Source : Business Times – 3 Jul 2009
EAGER shoppers may be on tenterhooks as they wait for Ion Orchard to fling open its doors on July 21, but they’ll also be pleased to know that as the Orchard Road revamp unfolds over the coming months, there’ll be enough new malls to keep them busy for a pretty long time.
In fact, any shopper with Sloane Ranger aspirations can strut their stuff on Knightsbridge – London’s most prestigious address – without having to fly to the United Kingdom, thanks to a chic four-storey retail podium opening next year.
The 83,000 sq ft luxury shopping destination that will house between eight to 10 luxury brands will be integrated within an $80 million makeover of the former Park Hotel Orchard (across Bideford Road from Paragon Shopping Centre).
‘The Knightsbridge branding is in line with our vision for Grand Park Orchard to become synonymous with fashion and luxury,’ says Allen Law, director of Park Hotel Group.
‘Our unique concept and strategic location has attracted many sought-after international brands and we are confident that Grand Park Orchard is set to become an iconic landmark on Orchard Road.’
Meanwhile, art lovers dreaming of the Tate Modern or Saatchi Gallery can find distraction by marvelling at the $9 million worth of contemporary art that Far East Organization has showcased in the mall.
The collection that features the creations of renowned artists such as Gary Carsley, Hans Peter Kuhn and Inges Idee is the largest permanent public commission by a developer for a single property in Singapore.
Artistic nightowls will also be able to enjoy the mall’s 24-hour public rooftop garden that will be transformed into a sculptural haven, showcasing a series of 11 wire sculptures by local sculptural artist, Victor Tan.
Not to be outdone, ION Orchard will also be contributing to the local artscape through ION Art – a structured art and design programme which introduces new and multi-media art outside the traditional museum venue, into the integrated mall experience.
The initiative includes permanent and changing signature sculptural and media installations positioned throughout the mall, as well as a spectrum of art-based events and exhibitions held throughout the year in the ION Art gallery (a dedicated art space in excess of 5,600 sq ft), and at other locations in the mall.
With all these in the pipeline, in these tough economic times, rather than waste money travelling abroad, a quick visit down Orchard Road might just be a cool, affordable alternative.
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