Per CDL’s announcement, the existing Fuji Xerox towers located along Anson Road is scheduled to be demolished and redeveloped into a 51-storey mixed-use development.
As a firm believer that the lifecycle of full redevelopment is always contentious, the A&A proposal attempts to revitalise the existing development. Arup is the selected tenant for this proposal.
Already having a primary regional office a distance away along Cecil Street, the proposal references Arup’s research perspective on the importance of satellite offices and 15-minute neighbourhoods; a timber-led intervention of numerous biophilic touchpoints being a new node for the consultancy and its immediate public community.
The most evident, but more than just an opportunity to demonstrate the technical prowess of the consultancy, the cantilevering central staircase connecting the Arup offices from the 3rd to the 5th Storey is also an opportunity to incorporate one of the many features of the WELL Building Standard — in particular, Feature 64 for Interior Fitness Circulation.
1 / Site Investigation and Planning Parameters
1.1 / Overview and Developmental Control
Commercial land use with a GPR of 5.6 with a requirement for Urban Design Guidelines for the Downtown Core Planning Area
Total GFA: 40,382.3896m2
Road Buffers: 5m (3m GB) all around
1.2 / Circulation
Private Transport
Public Transport
1.3 / Context
Neighbouring Context
Anson House
M Hotel Singapore
Shenton Way Office
ABI Plaza
Sight Lines from the site
Towards Bernam Street
Towards Anson Road
Towards Keppel Road
Towards Tanjong Pagar Road
1.4 / Environmental Factors
East-West Solar Movement
Sunlight Hours and Shadow Encroachment
North-South Prevailing Winds
2 / Proposal
2.1 / Parti
A new node for the community / “Designing the 15-minute neighbourhood” — Arup
A timber-led intervention
42% Retail (L1 to L2); 58% Office (L3 to L5)
2.2 / Overall
A “natural” facade of planted vegetation; and a linear treatment to break perceived levels
Planting of site-specific species as part of the environmental buffer strategy
A demonstration of technical prowess — a suspended and cantileveing central staircase connecting Arup’s offices across 3 storeys
2.3 / 1st Storey to 2nd Storey
2.3.1 / Concept
Exploratory Sketches
As a community node, the 1st Storey of the proposal is designated to be a public thoroughfare, imagined as the high-energy “buzz” of the development with predominantly activity-as-a-service tenants.
Above it, more mellow “ease” tenants such as dining and retail provide occupants respite from the environment and the humdrum of the everyday.
An envisioned “Muji Cafe” on the 2nd Storey, North of the development, washed with natural light from the skylight and partitioned facade.
2.3.2 / 1st Storey Compliances
Exploratory Sketches
Mandatory Public Spaces of > 50sqm for 1st Storey URA compliance
Internal Corridor Widths of >2,000mm for 1st Storey URA compliance
Isometric representation for 1st Storey BCA compliance
Plan representation for 1st Storey BCA compliance
2.3.3 / 2nd Storey Compliances
Exploratory Sketches
Average Retail Units of > 50sqm for 2nd Storey URA compliance
Internal Corridor Widths of >2,000mm for 2nd Storey URA compliance
Isometric representation for 2nd Storey BCA compliance
Plan representation for 2nd Storey BCA compliance
2.4 / 3rd Storey to 5th Storey
2.4.1 / Concept
Exploratory Sketches
A proposal for a semi-public co-working space on the 3rd Storey demonstrating Arup’s democratized emergent technologies
An expression of WELL Feature 64, a central staircase providing opportunities for active vertical circulation
The "Arup gesture"; a Cantilevering Central Staircase
2.4.2 / 3rd Storey (Compliances)
Fitout for 3rd Storey
Isometric representation for 3rd Storey BCA compliance
Plan representation for 3rd Storey BCA compliance
2.4.3 / 4th Storey (Compliances)
Fitout for 4th Storey
Isometric representation for 4th Storey BCA compliance
Plan representation for 4th Storey BCA compliance
2.4.4 / 5th Storey (Compliances)
Fitout for 5th Storey
Isometric representation for 5th Storey BCA compliance