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Like a 27-storey trellis, greenery is rapidly enveloping Singapore's Oasia Hotel Downtown, a remarkable new highrise tower by local practice WOHA. The 191-metre building is one of their most innovative and bold designs yet, perfectly capturing a synergy between nature and architecture that has guided the firm's work for over 20 years.
The structure features hotel, office, and club rooms contained within a "living tower" design of red aluminum mesh cladding and green vegetation that now serves as a paradigm for land use intensification in the urban tropics. Nestled in the heart of Singapore's vibrant central business district, the architectural expression is a dramatic shift from the contemporary towers of the temperate west, which typically employ full glass facades.
The interior program is just as diverse as the ever-evolving exterior skin. A series of different strata mark the recreational and amenity levels of the building, which each boast a generous sky garden. These vast and transparent spaces create a program of rich internal views. They function as comfortable tropical urban verandahs with an abundance of natural light and fresh air, diverging from the proliferation of traditional enclosed and artificially cooled spaces.
With a green plot ratio of over 1,000 percent, the building is envisioned as a sanctuary for wildlife. The tapering crown is essentially a giant bower, bringing the skyscraper to an appropriate conclusion. Perforated and permeable, the verdant tower plants seeds in the minds of cities and architects, who are now more than ever looking for ways to ensure buildings are sustainable and environmentally progressive.
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