Are You Ready For A ‘Super Low Energy’ Stay-cay?

Come 2023, guests at a new ‘conscious stay’ resort in Singapore’s Mandai area will find themselves immersed in nature and being encouraged to build sentiment toward the plants and animals in the surrounding rainforest.

WOW Architects’ biophilic resort design incorporates 24 elevated treehouses in the shape of seed pods set among the trees. The treehouses have been designed with best-practice principles for sustainable design. The Mandai resort, which will be run by Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, aims to be Singapore’s first ever ‘Super Low Energy’ (SLE) resort (in line with the Building and Construction Authority’s SLE program).

The 4.6-hectare site currently houses the Singapore Zoo’s backof-house facilities. WOW Architects’ design will integrate the 338 rooms with the site for an immersive effect. Buildings will be placed in sympathy with the existing vegetation, treelines and natural topography. The site will be enriched through the planting of native tree species in a re-greening effort. More than half of the trees on the site will be retained – 40 per cent of them are known to bear conservation value.

Wherever possible, the buildings will be elevated several metres above the ground to allow native wildlife to move across the site. Rooflines will sit below the upper canopy layer of the surrounding trees. Facade and roof planting will bolster the effect of being immersed in greenery. Energy-saving measures such as the use of natural ventilation, passive displacement ventilation, mixed-mode air-conditioning and solar panels will be incorporated.

Says Wong Chiu Man, Managing Director of WOW Architects, “We are excited to be part of a project that aims to be an exemplary showcase of sustainable development practices. Our building and its systems adopt a biophilic attitude by blending into nature and becoming part of it while creating an engaging and comfortable environment for the guests.” The ‘conscious stay’ concept will be played out further through operational aspects and the programming of guest activities.

WOW Architects is working alongside a team of consultants including Atelier Ten (Environmental Sustainability Design), Arup (Mechanical & Electrical), Bo Steiber (Lighting), Ramboll Environ (Ecology), Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl (Landscape Architect), Warner Wong Design (Interior Design) and Web Structures (Structural Engineers). A working group of academics and professionals will also provide guidance and expert input across landscape, education, sustainability, ecology, horticulture and acoustic issues.

The Mandai resort is part of a larger rejuvenation project in the Mandai precinct, being driven by Mandai Park Holdings. The wider project envisions the Mandai precinct as an integrated nature and wildlife destination, building on its existing attractions such as the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, River Safari and Jurong Bird Park. Image courtesy of Mandai Park Holdings.