Singapore's most beautiful building?

[nova]

Inspired by "Your city's most beautiful building" in the world forums.

Any building or structure counts. What do you personally think?

(I can't decide myself.. not yet..)

[Pengui]

That's a very difficult question

I can't actually pick one that would definitely stand out of the crowd, unlike Petronas Towers in KL, Notre Dame de Paris or Woolworth Building in New York.

Here are a few of my picks...
The Gateway (sleekness, elegance, purity).
Capital Tower (the skyscraper with the most singaporean feel to me, don't ask why :-p )
Parkview Square (grandeur, and such a cool chill-out place)
Mariott Hotel (so iconic love it)
Ngee Ann City (symbol of the shopping paradize)
Pan Pacific Hotel (the most WTFOMGWOW atrium I've ever seen, beats Jin Mao anytime)

as for the most beautiful of those, huh, it depends on the day ;-) I'm keeping an eye on the Sail ;-)

[heirloom]

The Gateway - like pengui, sleekness, elegance, purity and the 2d illusion it gives
boulevard
lincoln modern
the trumps

perhaps newton suites when its complete.

[ncon]

for me think the sail@marina bay and the casino building!

[baqthier]

Tall 3 - OUB
Other office - Maybank Tower
Residential - Moulmein Rise
Hotel - Swissotel
Mall - Paragon
Colonial - Supreme Court
MRT station - Expo
Low-rise(below 15 storeys) - Norman Foster's Supreme Court

[heirloom]

but the casino renderings havent even been released?!

[shao_ye]

but im sure the IRs will look good, great, wonderfull...haha...if not, then how to be a world class 1? haha...

[RafflesCity]

This is also very tough

I dont necessarily wanna confuse grand/imposing with beautiful..but are they the same?

Overall I choose the Fullerton Hotel.

heres a very nice pic by OffPeakClassic


There are many other smaller beautiful buildings IMO..including those very ornate and fanciful shophouses, and simple colonial bungalows. For beautiful skyscrapers I pick Parkview Square and UOB at night.

[Worlds of Earth]

Curse our nation's pragmatism. This thread fails to give a definite group of candidates that truly pass the mark of quality. Hopefully this will change.

[Kit]

Originally Posted by Worlds of Earth

Curse our nation's pragmatism. This thread fails to give a definite group of candidates that truly pass the mark of quality. Hopefully this will change.

Pragmatism do not necesssary produce mediocre architecture. There's always something else to single out for the relatively bad standard of architecture in Singapore.

[Pengui]

Originally Posted by Kit

Pragmatism do not necesssary produce mediocre architecture. There's always something else to single out for the relatively bad standard of architecture in Singapore.

I don't think it's bad. Actually it's probably one of the best I've seen. Most of the buildings I see over there are very good quality. I believe project designers here are just being too conservative, so nothing is crossing the gap between "very good" and "outstanding".

[Kit]

Originally Posted by Pengui

I don't think it's bad. Actually it's probably one of the best I've seen. Most of the buildings I see over there are very good quality. I believe project designers here are just being too conservative, so nothing is crossing the gap between "very good" and "outstanding".

That's a misconception that needs to be corrected.....period. Many a times, its often so easy to blame designers for bad architecture. What most people don't see is that designers usually have to follow closely the client's brief and requirements. If a brief calls for a conversative design, the you'll have a conservative building. The design will be as good as the brief. An example..... take a look at Sunday Times today, you won't miss that article. If a client decides that that will be how his "dream house" look like, do you think you can still sell him a WOHA house?

Another factor that hinders good design would be budget. Many are more than willing to build every square inch they can and let design fall back into second place. In general, there is a lack of recognition and appreciation for good design and therefore, the unwillingness to pay for good design.

[Pengui]

Huh, thank you for correcting me, I didn't mean to blame the profession, rather the process (which involves not only the architect but also the client, as you mentioned, and possibly the URA and others ;-) ).

[Kit]

To be fair, URA and other relevant authorities has been increasingly willing to accept or at least consider unconventioal ideas. The problem we face now is largely selling new ideas to relatively ill-informed developers/clients whom always wanting to be "safe". Imagine someone walking into the office asking to build a house that looks the same as the one 5 doors down the street.

[Pengui]

Btw, Kit, you forgot to reply to the thread's question :-p

[Kit]

Originally Posted by Pengui

Btw, Kit, you forgot to reply to the thread's question :-p

I can't.

[heirloom]

ok, which do you detest the least?

[nova]

I put this question to you guys for precisely the reason that I couldn't decide.

Now I find that no one can really decide either..

[shao_ye]

may b sG still doesnt haf a building tt realli standsssssssssssssssss out frm the rest of the buildings around the globe...

[heirloom]

it doesnt, but it doesnt meant there can't be a 'most beautiful'