Singapore Changi Airport is commencing the development of a new iconic facility, Jewel Changi Airport (Jewel) - a mixed-use complex featuring unique leisure attractions, a wide range of retail offerings and aviation and travel-related facilities. Today, Jewel Changi Airport Trustee Pte Ltd (JCAT), a joint venture between Changi Airport Group (CAG) and CapitaMalls Asia broke ground for the construction of Jewel that will be developed in front of Terminal 1 (T1).
Strategically located in the heart of the airport, Jewel, expected to be completed by end 2018, is envisaged to be a world-class, signature lifestyle destination that will enable Changi Airport to capture tourism mindshare and strongly boost Singapore’s appeal as a stopover point, and a destination in itself, for all passengers including those from India.
Singapore is the second most visited international city among Indian travellers[2], with close to 3.4 million passengers passing through the doors of Changi Airport in the 12-month period ending September 2014, an increase of 7.5% from a year ago. This is supported by Changi’s connectivity to as many as 12 Indian cities, served by eight airlines providing more than 380 flights between Singapore and India every week.
At the groundbreaking ceremony today, guests were given a first glimpse of Jewel’s unique architecture and design, and lifestyle offerings. Designed by a consortium of consultants comprising Safdie Architects led by world renowned architect Moshe Safdie (who designed Singapore’s second integrated resort, Marina Bay Sands), as well as UK’s Benoy and Singapore’s architects RSP, Jewel features a distinctive dome-shaped glass and steel façade that will be a visually stunning addition to the airport landscape. Passengers and airport visitors will be presented with an impressive view of the complex as they travel on the roadways leading to the airport.
A more attractive stopover option
To strengthen Changi Airport’s appeal as a stopover option, there will be facilities in Jewel to enhance travellers’ journeys. The complex will house an integrated multi-modal transport lounge offering dedicated services for fly-cruise and fly-coach passengers. 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 offered by airlines - providing them with added convenience.
To widen the range of accommodation options available at the airport, Jewel will offer its own hotel with 130 rooms, operated by YOTEL – an international hotel brand with established presence in Europe.
A playground for everyone
Beneath its distinctive façade, Jewel will seamlessly integrate a refreshing environment of lush greenery amid other attractions and facilities within the same air-conditioned building. The complex will have five storeys above ground and five basement storeys, covering a total gross floor area of about 134,000 square metres (sqm).
One of Jewel’s centerpiece attraction is a huge five-storey indoor garden Forest Valley filled with thousands of trees, plants, ferns and shrubs and a breathtaking 40-metre high Rain Vortex – expected to be the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. Located at the central core of the complex, this majestic spectacle will captivate Indian visitors with its magnificent water display. Come night fall, the Rain Vortex will transform into an enchanting Light and Sound show with special lighting effects.
With 22,000sqm of space dedicated for landscaping, Jewel will become one of the largest indoor collections of plants in Singapore. Besides being in line with Singapore’s reputation as a garden city, the indoor garden will also help Indian travellers to feel refreshed and re-energized after long-haul flights.
Jewel will also feature walking trails and fun play facilities, designed to be a wonderland for both the young and old. In the surrounding area, there will be food and beverage outlets where passengers and visitors will be able to enjoy al fresco-like dining while admiring views of the Forest Valley, in cool comfort throughout the day.
Within Jewel, there will be a wide range of retail offerings which will appeal to Indian travellers and shopaholics from around the world. The retail mix is envisaged to include exciting new concepts, top international brands, as well as Singapore-based names. The integration of world-class retail brands and unique dining concepts with indoor gardens and leisure attractions will provide visitors with a myriad of experiences all under one roof – making Jewel a one-of-a-kind lifestyle destination.
Mr Lee Seow Hiang, CAG’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Jewel Changi Airport Devt Pte. Ltd (JCAD), said: “An important hallmark of Changi Airport’s growth over the past thirty-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.”
The groundbreaking 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, allows Changi Airport to expand the terminal’s footprint, thus increasing T1’s passenger handling capacity to 24 million passengers per annum[3].
Mr Lee added: “Today’s groundbreaking 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 realize 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.”
Mr Philip Yim, Chief Executive Officer, JCAD 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 travelers, Jewel will be an exciting tourist destination,” added Mr Yim.
[1] Jewel Changi Airport Trustee Pte Ltd, 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 unitholder of the joint venture entities while CMA owns the remaining 49%.
[2] IATA Airport-IS - based on Origin-Destination traffic (one-way from India) for a 12-month period ending August 2014
[3] This is 35% more than the 17.7 million passengers handled at T1 in 2013
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