Reflections at Keppel Bay | Studio Libeskind

Prominently situated at the entrance to Singapore’s historic Keppel Harbour, Reflections at Keppel Bay is a two-millionsquare- foot residential development comprised of six high-rise towers ranging from 24 to 41 storeys and 11 low-rise villa apartment blocks of six to eight floors, making up a total of 1,129 units. The series of high-rise undulating towers is the focal point of this project. These sleek curving forms of alternating heights create graceful openings and gaps between the structures allowing all to have commanding views of the waterfront and Mount Faber. The design is composed of two distinct typologies of housing; the lower villa blocks along the waterfront and the high-rise towers which overlook them. Given Singapore’s exceptional standards, in both the build environment and quality of life, it is one of the world’s most sought after places to live. At the same time, it is also one of the smallest nations in terms of territory so most new developments require land reclamation which is very costly. These were two of the main factors concerning the client, as they tend to drive real estate developments into high density in order to make them economically viable. To address this position, rather than equally distributing the density across the site with similar building types, the ever-shifting orientation of the buildings, along with the differing building typologies, creates a dynamic ambiance on a site and programme that would otherwise be driven by single-minded economics and repetition. The form, construction and materials of the buildings are unprecedented for Singapore and particularly for a residential development. The double curvatures of the high-rise towers are unique in the world for structure and construction. These ever-shifting forms create an experience where each level feels unique as it is not in alignment with either the floor above or below. The towers are clad with a fully unitised and insulated curtain wall, which is also a very rare application for residential developments in the region. The low-rise villas along the waterfront are clad in anodised aluminum, which creates a luminous surface and provides additional insulation. The project is a creative interplay of changing planes and reflections. It defies the inherent nature of high-density residential developments, typically driven by the economy of repetition, and creates an iconic landmark for Singapore. The project is the recipient of the BCA Green Mark Gold Award from Singapore’s building and construction authority.