CapitaLand, Mitsui and Tokyo Tatemono mark the official opening of 79 Robinson Road
Singapore, 14 January 2022 – 79 Robinson Road, the latest Grade A office development in Tanjong Pagar central business district (CBD) near the upcoming Greater Southern Waterfront, marked its official opening today. The opening ceremony was officiated by Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development & Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration before an audience of about 100 persons who took part in-person or virtually, including representatives from the building owners, consultants, contractors and tenants.
The 29-storey building with a net lettable area of about 518,000 square feet (sq ft) is jointly owned by CapitaLand Investment Limited (CLI), Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Tokyo Tatemono Co., Ltd. Designed by American firm Gensler in collaboration with Singapore’s DCA Architects, it is a recipient of the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark Platinum Award – one of the highest green accolades for buildings in Singapore.
79 Robinson Road is home to some 16 multinational companies from diverse sectors such as banking, legal, insurance & financial services, business consultancy, IT, aviation, media and telecommunications. They include Allianz, BOC Aviation, EFG Bank, Equinix, Ericsson, Howden Insurance, Landesbank Baden-Württemberg and William Grant & Sons. The Sky Village on Level 27 and Level 28 – an exclusive duplex office space curated for a single tenant – is occupied by Boston Consulting Group. Complementing the building’s core workspace offerings, Bridge+, CapitaLand’s flexible workspace and community platform, operates 56,000 sq ft of collaborative spaces at 79 Robinson Road that are also accessible by tenants of the building. To date, 79 Robinson Road has secured close to 93% in committed occupancy.
Mr Chris Chong, CEO of Retail and Workspace (Singapore and Malaysia), CLI, said: “The successful completion of 79 Robinson Road during COVID-19 would not have been possible without the support of the authorities and our joint venture partners Mitsui and Tokyo Tatemono. We are delighted that our esteemed tenants have chosen this building as their new address, attracted by its excellent connectivity, premium building specifications, sustainable features, core-flex offerings and strong focus on wellness and community. We are heartened by the strong leasing interest in 79 Robinson Road, as well as in the newly completed CapitaSpring, which reflects CapitaLand’s ability to meet evolving workspace needs amidst robust demand for quality workspace in prime CBD locations.”
Mr Shinichi Kikuchihara, Chief Operating Officer of Corporate Development Business Unit, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., said: “79 Robinson Road marks our second collaboration with CapitaLand in Singapore after Galaxis in one-north, and we are very pleased with the success we have achieved through the partnership. Together with our joint venture partners, we warmly welcome our tenants to this new office landmark in Singapore’s CBD.”
Mr Fumio Tajima, Managing Officer and Overseas Business Division Director of Tokyo Tatemono Co., Ltd., said: “79 Robinson Road marks our first joint venture project in Singapore and a Grade A office development in the CBD, which we’ve worked on hand in hand with CapitaLand and Mitsui. As work norms change, an office has to be more than just a workspace to attract and retain talented individuals. We are therefore pleased to integrate lush greenery, community spaces and environmentally friendly features here in order to create more holistic and fulfilling workplace experiences for our tenants.”
Core-flex solutions to support hub-and-spoke and hybrid work arrangements
Bridge+ began operating at 79 Robinson Road in January 2021, marking its first CBD location in Singapore and second facility after Ascent building in Singapore Science Park. Bridge+ offers a diverse suite of workspace solutions from hot desks, private suites, meeting rooms to collaborative spaces for enterprises of various sizes. For event organisers pivoting to hybrid events with a mix of live setting and virtual elements, Bridge+ offers technology solutions and livestreaming equipment to facilitate both in-person and remote participation.
Members of Bridge+ 79 Robinson Road include Bank for International Settlements Innovation Hub, Bondevalue, Callsign, Cyberdyne Tech Exchange, Ekata, Elevandi, Tribe, UOB’s The FinLab and Multiverse. To support the growth of fintech players in Singapore, Bridge+ at 79 Robinson Road has been working closely with key ecosystem players. It hosted part of a Singapore FinTech Festival’s Green Shoot online discussion series, and also lined up a series of hybrid events including workshops and labcrawls for members and partners for the Singapore FinTech Festival 2021.
Building features and digital solutions that promote employee well-being
As Singapore transitions to endemic COVID-19, there is greater attention on workplace safety and wellness. To this end, the community at 79 Robinson Road can look forward to a clean and safe environment to work in, complemented by digital capabilities and technological solutions. From entry to exit, the building has integrated facial recognition and QR-activated turnstiles and destination-controlled contactless lift systems to facilitate seamless and secure access in and out of tenants’ offices. Cleaning of the building’s lobby is supplemented by fully automated smart cleaning robots on a scheduled basis. Air handling units within the building will also be fitted with UV lamp systems to eliminate microorganisms and purify the air entering the office premises. Tenants can easily book amenities including meeting rooms, lounges and event venues, or sign up for community engagement programmes via the CapitaStar@Work app.
Sustainable features to forge an environmentally conscious community
Recognised as the BCA Green Mark Platinum Champion1 in 2020, CapitaLand integrates a low-carbon strategy into its real estate life cycle as a way of future-proofing its developments and contributing towards the sustainability goals of the Singapore Green Plan 2030. In line with this commitment, 79 Robinson Road has been designed to achieve a lower carbon footprint. For example, the cooling energy from the building’s condensate water provides increased thermal comfort for the Level 2 entrance terrace area, so that the space remains comfortable even without air conditioning.
Core-flex solutions to support hub-and-spoke and hybrid work arrangements
Bridge+ began operating at 79 Robinson Road in January 2021, marking its first CBD location in Singapore and second facility after Ascent building in Singapore Science Park. Bridge+ offers a diverse suite of workspace solutions from hot desks, private suites, meeting rooms to collaborative spaces for enterprises of various sizes. For event organisers pivoting to hybrid events with a mix of live setting and virtual elements, Bridge+ offers technology solutions and livestreaming equipment to facilitate both in-person and remote participation.
Members of Bridge+ 79 Robinson Road include Bank for International Settlements Innovation Hub, Bondevalue, Callsign, Cyberdyne Tech Exchange, Ekata, Elevandi, Tribe, UOB’s The FinLab and Multiverse. To support the growth of fintech players in Singapore, Bridge+ at 79 Robinson Road has been working closely with key ecosystem players. It hosted part of a Singapore FinTech Festival’s Green Shoot online discussion series, and also lined up a series of hybrid events including workshops and labcrawls for members and partners for the Singapore FinTech Festival 2021.
Developed with Singapore’s car-lite vision in mind, 79 Robinson Road houses comprehensive end-of-trip amenities for executives who cycle to work, including 92 bicycle lots and shower facilities. The building has installed four electric vehicle (EV) parking lots operated by SP Group, an EV charging partner of CapitaLand. The lots are equipped with two direct 50kW current (DC) fast chargers that can power up an EV in about one hour, compared to alternating current (AC) chargers which take a longer duration of eight hours. Over 110 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations by SP Power have been installed at 25 CapitaLand managed properties in Singapore, with more charging stations to be installed in nine properties. These will support the greater adoption of EVs in Singapore in the coming years.
In line with its sustainability focus, 79 Robinson Road incorporates abundant greenery and landscaping across 4,480 sq ft as destinations for executives to connect with nature in the city. Executives can enjoy the coastal views or take part in tenant engagement events on the Sky Terrace on Level 21, or access the building’s Roof Garden on Level 30 to enjoy stunning views of the CBD and even book the space to host exclusive events. These green features and community spaces have been met with approval from tenants.
Mr Jon-Paul Jones, Regional Chief Operating Officer, Allianz Asia Pacific, said: “What is applaudable about 79 Robinson Road is its green design and sustainability features. As an insurer and an investor, protecting the environment is part of our core business. With this in mind, 79 Robinson Road became our preferred choice for its achievement as a Green Mark Platinum Building. We are glad to be part of the sustainability efforts moving forward towards a higher quality working environment for all staff, while at the same time making a positive contribution to society.”
Ms Leong Yee May, Managing Director of South Asia, Equinix, said: “The Equinix family was looking for a space to bring our four offices together, contiguous and accessible by stairs while meeting our sustainability objectives. We can now ride, walk, drive and cycle to work at 79 Robinson Road. Its central location allows us easy access to five of Equinix’s International Business Exchanges across the island, our customers and our partners. We are spoilt for choice with lifestyle options, including the green spaces, the sky terrace, and the roof garden for events and leisure activities. Our brand-new office has plenty of natural light and amazing coastal views. We love it!”
Note:
1 The Green Mark Platinum Champion Award is a recognition for organisations that have achieved a substantial number of BCA Green Mark Platinum buildings.