Samuel Toh (right), leasing executive at Tong Eng Group, collecting the Best Office Development prize at the recent gala dinner.
Contributor Feature
By Nadia Willan
A freehold commercial development on the fringes of Singapore’s CBD that promises to “redefine work and play”, ARC 380 combines a strategic location with clever architectural design and impressive facilities to create a contemporary, lifestyle-focused office building. The 16-storey tower, developed on close to 50,000 sq ft of land, is prominently located at the junction of Jalan Besar and Lavender Street, close to the Marina Bay Financial Centre.
Offices at ARC 380 range from 700 to 1,001 sq ft, to appeal to SMEs seeking a property investment. Meanwhile, the work-life balance philosophy behind ARC 380 resulted in a Best Office Development win at the 8th annual PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) in October 2018 for developer Tong Eng Group.
A third-generation family business, Tong Eng Group has been developing property, including 200 acres of land, since the 1950s. Renowned for their office, retail and residential projects, the company even built the 26-storey Cecil Street office block where their headquarters is based today. Their ARC 380 project also involves the talents of DP Architects as well as CHIG Landscape Architecture.
CFA Clement Ong, AVP for Strategic Planning & Investment for Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, is a judge on this year’s panel. With experience in the commercial real estate sector, he highlights how the Tong Eng Group project, due to complete in late 2021, expands the building’s spaces beyond office life.
“ARC380 is unique in that it provides a comprehensive lifestyle compendium of facilities that is unusual for office developments. Conveniently located at the fringe of CBD and in close proximity to MRT and expressways, it is equidistant to the shopping belt in Orchard Road and the commercial hub in Raffles Place. The project espouses current thinking in commercial occupier use of space which aspires for an ecosystem for work, live and play. ARC380 is a distinctive product and a well deserving winner in this category.”
The distinctive curve of the building is designed to afford panoramic cityscapes and let natural light flood in, while the curtain-style exterior creates a sleek façade. This is interspersed with sky terraces and outdoor relaxation gardens on every other floor between the sixth and 16th storeys.
Tong Eng Group has added two floors of space for office workers to unwind, keep fit and mix some leisure time into their working day too. This reflects the modern approach of forward-thinking businesses who appreciate that an environment of well-being at work inspires greater creativity, better relationships and a positive mental attitude, thus boosting productivity and performance.
ARC 380’s fourth-storey, 12-metre-high covered Sky Terrace has barbecue facilities, water features and green garden space for office-bonding sessions. Meanwhile, ARC 380’s roof terrace boasts a 25-metre lap pool, water feature and gym, as well as a pool deck and function room for corporate events.
Universal design features are incorporated into the project for greater flexibility, comfort and convenience, with each office having its own individual bathroom and space for adding an independent air con. Specialist window panels are fitted to minimise solar heat while reducing noise pollution.
This article is contributed by PropertyGuru Property Report, the official publication of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards.
