Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has revealed the design of 8 Shenton Way, a 63-story tower that will anchor the intersection of Singapore’s Central Business District and Marina Bay, the historic Tanjong Pagar neighborhood, and the emerging Greater Southern Waterfront. The building is scheduled for completion in 2028.
Soon to be one of the most identifiable landmarks on the skyline, the tower will soar 305 meters—becoming Singapore’s tallest skyscraper and its first supertall—with a series of garden terraces that elevate the lush tropical landscape from Shenton Way, Anson Road, and Maxwell Road into the sky.
With expansive public spaces, offices, retail, a hotel, and luxury residences offering unparalleled panoramic views of the South China Sea, the heritage district to the North, and proximity to the Tanjong Pagar district, 8 Shenton Way will be a vibrant, 24/7 hub. The tower incorporates leading-edge post-pandemic design features.
Nature and sustainability are driving forces behind the design. The tower is inspired by bamboo forests—a biophilic design that echoes vertical elements found in nature. Materials were chosen to minimize both embodied and operational carbon, from the zero-waste manufacture of terracotta to the use of engineered bamboo.
Targeting Building Construction Authority of Singapore (BCA) Green Mark Platinum Certification—equivalent to a 55% energy reduction compared to the benchmark—8 Shenton Way is seeking the highest sustainability certification in the region.
8 Shenton Way is the first project under the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore’s CBD Incentive Scheme with such a diversity of components, including retail, offices, SOHO style units, luxury residences, a hotel, and event space. Gathering this wide variety of functions within a tight urban footprint, 8 Shenton Way will be a highly efficient high-rise which optimizes its location in the heart of the city.
Reusing part of the existing foundation and infrastructure onsite will minimize material use and embodied carbon during construction. The facade will be built of energy-efficient glazing, and recyclable aggregates will be used in its concrete structure, manufactured through a low-carbon process, while segregating waste and using Singapore Green Building Council-certified materials where available.
The development will integrate dynamic “live, work, and play” elements, while elevating luxury in Singapore’s downtown. A public performance and events space with retail, seating, and bike racks will activate the street. Landscaping will extend from the street into the building, creating a seamless green corridor for pedestrians.
On the second floor, an open-air green space with restaurants offers room to gather, surrounded by a biodiverse landscape with plants chosen specifically to attract birds and butterflies. In total, the design includes more than 10,000 square meters of elevated, public green space—exceeding the entire footprint of the site.
The building facade is characterized by natural materials—champagne-colored terracotta and bamboo along the walls of the sky gardens—with curved edges that create bay windows on nearly every floor, offering vast sightlines of the city and the sea. In the lobby, wood, stone, and terracotta finishes flank artwork and a reflecting pool, with a multi-floor atrium framing the space above.
Landscaped gardens are located throughout the height of the tower, there are seven terraces altogether, including one for the hotel floors and three for the residential levels. Carved out of the building every five to six floors, the gardens bring light, air, and natural ventilation to prioritize wellbeing. The residences are placed at the highest levels of the tower, where occupants will enjoy the most impressive views.
Across more than 148,000 square meters of floor space, 8 Shenton Way incorporates a variety of post-pandemic features, prioritizing tenants’ health. Contactless technology, antimicrobial materials, enhanced natural air flow and filtration, adaptable interior spaces, and large, landscaped outdoor spaces collectively create a robust offering of healthier, wellness-focused spaces in the heart of the city. Source and images Courtesy of SOM.
