The green heart at the centre of an ambitious project
Big issues like climate change and and increasing global population are at the design heart of an ambitious project by Ingenhoven architects and landscape architects Gustafson Porter + Bowman which has just opened in Asia.
Marina One is the largest public landscaped area in Singapore’s Marina Bay district. Officially opened on January 15, it already won the “Concept- Visionary Living & Working” Iconic Award in 2016.
The design features a central courtyard nestled between four towers, the “Green Heart”, which was inspired by Asian paddy fields. From here, a winding ramp allows visitors to ascend amongst tropical vegetation and under canopies of trees.
The garden boasts over 160,000 individual trees and plants from 350 different species, which have been specifically chosen to attract insects and butterflies. Wooden walkways and stone pavings maintain the natural feel of the environment, as do a large reflecting pond and three-storey waterfall, which adds an element of sound.
As visitors climb from the Green Heart through the Cloud Garden and eventually reach “Mountain Peak”, the climate and foliage change, resembling a natural rainforest valley.
The inclusion of restaurants, cafes, a food court, supermarket, and pool, as well as retail and events areas, is designed to make Marina One a multi-use space to appeal to all members of the public.
Landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson says it was important to her to create an environmentally green design. She took advantage of the fact that plants grow well in Singapore, and tried to use recyclable materials and reduce how much energy was being used to carry out building work.
The design of Marina One is sympathetic to the issues of climate change and an increasing global population. It utilises energy-saving natural ventilation systems and external solar screening devices, and has remarkably created a usable area which is 125% of the original site’s surface area. Marina One is therefore rated under the LEED Platinum and Green Mark Platinum schemes.
See more about the project here
