20 MARGARET DRIVE

The compact site of this new residential development lies at the edge of an expansive swath of greenery in the heart of Singapore, with views of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Tanglin and Dempsey Hill and the city beyond. The key idea in planning the site was to maximize the views towards the greenery and the city, while providing visual continuity for the greenery on the ground.

The 40-storey tower consists of 309 units which are elevated 14 meters above the greenery of the site, reducing the footprint of the tower and maximising the area of the landscaped greenery, increasing privacy and views for the residents. 

The tower’s architecture is a series of interlocked boxes and planes that express lightness and rhythm through aluminium horizontal fins and ledges that tie the tower’s balconies, windows and ledges into a continuous line with an alternating pattern every two and four floors. These deep ledges respond to Singapore’s tropical climate by providing sun shading to reduce heat gain and protection from the rain.

The Main Drop-off and the Clubhouse are designed with the same architectural expression, featuring deep horizontal fins and canopies that float above the landscape and provide shelter to the spaces below. The canopies provide an interesting relationship and scale between the street, the landscape and pool deck, and the tower. The use of low-iron glass in enclosing these spaces on the ground increases the sense of lightness and transparency.

The ground level is slightly raised to conceal a semi-sunken basement for car parks and services, visually connecting the compact site with the adjacent greenery. The layering of trees and canopies merge landscape and architectural expressions through clean rectilinear lines and a plant palette that uses various textures and shades to create a lush tropical setting for people. The development also includes a lap pool, a children’s jet pool, a hydrotherapy pool, various sitting lounges, cabanas and a dining pavilion integrated within the greenery to allow enjoyment of the tropical climate outdoors.