Launched in 2003, Singapore’s Fusionopolis is making slow but steady progress towards completion. The 30-hectare project has seen the completion of its Phase 1 early 2008 after the deadline was postponed from end-2007; work on Phase 2A started in December 2006. Fusionopolis is part of the 200-hectare development, one-north at Buona Vista. The initiative was masterplanned by JTC Corporation, a statutory board to develop industrial facilities in Singapore. The masterplan has mapped out five phases of development for the entire 30-hectare Fusionopolis to be developed at a pace based on market demand. When fully completed, it will be an iconic focal point for Singapore’s science, engineering, and ICM industries.

Containing a cluster of public and private sector R&D institutes from infocomms, science and engineering, Fusionopolis will be built in five phases; progression depends on market demand.

Phase 1 was designed by the late renowned Japanese architect Dr Kisho Kurokawa, who also left his touch on icons such as the Oita and Toyota stadiums in Japan, and the Singapore Flyer. Aside business space, the two-tower cum podium complex also contains a clubhouse, rooftop swimming pool, performance theatre and sky gardens, among others. Media companies can enjoy direct satellite access on the rooftop.

Fusionopolis Phase 2A is a S$250 million complex that will contain 103,600 square metres of gross floor area, housing dry and wet laboratories, clean-room facilities and ground-floor retail units. It is scheduled to be ready by end-2009.

Fusionopolis Phase 2B is awarded to Mainboard-listed Soilbuild Group Holdings Ltd (“Soilbuild”). With a site area of 7,734 square metres (sq m) and a plot ratio of 6.5, the proposed Fusionopolis Phase 2B facility can be developed up to a maximum gross floor area of 50,271 sq m. It will comprise an office space white component approximating 7,200 sq m and a retail space of 300 sq m. The development cost is estimated to cost about $148 million and will take 22 months, till the second half of 2009, to complete.

JTC welcomes its first public-private developer partnership within the Fusionopolis cluster. This is part of JTC’s effort to facilitate the active private sector participation in the industrial property market.

“Soilbuild’s winning design for Fusionopolis Phase 2B by world-renowned architect, Dr Ken Yeang, impressed us with its uniquely green and sustainable building concept. I am sure it will contribute to the overall development of the growing Fusionopolis cluster into an iconic centre of excellence for R&D-based science, engineering and the infocomm and media industries.” said JTC Corporation’s Assistant CEO, Mr Philip Su.

Mr Low Soon Sim, Executive Director of Soilbuild said, “We are very honoured to win this major project to develop a state-of-the-art building with sustainable green features and a landmark design for the community at one-north. The development will serve to meet the needs of new businesses especially in high-tech research and development with its more affordable operating costs, as well as businesses that will be using Singapore as a springboard for expansion into Asia. It will also complement the cluster of iconic developments at one-north being developed by JTC.”

Mr Low added, “With the strong take-up at one-north, we are confident that Fusionopolis Phase 2B will also attract strong interest. The award of this development ties in well with our overall strategy to grow our recurrent income stream through our business space segment. The shorter development cycle also complements the two to three years investment-to-sales cycle for our core residential property segment. With the full year contribution in 2008 from our current three completed investment properties, we are on course to meet our medium-term target of S$10 million in annual recurrent income since we began our expansion into the business space segment in 2005. In all, Soilbuild will have a current pipeline of about two million square feet of business space to meet the growing needs of specific business communities.”

Fusionopolis Phase 2B will be developed to serve the needs of global MNCs in the infocommunications business seeking a regional presence from Singapore, businesses involved in media creation and distribution, as well as the research and development sector in the commercialisation of science and engineering products for the infocommunications industry.

The part 16-, part 7-storey facility, with two basements and a mezzanine, is conceived as a vibrant focal point for the one-north community through the introduction of a network of open interactive public and semi-public spaces, creative use of skylights and courtyards for natural light and ventilation, cascading landscaped garden terraces as an extension of the one-north park.

It aims to inspire and meet the needs of its resident tenants in the creative industries with the provision of a wide range of intimate spaces with differing and flexible layouts. Through the spiraling terraces that envelope the development and provide soothing visual relief to the functional layouts of the business space and laboratories, it integrates with nature and the one-north community. The thoroughfare plaza is designed as spaces to encourage business and social interactivity. A unique solar shaft that cuts diagonally through the building brings in additional light and views from the ground floor to the green roof at the mid-level of the building.

Soilbuild is aiming to achieve the Platinum Green Mark Standard for this green and energy efficient building through the following strategies:

• Continuous spiral landscaping
• Roof gardens to reduce solar heat gain
• Sun shading devices to reduce direct solar heat gain
• Photovoltaic film to contribute supplementary power supply thereby reducing overall energy consumption
• Natural ventilation and day-lit grand atrium
• Green view corridor with central courtyards
• Rainwater harvesting and grey water recycling with low-water consumption devices
• Waste separation and re-cycling
• Low energy design and BAS systems.

Source: worldarchitecturenews.com, Fusionopolis, JTC Corporation