It’s not every day that a development in the CBD stops us in our tracks, but as one of the world’s most sustainably-designed urban multi-use developments, Marina One is no ordinary skyscraper cluster. Dreamed up by Ingenhoven architects and brought to life in collaboration with landscape maestros Gustafson Porter + Bowman, this high-density mega-project has redefined what city living can look like in the tropics. And in the heart of the development, you'll find a magical urban rainforest for a dose of nature in the centre of the city.
At the core of this huge building project – conceptually as well as literally – is the “Green Heart”: a soaring, multi-level garden woven between four spectacular high-rises. Designed to connect city-dwellers with nature, the central garden is a physical reminder of the project’s sustainability credentials. Rising up between steel and glass, 700 trees and 350 plant species soften the geometry of the towers, and shaded walkways buzz with cafés, shops, and food stalls. More than just a pretty oasis, the Green Heart acts as a natural cooling system, its clever geometry channelling breezes to create a microclimate that feels almost miraculous in Singapore’s swelter.
The scale of this project is pretty jaw-dropping: Marina One is home to 400,000 square metres of mixed-use space, two office towers boasting 175,000 square metres apiece, and two residential towers housing more than 1,000 apartments and penthouses. That’s homes for 3,000 residents, workspaces for thousands more, and enough restaurants, gyms, supermarkets, and social spaces to form a genuine vertical village. With direct access to four MRT lines, plus bike parking and charging points for electric vehicles, the project has been designed to keep cars (and their emissions) at bay.
Sustainability sits at the heart of the project. The towers have earned both Green Mark Platinum and LEED Platinum certifications, thanks to energy-efficient ventilation systems, clever solar screening, and glass features designed to minimise heat. The design’s flowing bronze-toned louvres were inspired by Asian rice terraces, and the tiered gardens mimic the shifting climates of a rainforest valley. Biodiversity has already begun to thrive here, with birds and small animals making themselves at home among the plants.
Conceived as a new model for urban life – a blueprint for how mega-cities in tropical regions might balance the pressures of density, population growth, and climate change – this project is a pretty impressive jewel in Singapore’s crown. You can learn more about Marina One over here.
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