專題 49
Left: ION Orchard, Singapore Above: Plaza Singapura, Singapore Above Right: JCube, Singapore
Landmark beginnings Not so long ago, one of Singapore’s most prominent sites along Orchard Road and the bustling intersection of the Scotts-Paterson corridor awaited its transformation. The opportunity to re-imagine the city’s premier retail district and ultimately complete Orchard Road in the form of the ION Orchard development was trusted to a team led by the international award-winning firm of Architects, Masterplanners, Interior and Graphic Designers, Benoy. Already recognised as a truly global player and a leading creative force internationally, the Orchard Road development kick-started Benoy’s ultimately natural progression and award-winning profile in the island country. Establishing its presence in Asia in 2002, Benoy opened its Singapore office in 2008 to design and implement ION, a project that is acknowledged as an important contribution to the evolving urban fabric of Singapore and Southeast Asia. “Benoy’s core philosophy has always remained simple; creativity and viability are not mutually exclusive, they are essential and complementary elements that form the company’s unique offer” explained Benoy’s Global Managing Director, Simon Blore. “ION Orchard proved to be a perfect opportunity for Benoy to inject its vitality, and display its innate aptitude for combining creative flair with commercial feasibility”. Since opening in 2009, ION has proved to be an exceptionally popular and successful project for the developers, Singapore and Benoy. Still being recognised with awards long after its opening, ION set a high standard for mixed-use, transport-integrated retail developments in Asia and across the globe, winning a number of high-profile accolades, including the International Real Estate Federation’s (FIABCI) global ‘Gold Prix d’Excellence’ this year. At the core of much of the recognition for ION is Benoy’s inspired design. Drawing deep inspiration from the site’s antecedents as a spice and fruit orchard, the plan emerged as a tribute to a place where fruit is planted, nurtured and harvested. Referencing organic forms and geometries, the retail façade is a strikingly undulated and curvilinear design that remarkably transforms into a vast media wall, wrapping the building with moving visualisations. Along with the other notable features of the mixed-use development such as its efficiency and sustainability, strong pedestrian thoroughfares, augmented retail offer and iconic contribution to the city skyline, the scheme represents a manifestation by Benoy of Singapore’s vision for expanding the public sphere. Now named one of four Service Icons for Singapore, the government too has recognised the ION development’s significant national importance.
Singapore office on the Masterplan and Architecture of Subang Jaya City Centre (SJCC) in Malaysia. The world-class multi-modal transport destination will act as a gateway to the future lifestyle destination for the Klang Valley and is envisioned as a catalyst for regeneration in the region. Adding to further award successes in Singapore, Benoy was given a second opportunity to work along the famous tree-lined Orchard Road on the refurbishment of the long standing icon, Plaza Singapura. Crowning the entrance to the famous central shopping district, Plaza Singapura underwent a major renovation and extension to amalgamate commercial space from adjoining office towers into a single unified retail space, as well as a total refurbishment of its façade and immediate public realm. After opening late last year, it was announced in June that the scheme had won the coveted Retail and Leisure International (RLI) Global Award for Shopping Centre Renovation. Meeta Patel, Director of the Benoy office in Singapore remarked on what the design had accomplished,“Benoy’s concept design for the dynamic new façade wrapping was inspired by the movement and flow of the historic Stamford Canal, rejuvenating the underused plaza and allowing the development to be read as ‘one’. We are extremely proud to have been involved in the transformation of this well known and loved location and be recognised for the contributions to regeneration, innovation and sustainability that the new scheme delivers”. An exciting future The future is shining brightly for Benoy in Singapore. Announced this year as the Lead Concept Design Architect to deliver the new highly anticipated Terminal 4 at Singapore Changi International Airport, Benoy has further reinforced its strong reputation in the country and in transport-orientated and airport design. The main airport in Singapore, Changi welcomed over 50 million passengers in 2012, and has now commenced demolition of its original terminal to make way for the new two-storey Terminal 4 which is due to begin operation in 2017. As Concept and Interior Designers, Benoy will bring a distinct personality to the terminal, celebrating the notions of energy and movement while embracing timeless yet dynamic design attributes. Another future project to watch from Benoy’s visionary designers is the mixed-use retail and commercial development, Westgate, in the Jurong Gateway area. Following Singapore’s strong commitment to ‘green’ architecture, the vision of the island’s many original mangroves and river ways has been heavily woven into the Benoy design. The naturally inspired development features significant green wall façades, garden terraces, a tower top roof garden on the 27th floor and the entire podium roof landscaped as an urban park with a swimming pool and leisure facilities.
Sweeping expansion and coveted success This year Benoy received its second consecutive Queens Award for Enterprise in International Trade. The only architecture firm to receive the prestigious accolade in 2013, Benoy’s recognition is attributed in large part to the company’s resounding and unprecedented success across Asia after just over a decade of operation in the region. In five years alone, Benoy’s Singapore office profile has flourished from a team of two at its establishment to now over 25. Conveniently placed for business in the Southeast Asia region, the office has forged partnerships with some of the largest and most prominent developers undertaking projects not only in Singapore, but Malaysia, Indonesia and India also; encapsulating the company’s success story in markets abroad. While delivering significant developments in Singapore such as the Architecture and Interior Design of JCube, a landmark retail and entertainment complex featuring Singapore’s only Olympic-sized ice skating arena, the office has also taken on significant projects abroad. Benoy’s Kuala Lumpur office, established in 2012, is working in partnership with the
Information & images: Benoy 翻譯: John Lo
Speaking of green design, Hysan Place, recognised as the first LEED Platinum sustainable shopping centre in Hong Kong, will be competing at the world’s largest live awards program, the World Architecture Festival, hosted in Singapore in October this year. Benoy’s designers based in Hong Kong will present Hysan Place as a shortlisted finalist in the INSIDE Shopping Centre category and compete with 40 other international projects for the top overall interior design accolade. Reflecting on the fifth anniversary of the Singapore office this year, Simore Blore shared his views on the region’s success:“Singapore is an incredibly exciting and dynamic environment for Benoy. Since entering the market in 2008 with ION Orchard, Benoy’s presence has grown in a remarkably short time. The company’s well-established and well-respected reputation has led to Benoy’s involvement in one of the country’s most significant future developments, Changi Airport’s Terminal 4. The Singapore market demands innovative and distinctive architecture and Benoy has become recognised for its contemporary yet enduring design, paving the way for many more years of success in the Lion City and Southeast Asia”.