Moshe Safdie's residential complex in Bishan, Singapore, is inspired by ancient hillside developments and the architect's own Habitat 67 complex in Montreal, Canada. The Sky Habitat is formed of two gradated, matrix-like towers joined together by suspended sky-gardens.
Safdie's use of geometric shapes, interlocking forms and the horizontal plane are reminiscent of another building in Singapore, the Interlace vertical village, which was last year awarded World Building of the Year. Whereas the Interlace is only to six stories high, though, the Sky Habitat rises up 38 floors.
Despite its scale, the principles upon which the Sky Habitat is built are well-rounded. It is aimed at providing a residents with "sanctuary in the sky," with a balance between high-density living and community, landscape, gardens and daylight.
The "three-dimensional" structure mixes homes with private terraces, balconies and gardens. It boasts vertical greenery, multiple orientations relative to the sun and views of the surrounding areas. Gardens cover 70 percent of the ground level, with additional event spaces and walking paths.
In total, three platforms link the two buildings, each containing interconnected streets, gardens, and terraces. They provide space for leisure, recreation and get-togethers, as well as helping to naturally ventilate the buildings and residential units.
The development covers an area of 130,000 sq ft (12,077 sq m) in total and houses 509 apartments, each with multiple orientations and a private outdoor space. Residents are also able to make use of a sky pool on the 38th floor, a 50-m (164-ft) lap pool, a tennis court, barbecue areas, karaoke rooms, a function room and a gymnasium.
The Sky Habitat was completed last year.
The video below provides an overview of the project.
Source: Sky Habitat