Singapore's leisure-filled airport attraction on track for 2019 opening, complete with 40m indoor waterfall and forest valley
– Lee Seow Hiang, CEO of Changi Airport Group
Construction is nearing completion on “a world-class, signature lifestyle destination” at Singapore’s Changi Airport, which has been designed to boost the city-state’s appeal as a stopover point for global travellers.
Conceived as the world’s most ambitious airport leisure attraction, the complex, called The Jewel, is being built inside an enormous glass dome covering a 40m-high indoor waterfall and a five-storey ‘forest valley’ with 2,500 trees and 100,000 shrubs.
The building – which is 75 per cent complete – will be connected directly to the airport’s Terminal 1 and linked to Terminals 2 and 3 via air-conditioned bridges with travelators, which will overlook the waterfall.
Occupying a 3.5 hectare site on a former car park, the 10-storey project will have five basement floors housing an estimated 300 retail, food and beverage outlets.
Canadian architect Moshe Safdie collaborated with international firm Benoy and local practice RSP on the design, which is intended to be “architecturally iconic from both Airport Boulevard and the sky.”
The installation of the more than 9,000 pieces of glass that form the dome is set to be completed by June 2018, according to airport officials, who confirmed The Jewel is on track for a 2019 opening.
When complete, attractions will include a Canopy Park, featuring the world’s largest indoor ‘walking and bouncing’ sky nets – suspended 25m above the ground – and discovery slides overlooking the site’s public gardens. A hedge maze and mirror maze and a topiary walk will also be included in this zone.
In the evenings, the waterfall will be the centre of a ‘Rain Vortex’ light and sound show.
Speaking when The Jewel was first launched in 2013, CEO of Changi Airport Group, Lee Seow Hiang, claimed that the development was a response to the trend of airports around the world actively growing their destination appeal.
“To strengthen Changi Airport’s competitive advantage and ensure that we continue to capture passenger mindshare and traffic, we must take deliberate steps to enhance Changi’s attractiveness as a stopover point,” he said. “With Project Jewel, we are pleased to be developing an exciting product that will swing travellers to choose Changi Airport, and Singapore.
“Meanwhile, for tourists, we envisage Project Jewel to be a must-visit Singapore attraction. For Singaporeans, it will be an exciting world-class destination right here at home, where they can relax and enjoy with their loved ones, again and again.”
In related news, architecture firms Kohn Pedersen Fox and Heatherwick Studio have recently won an international competition to design Changi Airport Terminal 5, which will add an initial capacity of up to 50 million passengers per year, described as “a city within itself – and an integral piece of Singapore.”
Thomas Heatherwick, founder of Heatherwick Studio, said: “This is an extraordinary opportunity to break away from the sterility and soullessness we’ve come to expect from typical airport environments. We’re excited to treat this next phase of Changi as a new piece of city and bring together the rigour of airport planning with an uncompromising interest in the quality of human experience for passengers.”
Singapore Changi Airport The Jewel Moshe Safdie Benoy RSP Kohn Pedersen Fox Heatherwick StudioGoCo Health Innovation City in Sweden plans to lead the world in delivering wellness and new science
Aman sister brand Janu debuts in Tokyo with four-floor urban wellness retreat
€38m geothermal spa and leisure centre to revitalise Croatian city of Bjelovar
Two Santani eco-friendly wellness resorts coming to Oman, partnered with Omran Group
Kerzner shows confidence in its Siro wellness hotel concept, revealing plans to open 100
Ritz-Carlton, Portland unveils skyline spa inspired by unfolding petals of a rose
Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners are just one of the names behind The Emory hotel London and Surrenne private members club
Peninsula Hot Springs unveils AUS$11.7m sister site in Australian outback
IWBI creates WELL for residential programme to inspire healthy living environments
Conrad Orlando unveils water-inspired spa oasis amid billion-dollar Evermore Resort complex
Studio A+ realises striking urban hot springs retreat in China's Shanxi Province
Populous reveals plans for major e-sports arena in Saudi Arabia
Wake The Tiger launches new 1,000sq m expansion
Othership CEO envisions its urban bathhouses in every city in North America
Merlin teams up with Hasbro and Lego to create Peppa Pig experiences
SHA Wellness unveils highly-anticipated Mexico outpost
One&Only One Za’abeel opens in Dubai featuring striking design by Nikken Sekkei
Luxury spa hotel, Calcot Manor, creates new Grain Store health club
'World's largest' indoor ski centre by 10 Design slated to open in 2025
Murrayshall Country Estate awarded planning permission for multi-million-pound spa and leisure centre
Aman's Janu hotel by Pelli Clarke & Partners will have 4,000sq m of wellness space
Therme Group confirms Incheon Golden Harbor location for South Korean wellbeing resort
Universal Studios eyes the UK for first European resort
King of Bhutan unveils masterplan for Mindfulness City, designed by BIG, Arup and Cistri
Rural locations are the next frontier for expansion for the health club sector
Tonik Associates designs new suburban model for high-end Third Space health and wellness club
Aman sister brand Janu launching in Tokyo in 2024 with design by Denniston's Jean-Michel Gathy
The Peninsula London unveils Peter Marino-designed spa inspired by London’s famous parks
First glimpses revealed of Mandarin Oriental, Mayfair's subterranean spa retreat
"Architecture is alive" says Ma Yansong, as Shenzhen art museum opens exhibition showcasing work of MAD Architects
Why shouldn’t sports facilities be beautiful? Across Asia, architects are creating landmark buildings for the public, discovers Christopher de Wolf
From Nobu Restaurants and Ian Schrager’s latest hotel to Imagination Playgrounds and the set design for The Rocky Horror Show, US architect and designer David Rockwell always keeps it fresh. He tells us the secrets of his creativity