Work and play get a green boost

"AM I working in an office or in a garden?" Central Business District folks who have just moved into CapitaSpring at Raffles Place may well be asking themselves just that.

The 51-storey integrated development combines offices, retail space, Citadines-serviced residences and a hawker centre. It is jointly owned by CapitaLand Development, CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust and Mitsubishi Estate Co, and designed by Bjarke Ingels Group in collaboration with Carlo Ratti Associati.

But what makes it stand out among the other skyscrapers in the area is the amount of green spaces the building has - a landscaped area of over 90,000 square feet (sq ft), or more than 6 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The gem of its landscaping is the Green Oasis, a spiral botanical promenade located 100 m above ground, from levels 17 to 20. The 35-m high garden is home to over 38,000 plants, and houses a cafe, yoga alcoves, exercise stations and an amphitheatre.

But the garden isn't just a place to hang out after office hours. The oasis is fitted out with the latest Wi-Fi technology, there are cosy lounge spots that look out onto Marina Bay and the CBD, as well as benches fitted with power outlets. That work-in-a-garden privilege isn't just limited to tenants, as the Green Oasis is open to the public too.

From the second quarter of 2022, tenants and the public who want that "work-in-the-air" experience can head up to the Sky Garden on level 51, which is 280 m above ground. The publicly accessible observatory deck offers a 360-degree view of the surroundings. There are seats provided, although the view might prove to be a distraction.

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The Sky Garden is also home to Singapore's tallest urban farm, a partnership between CapitaSpring and F&B and lifestyle group 1-Group.  Some of the plants that can be found there include spinach, watercress and wild pepper.

Chris Chong, chief executive of retail and workspace (Singapore and Malaysia) at CapitaLand Investment, said: "When CapitaSpring was conceptualised 5 years ago, we noticed a lack of usable green and naturally ventilated spaces within the CBD. As such, we focused on bringing nature indoors, to create green spaces that can be activated and utilised at any time of the day, under any weather conditions."

Chong added that compared to most sky terraces which tend to be empty landscaped spaces, the Green Oasis has been thoughtfully planned to be a usable space for both tenants and the public to enjoy a variety of work-live-play amenities at the naturally ventilated green atrium.

"All the social spaces within CapitaSpring were designed with the user in mind from the onset," he said.

Park-like office settings the way to go

While Raffles Place has the Green Oasis, the working crowd at Tanjong Pagar has the Urban Park at Guoco Tower.

The 150,000 sq ft landscaped Urban Park features rooftop gardens, a spacious lawn and a sheltered open space for events.

"Many people visit Guoco Tower every day, from our occupants to the wider Tanjong Pagar community. As such, it was important to us that they have a place to relax and be close to nature, even though they are right in the heart of the CBD," said Valerie Wong, group general manager (asset management) of GuocoLand.

Wong attributes the success of the urban park to factors such as its design and its connectivity to Guoco Tower and the area.

"The Urban Park is popular with office tenants who appreciate the abundance of greenery to relax and unwind after a day's work. The ample seats are perfect for enjoying fresh air while having meals - which was especially helpful for executives in the early days of the pandemic when only takeaways were allowed. We also recently placed some additional tables and chairs on the lawn, which has proven very popular," she said.

Buoyed by the success of the Urban Park, GuocoLand is now taking that concept to its upcoming development Guoco Midtown in the Beach Road-Bugis district.

Wong said: "We did take into consideration how Guoco Tower and the Urban Park played a major role in the transformation of Tanjong Pagar when we were planning and designing Guoco Midtown. When completed, the gardens at Guoco Midtown will take what we have achieved at Tanjong Pagar to a whole new level."

When completed in phases starting from 2022, Guoco Midtown will have 30 gardens on site.

Known collectively as Guoco Midtown Gardens, the thematic gardens and landscaped spaces will span 3.8 ha. The gardens will extend from the ground floor to various levels at the podium and even on the rooftops of the towers.

A large number of these gardens will only be accessible to office tenants and residents.

But the public will have access to 10 of these gardens, such as the Native Garden, filled with indigenous plants and orchids, and the Water Garden, which will have freshwater waterside plants such as the native Paku Wangi and flowering plants including bamboo orchids.

Wong said: "Our goal for all our developments in the different parts of Singapore is to create value. We believe investing in these spaces will benefit the occupants of our developments and the communities we are located in. This, in turn, drives the value of not just our own developments but also those owned by our neighbours. The entire area or district is uplifted, which then benefits our own developments again."

Another integrated development that has been successful in incorporating green spaces is Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ) by Lendlease.

The development, which comprises office towers, a mall and residences, has over 100,000 sq ft of landscaped, green spaces and an outdoor playground.

Ng Hsueh Ling, managing director (Singapore) of Lendlease, said: "We are guided by a holistic placemaking approach, allowing us to create places that encourage human connection. The green spaces within the PLQ precinct foster community building, allowing people to unwind and recharge while participating in diverse group activities."

The open spaces have been used to hold events and also outdoor yoga classes.

The office in a garden concept has also extended into a recently revamped business park in Changi.

When ESR Reit tasked ta.le Architects to redevelop the former UE bizhub East, the architectural team turned the business park into a garden-like setting. Principal architect Lionel Leow said, "We decided on an office in a park setting. The design is biophilic in essence, which improves the overall well-being of the users."

Not only is the development now more welcoming for its users, the new ESR Biz Park @ Changi boasts a better spatial experience in its public spaces with the introduction of a green corridor.

Leow and his team also extended the green corridor concept into an underground passageway that leads to the MRT station. "Creating an underground green corridor turns a mundane affair of a commute into a pleasant experience," said Leow.

Beyond adding aesthetic value

The landscape architecture firms behind the landscaped areas at CapitaSpring and Guoco Midtown see their works as more than just beautifying a space.

Chia Jui Siang, partner at Ortus Design, said: "The gardens of Guoco Midtown were designed to show how nature can be woven into spaces for live-work-play. A public garden evolves from a mere spatial, aesthetic and beautification to a more environmental and social approach of system planning that reinforces ecological functions, aiming to give back to the broader ecosystem and community."

Hannah Ann Teo, founder of COEN Design International, CapitaSpring's landscape consultant said: "The design of gardens in general swings and pivots within and between art and science. The art of curating spaces that engages the users on many levels and the science of plant knowledge culminates in a layout for plants to enjoy optimum growth conditions while providing shade and breeze for people."

She added: "A well designed garden should engage its visitors sensorially. For example, when visitors enter the Green Oasis, their sight is 'touched' by the various shapes, order, hierarchy and colours of the various plant species. Being surrounded by gardens have a positive effect on the mind and soul, and reduces the levels of anxiety as visitors enjoy and unwind in the gardens."

Gardens to attract tenants

Developers say that putting in green spaces makes their buildings more attractive to potential tenants.

CapitaLand Investment's Chong said: "Beyond building specifications, we are seeing a shift in focus towards employee attraction and retention, and tenants are starting to place a higher importance on how the building's amenities support their employees' well-being and engagement. Some tenants are increasingly seeking offices that are aligned with their corporate sustainability goals."

He added: "Having greenery and social spaces contribute to the overall quality of an office product and will become increasingly important as tenants place more emphasis on employee wellness and sustainability."

GuocoLand's Wong says that the pandemic has brought about greater awareness and appreciation for health and wellness. "With hybrid work arrangements becoming more widely accepted, providing a holistic office experience that takes health and wellness into greater consideration has become more important," she said.

Wong added: "Our tenants regularly inform us that they appreciate the greenery offered at Guoco Tower and that such features have been more highly sought after since the pandemic began. We have also heard the same from prospective tenants of Guoco Midtown.

"Today's companies see how nature and greenery found in the development where their offices are based can play an integral role in contributing to their employee's wellness. As such, being located in a Premium Grade A office environment that is also biophilic offers them an edge over their competitors in terms of workforce recruitment and retention."