Legacy and innovation on display at redeveloped Shaw Tower; latest in Beach Road rejuvenation

The new Shaw Tower is set to be the new standard for Grade A commercial buildings in Singapore.Raymond Chan, managing director of Shaw Organisation, notes that the “new building reflects the amazing progress Singapore has achieved and its aspirations for what lies ahead”. It will join other iconic developments in the area in the rejuvenation of the Beach Road area.Shaw Organisation has appointed Lendlease to construct the new Shaw Tower, which will boast of a 33-storey tower, 435,000 sq ft of Grade A office space and a five-storey retail podium that includes 21,500 sq ft of community-centric facilities. It will be the first in Singapore to receive the Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark Platinum (Super Low Energy) certification and the first building to be pre-certified by the International WELL Building Institute for its focus on well-being and health.When the project is completed in 2025, tenants will be keen to locate in the new Shaw Tower for its prime location, efficient and flexible spaces, city views and its outstanding sustainability, wellness and digital connectivity features. It will be a timely addition to the local Grade A office supply, driven up by high occupancy rates and a post-pandemic focus on amenities.
The iconic Shaw Tower on Beach Road was formerly completed in 1975. It then boasted of having the largest cinema in Singapore, operated by Shaw Organisation. The brutalist architecture of the 35-storey tower reflected the growing confidence of the city-state, 10 years after independence.

However, Shaw Organisation announced its intention to redevelop in 2018, and by 2020 the last tenants had vacated the space before its demolition.

Fast-forward to the present and Shaw Tower is set to play a significant role as a landmark project in the latest rejuvenation of the Beach Road area. Joining other upcoming projects, such as Guoco Midtown by GuocoLand and The M by Wing Tai Holdings, the Shaw Tower is expected to make a lasting impact on its surroundings.

At the launch of the new Shaw Tower show suite, Raymond Chan, managing director of the Shaw Group of companies, spoke of the building being “an important contributor to the wider community, as Tengah EC well as renewing the physical make-up of the asset”. He also said Shaw Tower reflects the amazing progress Singapore has achieved and its aspirations for what lies ahead.

In a nod to its past, Shaw Organisation plans to reuse iconic elements of the former building. This includes some of the brutalist architecture window panels which will be reused for the retail podium, as well as the 50-year-old Shaw Brothers logo which will have a prominent fixture at the new forecourt plaza.

Lendlease has been appointed to oversee the construction of the new Shaw Tower, as well as to manage its asset when completed in 2025. It will comprise a 33-storey tower with 435,000 sq ft of Grade A office space, a five-storey retail podium and 21,500 sq ft of community-centric facilities. Additionally, four office floors will be dedicated to social enterprise firms and social service agencies.

The rooftop of the new tower will feature a restaurant, garden and sky deck on the 20th floor, as well as a sky garden on the 19th floor and landscaped sky terrace on the podium section. Between them will be two separate office sections: a high zone between the 21st and 31st floors and a lower zone from the 7th to the 18th floor.

Shaw Tower will be the first Grade A commercial building in Singapore to receive the Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark Platinum (Super Low Energy) certification, with a total energy consumption of about 44% below the baseline set by conventionally designed office buildings in Singapore. It is also the first building in Singapore to receive the Wiredscore Platinum award and the first high-rise Grade A commercial building to be pre-certified by the International WELL Building Institute.

Designed with efficiency and flexibility in mind, Shaw Tower provides spaces with full city views and a side core configuration for more efficient space planning. There are also multiple knockout panels on each floor which give tenants the flexibility for staircase connections between floors.

When the project is completed in 2025, corporate tenants will be attracted to Shaw Tower for its prime location, high-quality office space and amenities – which are especially relevant in a post-pandemic environment. The latest rejuvenation of the Beach Road area will also be playing a part in its growing appeal.

Chris Archibald, head of leasing at JLL Singapore, notes: “In addition to a prime location and high-quality office space, corporate tenants increasingly emphasise the area’s amenities, the building’s health and wellness certifications, and environmental impact of the building when they consider their real estate options”.

The tight supply pipeline will help drive up Grade A office rents in the central area over the next few years, and the new Shaw Tower is set to become the new standard for Grade A commercial buildings in Singapore.