't enclose everything so that clarke quay doesn't become just another shopping centre like what happened to bugis.

i think we must not forget that foreigners including myself would most often prefer the outdoors to enclosed streets especially at night which is when clark quay is most active correct? I'm all for this redevelopment, but i just hope they leave some open air restaurants and don't enclose everything so that clarke quay doesn't become just another shopping centre like what happened to bugis.

The good news is they are not going to enclose it completely......:yes: so you can rest assure........:D

you can be sure there wont be a shortage of open air places in SIngapore. In fact more are being created like at the Esplanade, Fullerton and other waterfront locations.

Nice avatar btw :)

I just hope they don't give the area a 'shopping mall' feel, because that would just spoil the current atmosphere.....

The good news is they are not going to enclose it completely......:yes: so you can rest assure........:D

i'm glad to hear that. :) btw, any1 know what the current situation and plans are for Newton hawker centre?

i'm glad to hear that. :) btw, any1 know what the current situation and plans are for Newton hawker centre?

I have no idea, theyre always wanting to do something to the site but then never get down to it. They've even cleaned up the place and built new toilet facilities.

Whatever it is, its a convenient late-night supper venue near the city, and my house if I may add :yes: ^^

Int'l Building to get makeover?

18 Nov 04

Owner Hong Fok looking at revamp options

By KALPANA RASHIWALA


HONG Fok is exploring options to revamp its 33-year-old International Building on Orchard Road, with property consultant Knight Frank helping the mainboard-listed group to do a feasibility study.

http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-11-18/181104_krbldg18_p30.gif

Confirming this yesterday when contacted by BT, a Hong Fok spokesman stressed that while nothing has been firmed up, possible options include refurbishing the existing 12-storey retail and office block, developing a new block on about 22,000 sq ft of vacant land behind the building currently being used as a surface carpark, or tearing down the existing International Building and redeveloping the entire L-shaped freehold site.

Market watchers suggested that a complete redevelopment would allow Hong Fok to take advantage of the substantial untapped redevelopment potential of its property. Based on the current Master Plan, the gross floor area (GFA) of the property can be increased by nearly 70 per cent or 115,000 sq ft to a maximum of about 280,000 sq ft, they estimated.

That makes Hong Fok one of the top five owners of properties on Orchard Road with the greatest redevelopment potential, according to a recent study done by Jones Lang LaSalle that BT published last month. However, Hong Fok's spokesman said this isn't quite sufficient incentive for a redevelopment.

For one, she pointed out that the maximum 6.16 plot ratio - ratio of potential GFA to site area - is too low for a new development built up to the maximum 30-storey height allowed.

Market watchers also expect Hong Fok to have to pay a considerable development charge to the state before it can build a bigger project on the site. This, along with forgone rental income while the redevelopment is taking place, would all eat into Hong Fok's returns from the project and make the redevelopment proposition less attractive, they added.

'We are still at an exploratory stage. Nothing has been firmed up,' added the spokesman. She also said that Hong Fok would need the approval of International Building's minority owners who own three units - two shops and one office. Hong Fok sold the three units, with a combined GFA of about 6,383 sq ft, many years ago on 999-year leases.

Hong Fok's majority share in the building amounts to 159,047 sq ft in GFA. The first two levels of the building are set aside for retail use with a variety of tenants including Goldheart Jewelry, Coca Steamboat, beauty outlets and an electronic goods store. The basement is currently vacant after a pub moved out earlier this year. Offices occupy the rest of the building, including the third level which is entirely taken up by global ad giant McCann-Erickson.

International Building looks tired and somewhat out of place, standing next to the imposing Shaw House which was completed in 1993. On the other side of International Building is Bistro Europa, which operates on a strip of land next to the Thai Embassy.

International Building has a site area of 45,467 sq ft, inclusive of the 22,000 sq ft surface carpark. Under the Master Plan 2003, the entire site is zoned for commercial use. The maximum plot ratio of 6.16 includes a 10 per cent bonus plot ratio for the site's proximity to Orchard MRT Station.

Not a restriction again.. :bash: :bleep:

lets face it...every site in Singapore most probably has a maximum permissible height

and I guess maybe its not always about air traffic reasons, perhaps having a very tall building will also mean more commuter traffic which increases urban congestion?

http://mishami.image.pbase.com/u8/phlash/upload/1516484.SingaporeSkyline.jpg
Land getting its reclad.

A revitalization of Singapore’s shopping malls

22 Nov 04

by Samuel Oh

The past two years have seen a burst of makeover activity among major malls in both the prime and suburban areas. From Wisma Atria in the Orchard shopping belt to Junction 8 on the outskirts, numerous malls that have been familiar sights in the retail landscape for many years were given new looks. As a result, these malls were instantly rejuvenated with their fresh and modern images.

What prompted these shopping malls to get a revamp? One main reason is to keep up with the times and another is to draw more shoppers whose needs are constantly changing. With many shopping malls enjoying increased traffic and, often, higher rental income after the change, it is no wonder that more have jumped onto the facelift bandwagon in order to keep up with the competition. In Orchard Road, Centrepoint is embarking on an upgrading exercise that includes building a new extension. Even department store Tangs has recently completed another overhaul. Likewise, suburban malls Century Square in Tampines, Hougang Mall and possibly White Sands in Pasir Ris are following suit.

Typically, a revamped mall offers a new and interesting shopping experience for shoppers and this may translate to a better bottomline for retailers and landlords. A facelift is, moreover, beyond skin-deep. A change in image also brings along with it a renewed interest in the mall from both experienced retailers and budding entrepreneurs, ensuring a wider variety of goods and services once more spaces are rented out and more shops are set up. Furthermore, some makeovers are centered around a core concept, such as a family-oriented environment or a cosmopolitan theme. These concepts are effective in bringing the malls closer to their target market audience, thereby consolidating their positions in their own niche markets and improving sales prospects for their tenants.

Besides retailers and shoppers, a facelift also means good news to landlords. An intrinsic increase in the mall’s quality via refurbishment would undoubtedly lead to higher rental income. This could come from offering a better environment and trading conditions, creating more lettable space or subdividing spaces into smaller units. Such makeovers also provide a chance for developers to further expand their mall space and range of facilities that they might have missed out originally. All these improvements set a mall apart and at the same time enhance its position as the destination of choice for shoppers.

There are no hard and fast rules as to how often a shopping mall has to be refurbished. While the condition of the property arising from wear and tear is a major factor, another is the competition. With more malls expected to emerge, including the island’s largest shopping mall, VivoCity, at the HarbourFront precinct in 2006, more revamps could be seen in the near future. As competition in the region for tourist dollars is also heightened, it is even more imperative for shopping centres in Singapore to bring the shopping experience to greater heights. What all these refurbishment works will ultimately translate into is a revitalized retail scene for Singapore.

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 25 November 2004 1448 hrs

Singapore History Museum to be renamed when it reopens
By Yvonne Cheong, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: The Singapore History Museum is not only being revamped and doubled in size, it's also getting a new name.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpGpgDoW.jpg

It'll be known as the National Museum of Singapore when it re-opens its doors at Fort Canning Rise in 2006.

And it'll adopt an innovative story-telling approach, using all the latest in museum technologies to bring visitors through the past to the present.

As well as traditional artefacts, visitors will get to stroll through history, with virtual re-enactments and simulated commentaries by historical personalities.

Information, Communications and the Arts Minister Dr Lee Boon Yang laid the foundation stone on Thursday to extend the former Singapore History Museum building at Fort Canning Rise, after 18 months of excavation works.

The decision to revert back to the old name - the National Museum - is because that's the name most Singaporeans, including taxi drivers, still identify with.

The revamped museum will retain the existing neo-classical building, including the dome, which dates back to 1887, but will be complemented by a modern extension of concrete, glass and metal.

It will also be seamlessly connected to Fort Canning Park, creating a second entrance and setting it amidst landscaped gardens and green spaces of the historic park.

The museum will also have an underground linkway to the new Singapore Management University campus across the street.

In a bid to attract more young Singaporeans, thematic galleries based on film, photography, fashion and food will be created to bridge the gap between history and the present Singapore. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

oh I cant wait for it to finally open, it will do justice to the grand building and its surroundings..its possibly the grandest looking colonial structure here, bar the Supreme Court

and I much prefer they using back the old name :yes:

Might as well revert to Raffles Museum...

Rendering of the revamp museum from the Lianhe Zaobao:

http://img116.exs.cx/img116/1998/DSCN33481.jpg

http://img116.exs.cx/img116/1874/DSCN33473.jpg

wow..the revamped section looks huge! :eek:

That glass will be so classy and the garden behind will be so nice, it also wont detract from the majesty of the original structure

i like it too :D

They're taaking down the old roof?

Bad idea! :bash:

Shouldn't modify and part of the old building except restoring it.

Re-inventing CQ

3 Dec 04

Clarke Quay is poised to become trendy CQ, a one-stop leisure destination for PMEBs. PARVATHI NAYAR and CHEAH UI-HOON look at the 're-hipping' of the area

IS Clarke Quay Singapore's answer to Shanghai's Xin Tian Di?

http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-12-03/pnclarke-221222.jpg

That's what CapitaLand is hoping, with its multi-million dollar gamble to revitalise a conserved heritage site that started out to be Singapore's ultimate hip destination but until recently was better known for its Sunday flea market.

Hence the urgent need to 're-hip' the area, and when you're in search of ideas, what better way than to style yourself after a current successful lifestyle concept.

A must-stop for visitors to Shanghai, Xin Tian Di is an overwhelmingly hip and stylish hangout of boutiques, clubs and restaurants housed in two blocks of historical and unique Shikumen buildings - a type of early 1900s tenement unique to Shanghai.

With its own heritage links, the new Clarke Quay is well positioned to follow suit, feels Pua Seck Guan, CEO of CapitaLand Retail Limited, which took over the management of Clarke Quay in 2000 and commenced its redevelopment plans earlier this year.

Clarke Quay, or CQ as the new branding goes, is poised to become a one-stop leisure 'destination' dedicated to the needs of Singapore's young professionals, a more 'mature' crowd, as Mr Pua puts it. Anyway that's the tantalising promise held out by the currently-being-revamped waterside development.

CQ certainly has the potential, with its five blocks of 19th-century style buildings, not to mention its strategic location by the Singapore River and just outside the Central Business District. When the redevelopment's first phase - estimated at $15 million - is completed early this month, three buildings along the waterfront will be up for sampling, housing around 30 F&B and entertainment concepts. The entire $80 million redevelopment is scheduled for completion in mid-2006.

Still, injecting fresh life into Clarke Quay is a feat that's been attempted before without much success. So what are the guarantees of success this time round?

Lachlan Gyde, vice-president of asset management, Clarke Quay, responds: 'Before we spent even a cent on the redevelopment, we did $300,000 worth of market research on our target market - PMEBs, between 25 and 55, with 80 per cent of the market being local.' Adds Mr Pua: 'We went through a few rounds of repositioning before deciding on the present concept, and now, we can see Clarke Quay as even more modern and trendy than Xin Tian Di.' Mr Pua's confident that CQ will take off because it's an integrated destination managed by CapitaLand, which has invested in a dedicated team on the ground to manage its leisure mix.

'Clarke Quay will pick up this time,' agrees Manjit Singh, director of the Quay's happening club-of-the-moment, Attica. 'You just have to take a walk by the riverfront - everything looks better.'

Certain visually obvious decisions have been smart ones. Such as weatherproofing Clark Quay via the jauntily named 'Blue Bells' - outsized cones, reminiscent of driers that hairdressers of yore made you sit under - which act as giant linked umbrellas.

Or exploiting the 200-metre-long riverfront experience through brightly coloured 'Lilypads', cantilevered over the river. The Lilypads also promise to have a cunning ventilation system for air circulation and temperature control. Leisure destinations - like Bugis Junction - that offer protection come rain or sunshine are a definite boost for round-the-weather visitorship.

Once comfort is taken care of, the real question of quality remains. A lifestyle terminus is only as good as the operators who dock there; in the past the Quay's offerings felt rather haphazard, without a definite identity.

John Thirlway, director of the 1 Nitestand Comedy Bar at Clarke Quay, notes that 'in the past (Clarke Quay) was underdeveloped and run down, but the way they've done it now is so much the right direction. With the new space ship pods - a.k.a the Lilypads - and old shophouses, it offers a way to be part of old Singaporean culture, feel the history of when it was a proper working quay, yet be comfortable as well.'

Mr Gyde assures that for the redevelopment, only the top three operators of the numerous pub/club/retail/F&B categories were approached to take up tenancy: 'We'd rather leave a unit vacant than have the wrong tenancy mix.'


Mr Thirlway adds: 'In the past Clarke Quay catered largely to a tourist market, but now appeals to people who live here. Sars showed us that reliance only on tourist trade makes (the market) very limited.' The 1 Nitestand Comedy Bar moved to the Quay in August last year and continues to present international stand-up comedies on the last four nights of every month. Thanks to its 144 inch-screen, it is also a popular sports viewing bar. 'There was a downturn because of renovations but people will come back when they finish; just over the last week or so there's been an upturn in business.'

In fact, Mr Thirlway's been so pleased with his waterfront experience, he has opened a second venue, B.B.'s, in an old shophouse dating back to the early 1900s. Short for Bungy Bar, this is a joint venture with G-MAX Reverse Bungy, operators of Singapore's first and only reverse bungy. Located strategically outside the bar, the bungy itself is a heady - scary, tumultuous - 60 metres whoosh into the air at a speed of 200kmh. B.B.'s 68 specialty cocktails are probably rather welcome afterwards.

Other nightspotting venues include Forbidden City, a dramatic club/pub venue guarded by giant warriors, operated by the experienced Indochine group; Asylum, a party place that does double duty as a furniture showroom; the hugely popular Attica, with dance floor, an open courtyard and a second space, Attica Too that's open till 6am on weekends; the 7,500 sq ft Gotham Penthouse, planned around five self-named areas - such as The Shag Room (think carpeting style) - which will have dance productions from Hollywood, Las Vegas, and Canada.

While F&B has a 40 per cent spread of the business in CQ, and entertainment (pubs and clubs) about 25 per cent, retail will make up the remaining 35 per cent of the second phase of redevelopment when it kicks off next year. 'That's the initial planning, but naturally, we'll be flexible,' says Mr Pua, about the proportion of the mix. Niche shops will be the order of retail. 'We can't compete with Orchard Road anyway,' he adds.

So far, Royal Selangor - its new flagship store which has a 'discovery' segment to it - is the anchor tenant in the first phase. On the drawing board are Asian-oriented lifestyle stores including a unique fashion concept for the pedestrianised Central Square area. The new retail shops will open mid-2005, in three phases. But the buzz is not just behind doors. The walkways have been widened, which is wise, considering that performances and events have been planned to add to the festivities this month. These include Circo Neuvo, an acrobatic circus from Australia; TrueLee Peachi from UK who perform choreographed fire shows; a Mardi Gras Countdown Party to usher in the new year.

Armed with a 24-hour licence, what is the projected hope for Clarke Quay's future? The answer is a dedicated clientele frequenting the Quay like overlapping freeze-frame photos captioned shopping, lunch, coffee, cocktails, bungee, cocktails, shopping, dinner, shopping, pubs, clubs - and back to shopping again.

hey u know someone in ura told me that the lilypads design is in trouble because the architect flew in and realised that local engineers dun have the expertise to build it.

huh then bring in overseas engineers lor

Some rendering from the clarke quay website.....

http://www.clarkequay.com.sg/images/present1.jpg

http://www.clarkequay.com.sg/images/present2.jpg

the umbrellas are exciting :D

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 03 December 2004 2215 hrs

Clark Quay redevelopment set to draw bigger crowds next year
By Johnson Choo, Channel NewsAsia

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpSo7XN0.jpg

SINGAPORE : An $80 million redevelopment plan - that's what the owners of Clarke Quay are doing to bring the crowds back to the area.

Landlord CapitaLand wants to make it a "cool" place again.

Come September next year, the streets will be covered with huge transparent canopies.

A mechanical ventilation sytem will pass chilled air along the streets and address the perennial complain that it is simply too hot to visit Clarke Quay in the day.

Meantime, upgrading work has taken shape along the riverfront.

Huge structures, resembling lily pads have been built overhanging the Singapore River to give a new experience to al-fresco dining.

Mr Lachlan Gyde, Vice President of Retail Singapore at CapitaLand Retail, said: "We have done a lot of research, in excess of $300,000 worth of research.

"We feel that we know our target market very well. Our focused target market is 25-year-old plus, PMEBs, expats and of course the local market, and probably about 20 percent of our visitors will be tourists."

With activities like the daily circus performance during December, the property manager hopes to increase visitorship threefold to 750,000 people per month.

The aim is to surprise visitors with lots of little events, every day throughout the year.

And it appears these changes are going down well with tenants.

Ms Pauline Graham, Executive Director of Quayside Dining, said: "We are very positive and excited with the major renovations being done, we see everything being upgraded. We have been here two years with our Quayside Seafood, and now we have taken a second restaurant. So we are very positive and very happy to stay on as one of the tenants."

Mr David Lee, Owner of Fish Tales, said: "I personally felt that there was enough commitment to make it a success. So why not? I think it is great location and has great potential once people knows about it."

Mr Clark Martin, Director of The Tapas Tree, said: "We thought we could open up here, start an institution even though it is in its infancy of development, already we see a marked increase in foot traffic."

Looking ahead, there are plans to construct a new bridge across the Singapore River.

This is to make it more convenient for commuters to travel from the Clarke Quay MRT station to Clarke Quay.

However, this plan will only take place after the major redevelopments are completed in 2006. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

MAS building........makeover in process....(4/12/04):

http://img102.exs.cx/img102/2480/9f-DSCN35341.jpg

Dec 17, 2004
Shipping out the old, shaping up the new

In 1988, Tanjong Rhu was a rundown and mostly forgotten part of the Kallang Basin. It was an industrial area, with shipyards (below) and factories cramped haphazardly on the jagged piece of coastline by the Kallang River.

However, in the late 1980s, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) stepped in and orchestrated a transformation of the area.

First, the shipyards were phased out and torn down. In 1992, land was reclaimed to even out the coastline.

Today, Tanjong Rhu is an upmarket condominium enclave.

During the same period, the Kallang River was also rejuvenated. Today, one can wakeboard along it, stroll along its banks and have a pleasant evening out at the restaurants in Stadium Cove next to the Singapore Indoor Stadium, opposite Tanjong Rhu.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-12-17/h26a.jpg

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-12-17/h26b.jpg

In the photograph on the top, taken after all these changes were made, the distinctive pavilion-like roof of the Singapore Indoor Stadium can be spotted.

But that large oval in the background, the grand old dame of the local sports scene, the National Stadium in Kallang, will soon be history. There are plans to turn the area into a $650 million sprawling sports hub.

These pictures are part of a current URA exhibition that chronicles Singapore's changing skyline and urban landscape. The showcase at the URA Centre in Maxwell Road is open from Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 7pm. On Saturdays, it is open from 8.30am to 4.30pm. Admission is free.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

IMO the lily pads at Clarke Quay look tacky and out of touch with the history of the area...or maybe theres more to come...

MAS Building...the makeover doesnt seem that convincing

Dec 31, 2004
Change(d) alley

Change has come to Change Alley. Looking at the old photograph from the vaults of the National Archives, shot from Collyer Quay, you can see the dark crowded lane it used to be.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-12-31/h9a.jpg

The name is said to have been derived from the multitude of money changers who set up shop there - perhaps to cater to incoming sailors who alighted at Clifford Pier across the road.

The money changers, it is said, used to yell 'Change! Change money!' to advertise their services, and hence the name.

The old Change Alley was demolished and incorporated with the $600 million Caltex House development. When it returned in 1994, the alley was transformed into a spanking new three-floor upmarket shopping mall linking Raffles Place and Collyer Quay.

The new photograph, taken by Straits Times photographer Terence Tan from inside the mall, facing Raffles Place MRT, captures the daily hustle and bustle there.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-12-31/h9b.jpg

This picture is part of the Shaping Singapore catalogue, which retails for $24.90. The photographs in the book chronicle Singapore's changing landscape over the past three decades.

You can also visit the ongoing Shaping Singapore exhibition at the URA Centre in Maxwell Road.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved

Actually I am quite confused by this Change Alley thingy. Notice there are two in the street directory?

Yah? :D

So where are the 2 Change Alleys?

Uh, because there are two alleys to set up shops in.... :D

and they are parallel to each other? or one above and below?

Not exactly parallel.... :D

The Change Alley shopping mall is multi-storey.......

The original Change Alley is just an alley.... :D

oh yes, and they arent exactly in the same location too.

Before
http://img82.exs.cx/img82/5563/obau2vq.jpg

After
http://img208.echo.cx/img208/6020/bhs6ct.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

$25m facelift for Marina Mandarin

12 May 05

By Joyce Teo

FROM May 15, the 18-year-old Marina Mandarin hotel at Marina Bay will close for 3 1/2 months while it undergoes a $25 million overhaul.

The 575-room hotel will not accept reservations for rooms, its food and beverage outlets, functions or catering until Sept 1.

Guests who have reserved rooms in advance will be put up at the Meritus Group's two other hotels here: the Meritus Mandarin and the Meritus Negara, both in the Orchard Road area.

None of the hotel's 420 full-time staff members will be laid off. Some of them will take their annual leave and some will be deployed to Meritus Mandarin and Meritus Negara. Others will be sent for training at other Meritus hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Haikou, said Marina Mandarin's general manager Tony Cousens.

Meritus Hotels and Resorts is owned by Overseas Union Enterprise.

Mr Cousens said the decision to close was taken in the interest of guest comfort and safety, as they did not want to inconvenience guests with construction noise. The hotel has a current occupancy of 70 per cent.

The makeover will see a complete upgrade of the hotel, including meeting and banquet rooms, the restaurants, the fitness centre, spa and pool. The hotel will also invest in a gym for its staff.

The Mandarin's makeover coincides with the massive $120 million facelift currently under way at Marina Square Shopping Mall, to which the hotel is linked. The Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre is also undergoing a $10 million upgrade, which should be finished early next year.

Mr Cousens said these three projects will enable Marina Bay to offer a world-class destination for business and leisure travellers.

Recent hotel makeovers include The Oriental Singapore and the Copthorne King's Hotel, both of which underwent multi-million-dollar upgrades recently.

^Wah they're really preparing themselves for the IR.....:yes:

^

Marina Bay seems like its going to become a more vibrant and must-see destination :yes:

a few days back
marina mandarin
http://img285.echo.cx/img285/5469/marinamandarin9tv.jpg

June 10, 2005

Ex-Traffic Police HQ set to turn into design hub
$4m pumped into renovations for building, renamed 'red dot traffic'

By Tan Hui Yee

A COMMUNITY of designers and design-related businesses is set to spring up in the former Traffic Police headquarters in Maxwell Road.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2005-06-10/h12.jpg

The Singapore office of renowned German design institute, red dot, has teamed up with four local investors to give the place a new lease of life and put Singapore designs on the world map.

Together, they are pumping $4 million into renovating the four-storey pre-war building, which will be renamed 'red dot traffic'.

Designer Ken Koo, 33, who heads red dot Singapore, a local start-up with the licence to the red dot brand in Asia, told The Straits Times yesterday that the joint venture is negotiating with a company to 'incubate' designers with potential.

It will pay for their rent there and link them up with business networks to put their products on the market.

It is also talking to advertising agencies, design schools, architects and intellectual property lawyers about setting up offices at the centre.

'We believe once we put everything within proximity of each other, a lot will happen,' said Mr Koo.

The centrepiece of the place, which will be ready in November, will be a 17,000 sq ft, double-storey museum.

This will showcase the winning designs of a new category of global design awards - design concept - that red dot is introducing this year.

The award will be administered in Singapore.

Over the next three years, award-winning designs exhibited in the company's museum in Essen, Germany, will be put on show here.

Previous red dot winners include Apple's iBook and iPod, and Sony's Vaio notebooks.

The competition, which was started in 1955 to showcase elegant industrial products, gives out awards in two main categories - communication design and product design.

To fuel the creative minds it is trying to gather, the company will give about 11,000 sq ft of the building to restaurants and cafes.

The joint venture group is currently negotiating with the owners of Bukit Timah gourmet cafe Corduroy & Finch and major coffee companies to set up shop there.

There are even plans to introduce a reality TV show on the tenants coming up with their designs.

Construction work on the building, which is on a three-year lease with an option to renew twice, is slated to begin next month.

The design, by architect Andrew Tan from ATA Architects, will retain most of the structure's facade.

The Economic Development Board and DesignSingapore Council, which works to develop the design industry in Singapore, are lending support to the project.

Senior EDB officer Gabriel Aw said yesterday: 'red dot Singapore... contributes to our drive to promote Singapore as a global industrial design hub.'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

red dot traffic??? :S

The centrepiece of the place, which will be ready in November, will be a 17,000 sq ft, double-storey museum.

so fast? Guess they aren't doing much changes to the building itself. No work has started yet.

12 June 2005

Bras Basah Complex to be redeveloped into centre of books and arts
By Ng Kee Haur/Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : For over 20 years, Bras Basah Complex has been the place for many to get school and assessment books. But soon, there will be more reasons for you to shop there.

Retailers are looking to revamp the complex into "The Centre of Books and Arts."

It all started in 1982, when book merchants set up shop in the complex.

But business has slowed down in recent years, partly due to the relocation of schools from the area.

To change that, the Retail Promotion Centre, which provides help to small and medium enterprises, has stepped in to revamp Bras Basah Complex.

Said Sung Chee Chong, vice chairman of the Bras Basah Merchant's Association, "We'll try to push ourselves, extend our potential, so that we bring in more books, bring in more art materials, bring in more clay shops, art works, anything that will suit the needs of Singaporeans who come here."

An estimated 20,000 people will shop at the complex daily once its neighbour, the National Library, opens its doors next month.

Students from the nearby Singapore Management University and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts will also add to the numbers.

That is why older book stores need to be updated to draw new crowds.

And one has done just that.

Basheer Bookstore started out 20 years ago in a small outlet, but has since expanded to three big ones over the years, carrying over 20,000 titles.

It has even opened outlets in India and Malaysia.

Said its manager Mohamed Shorief, "We're into the very niche market. We've taken a few steps further than others. When each professional, teacher thinks of art, architecture book, they always think of Basheer."

The revamp of Bras Basah Complex will include an alfresco cafe and four major sales events to attract shoppers. – CNA /ct

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

I was reading this earlier... :)

It will be good to turn Bras Basah into a huge and up-market music and book store + art/photography gallery + cafe.

I was reading this earlier... :)

It will be good to turn Bras Basah into a huge and up-market music and book store + art/photography gallery + cafe.

What a coincidence.....:D

Yeah that would be a great idea.....:yes:

But would it be cannibalising each other when the National Lib is up running this Aug/Sept???

Perhaps, the flats on top of the complex can be used to rent out to SMU students or this Bras Basah can be used as a mega bookstore to sell books just like 2 bookstores at my alma mater, NUS..one is located below Central Lib and the only one is located near Lecture 27..hee..i used to study at SoC (School of Computing) hee.. ;) So long time ago liao..again I am feeling nostalgia...Alamak...
Time flies very quickly !

:runaway:

What a coincidence.....:D

Yeah that would be a great idea.....:yes:

Not really. Library@Orchard is just above Kinokuniya. The business is good at Kinokuniya.

btw, the flats at Bras Basah are not rental flats. It's up to the owners to decide if they wish to rent out the rooms or not.

But would it be cannibalising each other when the National Lib is up running this Aug/Sept???

Perhaps, the flats on top of the complex can be used to rent out to SMU students or this Bras Basah can be used as a mega bookstore to sell books just like 2 bookstores at my alma mater, NUS..one is located below Central Lib and the only one is located near Lecture 27..hee..i used to study at SoC (School of Computing) hee.. ;) So long time ago liao..again I am feeling nostalgia...Alamak...
Time flies very quickly !

:runaway:

The National Library opens next month.....:colgate:

I dun think it'll capitalise each other.......cos one is selling while the other is only for borrowing......:yes: But i do think they should really widen the shops mix (in terms of books) in Bras Basah......To be a book city, I think at least the variety and price must be attractive enough for shoppers.....:yes:

(PS: the bookstore at Central Library is rather small leh.....Never been to SoC though.....You sound like you graduated for so long like that......me only graduated last year.......:lol: )

I wonder how the new national lib can keep so many books. Dun tell me, the lib is planning to keep porn magazines at one floor ??? hee hee.. :)

:runaway:

The National Library opens next month.....:colgate:

I dun think it'll capitalise each other.......cos one is selling while the other is only for borrowing......:yes: But i do think they should really widen the shops mix (in terms of books) in Bras Basah......To be a book city, I think at least the variety and price must be attractive enough for shoppers.....:yes:

(PS: the bookstore at Central Library is rather small leh.....Never been to SoC though.....You sound like you graduated for so long like that......me only graduated last year.......:lol: )

I wonder how the new national lib can keep so many books. Dun tell me, the lib is planning to keep porn magazines at one floor ??? hee hee.. :)

:runaway:

Of course they can put in many books.....the new national library is about as big as Singapore Expo in floor space (58000 square meters ; Singapore Expo 60000 square meters (will be 100,000 square meters by July 2005) ).....:yes:

Porn.....aiyo....this is Singapore lah....... :bash: :D

I can foresee the Bras Basah complex and National library to be filled with SMU students......:yes:

Then i would foresee that all those books would be old and torn with a lot of saliva smeared page or dog-eared page. WHo knows you may come across a lot of secret love/horny message which can be R(A) in this sense. Or even worst, the preserved cockroaches with eggs there too.. hee.. :) hee

:runaway:

Of course they can put in many books.....the new national library is about as big as Singapore Expo in floor space (58000 square meters ; Singapore Expo 60000 square meters (will be 100,000 square meters by July 2005) ).....:yes:

Porn.....aiyo....this is Singapore lah....... :bash: :D

I can foresee the Bras Basah complex and National library to be filled with SMU students......:yes:

Then i would foresee that all those books would be old and torn with a lot of saliva smeared page or dog-eared page. WHo knows you may come across a lot of secret love/horny message which can be R(A) in this sense. Or even worst, the preserved cockroaches with eggs there too.. hee.. :) hee

:runaway:

Tsk tsk.....ZXAVIER is a very naughty guy.......:yes:

Anyone knows how the museum (near YMCA) is progressing?? :?

^

I think its meant to be completed next year if I'm not wrong...I really cant wait for those ugly green nets to be removed..its one cool building :cool:

Suntec revamp 1

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c121/ylstan01/Exhibition/DSC019681.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c121/ylstan01/Exhibition/DSC019651.jpg

Suntec Revamp 2

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c121/ylstan01/Exhibition/DSC019661.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c121/ylstan01/Exhibition/DSC019671.jpg

By May 2006? So it is renovating now?

Amazing!

The new colours would add some buzz to the otherwise drab colours, but hopefully not overpower it.

By May 2006? So it is renovating now?

Yes.....it's renovating now.....:yes:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c121/ylstan01/Exhibition/DSC019691.jpg

WOW. :eek2:

Oh by the way I saw some renovation works on the entire south facade, facing Marina of UIC Building. :runaway:

Gondolas and what appears to be stripping of the old cladding.

International Plaza at Tanjong Pagar going for a makeover.....:eek:
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/3076/dsc0013gd9.jpg

Picture from Lianhe Zaobao 2/9/06