Changi breaks new ground for Jewel as it embarks on next level of growth

Jewel Changi Airport is set to be a “world-class lifestyle destination”

SINGAPORE. Jewel Changi Airport Trustee Pte Ltd (JCAT)*, the joint venture between Changi Airport Group (CAG) and CapitaMalls Asia, broke ground on 5 December for the construction of Jewel Changi Airport.

As reported, Jewel is a mixed-use complex featuring attractions, retail offerings, a hotel and facilities for airport operations, which will be developed in front of Terminal 1 at the heart of the airport. It is envisaged to be a “world-class lifestyle destination” that will enable Changi Airport to capture passenger mindshare and strongly boost Singapore’s appeal as a stopover point for global travellers.

At the ground-breaking ceremony graced by Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew, guests were given a first glimpse of Jewel’s architecture and design, as well as its myriad lifestyle offerings. The ceremony also marked the commencement of expansion works for T1, which will be carried out alongside the construction of the Jewel complex.

The redevelopment of the 3.5-hectare site at T1 – formerly an open-air car park – will allow Changi Airport to increase T1’s passenger handling capacity by +35% to 24 million passengers per annum.

Designed by a consortium of consultants comprising Safdie Architects led by Moshe Safdie, as well as Benoy and local architects RSP, Jewel features a glass and steel façade that will be “a visually stunning addition to the airport landscape”. Visitors will be presented with a striking view of the complex as they travel on the roadways leading to the airport. Beneath its distinctive façade, Jewel will be the first in Singapore to integrate an environment of lush greenery amid other attractions and facilities within the same building, CAG said.

The complex – scheduled for completion by end of 2018 – will have five storeys above ground and five basement storeys, covering a total gross floor area of about 134,000sq m.

The glass and steel façade will be “a visually stunning addition to the airport landscape”

Forest Valley and Gateway Gardens

In line with Singapore’s reputation as a garden city, Jewel will house one of the largest indoor collections of plants in Singapore – with about 22,000sq m of space dedicated to landscaping throughout the complex.

One of Jewel’s centrepiece attractions will be the Forest Valley, a five-storey garden filled with thousands of trees, plants, ferns and shrubs. “Visitors can immerse themselves in the beauty of nature within this idyllic valley of verdant landscaping and waterfalls, and can even take a hike up the valley in air-conditioned comfort,” said CAG.

Forest Valley will provide visitors with a backdrop of verdant landscaping and waterfalls

Visitors will access Jewel through the North Gateway, linked to T1’s Meeters & Greeters Hall

There will be four different Gateway Gardens located at the complex, each featuring unique landscaping elements. For instance, the North Gateway Garden, which will be connected to the T1 Arrival Hall, will retain a nostalgic piece of T1’s heritage through landscaping features made from the recycled trunks of rain-trees from the former open-air car park.

The other centrepiece of Jewel will be the 40m high Rain Vortex, expected to be the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. Located at the central core of the complex, the water display transforms into a light and sound show with special lighting effects at night.

The 40m tall Rain Vortex is expected to be the world’s tallest indoor waterfall

The Rain Vortex will transform into a light and sound show every night

A playground for everyone

Adding to the existing recreational spaces at Changi Airport, the top level of Jewel will feature about 13,000sq m of park space, comprising gardens, walking trails, playgrounds and dining outlets.

Canopy Park, with engaging and fun play facilities, is designed to be “a wonderland for both the young and old”. It will be surrounded by food and beverage outlets where visitors can enjoy fresco-like dining with views of Forest Valley.

Within Jewel, there will be a wide range of retail offerings including new-to-Singapore concepts, top international brands, as well as home-grown names.

Canopy Park will feature gardens, walking trails, playgrounds, an event plaza and F&B

Visitors can enjoy al fresco dining with lush garden views

The retail offer includes new-to-Singapore concepts, as well as global and local brands

Strengthening the Changi air hub

To strengthen Changi Airport’s appeal as a transit hub, Jewel will feature facilities to enhance the passenger journey.

An integrated multi-modal transport lounge will offer dedicated services for fly-cruise and fly-coach passengers, such as ticketing, issuance of boarding passes and baggage transfer services. These will allow Changi to leverage new opportunities such as the growth of Singapore as a regional cruise centre, CAG explained.

In addition, early check-in facilities in Jewel will enable passengers to check-in for their flights and deposit their luggage ahead of the regular check-in timings,.

To widen the range of accommodation options available at the airport, Jewel will offer its own hotel with approximately 130 rooms, operated by YOTEL – an international hotel brand with an established presence in Europe and USA.

The expansion of T1

With the redevelopment of the open-air car park, CAG will extend the footprint of the T1 building into the space of the site, adding more than +70% to the floor area of the arrival and baggage claim halls.

The expanded T1 Arrival Hall will be integrated with Level 1 of Jewel while the Baggage Claim Hall will also see more circulation space and the installation of additional baggage belts, operated by an upgraded baggage handling system.

At the T1 Departure Hall, the check-in counters will be revamped with the incorporation of self-service kiosks, improving efficiency as well as optimising the space available.

The T1 Baggage Claim Hall will be expanded and the baggage handling system upgraded

Self-service check-in kiosks and bag-drop counters will be added to the T1 Departure Hall

In addition, improved ground transport facilities will be developed for T1 to cater to increasing visitorship. A second departure drop-off bay will be constructed, doubling the number of vehicular lanes for drivers to drop off passengers. The length of the arrival pick-up bay will also be extended by +50%.

A much larger basement car park – spanning five levels with 2,500 parking spaces – will be built as part of the Jewel complex, providing T1 users with sheltered parking directly connected to the terminal. Facilities for taxis and coaches, such as the taxi waiting area, taxi pick-up bays and coach stand, will also be expanded.

Currently, only Terminals 2 and 3 are directly linked to the Changi Airport Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station. New pedestrian linkages will be constructed connecting T1 and Jewel to the MRT station, improving inter-terminal connectivity and accessibility.

Jewel will be connected to Terminals 1, 2 and 3 and the MRT station via pedestrian bridges

The expanded T1 Arrival Meeters & Greeters Hall will be connected to Jewel Level 1 and the new expanded basement car park, spanning five levels with 2,500 parking spaces

Changi Airport Group Chief Executive Officer and Jewel Changi Airport Devt Pte Ltd (JCAD)* Chairman Lee Seow Hiang said: “An important hallmark of Changi Airport’s growth over the past 30-odd years has been continual change and innovation. In charting the airport’s future, this spirit continues to underpin our strategy. Faced with intensifying competition, we challenged ourselves to rethink what an airport can be – not just as a gateway for flights, but as a tourism destination on its own.

“Today’s ground-breaking ceremony marks only the beginning of this exciting journey. Over the next few years, we will work hard with our designers and contractors to execute our vision and realise our aspirations for Jewel. We look forward to presenting, in four years’ time, an iconic, world-class destination that both Singaporeans and our passengers from all over the world will enjoy, bringing Changi Airport to its next level of growth,” he added.

JCAD Chief Executive Officer Philip Yim said: “We are delighted to mark a new milestone in the development of Jewel Changi Airport. Apart from distinctive design, Jewel will break new ground with its unique mix of attractions, retail and airport facilities, integrated in a way like never before to create a slew of different experiences in a single visit.

“Located at the doorstep of the award-winning Changi Airport, it will be a place where Singapore and the world meet. For international travellers, Jewel will be an exciting tourist destination. For Singaporeans, it will be a playground near home where they can share many happy moments with their loved ones. For our retail partners, the opportunity to reach out to the diverse mix of passengers at a major air hub presents exciting prospects,” he concluded.

The construction of Jewel and the expansion of T1 will be undertaken by a construction joint venture formed by Woh Hup and Obayashi Singapore. Works will commence following the ground-breaking ceremony.

*NOTE: Jewel Changi Airport Trustee Pte Ltd (JCAT), the trustee-manager of Jewel Changi Airport Trust, is formed between Changi Airport Group (CAG) and CapitaMalls Asia (CMA), the shopping mall business of the CapitaLand Group. CAG is a 51% shareholder and unit-holder of the joint venture entities while CMA owns the remaining 49%. Jewel Changi Airport Devt Pte Ltd (JCAD) is the development and property manager of Jewel.