BIG and CRA co-designed CapitaSpring, a 280-m multi-use skyscraper in Singapore that's design emphasizes biophilia and sustainability.

Key features

Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and Carlo Ratti Associati (CRA) have completed CapitaSpring, a biophilic skyscraper in Singapore. It's one of nation's tallest towers. The collaboration between the two firms focused on the building's public space and digital user experience in addition to the architecture. Office spaces, residences, hospitality offerings, retail programming, a four-storey garden, and rooftop vegetable garden are found across the 280-m building’s 51 floors. The 93,000-sq-m tower houses over 80,000 plants on a total landscaped area of more than 8,300 sq-m. Vertical external elements are pulled apart at the centre of the building granting a glimpse at the green gardens at the base, core, and rooftop of the building.

The green from the building spills out onto the restored pedestrian space on the surrounding sidewalk and expanded landscaped area adding more green space to the CBD. The first eight floors are dedicated to the service residence, and have facilities such as a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, jogging track, gymnasium, social kitchen, lounge and barbecue pits. The top 29 floors are home to premium office spaces with panoramic views. Separating the residential and office levels are four connected levels of green space dubbed the ‘Green Oasis’, a 35-m-high open-air garden.  The rooftop is home to Singapore’s tallest urban farm, growing more than 150 species of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers, which supply the building’s restaurants with fresh food. 

Frame’s take

Singapore takes its epithet as the ‘garden city’ seriously. The small city-state is not only one of the most densely populated cities, but is also one of the most green with public green space like the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, the Botanic Gardens, and the Gardens by the Bay. It’s no secret that our cities have something to learn from Singapore when it comes to incorporating greenery into our urban environments. While public initiatives have seen the inclusion of biophilia into the fabric of the city, we know that when there is limited surface area, the only option is to build vertically. The city’s many towers also provide a masterclass in urbanism in a densely populated area. What happens when you put the need for more green space with Singapore’s limited ground space? An innovative skyscraper like CapitaSpring, which provides access to green in an atypical manner. The BIG and CRA collaboration provides a lesson in how we can take biophilic living even further, directly into our living environments, no surprise coming from two architectural powerhouses.