Former AXA Tower at 8 Shenton Way set to be the tallest skyscraper in Singapore

By Hailey Yu

/ EdgeProp Singapore |

October 27, 2022 8:51 PM SGT

The redeveloped 63-storey mixed-used development is set to complete in 2028 (Credit: SOM/Bezier)

SINGAPORE (EDGEPROP) - The redevelopment of the former AXA Tower at 8 Shenton Way is set to be the tallest and one of the most sustainable skyscrapers in Singapore’s CBD. The new development will be 305m tall when it is completed in 2028.

The design of the mixed-use, 63-storey development was unveiled by world-renowned architectural design consultant Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and local architect partners DCA Architects at a press event on Oct 27.

8 Shenton Way is jointly owned by a consortium of developers led by Perennial Holdings. Alibaba Singapore, a subsidiary of the NYSE-listed Chinese e-commerce behemoth Alibaba Group Holdings, holds a 50% stake in the development. The other consortium partners include Chip Eng Seng, Sing-Haiyi Emerald, Piermont Holdings and HPRY Holdings.

The upcoming development will boast 1.6 million sq ft that comprises retail spaces, offices, a hotel and luxury residential units. “8 Shenton Way will be one of the first post-pandemic mixed-use towers incorporating health and wellness as its primary design drivers,” says SOM’s partner Mustafa Abadan.

For example, the development incorporates antimicrobial materials, enhanced natural air flow and filtration, and the building design features a stepped and vertical bundling, taking cues from bamboo forests.

“The design weaves together nature, heritage, connections to transit, luxury living, healthy workplaces, and lively public spaces into a thriving hub,” says SOM’s design principal Nic Medrano.

Direct underground access to Tanjong Pagar MRT Station (Credit: SOM/ Bezier)

The basement level connects to the underground pedestrian network and has direct access to the Tanjong Pagar MRT Station on the East-West Line. Within walking distance are the upcoming Maxwell MRT Station on the Thomson-East Coast Line and Prince Edward MRT Station on the Circle Line, scheduled to be operational in November this year and 2026 respectively.

The public plaza on the ground floor opens up to the street, and consists of a multi-floor atrium, a reflecting pool, performance and events space, retail and alfresco seating. The second floor is an open-air green space with restaurants and biodiverse plants.

Ground floor plaza opening to the street (Credit: SOM/ Bezier)

Extending vertically upwards are offices with floor plates over 43,055 sq ft and 3m floor-to-ceiling windows. Several floors of hotels sit on top, while residences occupy the topmost floors of the tower with panoramic sea and city views.

The building also features extensive landscaping and nature elements with over 100,000 sq ft of elevated green space through a series of sky gardens located throughout the tower concentrated on the ocean-facing south side. There are a total of seven terraces including one on the hotel floors, three on the residential levels and three on the office floors.

In addition, some of the building materials include champagne-coloured terracotta and bamboo on the facade, along with wood and stone in the lobby area.

One of the seven sky terraces - EDGEPROP SINGAPORE

One of the seven sky terraces interspersed throughout the tower (Credit: SOM/ Bezier)

According to Abadan, the design and development team are targeting 8 Shenton Way to be certified BCA Green Mark Platinum, the highest sustainability rating for a building in Singapore.

8 Shenton Way is also one of the first redevelopment projects to take advantage of the CBD Incentive Scheme.

The redevelopment scheme was introduced by the URA in 2019 and encourages building owners to convert existing office buildings in the CBD into mixed-use developments to rejuvenate the city centre. The incentive offers an increase in a site’s gross plot ratio (GPR) so that developers can build more units.

In the case of 8 Shenton Way, the site’s original gross plot ratio of 10.5 will be expanded to 13.125. This bonus area enables the development to reach its dizzying height and a more spacious distribution of the retail and office components on the lower floors, says Vincent Koo, managing director of DCA Architects.

“Designed specifically with the tropical climate of Singapore in mind, this building will be one of the first post-pandemic mixed-use towers in the world that incorporates health and wellness as its primary design drivers. By seeking to achieve the city’s newest and most rigorous sustainability standards, our design will establish a new paradigm for resilient and elegant high-rise design in Singapore and beyond,” says Abadan.

Check out the latest listings near AXA Tower, Tanjong Pagar MRT Station, Maxwell MRT Station

Tags: