The new Gardens by the Bay here in Singapore certainly has the wow factor without a doubt! Not officially opened until June 2012, my friends Pam, Laura and myself were a few of the lucky ones that got to see the 'sneak preview' as part of our ticket to the "20th World Orchids Show" that is being held at Sands Expo and Convention Centre until November 20th.
Along with the rest of Singapore, we have watched the 'progress' of the gardens with amazement. "What are those funny looking metal tree's?" and "that's an odd shaped building near the Barrage"... then we saw the bridge being built from Marina Bay Sands..... all this added to the interest on "what was happening".
It was soon after we had arrived in Singapore, that the Gardens by the Bay project had started and one of the first 'press releases' read as follows:
It was soon after we had arrived in Singapore, that the Gardens by the Bay project had started and one of the first 'press releases' read as follows:
Nov 09, 2007
Singapore's Gardens by the Bay project on track with groundbreaking ceremony
Gardens by the Bay, Singapore's project to build three
major waterfront gardens, broke ground today, as the development made
progress to create the world's premier public gardens in the tropics.
The 54 hectare (ha) Gardens at Marina South is scheduled to be the
first of the three Gardens to be completed in end-2010. Gardens by the
Bay will eventually total 101 ha, and comprise three themed gardens at
Marina South, Marina East and Marina Centre.
Well the official opening ceremony is not too far off and what a spectacular event that will be. Even though its well over 6 mths away (June 2012) what we saw yesterday is certainly impressive!
Here are just a few photos to 'whet the appetite' and if you are visiting the Orchid Show this week, do take the opportunity of taking a walk across the bridge to the Gardens by the Bay.
DID YOU KNOW ........
The Flower Dome can achieve at least 30% savings in energy consumption compared to conventional cooling technologies used in average commercial buildings in Singapore, even as it operates round-the-clock to keep its temperature cool.
Hot air rises, cold air sinks - based on this simple theory, the Flower Dome is cooled with the aid of chilled water pipes located within ground slabs. This allows warm air to rise and vent out at higher levels, keeping temperatures at an optimum on ground level.
Converting waste into energy - it is all about sustainable energy! Horticultural waste is converted into energy through massive steam turbine to generate electricity on-site to keep the Flower Dome cool.
The Flower Dome can achieve at least 30% savings in energy consumption compared to conventional cooling technologies used in average commercial buildings in Singapore, even as it operates round-the-clock to keep its temperature cool.
Hot air rises, cold air sinks - based on this simple theory, the Flower Dome is cooled with the aid of chilled water pipes located within ground slabs. This allows warm air to rise and vent out at higher levels, keeping temperatures at an optimum on ground level.
Converting waste into energy - it is all about sustainable energy! Horticultural waste is converted into energy through massive steam turbine to generate electricity on-site to keep the Flower Dome cool.
size of the above Flower Dome is 1.2 hectare (about 2.2 football fields)
and of course, everywhere you walk around the Gardens by the Bay ... you catch glimpses of the impressive MBS (Marina Bay Sands)
In the Flower Dome - at Gardens by the Bay - there are many 'area's' to enjoy. One being:
Mediterranean Garden and Olive Grove, Succulent Garden, the Australian Garden etc..
But will blog about those later!
The Flower Field will feature changing displays of temporary flower beds to reflect different seasons, festivals and themes.
THE AMAZING SUPERTREES
Supertrees are tree-like structures that dominate the Gardens
landscape with heights that range between 25 and 50 metres. They are
vertical gardens that perform a multitude of functions, which include
planting, shading and working as environmental engines for the gardens.
The Supertrees are home to enclaves of unique and exotic ferns, vines, orchids and also a vast collection of bromeliads such as Tillandsia, amongst other plants. They are fitted with environmental technologies that mimic the ecological function of trees – photovoltaic cells
that harness solar energy which can be used for some of the functions
of the Supertrees, such as lighting, just like how trees
photosynthesize; collection of rainwater for use in irrigation and
fountain displays, just like how trees absorb rainwater for growth. The
Supertrees also serve air intake and exhaust functions as part of the
Conservatories’ cooling systems.
There will also be an elevated walkway between some of the larger
Supertrees for visitors to enjoy a breathtaking aerial view of the
Gardens. A F&B outlet has also been planned atop the 50-metre
Supertree. At night, the Supertrees come alive with lighting and project
media.
The Gardens by the Bay is certainly going to be a top class place that everyone will want to visit and spend time enjoying ....
stay tuned for further blog posts on the flower beds and other displays within the dome and of course the Orchid Show that is here in Singapore until November 20.
useful links:
2 comments:
Wow it looks amazing there! My boyf and I have been wondering what those metal trees were ever since our first visit to Singapore. We'll definitely have to go down and take a look.
Hi, I really love your photos. I'm printing a tourist's guide to Singapore - do you mind if we feature a few of your photos from this post?
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