PROJECTS

SingPost Centre Mall Redevelopment

SingPost Centre’s design brief called for a mixed-use development located within the upcoming Paya Lebar commercial hub with newly planned activities such as offices, hotels, retail and interconnected public spaces. The project is an addition and alteration to the existing building, with an increased retail component measuring a gross floor area (GFA) of 25,000 square metres. This includes a 2,000-square-metre supermarket in the basement, eight cinema halls, a food court and a playground at the roof garden.

The design brief was accomplished through a series of design testing with the respective consultants. One of the most challenging exercises was optimising the GFA allocation. The design approval process had been engaged with the client at concept, schematic and design development stages to conclude the base design sufficiently to call tender.

The SingPost Centre retail extension adopts a glass-and-steel design that complements the old section of the building. Clarity of form, the use of exposed steel girders, neutral colours and placid linearity create an uncluttered silhouette that portrays qualities of timelessness and sophistication. Machine-milled profiles and modern materials in the interior spaces express a disciplined, clean and industrial-chic aesthetic. Daylight penetration and atrial views of greenery humanise the interior and create a naturally pleasant, well-balanced environment. In terms of material specification, the priority is green label, fire compliance and durability.

As part of the compliance to the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) Urban Design Guidelines, the building façade line had to be extended closer to the public road to activate the street, while keeping the 5-metre-wide covered walkway connected to the Paya Lebar MRT station at all times, as well as the functionalities of a retail mall such as providing a proper driveway and drop-off. In order to maximise the shopfront despite the setback requirements and provide inviting access at the ground floor from the MRT, the shopfront at ground level was elongated to double-storey shopfront and allowed the double-volume covered walkway to create the scale that fits into the public realm of Paya Lebar Central District. Having an external plaza also complements one’s arrival.

As the construction had to be carried out within a live building, close monitoring was one of the constraints that required an experienced and competent main contractor to arrange the right sequence of work while minimising disruption to the existing tenants.

PROJECT DATA
Project Name: SingPost Centre Mall Redevelopment
Location: 10 Eunos Road 8, Singapore
Completion Date: April 2017
Site Area: Approximately 25,000 square metres of retail
Gross Retail Floor Area: 269,000 square feet
Building Height: 5 storeys
Number of Units: 130 stores
Owner: Singapore Post Limited
Chief Executive Officer: Paul Coutts
Mall Manager: CapitaLand Mall Asia
Architecture Firm: DP Architects Pte Ltd
Principal Architects: Chin Thoe Chong; Foo Chai Yee; Serine Chan
Interior Design Firm: DP Architects Pte Ltd
Principal Designer: Yap Woon Hwee
Civil & Structural Engineer: SembCorp Design & Construction Pte Ltd
Mechanical & Electrical Engineer: J Roger Preston (S) Pte Ltd
Quantity Surveyor: WT Partnership (S) Pte Ltd
Lighting Consultant: Light Cibles Pte Ltd
Landscape Architect: COEN Design International Pte Ltd
Façade Consultant: ARUP Singapore Pte Ltd
Signage Consultant: The Bonsey Design Partnership Pte Ltd
Main Contractor: Shimizu Corporation
Images: Singapore Post Limited; DP Architects Pte Ltd; Pocholo Mauricio