The new Shaw Tower has started construction, set to TOP in 2025

Construction has started for the new Shaw Tower, which will be redeveloped into a 200-metre mixed-use tower.

Once a landmark of Beach Road with its iconic Brutalist architectural style and waffle-like facade, the old tower was demolished in 2020 to make way for the redevelopment as the Bugis area undergoes rejuvenation.

According to a media release by Lendlease, the new building will comprise 435,000 sq ft of Grade A office space and a five-storey podium with 15,700 sq ft of retail and F&B offerings, which includes a rooftop restaurant. Taking up 21,500 sq ft of space are community-centric facilities such as a multi-purpose hall with auditorium, meeting and training facilities.

The office space at the new Shaw Tower will also offer some flexibility in the configuration to suit each tenant’s needs. This includes featuring multiple knock-out panels for seamless connectivity between floors to allow better collaboration.

Top-grade technology will also be installed for workplace access, such as facial recognition, contactless entry, destination control lifts equipped with automatic UV sterilisation and smart lighting with IoT.

Other notable features include a biophilic design, with lush greenery and outdoor breakout spaces, fitness/ yoga deck, sky terraces, rooftop gardens and end-of-trip facilities such as bicycle parking, locker and shower facilities.

Ng Hsueh Ling, Managing Director, Singapore, Lendlease said, “With tech-enabled features for pandemic resilience, the new Shaw Tower will continue to lead the evolution of the workplace.

The combination of heritage elements of the original Shaw Tower with best-in-class sustainability features and innovative design will ensure its legacy extends into the next chapter of its illustrious story.”

Heritage elements of the old Shaw Tower will be incorporated into the new building. This includes the original Shaw Brothers logo from the roof facade, previous Shine auditorium seats, film memorabilia, and film editing and splicing machine.

Raymond Chan, Managing Director of Shaw Group of Companies, Hong Kong said, “We are deeply committed to preserving Shaw Tower’s place in Singapore’s nation-building journey as a symbol of its modern identity.

Just as it did during an exciting time for post-independence Singapore, we hope the new Shaw Tower will again capture the zeitgeist of Singapore today in its sustainability journey and represent a breakthrough in how culture and history can be melded with cutting-edge technology to bring to life the future of workplace.”

This article was first published in 99.co.