Nestled within one of Singapore’s luxury residential enclaves just off Orchard Road, an understated yet finely articulated tower rises majestically
among tropical tree canopies and typical condominium towers.
Ardmore residence (designed by Dutch starchitect Ben van Berkel’s firm UNStudio) could be described as a kind of techno-Art Nouveau, yet the curvilinear interlocking forms are expressive of the tropical climate of Singapore, providing natural shading for the building facade.
The tower’s developer, Pontiac Land was kind enough to give ARCHIGARDENER a tour of the building and provided images of the spectacular project. Their impressive portfolio includes buildings by Kevin Roche, Phillip Johnson, Norman Foster, and Jean Nouvel; and the developer has played a big part in the curation of Singapore’s skyline.
The expressive building form serves to shade the interior spaces from the intense tropical heat, but also reveals the three dimensional interlocking of units, which provides double-height balcony spaces with stunning vistas of the city skyline.
Outwardly, this residential tower is an exuberantly expressive contemporary masterpiece of ornamentality, with a distinctive silhouette and impeccably curvaceous facade articulations. However, the building exceeds simple formalism to draw expression from specific climactic conditions, and subtly reveal the interlocking programmatic typology.
It’s an undeniable success for acclaimed architects UNStudio’s first completed structure in Singapore, and well worth a visit.
Many thanks to Pontiac Land for giving ARCHIGARDENER a tour of this spectacular building. Images courtesy of Pontiac Land.
