Singapore's design for the top

Brands are being allowed to exploit unique opportunities within Singapore by showcasing new outlets with new designs by established designers and innovative architects. You can see the changing face of how Singapore is putting design at the centre of it's tourism marketing all over the island.

A great example of this is the new Park Royal Hotel on Pickering. The design is so innovative and different from other Park Royals that the management have inaugurated it as the first of the “Park Royal Hotels Collection” brand. Interestingly this was not the original intention. It only happened after the hotel was born. The design has inspired them.

No strapline and no current tagline could describe the brand new design of the new Park Royal and therefore a new category was created for it. One which may only have a few unique properties added to it or none at all!

The vision was a hotel in a garden and much of the design ideas came from nature and rice fields in Asia. In fact nature runs through this stunning hotel in every angle and every step making it a truly ground breaking venue.

Another great is the new Sofitel So. Karl Lagerfeld was asked to create a new look and feel for them for their new Singapore boutique venue. Sofitel So Singapore (lots of s’s!) is only the third of this new designer brand in the Accor group.

Every So is unique and every one taps into the designer and luxury heritage that the Sofitel brand. Singapore’s So will be as unique as the only other two So’s currently existing in Bangkok and Mauriti us and designed by Christian Lacroix and Kenzo Takada respectively. 

More than a year old now but still one of the most photographed retailer outlets in Singapore is the Louis Vuitton island store. The flagship store in Asia, the LV store is literally a floating store next to the amazingly designed Marina Bay Sands integrated resort (casino with premium shopping and restaurant brands to you and me). Peter Marino designed the store (not sure he was chosen for his name....) with various nautical aspects that perfectly reflect the fact that it sits on Marina Bay.

The new Knightsbridge development on the famous Orchard Road has the flagship Abercrombie and Kent store amongst other brands at its front along with obligatory stunning rooftop bar.

Although no designer was asked to theme the development that features the new Grand Park Hotel amongst various retail clients the sheer black theme and look and feel makes it stand out in a street of competing designer venue brands such as the incredible Ion complex.

Changi Airport has always been not only ahead of the game but visited by rival airports to learn more about how the innovative designs. Everyone wants to know about the designs that have worked so well in making Changi one of the world’s most calming and streamlined airports in the world.

Everyone always says that there is never a queue on arrival at Changi and this sets the tone for a tourists visit to Singapore. This is all down to incredible and award winning design.

The much derided Art Science Museum on Marina Bay stands out as a pinnacle of how Singapore is trying to present itself. More creative, more dynamic and more cultural.

One of their current very cool exhibitions, The Art of the Brick (cool Lego constructions), is a stand out case of where Singapore is going and wants to be associated with. Singapore’s design time has come!