Wowing the world
January 2017
Singapore’s largest single development in China is on track for phased completion from 2018 — this update was shared with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong when he visited the site of CapitaLand’s Raffles City Chongqing in southwest China in September 2016. The mega integrated development is strategically located on the Chao Tian Men site in Yuzhong District, at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, and is highly regarded as the crown jewel of Chongqing.
“Raffles City Chongqing is an iconic landmark at the gateway to China’s western region,” said CapitaLand President and Group CEO Mr Lim Ming Yan. “The project has taken on added significance with the establishment of the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative (CCI) and the development of One Belt One Road (OBOR), which have further enhanced Chongqing’s strategic position. As one of the key projects symbolising strong bilateral collaboration, the development of Raffles City Chongqing has been receiving strong support and is on track to open in phases from 2018. When completed, Raffles City Chongqing will complement the CCI and OBOR as a hub for international and domestic companies to partake in the growth story of Chongqing. We will also be setting up the Sino-Singapore Collaboration Centre with the Yuzhong District government at Raffles City Chongqing to facilitate the provision of leading-edge modern services to the city.”
Raffles City Chongqing will comprise a shopping mall and eight towers for residential, office, serviced residence and hotel use. Structural works are now underway, after site excavation was completed following the development’s groundbreaking in September 2012.
An architectural and engineering feat
The 1.12 million sqm megastructure, which costs RMB24 billion (about S$4.9 billion), features architectural breakthroughs and cutting-edge science and building technology, making Raffles City Chongqing one of the biggest engineering marvels being built in the world today.
From advanced district cooling systems, composite outrigger design, innovative structural seismic design to the adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM), CapitaLand has deployed numerous award-winning innovations and new technologies to advance its construction and to increase efficiency during the planning, design and construction stages.
Mr Lim added: “As the biggest and most complex Raffles City development that CapitaLand has undertaken, Raffles City Chongqing is set to be one of the most ingenious and awe-inspiring modern structures of all time. We are drawing on CapitaLand’s 30 years of experience in integrated developments and 22 years of local knowledge in China, to tackle the project’s immense scale, complex design and unique site conditions. We have also put in place our best resources that include in-house talents supported by a team of leading building design and engineering consultants.”
Designed by internationally renowned architect Moshe Safdie, the integrated development draws inspiration from the region’s thousand years of waterway transportation culture and takes the form of powerful sails upon the river, symbolising a great city surging forward.
A distinctive architectural feature is the 13,000 sqm The Conservatory. Wrapped in a 300m translucent glass structure, it links four of the eight towers and will house a viewing deck, an infinity sky pool and notable F&B; establishments, offering stunning views of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers. The 250m tall structure, which stands approximately 400m above sea level, also adds value in the practical sense — it employs the innovative use of seismic bearings to stabilise the development and protect it in the unfortunate event of an earthquake.
A blueprint for sustainability
In addition to its architectural and engineering breakthroughs, Raffles City Chongqing also leads the way in sustainability. It has been accorded the LEED-CS (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – Core & Shell) pre-certification at the Gold Level by the United States Green Building Council. LEED is a green building certification programme that recognises best-in-class building strategies and practices, and Raffles City Chongqing is Chongqing’s largest development to receive the Gold certification.
Its sustainable measures include optimising shade to reduce heat, using a high efficiency irrigation system to conserve water, recycling construction waste, using building materials with recycled content, and installing carbon dioxide sensors at office areas with fresh air control. CapitaLand has also partnered Singapore Power to provide an advanced district cooling system for the integrated development, which will generate substantial energy savings and utility cost avoidance.
Summing up, Mr Lucas Loh, CEO of CapitaLand China, said: “Located next to the traditional Jie Fang Bei CBD, Raffles City Chongqing boasts excellent connectivity as it is fully integrated with a transport hub that comprises a metro station, bus interchange, ferry terminal and cruise centre. The sales launch of our residential tower presents a keenly awaited opportunity for investors to own a piece of this iconic architecture at Chao Tian Men, one of the most sought after addresses in the whole of China. It will also appeal to foresighted buyers who appreciate the value of Raffles City Chongqing, which stands to grow in tandem with the city of Chongqing.”
CapitaLand has eight Raffles City developments in China, each an emblem of their host cities’ economic transformation, and enablers to catalyse their respective areas’ growth potential. The Raffles City brand, synonymous with a ‘city within a city’ concept, is one of the winning formulas throughout CapitaLand’s extensive portfolio.