63 ROBINSON

Located on a prominent corner plot along Singapore’s Robinson Road in an older part of Singapore’s Central Business District, this new 18-storey commercial office tower replaces the old 6-storey Afro Asia building, and brings about much needed connectivity and energy to rejuvenate an older part of the city. 

The design of the tower is an architectural response to the podium tower typology, as well as the challenges of a very compact corner site, constrained by 2 different MRT tunnels on 2 sides, and a multi-layered program that needs to take into account urban connectivity, sky rise greenery, structural and mechanical systems, and car parking requirements. In order to overcome these challenges, an innovative Automated Guided Vehicle [AGV] Parking System, space-saving bicycle parking system and carefully planned mechanical systems and equipment spaces are housed within the podium block and unified by an urban glass box that elegantly veils over the various programs, floating above the street whilst intersecting with overhead linkages to neighbouring developments. It is an expression of lightness and transparency that responds to the corner site

At grade, a triple volume height lobby and café enclosed by low-iron glass provides much needed transparency to help rejuvenate the streetscape along Robinson Road and McCallum Street

Close to approximately 160,000 sq ft of Grade-A office space with 18m wide column-free floor plates over 12-storeys are elevated as high as possible to take advantage of the surrounding views of the sea and the historic Telok Ayer neighbourhood. The offices are fully glazed with performance glazing spanning 1.8m wide and 3m height, to enhance the views to the city, as well as to bring in natural daylight to improve the users’ well-being. These offices are supported by a series of 40-m high sculptural diagrid columns which not only frees up the conventional podium massing to increase porosity and engagement of the streets, but are also designed to serve as a distinctive landmark in the area.

A communal sky garden located above the podium at the 5th floor features small pockets of public spaces surrounded by lush planting, trees and water features, and is visible from neighbouring buildings. It also features a mirror ceiling that allows the sky terrace to be appreciated and viewed from the streets and vice versa. A Roof garden also helps reduce the urban heat island effect and serves as an after-work gathering space with views to the city.

The tower is also designed for high energy efficiency, attaining Green Mark Platinum and LEED Platinum ratings, through strategies such as maximising natural daylight, use of energy efficient lighting, innovative active chilled beam air conditioning system and water efficient fixtures.