Image Credit : Safdie Architects / Darren Soh
Project Overview
Jewel Changi Airport re-imagines the centre of an airport as a major public realm attraction.
Project Commissioner
Jewel Changi Airport Devt Pte. Ltd.
Project Creator
Project Brief
Based on the geometry of a torus, the building is designed as a new central connector between the existing airport terminals. The distinctive dome-shaped façade, made of glass and steel, adds to Changi Airport's appeal as one of the world's leading air hubs.
Jewel represents an innovation in the world of lifestyle/retail design, with a one-of-a-kind relationship between garden and marketplace. In addition, nowhere in the world has a building been constructed that integrates the public realm with an airport facility so closely. The building extends Changi Airport’s principal function as a transit hub, to a public gathering space for Singaporeans and international travellers, establishing a new model for airports as discrete destinations for shopping, entertainment, and social activity.
User Experience
At the Jewel's core is the Forest Valley, a terraced garden attraction that offers many spatial and interactive experiences for visitors. The Forest Valley also includes walking trails, cascading waterfalls, and quiet seating areas. Surrounding the gardens is a multi-level retail marketplace on five levels, which features access to the garden via a series of vertical canyons.
On the 5th level is the Canopy Park, which includes 14,000 square meters of attractions integrated within the garden spaces. These include net structures suspended within the trees, a suspended catenary glass-bottom bridge walk, a planted hedge maze and mirror maze, and feature installations completed in collaboration with internationally acclaimed artists. There is also a topiary walk and other horticultural displays. On the north side of the park is an event plaza space big enough to serve 1,000 people.
Sustainability
At the apex of Jewel’s glass roof is an oculus that showers water down to the centre of the building. The Rain Vortex will be the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, transforming into a light and sound show in the evening. During the region’s frequent and powerful thunderstorms, recirculated, natural rainwater will flow at more than 10,000 gallons per minute, which helps provide cooling and airflow in the landscape environment, collecting significant rainwater to be re-used in the building.
Jewel is slated to receive Singapore’s GreenMark Platinum status. The building’s efficient displacement ventilation system regulates the thermal comfort for occupants as well as the vast array of interior planting within.
Government - Space
Government projects celebrate the courage of both commissioners and creators design projects across the government, education and other publicly funded sectors.
The space category celebrates the design process and outcomes of planning, designing and constructing form, space and ambience that reflect functional, technical, social, and aesthetic considerations. It includes architecture, interior design and landscape design as well as set display and exhibition design.
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