The Interlace Condo, Singapore’s latest condominium complex has been touted around the world as the new icon for Architectural and Engineering development. These numerous accolades have been popping up in blogs all around the internet and in design magazines worldwide.
The city-state’s traditional form of boxy and rectangular apartment buildings will see a dramatic redesign for this new landmark. It is composed of 31 apartment buildings built to form a hexagons. This huge scale development is roughly the size of 16 football fields and will be constructed on the southern part of the city. The greenery surrounding Alexandra Road and Ayer Rajah Expressway is the perfect background for this new condo. The 170,000 meter square compound will house to 1,040 units ranging in size from 2 or 3, 3 plus study and 4 bedroom units. Units can be in a townhouse or penthouse style. This eight hectare belt of greenery will stretch from Kent Ridge, Telok Blangah Hill and Mount Faber parks.
This breakthrough design highlights and takes advantage of Singapore’s natural environment. The massive size of the development has allowed designers to incorporate a multitude of greenery to give the complex a tropical feel to the over all effect of the venture. Above ground vehicular circulation has been minimized, freeing large green areas within the condo building itself. The project is more than just a residential development. The designers have integrated environmental sustainability features via a careful calculation, study and analysis of factors such as sun, wind and micro-climate conditions coupled with low-impact passive energy strategies and other energy saving features on site.
Why is this development unique? Because a breakaway from the typical Singaporean building or skyscraper. Buildings in the city-state are typically isolated, vertical apartment buildings, complexes and towers with little or no outstanding features to distinguish one from the other. This new venture takes a different and unique approach to tropical green living as the building complex is composed of interconnected hexagonal buildings designed to highlight Singapore’s natural environment. Identical six storey buildings stacked to form a hexagonal pattern with courtyards and spacious greenery and lawns, making this the perfect style to incorporate swimming pools, hanging balconies, sky gardens, miniature parks and rooftop gardens.
In a typical apartment or condominium complex, privacy can sometimes be compromised. However, at this new development, privacy is balanced with green open spaces for recreation and generous spacing in between units. There are also other amenities residents can enjoy that were integrated into the natural greenery aside from the number of indoor and outdoor recreation areas built for fun and relaxation.
This project situated in residential Gillman Heights has challenged the traditional way apartment buildings and condominium buildings have been designed. The breakaway design does not only have a dramatic external facade, it has also addressed the issue of having green and comfortable internal spaces. The name Interlace itself reinforces the feeling of unity between the community while complimenting the surrounding natural environment.