WHERE IS IT? Bang in the middle of the famous Orchard Road shopping district, with malls such as ION Orchard on its doorstep. It is a ten-minute walk from Orchard MRT station and a 30-minute walk to the Botanic Gardens should you need further greenery.
WHAT'S IT LIKE? The soaring 23-storey structure designed by WOHA architects is spectacular, resembling a tropical Jenga tower with 7,300 sqm of foliage across four cut-out terraces - Forest (floors 2-3), Beach (5-10), Garden (11-16) and Cloud (18-23).
The experience starts on the Forest level with a cascading water feature and an open-air lobby, somewhat cooled by dry-mist fans, with seating areas and a reception where staff use tablets to check you in. Stretching through the edifice is a "green core" - a 120-metre column which in time will bloom into a structure reminiscent of Singapore's surreal Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay.
It would take forever to describe all the details of this building, but expect open-air spaces, landscaped lawns and mirrored ceilings that add a futuristic quality. It feels like an entire ecosystem in one block.
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