Parkroyal on Pickering in Singapore by WOHA

The Parkroyal on Pickering in Singapore was built with the aim to be the city’s greenest hotel, both visually and sustainably. The building in a garden concept features over 15,000 sqm of gardens, waterfalls and planter walls make up more than twice the hotel’s total land area. Let’s pause and ponder that statement for a minute! Aside from looking like a rainforest draped building, the greenery also helps to filter the city’s air pollutants and to cool down the surrounding area.

The building was designed by WOHA and completed in 2013, so it’s not ultra-new, but it deserves a mention because it continues to pick up award after award, and has received 20 to date.

Sustainability specs:
– Achieved BCA Green Mark Platinum (Singapore’s highest green rating)
– Received Solar Pioneer Award for innovative solar energy system
– 15,000 square meters of four-storey zero-energy sky gardens, reflecting pools, waterfalls, planter terraced and vertical greenery
– Rainwater harvesting used to water all gardens
– Recycling bins in guest rooms
– Air to water heat pumps
– Demand controlled ventilation systems to minimise energy use
– Hotel community garden used by the building’s restaurants
– Gravity driven irrigation
– Light and motion sensors in rooms to conserve energy
– Photovoltaic panels on the roof
– Use of natural materials
– Use of LED lighting

Designed as a hotel and office in a garden, the project at Upper Pickering Street is a study of how we can not only conserve our greenery in a built-up high-rise city centre but multiply it in a manner that is architecturally striking, integrated and sustainable.