With the distinction of being the first Shangri-La Hotel in the world, the stakes were always going to be high when it came renovating the Shangri-La Singapore
Originally built in 1971, the Tower Wing just reopened after an eight-month-long renovation under the hands of Japanese designer Ryoichi Niwata of Bond Design Studio. The oldest wing of the expansive hotel reveals a decidedly modern look, but it is rooted in the lush setting and rich history of the well-loved 46-year-old property.
Nature is a defining theme of the redesign, which alludes to the 15 acres of land that the hotel sits on as well as its location in the Garden City. There’s a notable investment in art, such as the intriguing sculpture Children Dabbling in the Water by artist Yi Hwan Kwon at the lobby (seen in the first picture), and a greater focus on offering distinctive dining experiences. Walk through the hotel's brand new look below:
1. First Impressions
A feeling of serenity enveloped me as I entered the bright, airy lobby, which looked and felt like an indoor garden. Filled with natural light and teeming with foliage, the commitment to nature is evident in the sustainable materials employed including parchment and shagreen from Thailand as well as rattan and wood from the Philippines.
The glistening tree canopy by Studio Sawada Design, an art installation made of thousands of metallic leaves hanging above the reception area, mesmerises upon entry. But it’s the vertical garden wall—tumbling with Rabbit’s Foot fern, Jungle and Staghorn ferns and purple Spanish sprawl mosses—by Australian landscape designer Charlie Albone that steals the show. Anchored on 350 kg of basalt stones and measuring 9x6 metres high, it’s the largest indoor natural wall in Southeast Asia.