Forget the idea of a “concrete jungle.” In Singapore, we call it an “urban garden.” It’s a city where the line between the natural world and stunning architecture blurs, creating a landscape that soothes and inspires you all at once.
Right here, in one of the world’s most dynamic cities, you’ll find incredible buildings that make nature a core part of their design. You can stroll past skyscrapers draped in breathtaking vertical gardens or check into a hotel that welcomes you with its own lush, indoor forest. These are places designed to make you stop, breathe, and simply marvel.
These structures prove that you don’t have to choose between the thrill of the city and the calm of nature. For hardworking professionals like us, they offer a perfect, comfortable escape right where you’d least expect it. So, if you’re ready for a different kind of tour, let me guide you through the very best of Singapore’s green architecture. Prepare to be amazed!
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Pan Pacific Orchard
You can find the Pan Pacific Orchard right in the heart of Singapore’s famous Orchard Road. The renowned WOHA Architects designed this stunning building to look like a green oasis rising into the sky. The hotel opened at 10 Claymore Road and is the newest flagship for the Pan Pacific Hotels Group in Singapore.
This 23-story hotel has 347 rooms and mixes modern style with nature. It features four unique open-air terraces: Forest, Beach, Garden, and Cloud. These terraces honor Orchard Road’s past as a place full of fruit orchards and plantations.
When you arrive, the Forest Terrace greets you with a cascading waterfall and a lush, tropical feel. Head up to the fifth floor to find the Beach Terrace, which feels like an island getaway with its lagoon pool and palm trees. You can also relax in the peaceful Garden Terrace or host events at the Cloud Terrace on the 18th floor, which offers stunning city views.
The hotel rooms match the theme of their terrace. For example, rooms on the Beach Terrace use wood panels and sandy colors to create a beach vibe. The Garden Terrace rooms feature calming shades of green.
High up, the Cloud Terrace rooms have a light and airy feel, just like being in the clouds.
The hotel is also a fantastic spot for food lovers. You can find three different places to eat, like Mosella, which serves Mediterranean food with a Peruvian twist all day. Pan Pacific Orchard also plans to feature local Singaporean brands that showcase great craftsmanship and new ideas.
You’re right in the heart of Orchard Road, so the best shopping and dining are literally steps away, yet the room feels like a quiet sanctuary.
The staff was attentive and the entire property felt fresh and high-end. If you want a resort-style experience without leaving the city center, this is the spot. I’d go back in a heartbeat just for that pool access.
During my stay, I accidentally left a bag of perfumes in a taxi—items that were quite expensive and purchased as gifts to bring back to Australia. I was extremely stressed and thought they were gone for good.
Ghazmir went above and beyond in a way I have never experienced before. He took full ownership of the situation, followed it up with urgency, and showed incredible attention to detail. Thanks to his dedication, my perfumes were recovered—and what truly stood out was that he personally delivered them straight to my room.
The level of care, professionalism, and genuine kindness he showed was absolutely incredible. It wasn’t just service—it was someone who truly cared.
Throughout our stay, Ghazmir was also consistently warm, friendly, and incredibly accommodating. He made us feel so welcome and always went out of his way to help with anything we needed.
Not just Ghazmir—the entire team was amazing. Every staff member made us feel so welcome and looked after from start to finish.
This is the kind of service that you never forget. Pan Pacific Orchard is very lucky to have someone like Ghazmir on their team.
Thank you again—you truly made our stay unforgettable.
Oasia Hotel Downtown
The architecture firm WOHA designed the 30-story Oasia Hotel Downtown to challenge the concrete look of Singapore’s business district. Its famous red aluminum mesh exterior acts as a giant trellis for 21 different species of climbing plants.
This “living tower” is so green that it has a Green Plot Ratio of 1,100%. This means it provides 11 times more greenery than the land it sits on, effectively giving back to nature. This groundbreaking design won it the “Best Tall Building Worldwide” award in 2018.
The architects focused on creating a sustainable ecosystem that attracts wildlife like birds, insects, and squirrels right into the city. Inside, the world-renowned Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola handled the inviting furniture and interior design.
A key feature is the four large, open-air sky gardens located on levels 6, 12, 21, and 27. These gardens allow fresh air to flow through the hotel’s lobbies and public spaces, so there’s no need for enclosed, air-conditioned areas.
This design creates a thriving natural environment high above the ground. The lush plants and water features offer a refreshing and comfortable escape for anyone needing a break from the city’s buzz.
Even before my arrival, the communication with the Club Lounge Concierge was outstanding. Every message was answered promptly, professionally, and with genuine care. This level of attentiveness immediately set the tone for what would be a truly remarkable stay.
When I arrived at the hotel around 11 AM, I was pleasantly surprised to be informed that we would receive a complimentary early check-in. This thoughtful gesture allowed me to settle in right away, relax after the journey, and start enjoying Singapore without any delay.
Upon entering my room, I was welcomed with a bottle of wine and a selection of French macarons — a warm and elegant touch that instantly made me feel valued as a guest. The room itself was spotless, beautifully designed, and equipped with high-quality amenities. I particularly appreciated the Nespresso machine with original capsules and, to my surprise, TWG tea — a premium brand that perfectly reflects the hotel’s attention to detail and focus on quality.
The breakfasts were another highlight of my stay. They were varied, fresh, and made with excellent ingredients. Each morning offered something different, ensuring that the experience remained enjoyable and far from repetitive. Whether you prefer Western-style dishes or Asian flavors, there was always plenty to choose from.
Throughout the entire stay, the staff were consistently friendly, polite, and eager to help. Their professionalism and warm attitude significantly contributed to the overall comfort and positive atmosphere of the hotel.
In summary, Oasia Hotel Downtown exceeded all my expectations. From the impeccable service to the thoughtful details in the room and the high-quality breakfast offerings, this hotel truly stands out. I would absolutely stay here again and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a premium experience in Singapore.
Very short walking distance to anything, anywhere! With at least 3 good food centres at short walking distance; and supermarkets; most importantly the MRT around - this hotel is definitely near 10 out of 10 in terms of location!
Great hospitality services from the Sales Team Joshua and JiaYi, and the Concierge Team, especially Hakim and Scott, and the Front Office, who all handled our corporate booking for our event this week.
All very patient and helpful people, whom I now know I can really trust them with our guests and that we can really sleep well at night without worrying anything.
Thank you All! You made the difference and is one of the reasons why our event was successful!!! 🙏
PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering
Between the blocks of guest rooms, spacious curvy sky gardens are draped in tropical plants and supported by frangipani and palm trees, cantilevered at every fourth level.
The grounds of the venue are green, and so are the flourishes within. The trees and gardens of the hotel blend in with those from the adjacent park.
The WOHA-designed hotel contains 15,000 square meters of sustainable sky gardens, waterfalls, and planter walls that provide a breathable environment for hotel guests.
The 637-room hotel won the “2013 Best of Year Award for Hotel Common Space”.
With the verdant greenery and fluid lines, PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering stands apart among low historic shophouses in Chinatown with its ‘hotel-in-garden’ design.
Inside, you’ll find green walls plated by waterfalls for relaxation or outdoor dining onsite near these eco-conscious designers’ masterpieces.
Sky gardens are also environmentally friendly, using solar cells, motion sensors, rainwater harvesting, and reclaimed water to function.
The design for this hotel was intended to have an E-shaped plan, with all guest rooms facing northward towards the park or sky gardens while also providing views of these spaces from each room.
Services were placed on the southern side so guests could easily access them when they enter/exit the external connecting corridors.
My aunt and I visited all the places nearby on foot
The hotel is very beautiful inside and out, carefully designed, with a good atmosphere, the green well-kept gardens on the floors make its appearance very unique. Check-in was very easy and the kindness of the receptionists was outstanding. The staff was very attentive everywhere, especially one of the older waitresses in the restaurant was helpful at two breakfasts.
The room is spacious and literally fully equipped! The layout of our room was unique, overlooking a garden on the 14th floor. The furnishings are stylish, clean, the bed is huge and very comfortable.
Everything is well organized for meals (setting up, clearing tables), during peak times you may have to wait a few minutes before being escorted to the table. At our first breakfast, they showed us where to find what, the selection is ample and you can taste dishes from several cuisines, both European and Asian.
The pool is a comfortable size (the water may be a bit cold for some), but the view from the 5th floor is gorgeous and very peaceful, you can recharge your batteries. I liked that it is open from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm and that it also has a well-equipped fitness room. There are enough lounge chairs and special little "pavilions" where a family can relax.
In addition to all this, the location of the hotel is also excellent, it is easily accessible by public transport. All sights are easily accessible by taxi (Indian and Arab quarters are about 10-15 minutes by metro and on foot, Sky Garden is a 6-7 minute walk, Boat Quay is a 6-8 minute walk). In addition, it is located on the edge of Chinatown, so several hawker centers and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple are also a 5-8 minute walk away.
On the day of our departure, we were able to use the hotel's wellness area all day, which was not only a very nice gesture, but also came in handy because our flight didn't leave until late in the evening, so we could still take a bath and relax by the pool before departure. If we travel to Singapore again and have the opportunity, we will choose this hotel again!
Jewel Changi Airport
The complex was designed by Israeli-Canadian architect Moshe Safdie of the famous Safdie Architects company, with Peter Walker and Partners as the landscape architects.
Built over the former open-air car park in front of Changi Airport Terminal 1. The Jewel development added 70% more space to Terminal 1’s arrival hall and baggage claim areas. It increased the handling capacity from 21 to 24 million passengers a year.
Jewel comprises gardens, attractions, a hotel, 300 retail stores, eating establishments, and early baggage check-in aviation services.
Located at the heart of the mall, the indoor garden Shiseido Forest Valley has a spectacular indoor waterfall (HSBC Rain Vortex) and lush green space with an exquisite floral layout.
The eye-catching waterfall feature, which holds the world’s tallest indoor waterfall title, is 40 meters high and collects rainwater for reuse.
The mall features over 2,000 trees and palms with 100,000 shrubs lining its tiered gardens, encouraging you to take time out from your shopping trip to enjoy this lush environment.
Singapore Changi Jewel Guided Walking Tour
Experience Jewel and explore architectural marvels, a lush indoor forest with over 2,000 trees and 100,000 shrubs, alongside exclusive shopping and dining. Enjoy stunning views and Canopy Park access, enriching your visit to this must-see Singapore destination.
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Marina One
Named one of Asia’s most innovative buildings for its creativity in blending commercial space with residential living quarters seamlessly without any distractions or obstructions, while being sustainable.
Marina One’s unique architectural louvers, inspired by Asian rice terraces in a valley, allow greater air circulation and improved microclimate thanks to the ‘City in a Garden’ concept.
The characteristic louvers and extensive greenery improve the microclimate and enhance biodiversity. In contrast, the organic form of the building cluster with its iconic louvers contributes to this.
The award-winning Marina One is a Certified LEED Platinum and BCA Greenmark development designed by Ingenhoven Architects. They collaborate with Gustafson Porter + Bowman and ICN Design International as landscape architects.
The complex has two 750-foot-tall office towers and two 475-foot residential buildings connected on lower levels by an open podium. It embraces spacious gardens with tropical plants worldwide.
The garden includes over 350 varieties of trees and plants, with 700 trees planted in a landscaped area of 37,000 square meters.
This place is packed with food eateries on weekdays, catering mainly to working professionals. On weekends, only Cold Storage is open, which is convenient if you need quick groceries or imported food and snacks.
@nic
@nic
Kampung Admiralty
Have you ever seen a whole village stacked up to the sky? Let me tell you about Kampung Admiralty, a special place in Singapore that does just that. “Kampung” is the Malay word for “village,” and this building evokes the friendly, community feeling of old days.
I think of it as a “Vertical Village.” Instead of spreading out, it’s built upwards to save space, which is very smart in a busy city like Singapore. Imagine a yummy club sandwich; that’s how this building is layered.
At the bottom, you’ll find the Community Plaza. It’s like a public living room where you can shop, eat at the food court, or just hang out with friends, rain or shine, because a layer above provides shelter.
In the middle is a Medical Centre. This makes it super easy for people living here to see a doctor without having to travel far. The space is designed with big windows and a courtyard, letting in lots of natural light to help everyone feel calm and connected to the world outside.
On the very top, you’ll discover a beautiful Community Park. This rooftop garden is a peaceful village green where you can exercise, chat with neighbors, or even grow plants in the community farm. This is also where you’ll find apartments designed for seniors. The building cleverly includes a childcare center and senior activity spots side-by-side, bringing kids and older adults together to eat, play, and enjoy life.
Before it was built, this spot was just an empty lot. Now, it’s a thriving home with over 700 trees and gardens that even water themselves! This smart system saves over a million gallons of tap water every year.
Kampung Admiralty is more than just a building; it’s a wonderful idea for the future, showing how we can create a caring community where people of all ages can live happily together.
Order, pay, food(coffee, soft boiled egg and kaya toast) is ready. Less than a minute. Every eatery should take this as a datum.
