Hi-tech eco Metropolis
From roof gardens to foliage-wrapped hotels, Singapore is going green, says Sean Coyte
Ipinch a delicate mint leaf from a row of potted plants. “The restaurant next door uses our herbs in their dishes,” my guide, Sarah, tells me. I’m on a rooftop seven floors above a busy shopping mall, but the garden is as abundant as anything on the ground.
The urban farm approach to growing food in confined spaces opens my eyes to the possibilities of sustainable living in a big city. But it’s no surprise that my moment of clarity strikes in Singapore, a selfproclaimed ‘city in a garden’.
In a city-state where plants and skyscrapers collide, rooftop farms might not sound like a revolutionary idea, but the brains behind Edible Garden City have started a small movement of horticultural highrises.
The team has created 260 urban gardens in just 10 years. The purposebuilt plant-based pantries are designed to completely revolutionise the country’s food supply. Currently, Singaporeans grow 10 per cent of the food they eat, a figure the government hopes to change to 30 per cent by 2030.
Sarah is proud to let me know that the garden I’m visiting at Funan features in the plans for the building, and other farms can be found at
Raffles City and Queenstown. Both are open to volunteers Monday to Thursday. Tours and workshops are also available through ediblegardencity.com.
Intrigued by the progressive green thinking, I wonder what other ecofriendly surprises are hidden behind Singapore’s high-tech façade…
A hotel in a garden
My accommodation, the Parkroyal Collection Pickering (starting at S$320/£180 per night; panpacific. com), in Singapore’s Downtown Core takes the concept of urban nature to the next level. Plants in the tiered gardens cover more than twice the hotel’s total floor area, a striking image that demands to be featured on Instagram feeds.
Walking from the lobby to my airy and modern room, I notice the opensided corridors that negate the need for air conditioning. The narrowness of the building, I learn, is intentionally designed to maximise the amount of daylight reaching internal spaces.
The combination of glass and greenery is extremely common here. At first glance, it may look like Mother Nature has reclaimed the skyline, but it’s all part of a bigger plan to build a greener city-state; one where whole neighbourhoods are temperature
controlled without using air conditioning, thanks to the world’s largest fully underground district cooling system.
Eco attractions
You needn’t travel far to see the country’s green spaces. In fact, some of Singapore’s most iconic citycentre buildings help to make it the eco-friendly holiday destination it is today. At Gardens by the Bay (gardensbythebay.com.sg) in the shadow of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, it’s possible to see plants from far-flung destinations.
The largest greenhouse in the world, the Flower Dome (entry starts at S$20/£11 for adults) envelopes guests and plants alike, from a scenic spot looking towards the Singapore Flyer observation wheel (S$33/£19).
Next door, a second shell-like structure, the Cloud Forest, hosts the world’s second tallest indoor waterfall. The greenhouses collect rainwater which is circulated in a cooling system connected to ‘Supertrees’. The forest at Supertree Grove is designed to disperse heat and harvest solar energy, all while lighting up the skies. Nothing says
“I’ve arrived in Singapore” quite like viewing the super structures during the free evening light shows. Pay S$8 (£4.50) to stroll along the 22-metrehigh Skyway and get up close to the action.
Putting greens on your plate
Filling up your plate is surprisingly sustainable too. For a high-end dining experience, Labyrinth (restaurantlabyrinth.com) is a must. The world’s first one Michelinstarred ‘new Singaporean’ restaurant sources most of its ingredients from Singapore. A 15-course tasting menu costs S$218 (£123). Dishes include the signature chilli crab ice cream, Ang Moh chicken rice and my personal favourite, Rojak; 12 herbs grown by Edible Garden City and served in a cross between a tree trunk and half a coconut. Native (tribenative.com) cocktail bar is the go-to destination for responsible drinking with alcoholic concoctions all made from regional ingredients and starting at S$25 (£14).
At first glance, it may look like Mother Nature has reclaimed the skyline
For more information on the destination, visit go to visitsingapore. com. For the latest updates on Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL Flights) and entry requirements go to safetravel.ica.gov.sg.