Artyzen Singapore
Architect: ONG&ONG
Location: Singapore
Type: Hotel
Year: 2023
Photographs: Fabian Ong
Artyzen Singapore is a culmination of past and present, international and local, low-rise and high-rise – where traditional wisdom in architecture is reinterpreted for a new structure.
The following description is courtesy of the architects. Inspired by Singapore’s culture, colours, and flavours, Artyzen Singapore is a modern lifestyle hotel for luxury travellers. Conceptualised as an oasis in the city, Artyzen Singapore offers an experience that is deeply ingrained with references to Singapore culture and architecture, its tropical climate, and its lush greenery. It is located along Cuscaden Road in the heart of the city and is just a stone’s throw from the bustling Orchard Road shopping belt, major embassies, and minutes away from Singapore Botanic Gardens, the first UNESCO Heritage Site in the city state.
This iconic heritage landmark was once a sprawling tropical garden mansion named “Villa Marie” by the great-grandson of Singapore’s well-known philanthropist, the late Mr. Tan Tock Seng. Built in the 1940s, it had long been vacated in its original state, while the surrounding areas developed with high-rise structures.
The contrast between Villa Marie’s charming proportions and its modern surroundings could not be more apparent. The low-rise structure, intimate scale, transitional spaces between the indoor and outdoor areas, interiors complemented by elegant tall arches, the use of warm materials, and most significantly lush greenery in the courtyard, have all inspired the design of the hotel.
Embracing this unique past, the building massing is designed as villas stacked vertically, each with its garden being an extension of the landscape. Stacked vertically, these “sky villas” create a unique architecture deeply ingrained in the tropical lushness of Singapore.
Architecture elements, such as high ceilings, verandas, lush courtyard gardens, arches, and terra-cotta roof tiles, are reinterpreted in the new structure. This referencing not only connects the architecture to its unique context but also rediscovers the wisdom of climatic responses in the past which is still very relevant today.
The hotel comprises of five major parts. Sky gardens of 2-storey and 3-storey volumes are stacked at alternating floors creating an interesting play on the façade.
Project Details
- Location: Cuscaden Road, Singapore
- Architecture: ONG&ONG
- Landscape: ONG&ONG
- Interior Design: Nic Graham & Associate, ONG&ONG
- Lighting: Nipek
- Completion: Sep 2023
- Client: Shun Tak Real Estate (Singapore) Pte Ltd
- Photography: Fabian Ong
