lyf one-north Singapore is a new co-living development located at the intersection of the commercial, educational, and residential clusters of the one-north district of Singapore. The technology quarter’s masterplan contrasts low-rise heritage bungalows with new medium and high-rise residential developments, offices, R&D clusters, as well as generous public spaces for leisure activities. The undulating roofscape of the masterplan was inspired by the ebb and flow of the district’s natural landscape with its hills and valleys and is designed to attract global talent and technology companies.
lyf one-north Singapore adds a current, vibrant, and lively co-living development to the neighbourhood, catering to young people that work at the nearby creative and technology companies. More than just an apartment building serving its own residents, the development is designed as a community hub for the neighbourhood. It offers unique public and communal spaces for comfortable living, socialising and recreation for the co-living residents and the one-north community. The project houses 324 units and amenities across two 7-storey blocks linked by an inhabited bridge.
Taking reference from the bent grid of the district’s masterplan, the building design adopts an angular geometry in plan, shaping a key visual corridor from the Fusionopolis office buildings towards the heritage bungalows at Nepal Hill. The verdant hill forms the backdrop for the outdoor public spaces in the development. A split ground plane responds to the site’s undulating topography and provides both public and private recreational environments.
The development is well-connected to the public transport system, with MRT access right on its doorstep. Upon exiting the MRT station one is greeted by the vibrant ground level of the development with its cascading greenery, dynamic red roof canopy and lively public spaces. The central public space is an amphitheatre located along the view axis between the two blocks with the heritage bungalows and forested hill forming the backdrop. The amphitheatre can be used as a public living room for visitors to commune amidst the lush greenery, or for performances, pop-up activities and exhibitions. It is well-shaded by the two blocks to the East and West and covered by the link-bridge above it, remaining cool and comfortable throughout the day.
lyf one-north Singapore offers a series of public to semi-public social spaces. On the ground level the amphitheatre and multi-functional driveway plaza can be transformed into a public events and activity space. These spaces can be accessed by anyone passing by the development and can serve the broader community. The residents have access to a social kitchen as well as indoor and outdoor dining areas where they can meet up and share meals. The swimming pool is a central meeting point where residents can exercise and socialise. Green communal terraces at different levels give residents easy access to fresh air and greenery, and the open rooftop lawn area can be used for events, gatherings or just relaxing at the end of a long day. The richness and diversity of the community spaces balances out the smaller private spaces and encourages residents to socialise, spend time outside and build connections.
The building uses a palette of precast concrete and landscaping which extends the existing greenery up into the development. The precast concrete façade uses variations in textures – smooth, ribbed and rough exposed aggregates – and geometry with its integrated sun-shading fins and hoods to express the playful and lighthearted character of the lyf concept. This playful character is further underlined by large-scale colourful, dynamic murals indoors and outdoors. Terraced green planters along the external stairs bookend the building with a cascade of greenery.
The angular geometric language of the building plan also translates three-dimensionally with origami-like folded walkway and roof canopies that evoke paper fans and provide sun and rain protection to these areas. A series of sloped columns support the link-bridge building while maximizing the usable public space at the base of the columns. All these 3D angular elements are highlighted in red-coloured finishing as a vibrant contrast to the precast concrete façade.
Generous bicycle parking with accompanying public end-of-trip facilities, such as changing rooms with showers, lockers and bicycle maintenance equipment implement the car-lite vision for one-north. The development’s proximity to the one-north MRT station will ensure it is used as a base for last-mile connections for the wider one-north neighbourhood.
As a community hub, universal design is a key consideration for the development’s broad user base. Barrier-free paths, accessible washrooms and strong visual cues are provided throughout all the development to cater to all building users, including persons with disabilities. High-traffic spaces are further provided with automated doors with contactless sensors for hygiene and improved convenience.
The development features energy-efficient and water-saving equipment, as well as integrated building management systems to automate building maintenance tracking and electrical and water resource monitoring. It has been awarded Singapore’s BCA Green Mark Gold Plus for sustainable design and BCA Universal Design Mark Gold award.
Team:
Architect, Landscape Architect & Universal Design Assessor: WOHA Architects Pte Ltd
Project Team: Wong Mun Summ, Sim Choon Heok (QP), Darren Chen, Herbert Salim, River Law, Liak Yuan Zhi, Christina Ong, Chong Siew Way, Koh Wei Ling, Edrick Paguio, Arthur Gunawan, Benjamin Chong, Rutchai Suksakorn, Daryl Venpin, Rita Lo
Project Manager: CapitaLand Project Management Pte Ltd
Mechanical & Electrical Engr & Green Mark Consultant: Squire Mech Pte Ltd
Civil & Structural Engr: Mott MacDonald Singapore Pte Ltd
Quantity Surveyors: Arcadis Singapore Pte Ltd
Lighting Consultant: WOHA Architects Pte Ltd (Exterior) & Light Collab Pte Ltd (Interior)
Interiors: Ascott International Management (2001) Pte Ltd – Interior Design Services
Acoustic Consultant: Radian Acoustics Pte Ltd
Design for Safety: DfSP Consultants Pte Ltd
Public Art/Mural Artist: Mural Lingo
Main Contractor: Nakano Singapore (Pte) Ltd
Photographers: Darren Soh, Patrick Bingham-Hall
Materials used:
Interior fitting out works Public Areas: EDZ Interior Contracts Pte Ltd
Softscape: Nature Landscapes Pte Ltd
Lighting: Luxlight Pte Ltd
Building Maintenance Unit: Akrobat Pte Ltd
Lift: Schindler Lifts Singapore Pte Ltd
Sanitary wares, fittings and accessories: BSG Trading Pte Ltd
Furniture: Grafunkt
ACMV: Design Aire Engineering (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Electrical and Plumbing: Kandenko Co Ltd
Fire Protection: Fire-Mech Pte Ltd
Precast Façade: Robin Village Development Pte Ltd
Swimming PoolL Modern Pools Pte Ltd
Steel Work: Pan Sin Engineering Pte Ltd
