Surbana Jurong Campus, designed by Safdie Architects, has recently been officially opened. Surbana Jurong Group, a leading global consultancy in urban, infrastructure and management services, will set its new headquarters to be one of the largest Green Mark ultra-low energy buildings in Singapore. Its inauguration marks the official opening of the first rainforest-based business park, the Jurong Innovation District.
Surbana Jurong Group Headquarters
It is reported that the headquarters of Surbana Jurong Group covers an area of approximately 69,000 square meters and consists mainly of 10 five- to seven-storey "pavilion" buildings and a central pedestrian "street". A central "street" connects these "pavilions" and runs through the interior courtyard, the open courtyard, the public spaces, and the amenities on each floor. At the same time, the "pavilion" building is lifted to allow the woodland below to continue, and the public spaces on the lower floors and the offices on the upper floors are surrounded by greenery, creating a sense of "tree house". The entire building is designed to conform to the landscape, rather than the traditional spatial strategy centered on the interior. At the same time, unlike the traditional corporate headquarters in the skyscrapers, these medium-scale building volumes are both characteristic and interconnected, evoking a scattered and cohesive "village" atmosphere.
Surbana Jurong Group Headquarters
For Safdie Architects, Surbana Jurong Group's headquarters, along with Jewel Changi Airport, Marina Bay Sands and Sky Habitat, extend the firm's architectural imprint in Singapore, and for Singapore, it injects a new architectural typology into the development of its 'Garden City' concept.
"With our latest project, Surbana Jurong Group Headquarters, we are proposing a new workplace type that responds to the urgent need for people to connect with nature and their communities. Moshe Safdie, founder of Safdie Architects, said the design would not only open up a new direction for Surbana Jurong Group, but would also serve as a global model for exploring how office buildings can more holistically support a better quality of life.
"The design of Surbana Jurong Group's headquarters is essentially inspired by the people who work and live here. We have established an integrated centre to support Surbana Jurong staff and connect them to the surrounding landscape and community. According to Charu Kokate, Senior Partner at Safdie Architects and Project Leader for Surbana Jurong Group's Headquarters, the design connects the ground floors of the campus, providing open, accessible spaces that create a vibrant public realm at the heart of the workplace.
"With our partnership with Safdie Architects, we are working together to develop the campus as a dynamic laboratory to explore a range of innovative solutions to realise our vision for the Surbana Jurong Group headquarters. Yeo Choon Chong, Chief Executive Officer, Asia Pacific, Surbana Jurong Group, said, "This milestone project not only deepens our own capabilities, but also demonstrates our commitment to Singapore's regenerative future.
The design of Surbana Jurong Group Headquarters is based on the belief that employees should have the best access to light, air and green spaces to relieve stress, promote socialisation and stimulate creativity. The design considers workplace well-being as a key element in the conception of buildings, courtyards, passages, and circulation. The central street, combined with an open atrium, connects employees to the world beyond the office, providing employees with a rich and diverse visual experience, allowing them to enjoy the rich activities on different floors and the surrounding ecological gardens within the office. Facilities such as communal clinics, fitness areas, nursing rooms and childcare centres are located in the most convenient public areas to provide comprehensive support to staff and caregivers to further promote a healthy and active lifestyle. The project offers a range of private, semi-private and communal working environments, including private offices with panoramic views, dedicated study spaces, sunken courtyards, event spaces, booths overlooking greenery, and a 1,000-seat multi-purpose hall.
Surbana Jurong Group Headquarters
In terms of sustainability, the project is the first office building in Singapore to receive the Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy certification by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) as an example of a new approach to integrated building operations.
In terms of community awareness, the Surbana Jurong Group Headquarters is conceived as a "place of convergence" as the flagship development in the area, serving not only the 4,000 employees of the Surbana Jurong Group, but also open to the wider community. The design provides a north-south pedestrian path throughout the site, with an east-west walkway in the center of the site that allows people to move freely through the site throughout the day, as well as a convenient access to the adjacent ecological garden, which provides direct access to the tree-lined natural habitat where people can enjoy the abundant native plants, natural water features and wildlife.
In terms of transport and connectivity, as a key part of the Jurong Innovation District, Surbana Jurong Group Headquarters is well connected to the entire Innovation District and the rest of Singapore in conjunction with the public transport system. From here, there is round-the-clock access to a new six-line metro station via the inner main street and exterior walkways, a shuttle bus service to Nanyang Technological University, and an 11-kilometre long walking and cycling path to explore the wider Jurong area. The area also includes facilities such as electric vehicle charging stations and an "End of Trip" bicycle parking lot to encourage green travel.