ION Orchard and The Orchard Residences

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This article or section contains information about expected future buildings or structures. Some or all of this information may be speculative, and the content may change as building construction begins.

ION Orchard, formerly known as the Orchard Turn Development or Orchard Turn Site, is an upcoming shopping mall by Orchard Turn Developments Pte Ltd , a joint venture between CapitaLand and Sun Hung Kai Properties, planned to be operational by spring 2009. The Orchard Residences, a high-rise residential condonium, will also be built together with the shopping mall under the same developer, manager and owner, and is expected to be completed by late 2009.^[1] Orchard Turn Developments Pte Ltd only have a 99-year leasehold with effect from 13 March 2006.^[2]

Located along the prime shopping district of Singapore, Orchard Road, The Orchard Residences will be the tallest building along the shopping district, standing at 218 metres. This residential building will have a total of 175 residential units from the ninth floor to the 54th floor once completed, four of which are penthouses.^[2] During the first phase of the sale of 98 units, the units were sold for an average of S$3213 per sq ft.^[1] Orchard Road's largest shopping mall, ION Orchard, will have over 400 food and retail outlets when completed in December 2008.^[3]

[edit] History

ION Orchard and The Orchard Residences under construction.

Taken on March 23

The Orchard Turn Development, now known as The Orchard Residences and ION Orchard after its official name has been revealed on 5 February 2007^[4] and 16 July 2007^[5] respectively, was built on the site of the former park located directly above Orchard MRT Station. The MRT Station's Exit C was closed and demolished on 15 January 2008 to make way for the ION Orchard development. A replacement for the exit, Exit E, was open on the same day.^[6][7]

ION Orchard has 941 700 square feet of gross floor Area and 663 000 square feet of retail space, larger than Ngee Ann City, but smaller than Suntec City Mall and VivoCity, the largest shopping mall in Singapore. Designed by Benoy, the Orchard Turn Development has won two EG Retail and Future Project Awards, the Best Architetural Entry and the Best Retail Development over 20 000 m², at MAPIC 2006 held in Cannes, France on Mid November 2006.^[8]

[edit] Facilities

Layered across the walls of ION Orchard, the Media Facade is a multi-sensory canvas media wall made with cutting edge technology.

ION Orchard will also have the largest sheltered public square along Orchard Road, ION². It will span over 33 000 sq ft wide and are able to set-up any large-scale events. Everyday, over 220 000 pedestrians will be within its vicinity.^[9]

It will also have an 5 600 sq ft art and exhibition gallery, ION Art, that perfectly combines art and commerce. It will be located on the fourth floor of the shopping mall and will be the "'it' venue for the next big collection or important art event".^[9]

The development's observation deck, ION Sky, is located on the 55th and 56th floor of the building. With the high of 218 m above ground, it offers a panoramic view of the city.^[9] It will also have a 75 ooo sq ft garden on its 9th floor, together with two club facilities on its 9th and 30th floors.

The mall will also have two subway entrance at Level 1 connecting to ION² via Orchard MRT Station. The first entrance, Exit E (facing Wheelock Place) was opened in the morning on 15 January 2007, the same day where the station's Exit C (facing Wisma Atria) was closed and slated to be demolished. Mounted on Exit E's wall were more than 90 metres of LED walls, that can be programmed with different colours and patterns on its light displays to create a certain mood and even for festive occasions. It also can be use for advertising and as an art gallery from time to time.^[6][7] A newly built Exit C will be the second entrance once it open later this year.^[6]

The mall also has a car park with approximately 650 lots, with handicap lots, from the fourth floor to the eighth floor.

[edit] Notable tenants

With a lettable area of almost 660 000 sq ft, 400 retail outlets are expected to be open in ION Orchard. To date, it has been confirmed that there will be six flagship stores, namely Cartier, Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, Louis Vuitton and Prada. These flagship stores will take up a total of almost 50 000 sq ft of lettable area.^[9]

[edit] Notes and references

[edit] See also

• Orchard Road
• Orchard MRT Station

[edit] External links

• ION Orchard website
• The Orchard Residences website