Singapore's shopping destinations offer architecture, action and adventure

Pictures: Elke Moebius; Text: Julia Pott

Apple's first headquarters were built in Singapore's Ang Mo Kio neighbourhood in 1981, so the technology company has been associated with the city for over four decades. It is therefore fitting that Apple opened one of the most impressive stores in 2020 in the Marina Bay district on the Singapore River, which caused a worldwide buzz. This architectural highlight is an excellent addition to a list of numerous tourist attractions.

Some of these can be seen through the windows of the Apple Marina Bay Sands in the Singapore skyline, as the store is located in the middle of the bay and offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the city. The building rises out of the water in the shape of a hemisphere with a fully glazed dome.

At the apex of the dome is an opening through which daylight illuminates the room. The inside of the glass is lined with metal sheets that protect against direct sunlight. Trees inside also provide shade and break up the otherwise minimalist design with its rather sober ambience. In addition to the products and advice, the focus at Apple is on events: the forum with a large video wall and plenty of seating forms the centre of the store. This is where the "Today at Apple" sessions take place, among other things, in which creatives, artists and musicians offer inspiration for the use of Apple products.

The Funan shopping centre, which reopened in December 2019 after extensive renovations, is part of a large mixed-use project in Singapore's Civic District. The mall not only offers a diverse selection of shops and restaurants, but also numerous leisure options: from a cinema with 3D halls and an impressive, four-storey-high indoor climbing wall in the atrium to an indoor football pitch and a swimming pool on the roof terrace, which are connected to a fitness centre. The building also houses a spacious urban farm.

Another special feature of the mall is that it is open to people travelling with bicycles or mobility aids. A marked cycle path runs through the middle of the ground floor of the shopping centre. There are also bike shops, bike cafés, lockers and shower facilities for cyclists. This initiative – part of a project by the Ministry of Transport in Singapore – is designed to make it easier for working people to switch from cars to bicycles.

The Jewel Changi Airport Mall is located on the grounds of Singapore Airport and is directly connected to the terminals. The impressive building with its glass dome not only houses brand flagship stores, a hotel and gastronomic offerings from all over the world, but also numerous leisure attractions designed to attract both travellers and locals.

At the centre of the Jewel is the Rain Vortex, the largest indoor waterfall in the world at 40 metres high. It is surrounded by one of the largest indoor gardens in Asia, the Shiseido Forest Valley. Around 3,000 trees and 60,000 shrubs from tropical forests around the world can be discovered spread over five floors.

On the top level of the Canopy Park, a spectacular bridge offers a panoramic view of the waterfall from a height of 23 metres. There are numerous play options and experiences throughout the park that are perfect for a social media post. These include the Sky Nets stretched eight metres above the ground, a playground, a hedge maze, a mirror maze and an augmented reality treasure hunt.