Rarely content to design a simple glass rectangle, Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) produces some of the best-looking skyscrapers around – as well as many of the tallest. Its most recent project is a 175-m (574 ft)-tall tower in Singapore with an eye-catching design and a significant amount of greenery, including a publicly accessible garden.
Back in 2014, Singapore authorities passed a law stating that any greenery lost because of a new development must be replaced with publicly accessible greenery of an equal area. This has resulted in lush projects like the Kampung Admiralty and Oasis Terraces sprouting in the city state.
Robinson Tower's design is informed by the rule, as well as the awkward V-shaped plot it's situated on. The 24,000 sq m (259,400 sq ft) project, which was created in association with A61, consists of two main parts, both with glazed facades.
It's anchored by a large retail podium which is topped by a rooftop garden and terrace space. Above the retail podium, held in place by angled supports, is the tower proper, which is likened to a gem by KPF because of its multifaceted form. Its interior consists of 20 floors of office space, plus pockets of greenery and a large indoor garden complete with bushes and trees at the top. There's also another garden area in the atrium.
"At its core, this project presented the overlapping challenges of planning Class-A office space on an irregular site with environmental checks," says Bruce Fisher, KPF Design Director. "However, these conditions ultimately drove the design's success, all the while capitalizing on the expanse of Robinson Road's visual corridor. The dynamic tower frees itself from the canyon of stoic facades, integrating green space at unique vantage points and ultimately cultivating the public realm alongside a boutique, mixed-use program."
Source: KPF
