Beach Road’s new hangout

By Charlene Chin

/ EdgeProp Singapore |

October 29, 2020 6:00 AM SGT

SINGAPORE (EDGEPROP) - Once completed in 2022, Guoco Midtown is set to revitalise the Bugis-Beach Road district. Spanning 950,600 sq ft, the mixed-use development by GuocoLand will redefine public spaces, enhance street life, redefine the experience of working in Grade-A offices, and introduce an exciting new urban living concept, says the developer.

Guoco Midtown comprises residential, retail and office components (Credit: GuocoLand)

The project comprises one 30-storey office tower with 770,000 sq ft of premium Grade-A office space; a Network Hub — a first-of-its-kind social and business club — occupying 80,000 sq ft across five levels; more than 30,000 sq ft of retail and entertainment space featuring three different retail concepts across the entire development; 170,000 sq ft of landscaped and public spaces; a three-storey conservation building (which used to be the old Beach Road Police Station); and Midtown Bay, a luxury condominium with 219 units.

Recognised as an exemplar for placemaking, GuocoLand won two titles at the annual EdgeProp Excellence Awards: Guoco Midtown was given the Mixed-Use Development Excellence Award, while Midtown Bay clinched the Innovation Excellence Award.

Midtown Garden will be a relaxed place for social interaction (Credit: GuocoLand)

Work, live and play

“The design of Guoco Midtown represents the best in contemporary thinking on placemaking to create great streets, great neighbourhoods and great cities,” says Adrian Fitzgerald, design director of Denton Corker Marshall, one of the architects for the project. Instead of one mega structure, Guoco Midtown boasts 10 different buildings of varying heights: from one and two-storey retail pavilions, a five-storey Network Hub, to a soaring Grade-A office tower and residential tower, seamlessly connected with each other.

The design of Guoco Midtown serves to promote community interactions. For instance, a new internal street — Midtown Walk — will be flanked by two large sheltered public plazas, Midtown Garden and Midtown Market. The former is a relaxed place for social interaction, while the latter is an interpretation of a street market, according to the developer. Midtown Walk can also be closed to traffic so that it can link up the various public spaces to host large-scale community events during weekends, accommodating up to 500 people. From Midtown Garden, one can also access the office lobby and underground pedestrian network directly.

Midtown Market will be an interpretation of a street marke (Credit: GuocoLand)

Meanwhile, at the Network Hub, Midtown Bay’s residents will enjoy amenities such as networking lounges, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) facilities, collaborative work spaces, as well as venues for private dinners, gatherings and social parties. GuocoLand will also be offering a “flex and core” leasing concept, allowing its office tenants to lease short-term workspaces at the Network Hub. “In view of the current pandemic situation, a flex and core leasing concept is just what office tenants need,” says GuocoLand.

To top it off, there is a swimming pool on its rooftop, open for use to its office tenants.

View from Midtown Bay (Credit: GuocoLand)

Focus on landscape

Greenery has been a focus for GuocoLand in Guoco Midtown. In total, there will be around 20 gardens of different sizes at the development, with many of them accessible to the public. These include a “therapeutic garden” — with different sections such as the Fragrance Zone, Biodiversity Zone, Edibles and Medicinal Zone, Colours and Texture Zone and Interactive Zone — which GuocoLand touts as the first to land in the CBD.

Other gardens in the development include a selection of ferns, coastal species, an epiphyte collection (which will contribute to its hanging gardens), and a waterside collection. There will also be a Native Garden, featuring an outdoor botanical library of native plants and orchids.

There will also be a Sky Park and a Crown Roof Garden at the office tower, while residents at Guoco Midtown will be able to indulge in nature at the Residence Garden and Sky Terrace within Midtown Bay.

The sky garden at Midtown Bay (Credit: GuocoLand)

Living in Midtown Bay

GuocoLand has designed Midtown Bay to embody flexibility, suited for the WFH (work-fromhome) era. For instance, the wardrobe doors and its reflective surfaces are designed to be neutral, intended for homeowners who wish to turn their bedroom into a home office. In the day, the living and dining areas are also large enough to be converted into conducive work spaces, says the developer.

The units in Midtown Bay are also designed for entertaining at home. GuocoLand has ensured that the living and dining areas are large enough to host a party of friends within the privacy of a home.

Show unit of a one-bedder - EDGEPROP SINGAPORE

Show unit of a one-bedder (Credit: GuocoLand)

Smaller unit types make up the predominant offering at Midtown Bay, a deliberate move by the developer to address the lack of supply of smaller units in the vicinity. There are 107 one-bedroom units (starting from 409 sq ft); 72 two-bedders (starting from 732 sq ft); 32 two-bedroom duplex units (starting from 990 sq ft); and only 8 three-bedroom duplex options, at 1,324 sq ft.

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Midtown Bay will be plugged into the vibrancy, convenience and abundant facilities at Guoco Midtown. There will also be low-rise shops and an array of restaurants where residents can drop by to purchase food or daily necessities.

A two-bedroom unit at Midtown Bay - EDGEPROP SINGAPORE

A two-bedroom unit at Midtown Bay (Credit: GuocoLand)

Accessibility

Residents and visitors at Guoco Midtown will be able to enjoy accessibility, with the project located in proximity to four MRT stations: Bugis MRT Interchange Station on the East-West and Downtown Lines, City Hall MRT Interchange Station on the North-South and East-West Lines, Promenade MRT Interchange Station on the Circle and Downtown Lines, and Esplanade MRT Station on the Circle Line.

In addition, the development will be built with an underground pedestrian network, sheltered links on the ground and overhead bridges. Through the sheltered walkways, residents will be able to walk to Raffles City, City Hall, National Gallery Singapore and Suntec City. Meanwhile, the underground network will link people directly to Bugis Village and Bugis MRT Interchange Station.

In terms of transactions, the latest at Midtown Bay was for a 463 sq ft unit on the ninth floor, which was sold for $1.34 million ($2,904 psf) on Aug 26, based on caveats lodged with URA. On Aug 10, a similarsized unit on the seventh floor transacted at $1.3 million ($2,809 psf).

Check out the latest listings near: Bugis MRT Interchange Station, City Hall MRT Interchange Station, Promenade MRT Interchange Station ,Esplanade MRT Station

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