Celebrating real estate

IN THIS Golden Jubilee year of Singapore's independence, one of the most visible markers of the nation's progress is the transformation of its property landscape. This is a good occasion to celebrate the many achievements of Singapore real estate. Over the past five decades, scores of iconic developments have been built - ranging from landmark CBD office towers to swanky condos all across the island designed by star architects.

Smart technology and green building solutions are being warmly embraced by developers, architects and all involved in the real estate chain - in the pursuit of sustainable development. In this edition of The Business Times Property Supplement, we take you on a historical tour of Singapore's property icons over the decades.

Other must-reads include articles that examine the merits of investing in the luxury condo market and the pros and cons of purchasing a completed condo unit versus buying off-plan. We also have a feature that uses hard numbers to demystify some trends in the private residential leasing market.

Our spread also includes articles that highlight a wild card in the industrial property market, the bright spots in the retail segment and the opportunities available to office tenants.

Read about local property groups that are making great strides overseas and see what the senior executives of some established Singapore property groups have to say about their business, the challenges they have faced over the years, and the lessons learnt.

Supplement editor: Kalpana Rashiwala Sub-editors: Vivien Ang, Gouw Huat May, Lilian Lee Cover design: Gareth Chung Graphics: Sarah Loyola, Jennifer Chua, Noordin Ayob, Gareth Chung, Hyrie Rahmat, Lynette Neo, Gladys Lam, Ludwig Ilio Advertising sales: Lam Wy-ning 9368 5685, Shirley Chua 9620 1339, Stella Yeo 9799 9001