W W W. FA R E A S T.C O M . S GDECEMBER 2013

FAR EAST ORCHARD

MALAYSIA

CHINA

SECURED PIPELINE

AUSTRALIA

NEW ZEALAND

GERMANY

5properties

>600rooms

5properties

700 rooms

55properties

>7500 rooms

4properties

>800 rooms

1property

150rooms

17properties

>3800 rooms

SINGAPORE

1property

341rooms

DENMARK

1property

128rooms

1property

97rooms

HUNGARY

PLUS! FAR EAST’S EIGHTH FIABCI PRIX D’EXCELLENCE // URBAN RENEWAL // ON GOOD SOIL

JOINT VENTURES EXPAND FAR EAST ORCHARD’S GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

FEOrchard Brands

Straits Trading Brands

Toga Brands

Landmark Cover V16 FA.indd 1 28/11/13 3:54 PM

‘‘To show that we will be here — whatever the need — to be that helping hand, is a common language that endears us to one another.

‘‘

Bishop Rennis Ponniah,who offi ciated and ministered at the Chaplaincy Dedication Service for Far East Organization, hopes that the Christians in the Organization will come together and connect with their colleagues of all faiths and continue to do good deeds in the name of Christ.

IFC Quote+Contents V8.indd 2 28/11/13 3:55 PM

AT THE FOREFRONT

02 Making A Move Overseas Far East Orchard is expanding its regional footprint with hospitality joint ventures

HAPPENINGS

06 Home To HealthcareNovena Lifestyle & Medical Hub clinches Far East Organization its eighth FIABCI Prix d’Excellence

08 Architects Of HistoryThe Fullerton Bay Hotel wins the2013 International Hotel Award for architecture

10 Rewarding Innovation Far East Organization staff members were lauded for their innovative ideas

12 Refl ections On A CareerExecutive Director Mr Eddie Yong retires after 17 years of service

14 KudosStaff members who have gone the extra mile for customers and clients

16 Step By StepThe Bare Your Sole 2013 Walkathon

17 A Cup Of Good CheerStrengthening friendships at the Albert Goh Cup golf tournament

18 Leading By ExampleThe Far East Organization Chaplaincy Dedication Service

20 On Good SoilIn-house Chaplain Mr David Chan on opening our ears and hearts

CITYSCAPE

21 Reforming CitiesThe Cheonggyecheon Restoration Project in Seoul is a prime example of urban regeneration

SPOTLIGHT

25 The DNA Of Design Italian design house Pininfarina designs Ferra – its fi rst residential project in Asia

30 Flexible StyleFar East SO/HO comes to the Bukit Timah area with The Siena

32 Reliving HistoryTownerville combines old-world charm and a modern lifestyle

34 Industrial StrengthThe Westcom in Tuas is primed to serve the needs of businesses and investors

IMPACT

36 Glass Eyrie

contents

MEDIACORP PTE LTD

PUBLISHING AGENT

25

14

2013DECEMBER

21PUBLISHER

IFC Quote+Contents V8.indd 3 28/11/13 3:55 PM

AT THEFOREFRONT2

EXPANDING FOOTPRINTThe Rendezvous Grand

Hotel Melbourne is

one of three hotels in

Australia acquired

by Far East Hospitality

Holdings, the joint

venture company formed

by FEOrchard and STC.

Making a Move OverseasJOINT VENTURES EXPAND FAR EAST ORCHARD’S HOSPITALITY FOOTPRINT ACROSS ASIA, OCEANIA AND EUROPE.

2-5 Far East Orchard Ltd V6.indd 2 28/11/13 3:59 PM

3

FAR EAST ORCHARD LIMITED (FEOrchard), a member of Far

East Organization, is an established

developer with a diversifi ed portfolio

focusing on property development,

hospitality real estate development

and management, and healthcare

real estate space. It is a vertically

integrated hospitality owner and

operator with the capability to develop its own

hospitality properties and manage a signifi cant

hospitality management business.

FEOrchard has entered into two joint ventures

with like-minded partners, The Straits Trading

Company Limited (STC) and the Toga Group,

to expand and diversify its existing hospitality

management portfolio. The joint venture partners

with their highly complementary networks and

assets will provide an enhanced platform for growth

with increased economies of scale. It will realise

signifi cant operational synergies through the

combined management capabilities of the various

entities and accelerate the expansion of FEOrchard’s

regional footprint. The company’s expanded

hospitality portfolio now covers over 13,000 rooms

across more than 80 hotels and serviced apartments

in eight countries.

THE STRAITS TRADING COMPANY The joint venture with STC sees the creation of

Far East Hospitality Holdings Pte Ltd, of which

FEOrchard holds 70 per cent and STC the remaining

30 per cent. Far East Hospitality Holdings, in

turn, holds 50 per cent of the joint venture with

Toga Investments, a subsidiary of Toga Group,

establishing itself as a premier hospitality

assets owner and operator with a sizeable

overseas network.

STC has injected three hotels in Australia into

the joint venture — the beachfront Rendezvous

Hotel Perth, the centrally located Rendezvous Studio

Hotel Perth and the historic Rendezvous Grand

Melbourne — as well as its hospitality management

business, Rendezvous Hotels International (RHI).

STC, incorporated in 1887, has a range of

businesses from tin mining and smelting and

resource investments to property investments,

development and management. It is also a

major shareholder of WBL Corporation Limited,

a technology, automotive distribution,

property development, and engineering and

distribution company.

TOGA GROUP The 50-50 joint venture between

Far East Hospitality Holdings and

Toga Investments is one of the largest

hospitality management platforms

in Australia.

FEOrchard’s Group Chief Executive

Offi cer Mr Lucas Chow said, “We are delighted to enter

into the joint venture partnership with Toga Group and

start a new chapter in Australia together. By bringing

two leading hospitality operators together into this

joint venture, we believe it will generate signifi cant

synergies, and be one of the key growth drivers for

our hospitality management business going forward.”

The new joint venture company owns the

hospitality management business of Toga Group,

Toga Hotel Management Holdings, which includes

more than 50 existing management agreements and

fi ve more in the pipeline. It also owns fi ve hospitality

assets in Australia.

Toga Hotel Management Holdings will also

operate the Rendezvous Group of hotels in Australia

and New Zealand in partnership with Far East

Hospitality Holdings.

Established in 1963, the Toga Group is a property

development, construction, investment and

management group with international hotel brands

such as Adina, Medina, Vibe and Travelodge.

MUTUAL SYNERGIESFollowing the completion of the joint ventures with

Toga Group and STC, FEOrchard is set to become

the fi fth-largest company in Australia’s hospitality

segment. The joint ventures enlarge FEOrchard’s

hospitality platform to more than 80 properties with

over 13,000 rooms worldwide.

BRAND STABLEFar East Hospitality

Holdings’ joint venture

with the Toga Group

owns the hospitality

management arm of the

Australian company,

which operates the

Adina, Medina, Vibe

and Travelodge brands.

L A N D M A R K D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

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Said Mr Chow, “We now have an immediate

regional footprint that covers mainly Singapore,

Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. This is our fi rst

step in expanding and growing to become a sizeable

regional hospitality management company with a

portfolio of distinctive hospitality brands. This is also

another step towards building a scaleable business

that is generating recurring profi t for the Group.”

BRAND PORTFOLIO Six new brands (Rendezvous, Marque, Adina, Medina,

Vibe and Travelodge) have been added to FEOrchard’s

stable of distinctive hospitality brands (Village,

Quincy, Oasia), giving it a total of nine unique and

complementary brands. Consequently, there will be

cross-selling benefi ts not only for FEOrchard’s

existing hospitality portfolio in Singapore, but the

other hotels in the network.

EXPANDED OPPORTUNITIESThe joint ventures are in line with FEOrchard’s long-

term objectives of delivering growth and enhancing

its recurring income stream for the company and

shareholders. FEOrchard intends to leverage on

its expanded platform to continue growing in the

Asia-Pacifi c region by operating more third-party

hospitality assets and engaging in cross-selling

initiatives between its brands and geographic markets.

It will bring potential revenue enhancement

opportunities, cost savings and greater operational

effi ciencies from the increase in size and scale of

FEOrchard’s overseas operations.

4

FEOrchard and its joint-venture partners will be

able to combine their fi nancial resources to pursue more

yield accretive acquisitions and growth opportunities,

either in hospitality-related assets or hospitality

management business, and share their networks to direct

new and exciting opportunities to the joint venture.

The joint ventures will bring variety to the

portfolio by entering new geographical markets and

customer segments, achieving greater revenue and

earnings diversifi cation.

On the two joint ventures, Mr Chow said, “Such

opportunity for us to work with two leading hospitality

partners is rare, and this would allow us to capitalise on

a wide range of opportunities in the hospitality sector

AT THE FOREFRONT

MALAYSIA

CHINA

SECURED PIPELINE

AUSTRALIA

NEW ZEALAND

GERMANY

5properties

>600rooms

5properties

700 rooms

55properties

>7500 rooms

4properties

>800 rooms

1property

150rooms

A GLOBAL REACHThe joint ventures enlarge FEOrchard’s hospitality platform to more than 80 properties with over 13,000 rooms.

17properties

>3800 rooms

SINGAPORE

1property

341rooms

“ OUR COMBINED PLATFORM AND “ OUR COMBINED PLATFORM AND CAPABILITY ACROSS MULTIPLE GEOGRAPHIES WILL MAKE US A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.”

Mr Lucas Chow, Far East Orchard Group Chief Executive Offi cer

DENMARK

1property

128rooms

1property

97rooms

HUNGARY

2-5 Far East Orchard Ltd V6.indd 4 28/11/13 3:59 PM

70% 30%

5

A LOCAL FOCUSFar East Organization

will continue to focus on

the Singapore market.

Far East Hospitality

Trust recently acquired

Rendezvous Grand Hotel

and Rendezvous Gallery.

and take FEOrchard’s hospitality business to the next

level. Our combined platform and capability across

multiple geographies will make us (FEOrchard, Toga

and STC) a force to be reckoned with in the Asia

Pacifi c hospitality space.”

GROWTH FOR SHAREHOLDERSThe joint ventures — worth a combined

S$500 million — offer benefi ts to FEOrchard and

shareholders. Funded by existing cash and/or external

debt facilities, there was no need to raise new equity

from existing or new shareholders. The joint ventures

were approved by the FEOrchard shareholders at an

EGM held on 9 July 2013.

With the completion of the joint ventures,

revenue from FEOrchard’s hospitality arm is expected

to make up about 40 per cent of FEOrchard’s entire

portfolio, up from 30 per cent currently. Real estate

development will constitute the majority of the

remaining 60 per cent. In addition, the majority of

FEOrchard’s revenue — some 60 per cent — will start

coming from overseas, up from 10 per cent currently.

But Singapore will remain a key market for

the company, said Mr Chow. “We are still fairly

optimistic about Singapore, although the Singapore

Tourism Board has projected a slower period of

growth. Occupancy rates in Singapore continue to

be high in spite of slower growth in terms of visitor

arrivals.” As part of Far East Organization’s continued

focus on Singapore, Far East Hospitality Trust also

acquired STC’s Rendezvous Grand Hotel, a 298-room

landmark located on Bras Basah Road, and the

adjacent Rendezvous Gallery for S$270.1 million.

THE JOINT VENTURE WITH TOGA GROUPFar East Hospitality Holdings Pte Ltd, the joint venture company formed

by FEOrchard and STC, owns 50 per cent of the Trust SPV, while Toga

owns the other half.

THE JOINT VENTURE WITH THE STRAITS TRADING COMPANYFEOrchard and STC set up a joint venture

company called Far East Hospitality Holdings

Pte Ltd, of which FEOrchard owns a

70 per cent share and STC 30 per cent.

FEOrchard

Toga Investments

Trust SPV

Far East Hospitality Holdings

STC

50%50%

WHY AUSTRALIA?

Australia is a developed economy with a

well-regulated business environment and

stable hospitality market. It also has an

economic cycle that is diff erent from Southeast

Asia, making it an attractive market for earnings

diversifi cation and growth, as well as the

building of a more balanced asset portfolio.

The hospitality joint ventures with STC and

Toga Group present Far East Orchard with an

excellent opportunity and an eff ective platform

to gain a strategic foothold in Australia. A key

tourism market in the Asia-Pacifi c region,

Australia has six million international visitors

and 74 million domestic overnight trips per

year, according to fi gures from the Australian

authorities. It is also in the top fi ve nations for

visitor arrivals into Singapore.

In addition, Far East Orchard’s parent

company, Far East Organization, has acquired

two prime commercial properties in Australia.

The Clocktower Square complex is a mixed-use

development located in the prestigious and

historic “The Rocks” precinct within Sydney’s

Central Business District. Harbour Town Centre

is a successful outlet shopping centre along

Wellington Street, one km west of the Perth

Central Business District.

Far East Organization also owns a

1.5 million sq ft (13.7-hectare) site in

St Helena-Greensborough, Melbourne.

Plans are underway to develop this site into

an integrated residential community.

L A N D M A R K D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

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6

UNDERSCORING THE DEVELOPER’S unique and innovative spirit and long-term

business foresight, the Novena Lifestyle &

Medical Hub has won Far East Organization

its eighth FIABCI Prix d’Excellence Award.

The FIABCI Prix d’Excellence

recognises distinctive projects that

demonstrate excellence in all disciplines

of the real estate process. Far East

Organization’s latest award-winning

development consists of two fi rst-of-its-

kind real estate developments in Singapore,

Square 2/Novena Medical Center and

Oasia Hotel/Novena Specialist Center,

which integrate purpose-built medical

centres with retail and hospitality spaces.

Square 2/Novena Medical Center was also

Novena Lifestyle & Medical Hub clinches Far East Organization its eighth FIABCI Prix d’Excellence Award. TEXT // NIRMALA SIVANATHAN

HealthcareHome to

a runner-up winner in the Specialised

Project Category at the FIABCI Prix

d’Excellence 2010.

The Novena Lifestyle & Medical Hub

has contributed to the development of the

Novena precinct as a thriving healthcare

cluster and created real estate value. In its

wake, other renowned medical institutions

— including Mount Elizabeth Novena

Hospital and Johns Hopkins Singapore

International Medical Centre — have

emerged nearby.

The Novena Fringe Centre originally

had a handful of public medical

institutions such as Tan Tock Seng

Hospital (TTSH) and Ren Ci Community

Hospital. The Urban Redevelopment

HAPPENINGSN E W S A N D E V E N T S A R O U N D F A R E A S T O R G A N I Z A T I O N

Authority (URA) had envisioned this

precinct as a thriving community with a

rich variety of commercial and residential

developments with well-established

infrastructural and medical facilities close

to the city.

The Novena Lifestyle & Medical Hub

was built in two phases. Square 2/Novena

Medical Center (NMC) was developed

on a white site acquired by Far East

Organization in 2002. Completed in 2007,

this integrated medical space and retail

podium played a key role in contributing

to the URA’s vision. The medical centre

strengthened Novena’s position as a

medical hub, while the retail mall added

vibrancy to the precinct.

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NMC also fi lled the growing demand

by private doctors for purpose-built medical

suites. NMC was designed in consultation

with medical professionals with the needs

of doctors and patients in mind.

Oasia Hotel/Novena Specialist Center

was developed in 2007 and completed

in 2012. Drawing on its experience

gained from Square 2/NMC, Far East

built a medical centre with a hospitality

component to ride on the increasing

number of medical tourists seeking

specialist care in Singapore.

A MILESTONE IN HEALTHCAREFar East Organization inked a cooperative

agreement in 2003 with TTSH to give

doctors and specialists from NMC and NSC

use of the hospital’s unsubsidised wards,

operating theatres and other medical

services. TTSH also agreed to provide

emergency care to NMC and NSC patients

if needed. This agreement — the fi rst joint

public-private sector healthcare initiative

ABOUT THE FIABCI PRIX

D’EXCELLENCE AWARDAwarded by the Paris-based International Real

Estate Federation (Fédération Internationale des

Administrateurs de Biens Conseils et Agents

Immobiliers) or FIABCI, this award recognises real

estate projects that embody excellence and

illustrate the FIABCI ideal of “providing society

with the optimal solution to its property

needs”. Adjudicated by an international

panel comprising top real estate

professionals and experts, the FIABCI

Prix d’Excellence looks at the overall

merit of a project, including design,

functionality and business concept.

children with cancer and created an asset of

enduring value (worth S$24 million) for the

Viva Foundation.

HOLISTIC DESIGN FEATURESBoth developments were designed using

a holistic approach to enhance the well-

being of tenants and visitors. Extensive

landscaping and water features contribute

to a relaxing and soothing environment,

while shops and essential amenities meet

life’s daily demands.

The private medical suites of both

NMC and NSC have dedicated entrance and

lift lobbies. Attention has also been paid to

integrating the developments to maximise

accessibility and connectivity between

NMC, NSC and TTSH. NMC and NSC have

direct access to Novena MRT Station.

With the completion of the

Novena Lifestyle & Medical Hub which

amalgamates retail, medical and hotel

facilities, Far East Organization fully

embraces the government’s vision for

the Novena precinct. Its rich variety

of commercial developments in close

proximity to the city, coupled with its

civic and community uses, echo the

government’s efforts to position Singapore

as a leading medical hub of Asia.

7

between a hospital and a developer — was

lauded by the government for optimising

the use of healthcare resources.

Far East also expanded on the

cooperation network by signing

Memoranda of Cooperation with Raffl es

Hospital and Mount Alvernia Hospital

to provide NMC and NSC’s doctors and

patients with access to the hospitals’

booking systems, services and facilities.

The Organization also partnered a

group of well-established doctors from

various disciplines to set up Novena

Surgery, which provides ambulatory

care and surgery facilities in NMC.

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONIn 2011, Far East created a 18,500 sq ft

purpose-built space at NSC under the

government’s Community/Sports

Facilities Scheme and donated it to the

Viva Foundation For Children With

Cancer. The gift enabled the foundation

to set up a community hub to support

THE NOVENA LIFESTYLE & MEDICAL HUB HAS CREATED REAL ESTATE VALUE IN THE NOVENA PRECINCT.

MORE WINS FOR FAR EAST

Far East Organization bagged two more accolades at the FIABCI Singapore

Property Awards 2013. The developer was recognised in the Residential (High

Rise) category for its Floridian and Jardin properties in the Bukit Timah area. Far East’s sister company in Hong Kong, Sino Group, received an award in the Heritage category

for The Fullerton Heritage. To date, Far East has won eight international

FIABCI Prix d’Excellence Awards, and six FIABCI Singapore

Property Awards.

1999THE BAYSHORE

2001FAR EAST SQUARE

2002GARDENVILLE

2003THE FULLERTON SQUARE

2009ORCHARD SCOTTS

2010CENTRAL

2012HILLVISTA

L A N D M A R K D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

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8

WITH ARCHITECTURE that evokes both

past and present, The Fullerton Bay Hotel has

garnered an award — the 2013 International

Hotel Award for Best Hotel Architecture

in Singapore. The accolade was conferred

by an international judging panel that

comprised architects, property journalists

and CEOs, among others.

The Fullerton Bay Hotel, located

within the historic Fullerton Heritage

precinct, features a main building that

extends over the waters of Marina Bay.

The hotel’s developer, Sino Land —

Far East Organization’s Hong Kong-based

sister company — wanted a contemporary

complex that would integrate well with the

historic Clifford Pier and Customs House

that stand on either side of it.

Architects of HistoryThe Fullerton Heritage also includes

The Fullerton Hotel, housed within the

historic Fullerton Building, and One

Fullerton — which collectively won the

FIABCI Prix d’Excellence award in 2003 —

as well as The Fullerton Waterboat House.

The design team from DP Architects, who

worked on The Fullerton Bay Hotel, had

to consider how best to incorporate the

architecture of the new development into

its surroundings while being sensitive to

the heritage of the site, which was once a

bustling harbour.

DRAWING ON HISTORYClifford Pier and Customs House are

two of Singapore’s signifi cant maritime

landmarks. Clifford Pier, built in 1933, was

the fi rst port of call for many immigrants

to Singapore. Next door, Customs House

HAPPENINGS

with its distinctive watchtower was also a

vital part of the port. Both landmarks were

given conservation status by the Urban

Redevelopment Authority (URA) in 2007.

The developer and its design team

understood the importance these buildings

had played in Singapore’s progress and

recognised that these were aspects that

needed to be echoed in the architecture

of the new hotel. The vision was for

these heritage buildings to achieve and

demonstrate ‘adaptive reuse’ — to keep

them open for purposes appropriate for

present and future needs. The philosophy

for the project was based on the ‘three

Rs of Conservation’ — to retain, restore

and repair.

Key architectural and structural

elements of the pier and the Customs

House — such as the cast iron fanlight and

The Fullerton Bay Hotel wins 2013 International Hotel Award for Best Hotel Architecture.

TEXT // NIRMALA SIVANATHAN

8-9 Happ Asia-Pac Hotel Awards V5.indd 8 28/11/13 3:59 PM

9

The architects also inclined three

sides of the main hotel building’s glass

facade to mirror Customs House and

Clifford Pier. This gives the hotel yet

another way to — literally — refl ect on

the past while presenting a sleek and

ultra modern front. The inclination of

the glass also means that hotel guests in

each of the hotel’s balcony rooms have an

unobstructed view of Marina Bay.

FITTING INTO THE SKYLINEBesides the look of the building, the design

team had to balance the scale of the new

building against that of Customs House

and Clifford Pier. They raised the building

to a height twice that of its neighbours,

which has resulted in some dramatic

effects. Firstly, it draws attention to the

REFLECTING ON THE PASTThree sides of The

Fullerton Bay Hotel’s

glass facade are

inclined so as to

mirror Customs House

and Cliff ord Pier.

roof support brackets — were retained

where possible, and carefully restored.

This was done to evoke nostalgia even

though the purposes of the buildings have

changed over time.

REFLECTING PAST/PRESENTThe Fullerton Bay Hotel is located

strategically between these two conserved

buildings. Using Clifford Pier as the hotel’s

entrance, the design team choreographed

a narrative journey through the hotel,

transporting guests from the past to

the present: after entering the lobby

within the historical pier, guests then

proceed through a contemporary linkway

overlooking the bay before reaching

a large atrium within the main hotel

building. This atrium is sited on what used

to be an open-air space used for berthing

marine vessels.

In converting the area into an atrium,

the design team created an ingenious

“roof” by locating the swimming pool

over it. This not only created a visually-

stunning architectural highlight but also

created more usable space on the roof.

accommodation spaces, highlighting

the hotel’s primary function. Secondly, it

helps to unify the composition of the three

buildings into a coherent whole. By raising

the height of the new building, it was

possible for the atrium height to match the

roofl ine of Clifford Pier and Customs House.

The effect is a fl uid visual transition

from the water’s edge to the historic low-

rise buildings, the contemporary mid-rise

hotel, and up to the skyscrapers of the

Central Business District in the background.

In doing so, a hierarchical relationship

between the hotel and its surrounding

was created.

All in all, the architecture of the hotel

refl ects the historic-yet-modern character

of the city, welcoming travellers much like

the port of old used to.

SINO LAND AND ITS DESIGN TEAM WANTED TO KEEP THESE HERITAGE BUILDINGS OPEN FOR PURPOSES APPROPRIATE FOR PRESENT AND FUTURE NEEDS.

ANOTHER AWARD

The Fullerton Heritage was awarded the FIABCI Singapore

Property Award 2013 for the Heritage

category in September 2013.

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10

FAR EAST ORGANIZATION’S COMMITMENT TO

improving business operations and workfl ow processes

is reinforced by its annual Business Process Improvement

(BPI) Awards competition. For last year’s Awards, staff

members submitted team projects outlining improved

solutions to existing processes. The winning projects

were announced at the Far East Organization Awards

Ceremony 2012 held on 4 December last year.

The top three winning teams all delivered tangible

benefi ts to the Organization in terms of time and

cost savings, as well as enhanced satisfaction among

customers and staff members. Each member of the

winning team won a cash award of two months’ salary

(capped at a combined total of S$100,000); the second-

place team members received one month’s salary each

(capped at a combined total of S$50,000), while the third-

place team members collected half a month’s salary

each (capped at a team total of S$20,000).

To streamline the process of disbursing rebate payments to

residential homebuyers, the team of 11 staff members, led by

Au Yeong Siew Peng, Manager, Finance & Treasury, improved the

Business Integrated Operating System (BIOS).

The previous disbursement system had become onerous

with the various types of rebate offered. The Organization had

also decided to grant customers more fl exibility by processing the

disbursements at different stages of a residential development.

As there were different types of rebate that could be claimed

at various points in time, it had become increasingly complex to

keep track of the various payments. “Although we were still able to

make the payments within 14 working days upon the customer’s

redemption of the rebates, our resources were being

overstretched in order to meet the deadline,” said

Ms Au Yeong.

The new system alleviated many complexities.

Tasks that used to be done manually, such as the

generation of payment alerts and paperwork, are

now system-generated. The centralised new system

— named BIOS Rebate Disbursement Projection

and Payment Tracking Module — has reduced the

workload for many of the staff members involved,

and made processes more effi cient and accurate.

By monitoring the status of the payments, the

Organization’s Treasury department is also better

able to project its cash fl ow needs. “We can now

proactively call customers and advise them that

the payments to them are ready before the 14 days

are up, thus meeting or even exceeding customers’

expectations,” said Ms Au Yeong.

At the Business Process Improvement Awards 2012, project teams from Far East Organization were lauded for their innovative ideas. TEXT // WANDA TAN

REBATE DISBURSEMENT PROCESS1ST PRIZE

SALES ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE & TREASURY AND IT

HAPPENINGS

Rewarding Innovation

10-11 Happ BPI Winners V8.indd 10 28/11/13 4:01 PM

11

To streamline the Registration Of Interest (ROI) process and

integrate it with Customer Relationship Management (CRM),

the team of 12 members, led by Jason Kho, Assistant Manager,

Property Sales, switched the old system over to a centralised

online database.

The old system of registering potential buyers’ interest

in residential units and generating ROI profi les was based on

outdated technology and software, with ROIs and customers’

queue statuses relayed back and forth via SMS. ROI data also had

to be tabulated into a Microsoft Excel fi le to produce an ROI status

chart at the end of each day. “The previous system was set up back

when smartphones and iPads were not yet readily available,” said

Mr Kho. “You can imagine how labour-intensive it was having to

manually enter all the SMS data into an Excel spreadsheet.”

The new online system has a standardised ROI Web form

that provides real-time information on unit availability and

instant confi rmation of customers’ queue status. Details are

then automatically updated in a centralised database, which

automatically generates daily ROI reports.

The new ROI system was implemented at the launch of

eCO last year and resulted in increased productivity in the sales

process. It cut overall time spent from the point the ROI form is

fi lled out until the ROI report is generated from 812 minutes to

102 minutes, and saved S$6,600 in staff costs during the launch.

With the new system, the accuracy of ROI data was improved.

There was increased effi ciency in the collection of ROI bookings

and data. And under the centralised new system, data security

was improved.

“We have integrated the new ROI process with Far East

Organization’s entire Property Sales customer database,”

said Mr Kho. By linking information from ROIs with the

Organization’s CRM software, more accurate and complete

customer profi les can be produced.

PROPERTY SALES AND IT

2ND PRIZESTREAMLINE ROI PROCESS VIA WEB FORM WITH CRM INTEGRATION

3RD PRIZETo have an effective and effi cient recruitment process and

improve the quality of new hires, the 10 team members — led by

HR Business Partners Ray Er and Alka Tan — formulated a faster,

more structured recruitment process.

The new hiring process aims to achieve long-term retention

of talent, as well as enable Group HR to build a reputation for

being a trusted, customer-centric and innovative partner to

the business.

Ms Tan said, “There were opportunities for improvement in

the existing process in terms of quality and speed.” To this end,

the team aimed to improve cycle time so that the business could

continue to run with minimal downtime.

They also strived for an enhanced hiring experience, with a

structured recruitment process in which efforts were made to help

new staff members better understand the Organization’s culture

and assimilate better. This would improve the Far East Employer

Brand in the marketplace, and in turn attract the best candidates.

Measures were also introduced to improve the calibre of new

hires. Multiple job portals are now used to source for potential

candidates, and telephone screening to shortlist the candidate

pool is conducted prior to face-to-face interviews. Internal

mobility — the opportunity for internal job transfers — is

emphasised to boost employee morale and retention.

Additionally, the ‘on-boarding’ or orientation programme

has been standardised across all business units, so that new hires

learn from Day 1 about the Organization as a whole and where

it is headed. “We felt this was necessary to build unity across the

Organization,” said Ms Tan.

“ YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW LABOUR-INTENSIVE IT WAS HAVING TO MANUALLY ENTER ALL THE SMS DATA INTO AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET.”

Mr Jason Kho, team leader of the ROI streamlining team

GROUP HUMAN RESOURCES

REWARDING GOOD IDEASThe teams received

their awards at the

Far East Organization

Awards Ceremony 2012.

INspire

L A N D M A R K D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

10-11 Happ BPI Winners V8.indd 11 28/11/13 4:01 PM

12

Executive Director Eddie Yong retires after 17 years of service. TEXT // WANDA TAN

HAPPENINGS

ON 31 JULY 2013, Far East Organization

executives and friends got together at

OChre Italian Restaurant & Bar at Orchard

Central for an appreciation luncheon to

honour Executive Director Eddie Yong,

who retired at age 60 after 17 years of

faithful service with the Organization.

In his appreciation remarks at

the start of the event, Chief Executive

Offi cer Mr Philip Ng shared a message

about success and failure and how one’s

perspectives can determine the difference

between success and failure.

He described an athletics event he

watched on TV over the weekend and

in this 3,000m running event, British

Olympic champion Mo Farah spent half

the race trailing behind an African runner

who led the pack. But after the halfway

mark, the African was overtaken by the

other runners with Mo Farah eventually

kicking in and emerging the winner.

The African runner did not fi nish.

Mr Ng said, “We can say that the

African runner failed; but in a way we can

say he succeeded in pushing Mo Farah to

clock his personal best time in this event.”

These perspectives on success and

failure, said Mr Ng, “harken us to a time

2,000 years ago when a man — thought to

be a man — died on a cross. Everybody at

that point in time thought he was a failure,

and his enemies succeeded because they

crucifi ed him and he died a meaningless

death. We all know that is not true,

because 300 years later, the Roman Empire

embraced Christianity and Christianity

became the faith of Western civilisation,

and today there are over 2 billion

Refl ections on a Career

Christians in the world — and I hope that

Eddie may be one of them soon.”

Mr Ng added, “If you measure it in

very temporal terms, you might think

of something as a failure or success;

and sometimes, if you think something

is a success, it might just be a failure.

So I want to say to Eddie that the most

important thing for us at Far East is that

you journeyed with us for 17 years and

you are not just a good athlete, but also

a decathlete. A decathlon is 10 different

athletic events packed into one, and Eddie

really has done all that.”

Mr Ng recounted Mr Yong’s

many contributions, starting with his

joining the Organization in 1996 as the

Director of Marketing and Business

Development to spearhead the marketing

and development of industrial real

estate, which was a new area that the

Organization had invested in then.

“Eddie also took on the challenge

of looking for opportunities in

overseas markets, including India and

Vietnam, and these proved to be very

critical developmental efforts for the

A FRIEND INDEEDCEO Mr Philip Ng said

that Mr Eddie Yong was

always ready to help.

12-13 Happ Eddie Yong V5.indd 12 28/11/13 4:02 PM

13

marketing capabilities

in the residential

and business space

segments, he also

assumed responsibility

for Corporate Leasing and Corporate Real

Estate from 2007 to 2011, and the Retail

Business Group from 2008 to 2010.

On top of his responsibilities for

the business, Mr Yong was Far East’s

representative at the Real Estate

Developers’ Association of Singapore

(REDAS), and served as its Honorary

Treasurer and Honorary Secretary at

various points during his tenure.

A LEARNING JOURNEY Looking back on his years at Far East,

Mr Yong said, “I have enjoyed 6,205 happy

working days at Far East including today!”

He spoke about how meaningful his time

at Far East had been, and how working

with the Organization taught him many

things. “I have learned a lot from

our customers. For example, I have

learned that we need to treat them like

business partners.”

Organization. Through the period he also

went through the Asian fi nancial crisis

and tailspin in the property market, but he

launched for Far East Organization many

initiatives like Club Connect to help us

improve our marketing and sales network.

Therefore, many of the efforts that we have

today are the result of programmes that

Eddie grappled with.”

MANY MILESTONESRefl ecting on his many milestone

experiences, Mr Yong remarked, “Today

I am heartened that we have one of the most

organised in-house real estate sales forces

in Singapore. We have very deep and broad

support — so much so that we are able to

venture outside Singapore; to China and

Indonesia, for example.”

Mr Yong started the sales and

marketing team at Orchard Parade Holdings

Limited — a public-listed unit of Far East

Organization; now called Far East Orchard

Limited — and was involved in several

projects there.

In addition to contributing towards

building the Organization’s sales and

Mr Yong took the opportunity to

thank his fellow colleagues, peers as well

as business associates, many of whom had

become close friends over the years. In

particular, he gave a special mention to his

secretary, Ms Jennifer Lua, who worked

with him for 16 years.

Several colleagues and friends

shared a few personal words about Mr Yong.

Mr Chng Kiong Huat expressed his

gratitude to Mr Yong for pushing his team

at Property Services to initiate innovative

ideas and encouraging them to embrace

market changes, as well as for providing

support when they encountered challenges.

Mr Arthur Kiong and Ms Susan Leng noted

Mr Yong’s sincerity in keeping in touch

with them.

A team of his close working colleagues

sang The Carpenters’ classic hit “Close to

You” in tribute.

In recognition of Mr Yong’s

contributions to Far East Organization,

and in acknowledgement of the important

role of real estate research and market

intelligence in furthering the business,

Mr Philip Ng announced the initiation of

an annual Eddie Yong Real Estate Market

Roundtable.

“This is a programme to further

develop the market knowledge and

external orientation of the young

executives and managers in our midst and

to encourage industry networking. We

will kick off this roundtable next year, and

Eddie will be our Guest-of-Honour every

year,” added Mr Ng.

The news was greeted with a big

round of applause from the guests. Mr Yong

himself was very humbled by the gesture,

saying, “I really appreciate what Philip has

arranged for the roundtable. I will keep

myself free to come back every year. The

roundtable is an excellent platform to

ensure that I keep myself up-to-date with

the real estate market.”

1 August 1996 Director, Marketing and Business Development

1 January 2007COO, Corporate Leasing and Director of Marketing & Business Development (Business Space)

1 July 2008 Executive Director, Investment Properties COO, Corporate Real Estate Business Group until 31 December 2011Assumed oversight of Retail Business Group until 2 August 2010

Executive Director, Orchard Parade Holdings Limited, responsible for all Property Business until 26 April 2012

MR YONG’S CAREER MILESTONES WITH FAR EAST ORGANIZATION

“ I’VE LEARNED A LOT FROM OUR CUSTOMERS — FOR EXAMPLE, I’VE LEARNED THAT WE NEED TO TREAT THEM LIKE BUSINESS PARTNERS.”

Mr Eddie Yong on his journey at Far East

L A N D M A R K D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

AN INDUSTRY VETERANMr Eddie Yong joined

Far East Organization

in 1996.

12-13 Happ Eddie Yong V5.indd 13 28/11/13 4:02 PM

14

HAPPENINGS

“I consider it my great fortune to be able to purchase a Far East Organization apartment with the sincere help and enthusiasm of Ms Patricia Soh. From the point I made a verbal agreement to purchase the unit while visiting Singapore, to paying the down payment and taxes after I had returned to China, I found the process to be fi lled with trust and honour between Far East Organization and myself, and for this I would like to thank Ms Soh!

Recently, I attended a Far East Organization roadshow in Dalian where I chatted with Far East staff members, and was reminded of the great eff ort Ms Soh put in for me. Ever since agreeing to buy my unit, I’ve been in contact with Ms Soh with many questions pertaining to the purchase, and she has provided me with much help. I am truly touched.

In fact, it was because of her great service and sincerity that I promptly returned to Singapore to sign the sales and purchase agreement. Ms Soh made the eff ort to come pick me up, and she was a great help in making sense of all the numbers.

I would also like to thank Far East for extending the special off er to me and compliment the quality of Far East products. I feel that buyers from any country deserve the kind of great service and energy that Ms Soh showed me, and I hope you could reward her generously.”

LANDMARK GIVES RECOGNITION TO OUR COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE GONE OUT OF THEIR WAY FOR CUSTOMERS AND CLIENTS.

KudosTOUCHED BY GREAT SERVICE

China-based Ms Han Shu was impressed by the care she was shown while buying a property in Singapore with the help of FAR EAST ORGANIZATION MARKETING EXECUTIVE MS PATRICIA SOH.

14-15 Happ Kudos V5.indd 14 28/11/13 4:02 PM

15

MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THESE

THEY WENT THE EXTRA MILE

IN PRAISE OF POSITIVITY

Ms Jennifer Shepherd’s grandparents had a trip of a lifetime while staying at ORCHARD PARADE HOTEL.

THE ORCHARD CENTRAL MARKETING TEAM left quite an impression on a tenant. Totally Hot Stuff business manager Mr Luke Chong outlines his good experiences working with them.

Ms Dorinda Handayani Nurjno’s experience at The Sound was great, thanks to MS NUWANI SAMAD of the CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT.

“My grandparents Mr and Mrs McGee recently made a trip to Singapore from the United Kingdom, which coincided with their 50th wedding anniversary. I am writing to say ‘thank you very much’ for making their trip so special.

From the stories they have told us about their experience since their return, it would seem that the reception we hoped Orchard Parade Hotel would give them to mark their anniversary was even better than we expected! My grandparents spoke very highly of your staff members, with particular mention of Ms Apple Cho, whose service went above and beyond expectation.

For two elderly people to travel such a long way and still feel that they would have liked to have stayed a little longer is a testament to yourselves.”

“We would like to commend and express our heartfelt thanks, especially to Jean Tay, Vincent Bei and the marketing team, for their tireless eff orts in marketing Orchard Central. They always seem to be actively engaging in their marketing initiatives, and sometimes stay till the wee hours to assist tenants with their booth setups. They are always around to ensure everything goes right. With their hard work, it is little wonder that Orchard Central has become a mall that is increasingly frequented by many.

We thank the management for the good running of Orchard Central. It is a pleasure to be a tenant here.”

“I would like to give some positive feedback on Ms Nuwani Samad. She is very courteous, cheerful and helpful, and she goes the extra mile for her clients, and is defi nitely an asset to Far East Organization.

I had earlier fi lled out a feedback form about Ms Wani, and I hope her line manager gets to see it. I am an advocate of having a positive attitude, and I think that having such an attitude deserves to be praised and encouraged.”P

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14-15 Happ Kudos V5.indd 15 28/11/13 4:03 PM

Senior Advisor and CEO of Far East

Organization, was the Guest-of-Honour at

the event, which was open to the public.

In all, some 5,000 people stepped up for

a good cause.

The event raised a record S$410,000

for Habitat for Humanity Singapore’s main

local programme, Project HomeWorks.

This programme aims to improve the

living conditions of Singapore’s elderly,

sick and physically-challenged residents.

Participants walked either a 2.5km or

5km route. In addition to sponsoring the

S$30 registration fee

per participant for

staff members and

their families, Far

East Organization

donated S$50 for

every one of its

1,200 participants

who completed the walk to each of

three benefi ciary charities, Habitat

for Humanity, Boys’ Town and Simei

Care Centre. Participants also received

complimentary tickets to visit the Gardens

by the Bay conservatories.

Each of the three charities received

S$60,000 — raised from the walk — while

Boys’ Town and Simei Care Centre each

received an additional cash donation of

S$100,000 from Far East Organization.

The organising committee that

put together Far East Organization’s

participation in this meaningful effort was

led by Mr Vincent Yik and Mr Roger Ho.

16

HAPPENINGS

EVERY YEAR, Far East Organization

organises a charity walkathon called Walk

with a Heart. This year, the Organization

joined its adopted charity, Habitat for

Humanity, in its annual Habitat-Barclays

Bare Your Sole 2013 (BYS 2013).

Habitat for Humanity is an

international non-profi t organisation that

fi ghts poverty by helping to construct

homes for the poor.

For BYS 2013, Far East Organization

sponsored in-kind items including the

event T-shirts, refreshments and products

from gourmet delicatessen Dean & DeLuca

for participants’ goodie bags.

The Habitat-Barclays Bare Your Sole

2013 barefoot walk was inspired by the

plight of the less-fortunate. Every day,

countless underprivileged people around

the world make their way across rough

ground — barefoot.

So on 1 June 2013, 1,200 Far East

Organization staff members and their

families shed their shoes to take part in

the charity walk held at Gardens by the

Bay East.

Mr Philip Ng, Habitat Singapore’s

SHOES OFF FOR A GOOD CAUSEThe participants

raised a record

sum for Habitat for

Humanity Singapore’s

Project HomeWorks

programme.

Step By Step FLAGGING THEM OFFGuest-of-Honour

Mr Philip Ng (right)

fl agged off the

event with Barclays’

Mr Michael Teo

(left) and National

Director of Habitat for

Humanity Singapore

Mr Yong Teck Meng.

Far East Organization staff members and families put their best foot forward to raise funds for some of Far East’s adopted charities.

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17

ON 3 MAY 2013, the Albert Goh Cup, which

was inaugurated in 2011, was held at the Sentosa

Golf Club. The biennial event was launched

in appreciation of the 35 years of invaluable

contributions and loyal service rendered by Far East

Organization’s former Senior Executive Director,

Mr Albert Goh, who retired in 2010.

In all, 110 golfers took part in the event this

year. The Far East Organization team, which

comprised staff members and alumni, played a

friendly round of golf with the Business Partners

team that included bankers, accountants, lawyers,

contractors, consultants and other service partners.

In the end, it was the Business Partners team

who took home the cup. The inaugural tournament

in 2011 was won by the Far East Organization team.

The event was an excellent platform for all

involved to strengthen bonds and renew ties with

friends and business partners. And the invigorating

afternoon workout was capped by a dinner during

which fi ve benefi ciaries

were presented with

a total of S$250,000

in cash donations from Far East Organization in

commemoration of the event. The fi ve charities

are Barker Road Methodist Church, Lakeside Family

Centre, Canossian School, Ling Kwan Home for

Senior Citizens and Apex Harmony Lodge.

The organising committee for the event,

led by Jodie Choo and Desmond Tan, comprised

Cheryl Che, Ray Er, Belinda Khoo, Kaden Koh,

Cynthia Setho and Steven Soo.

A WINNING ROUNDThe Business Partners

team took home the

Albert Goh Cup 2013.

A Cup of Good CheerAt this year’s Albert Goh Cup, 110 golfers strengthened bonds and renewed ties with friends and business partners.

L A N D M A R K D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

16-17 Bare Your Sole_Albert Goh Cup V3.indd 17 28/11/13 4:03 PM

ON 23 MAY 2013, BISHOP RENNIS Ponniah offi ciated and ministered at

a dedication service for the Far East

Organization Chaplaincy. The Chaplaincy

is a voluntary and confi dential programme

under Chaplain Mr David Chan, that

provides a listening ear for all staff

members and a helping hand if needed.

In attendance at the service held at

The Pavilion at Far East Square was Far

East Organization Chief Executive Offi cer

Mr Philip Ng and his wife Mrs Vy-vyen Ng,

Executive Director Mrs Dorothy Chan,

senior executives and staff members, as well

as well-wishers and business associates.

“The Chaplain is to be, at all times, an

example of Christian spiritual devotion

that inspires and sustains the sacrifi cial

service of God’s People,” said Bishop

Ponniah during his Words of Exaltation

at the service. “The Chaplain is to

diligently nourish them with the Gifts

of God, to lead the faithful to live out

lives that will be blessings to others in

the marketplace.”

According to Bishop Ponniah,

Mr Chan is a “locus of values” that

Far East Organization stands for, and the

Christians in the Organization should

also come together and connect with

their colleagues of all faiths. “I hope that

Christians here will serve and continue

doing good deeds in the name of Christ,

regardless of race, religion or socio-

economic background,” said Bishop

Ponniah. “To show that we will be

here — whatever the need — to be that

helping hand, is a common language

that endears us to one another.”

In his speech at the service,

Mr Chan spoke of the three qualities

— excellence, example and expectancy

18

HAPPENINGS

A dedication service was held in May 2013 for the Far East Organization Chaplaincy, which welcomes all staff members in need of a listening ear and a helping hand.TEXT // GENE KHOR

Leading By ExampleLeading By Example

— that he hopes the Chaplaincy programme

will bring out within staff members in the

Organization. “The fi rst quality has to do

with excellence, and it must be evident in

the workplace in terms of the work that we

do and the promises that we make,” he said.

“Nothing attracts like excellence and, if we

are going to make a difference, then it must

be our work that is marked by excellence.”

The second value is something

Mr Chan is mindful of — example. He

further explained that he didn’t mean it as

just setting an example in the workplace,

but in the wider marketplace.

“If we can work together as a

community, as a spiritual house bound

together under the Lordship of Jesus Christ,

A LISTENING EAR FOR ALLThe Chaplaincy

programme is open

to staff members

of all faiths, and

their participation

is voluntary and

kept confi dential.

18-19 Happ Chaplain Dedication V8.indd 18 28/11/13 4:04 PM

19

Bishop Ponniah brought the service

to a close by dedicating the Chaplaincy

and commissioning Mr Chan to serve as

Chaplain. This, said Bishop Ponniah, came

with a task. “In the presence of God and

of Jesus Christ, who will judge the living

and the dead, and in view of His appearing

and His Kingdom, I give you this charge:

Proclaim, teach and uphold the Word

of God in the workplace, recognising its

power and authority to correct, rebuke and

encourage with great patience and careful

instruction. Set the believers an example,

support them in their Christian witness

and ministry, and guide them with the

counsel of God’s Word in the power of the

Holy Spirit.

“Diligently do the work of a teacher,

mentor and evangelist, so that in every

way the teaching of God our Saviour may

be attractive and the Body of Christ in

Far East Organization be brought into

maturity to fulfi l the good purposes of God

and glorify His wonderful Name.”

He added, “We thank You, Lord,

for the life of my father, Ng Teng Fong,

who You blessed to lay the foundations

of our organisation. We pray that he

is at eternal rest in You. ... We commit

to willingly serve You as we go about

our daily tasks and our lives, whether

within or outside of our workplace and

marketplace. We commit to always

have honest intent and show love in all

that we do. ...

“Give my family and me, O Lord,

and our fellow stewards, our people, our

successors and our Chaplain, David Chan,

the wholehearted devotion to keep Your

commandments, Your Word of Life, Your

Way as we conduct ourselves and our

businesses diligently in both big

and small things. Please, Lord, empower

us by Your Holy Spirit to always want

to be upright and right by You as we

continue to build Far East Organization

to refl ect the Light of Jesus in all that we

do, and to all who we do to.”

and if that difference can be seen by those

in the wider marketplace, then we are also

able to set an example which demonstrates

how God wants to work through us,”

he said.

The fi nal value is expectancy, which

Mr Chan feels emphasises the work and

nature of God on the one hand, and faith

on the other.

“There are expectations from the staff

members, their families and others outside

that standards and quality within the

Organization will be raised,” he explained.

“It is not easy, but our expectancy is that

God will come through, and I believe that

He will. And as people who understand

this aspect of faith, in the goodness and

the faithfulness of God, let us learn to look

towards the Lord with expectancy.”

A prayer for Far East Organization

was said by Mr Philip Ng at the service.

In his prayer, Mr Ng dedicated the

Organization, its assets and businesses

to God.

“ TO SHOW THAT WE WILL BE HERE — WHATEVER THE

NEED — TO BE THAT HELPING HAND, IS A COMMON

LANGUAGE THAT ENDEARS US TO ONE ANOTHER.“

Bishop Rennis Ponniah

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20

HAPPENINGS

WHICH IS THE MORE important

interpersonal skill, talking or listening?

For many of us, if we are being honest,

talking is probably the more comfortable

tool, almost by default. That was, after all,

how we aced that interview, or clinched

that sale. But, what about as a life skill?

If we look at successful relationships

in our lives, be it with clients, colleagues,

subordinates or superiors, we would likely

be able to attribute the bonds we built to

how we took the time to listen to what

they had to say, rather than talking.

And listening, as a life skill, is

necessary not just in communication but

as a critical agent for self-examination and

change. Signifi cantly, it is a skill that needs

to be constantly cultivated, inasmuch as it

can certainly be dulled.

One of the chief reasons why we are

in danger of losing our ability to listen

has to do with the pressures of time. True

listening involves an internalisation

process that requires time for refl ection.

With our packed schedules, we tend

to focus on what is immediate and

prescriptive, but certainly not on the

contemplative. By listening, I do not mean

any metaphysical or religious meditation

for an ‘experience’ or to

hear some ‘inner voice’.

Rather, I mean the decency

to hear something or

someone out; to weigh out a matter to

give it its due worth; to (as the Desiderata

reminds us) “listen to others, even the dull and ignorant, for they too have their story”.

Yet, often, we also need to be

discerning, to guard against listening to

what is gossipy, sensationalised, injurious

to others, or simply untrue. Hence,

listening is an act of honesty on our part,

in which we give the truth of a matter (or

its lack thereof) its proper consideration.

The biblical Parable of the Sower has

some very important lessons on listening,

and to listen well. Listen to what it says:

A farmer went out to sow his seed... Some (seed) fell upon the path, and the birds... ate it up. Some fell on rocky places where it did not have much soil... they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which... choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil where it produced a crop (multiple) times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:3-9)

While clearly this parable was

referring to the working of the Word of

God, the message of the ‘good soil’, on

In the fi rst in a regular column for Landmark, Far East Chaplain Mr David Chan explains the benefi ts of opening our ears and hearts.

O N G O O D S O I L

“ LISTENING, AS A LIFE SKILL, IS NECESSARY NOT JUST IN COMMUNICATION BUT AS A CRITICAL AGENT FOR SELF-EXAMINATION AND CHANGE. IT IS A SKILL THAT NEEDS TO BE CULTIVATED.“

which seeds spring a bountiful harvest, has

to start with our listening and responding

honestly. All other forms of listening

would be merely superfi cial, simply

“hearing but not understanding”, or, “falling on deaf ears”, as the saying goes.

The curious phrase, “He who has ears, let him hear” places the obligation upon

us to take heed, and not to lightly brush

aside what we need to hear, but to be open

to change. How tempting it is, especially

when truth cuts uncomfortably close, that

we foist off a particularly telling point as

being true for others, but not for ourselves.

You may have heard the story of the

husband who decided one day to test the

hearing range of his “hard-of-hearing” wife.

While she was in the kitchen, he called

from upstairs, “What’s for dinner?” and,

hearing no response, repeated his question

from the doorway, and fi nally, right behind

her... to which he fi nally heard her reply,

“For the third time, we’re having pasta!”.

This story, while fi ctitious, emphasises our

own hardness of hearing, and how desired

changes in our relationship with others

often need to begin with ourselves.

The germination of seed into

a bountiful harvest points to a deep

internalisation on our part, through

careful listening and understanding, so

that viewpoints and indeed, values and

relationships are changed for the better

as a result. Such a ‘heart-response’ goes

beyond an emotional knee-jerk reaction,

which is superfi cial and quickly passes.

Will we listen, or really listen?

The choice is ours alone to make! Ph

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Listening – ReallyReally Listening Listening

20 Happ On Good Soil V6.indd 20 28/11/13 4:05 PM

21

Reforming Cities

CITYSCAPETHE PRESENT AGE of globalisation has

brought about myriad effects on urban spaces

and spatial planning. In megacities around

the world, the rise of interconnected fi nancial

centres, which are usually housed in high-rise

towers, has rendered traditional industrial areas

— often located far away from urban areas —

obsolete or irrelevant.

In such scenarios, factories and buildings in

former industrial zones have been abandoned.

Large tracts of land have become brownfi eld sites

— open plots that may be contaminated but can

still be redeveloped. In many cases, these run-

down, neglected areas become impoverished

urban ghettos.

TEXT // WANDA TAN

A RIVER RUNS THROUGH ITA dilapidated road was

demolished to uncover

an ancient waterway.Ph

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The Cheonggyecheon Restoration Project in Seoul is a prime example of urban regeneration.

L A N D M A R K D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

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22

CITYSCAPE

On the other hand, the majority of the world’s

population has migrated to big cities to seek

employment. According to the United Nations, in

2008, half the world’s population lived in urban

areas. This proportion is set to grow to 64.1 per cent

by 2050 in developing countries, and 85.9 per cent in

developed ones.

In some of these economic hubs, uncontrolled

growth and ineffi cient planning have led to the

emergence of overcrowding and urban sprawl. Issues

like unemployment (or underemployment) and a

worsening rich-poor divide have come to the fore;

the megacity of Mumbai in India, with its slums and

mansions existing side-by-side, is a prime example.

To rectify this worrying trend, an increasing

number of governments and policy-makers are now

pursuing a strategy known as urban regeneration.

This refers to the redevelopment of de-industrialised

areas, and includes renovating structures — such

as the Bankside Power Station in London, now the

Tate Modern art gallery — or demolishing and

replacing them.

Such large-scale reconstruction of

housing and public works is planned

with a view to revitalising declining

neighbourhoods and improving the

lives of residents not just physically, but

economically and socially as well. At the

same time, the practice aims to ease traffi c

congestion and overcrowding seen in the

central business districts of many cities.

URBAN REGENERATION VERSUS GENTRIFICATIONMany people tend to equate ‘urban

regeneration’ with ‘gentrifi cation’, but there is

a crucial difference between the two concepts.

Gentrifi cation is the process whereby an

area is improved by the people who live there.

Young, upwardly-mobile professionals or

‘yuppies’ usually move into cheap houses in

deprived areas at the start of their career, and

then make incremental improvements to the

area as their incomes rise. For example, they

may expand their homes, pay for a nearby

park to be built or lobby for local shopping

malls to be erected.

As the level of affl uence in the area

gradually increases, low-income residents

are shut out. Unable to afford higher rents,

they are displaced and forced to move to a

cheaper, less desirable community. Hence,

gentrifi cation is viewed as a negative

byproduct of economic development that

exacerbates social exclusion.

In contrast, urban regeneration carries

positive connotations as an intentional

strategy to revitalise abandoned areas. Government-

initiated urban reform projects, often with private-

sector backing, are implemented to rehabilitate the

community with the aim of including rather than

excluding disadvantaged people. Investments are

made so that the area will be aesthetically appealing,

economically competitive, and socially and

ecologically sustainable in the long run.

There are those who argue that urban

regeneration and gentrifi cation are two sides of the

same coin, and that the former is merely a made-up

term to sugarcoat the latter. Nevertheless, the general

consensus is that urban regeneration has benefi cial

impacts on the environment and society.

EVOLUTION OF CHEONGGYE STREAM Cheonggyecheon — which literally means ‘clear water

stream’ in Korean — is an 8.4km-long stream in

downtown Seoul, South Korea. Previously a symbol

of the country’s rapid modernisation, it has now

been transformed into a public recreation space,

“ URBAN REGENERATION HAS A POSITIVE CONNOTATION, AS IT IS AN INTENTIONAL STRATEGY TO REVITALISE STRATEGY TO REVITALISE ABANDONED AREAS.”

21-24 Cityscape Urban Regeneration V4.indd 22 28/11/13 4:05 PM

23

employment opportunities led to people moving out,

leaving behind disused buildings. There were also

safety concerns with the expressway and overpass, as

the concrete construction had deteriorated over the

years and would require exorbitant costs to repair.

THE RESTORATION PLANIn July 2003, Seoul’s then-mayor Mr Lee Myung-bak

initiated a project to restore the Cheonggyecheon

stream. The ambitious Cheonggyecheon Restoration

Project dictated that the elevated highway would be

demolished, and a 5.8km-long section of the stream

uncovered and refi lled with water. Urban landscape

designs would help to beautify and redevelop the

area. The Seoul Metropolitan Government would

spearhead this US$386 million undertaking — about

S$650 million at the time — in collaboration with

local citizens and merchants.

The project would solve the road safety

problem as well as revitalise the local economy. The

restoration of the river back to its original function

would also serve as a historical counterpoint to

WHERE OLD MEETS NEW The ancient

Gwangtong Bridge

(left) was restored

and provides a view

from the past to the

city’s future.

refl ecting the new focus on sustainable development

as well as ecological and cultural preservation.

Cheonggyecheon is a natural stream that has

existed for over 600 years, since the days before Seoul

was proclaimed the capital city of South Korea.

During the post-war industrialisation period of the

1950s and 1960s, large-scale migration of people

along the riverbank turned the area into an urban

slum, and the river became an unsanitary depository

for human waste and trash.

To eliminate this unsightly view and facilitate

urbanisation, the river was drained and paved over

by a road. In the late 1960s, an elevated highway was

subsequently built over that. By the 1980s and 1990s,

the area surrounding Cheonggyecheon was the

commercial centre of Seoul and the road built atop

the old river the main access route.

By the beginning of the 21st century, however,

things had changed. Many businesses moved their

headquarters to Gangnam District just across the

Han River, and industries in the Cheonggyecheon

area lost their competitiveness. The lower number of

L A N D M A R K D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3P

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24

CITYSCAPE

latter-day modernisation. The harmony between past

and present, or nature and development, would make

the city more environment-friendly and improve the

quality of life of its citizens.

The fi rst step of the restoration project was

the demolition of the concrete road and elevated

highway. But instead of being consigned to the

landfi ll, the construction materials were salvaged

and re-used. About 96 per cent of the concrete and

asphalt that would otherwise have gone to waste

was recycled, mostly to be used in the construction of

roads elsewhere. All the steel reinforcements from the

elevated highway were sent for reuse, too.

The next step was to fi ll the 40cm-deep stream,

which had been dry for years. The government came

up with a plan to pump 120,000 tonnes of water daily

from the Han River, and 22,000 tonnes of underground

water daily from subway pump stations. This plan is

still in effect to ensure a consistent water supply and

to compensate for the seasonal fl ow of natural water,

which is only present during the rainy summer season.

TOWN AND COUNTRY The restoration

of the natural

stream has led to a

resurgence of fl ora

and fauna in the

surrounding area.

The project also had to address the potential

transportation problems associated with removing

the elevated highway, which was being used by

some 170,000 vehicles per day. To discourage car use,

subway stations and bus-only lanes were added in the

neighbourhood. Twenty-two bridges — 12 pedestrian

bridges and 10 for automobiles and pedestrians —

were constructed to connect the north and south

sides of the river. One of these bridges is the ancient

Gwangtong Bridge (Gwangtonggyo), which before

being restored had been disused for nearly 100 years.

It now serves as a cultural touchstone.

Emphasis was placed on enhancing the natural

environment to create a ‘green corridor’. Wetland

reclamation areas were established at the downstream

end of the river to promote ecological conservation

and the proliferation of fl ora and fauna.

THE PLACE TO BE The Cheonggyecheon Restoration Project opened to

the public in September 2005. The restored stream

is now hailed as a successful example of urban

regeneration and is visited by thousands of Seoulites

and tourists every day. Nearby recreational attractions

like the Banchado, the largest tile wall painting in

the world, and the Cheonggye Plaza, which stages a

nightly water-and-light show, add to the appeal.

The project has reduced congestion. Between

2003 and the end of 2008, the use of public transport

increased — bus and subway ridership increased by

15.1 per cent and 3.3 per cent, respectively. This has

translated into better air quality in the area.

The project has also created biologically diverse

habitats. The Beodeul Wetlands at the lower end of

the Cheonggyecheon is home to many species of

animals and aquatic plants. From 2003 to the end

of 2008, the number of plant species increased from

62 to 308. During the same period, the number of

fi sh species grew from four to 25; the number of bird

species went from six to 36; amphibians from four to

eight; and insect species rose from 15 to 192.

The improved traffi c conditions, the cooling

effect of the stream and the increased vegetation have

combined to reduce the ‘urban heat island’ effect,

in which built-up areas are hotter than the rural

areas around it. The Cheonggyecheon area is now,

on average, 3.6°C cooler than other parts of Seoul.

This in turn has a positive effect on the atmospheric

environment in the region.

Because of these redevelopment efforts, business

is now booming again in the Cheonggyecheon area.

The number of local businesses has risen, as has

the number of people working and living in the area.

The ensuing economic growth has almost doubled

the price of land for properties close to the restoration

project, and has re-established the area

as an international business district.

“ A SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLE OF URBAN A SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLE OF URBAN REGENERATION, IT IS VISITED BY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EACH DAY.” P

ho

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25

TEXT // WANDA TAN

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Renowned Italian design house Pininfarina designs its fi rst residential development in Asia.

SPOTLIGHT

FERRA

The DNA of Design

L A N D M A R K D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

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26

FAR EAST ORGANIZATION has added

another development to its Inessence portfolio

of ultra-luxury homes. Ferra is the fi rst residential

development in Asia to be crafted by the renowned

design company Pininfarina.

The 22-storey tower with 104 luxury residences

merges the Italian fi rm’s legendary design

experience with the pillars of Far East’s Inessence

brand — a desirable and privileged location, room

for customisation of a bespoke home, an original

design by an award-winning master designer, and

thoughtfulness in design aspects and details.

According to Mr Paolo Pininfarina, Chairman

of the Pininfarina Group, his company is “very

proud to have identifi ed a specifi c expressive

language and a strong aesthetic personality

for Ferra, while at the same time being able to

insert it harmoniously in the architectural context

of Singapore”.

AN EXCELLENT LOCATION In Knight Frank’s Wealth Report 2013, High Net

Worth Individuals — especially those from

emerging markets — cited Singapore as one of the

top three cities in the world for prime property

investment. Ferra offers a strong proposition that

appeals to Inessence’s target market.

Located at 1 Leonie Hill, in Singapore’s

highly-coveted District 9, Ferra is just minutes

away from the shopping and entertainment hub

of Orchard Road. The building has two sky terraces

— one on the second fl oor and another on the

14th — which between them offer recreational

amenities like a gymnasium, dining pavilion,

40-metre lap pool and jacuzzi. There will also be

luxury facilities such as a spa corner and aqua gym.

Mr Pininfarina says his favourite part of

the design is the upper sky terrace. “Floor 14 is a

very special feature of the building. In fact, the

LENDING IT A PERSONALITYThe sky terrace

on the 14th storey

(above) gives Ferra

a strong identity.P

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SPOTLIGHT

25-29 Citysc Pininfarina_Ferra V5.indd 26 28/11/13 4:06 PM

27

and fl uidity — typical elements of the Pininfarina

design code.

But aesthetics aren’t the only consideration,

says Mr Pininfarina. “Durability is closely related

to advanced design and innovation. If you can

be classic and innovative at the same time, you will

do something that will last. Elegance is the fi nal

objective. When I see that the product is elegant,

I feel comfortable that I have done my job well.”

Another element of Pininfarina’s design

philosophy that is incorporated in Ferra’s

architecture is the concept of duality —

between femininity and masculinity; form and

functionality; standardisation and personalisation.

All units have a “semi-white” plan so that

homebuyers have the fl exibility to customise

their living spaces. Alternatively, homeowners

can choose from a range of design themes,

including one that has been handpicked by the

Pininfarina team.

On the outside, the red side of the building

consists of sleek, sinuous contours that provide a

feminine touch, which contrasts with Ferra’s black

and more masculine side.

Says Mr Pininfarina, “The black side is more

technological and more performance-oriented,

while the other is more about passion and

emotion. It’s the same story with Ferrari cars: they

possess performance and technology, but it’s warm

technology — cutting-edge, but also emotional

and passionate.”

SPEED AND FLUIDITYThe distinctive

arcing trellis echoes

Pininfarina’s unique

design code.

structure was strengthened to accommodate

this design feature. It is something that makes the

building not only nice to live in, but also nice

to behold.

“For the fi rst time, we are able to give

a personality, a face to a building. This is a

landmark — a milestone — in the history of

Pininfarina design.”

MARRYING PININFARINA AND INESSENCE Pininfarina’s roots in automotive design have

guided the architectural language of Ferra. The

distinctive exterior is characterised by aesthetic

elements like the perforated balcony balustrades

that resemble a sports car’s grille. The smooth

trellis stretching from the swimming pool on

the second storey cascading down to the water

feature at the entrance driveway embodies speed

DEVELOPMENT FerraDESCRIPTION The fi rst residential project in Asia designed by Pininfarina (Italy) for Far East Organization’s Inessence brand TENURE 103 yearsESTIMATED TOP

3rd quarter 2018SITE AREA 32,375 sq ft TOTAL UNITS 104UNIT TYPES 32 ‘Type A’ units (732 sq ft), 70 ‘Type B’ units (883–893 sq ft), 2 ‘Type C’ penthouses (2,013 sq ft) ADDRESS 1 Leonie Hill ENQUIRIES 6225 8808

“ ELEGANCE IS THE FINAL OBJECTIVE. WHEN I SEE THAT THE PRODUCT IS ELEGANT, I FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT I HAVE DONE MY JOB WELL.”

Mr Paolo Pininfarina

L A N D M A R K D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

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28

THE HERITAGE OF DESIGNMr Paolo Pininfarina,

a master designer

who has expanded

the company’s

design repertoire.

SPOTLIGHT

THE PININFARINA GROUP has successfully evolved

from being a coachbuilder of iconic Italian sports cars

into a design house capable of world-class architecture

and interior design.

It was founded by acclaimed coachbuilder Battista

“Pinin” Farina in 1930, who ran the fi rm until 1966 when

son Sergio took over as Chairman. In the more-than-80

years since its formation, the company has gone from

strength to strength, producing some of the world’s

most iconic car designs under Sergio’s leadership and

subsequently, his son Andrea’s.

In 2008, Sergio’s other son, Paolo Pininfarina,

was appointed to lead the company into the future.

Mr Pininfarina is a trained engineer and a master

designer by trade, and cars have always been at the

Sense and Essentiality

core of his upbringing. Growing up, his father would

take him on drives in the latest Ferrari sports cars, a

routine that left a lasting impression on him. Indeed,

the gravelly-voiced 55-year-old went on to design

a number of cars himself — over his 31-year career,

he has worked on some 400 projects for major

manufacturers like Cadillac, Honda and of course,

Ferrari, for whom he has designed four models.

Since taking stewardship of the family business,

Mr Pininfarina has developed a new direction for the

Pininfarina Group. In the late 1980s, he was tasked by his

father to develop a new division — Pininfarina Extra — to

explore the potential of Pininfarina’s abilities outside of

automotive design.

As he told Landmark, “My father once said it would

take us 20 years to become a global designer. It has

been 25 years now and he was right — we have now

THE PININFARINA FAMILY HAS BEEN BRINGING ITS VISIONARY STYLE TO THE WORLD FOR 80 YEARS.TEXT // AMIR ALI

25-29 Citysc Pininfarina_Ferra V5.indd 28 28/11/13 4:06 PM

covered nearly all the possible areas.”

The fi rm has gone from designing cars to doing

interiors for mass transportation vehicles like buses, trains

and boats. Industrial design came next, and it has created

some award-winning furniture, like the Snaidero Ola20

kitchen. It also went on to design complete interiors —

offi ces, private houses, and larger spaces like Juventus

Stadium. This then extended to designing the visual

identity of buildings, and step-by-step they have now

been led to what Paolo Pininfarina calls “the architectural

expression of Pininfarina design”. And Ferra is the fi rst such

complete expression.

“To me, Ferra is fantastic because it is 100 per cent

Pininfarina — we contributed to the façade and the interior

with total freedom. We found the right balance between

STYLE AND SUBSTANCEMore than just

iconic designs,

Pininfarina has

created mechanical

marvels for a

variety of clients.

shape, visual design and functionality. And we found the

personality and architectural language of the building that

is the DNA of Pininfarina.”

This DNA means maintaining the central values of

innovation, essentiality and elegance. He said, “Keeping

a standard of excellence is not enough. You have got to

be innovative — new projects, new markets, new sectors,

new adventures. This means continuous research of

advanced design solutions that are never inspired by

contemporary trends.”

Essentiality is another tenet. “This doesn’t mean

minimalist or purely functional design. On the other

hand, decorative design is over-design. Never under- or

over-design but rather, design with personality — that

is essentiality. This may appear simple, but essentiality

requires a lot of complicated work.”

29

“ MY FATHER SAID IT WOULD TAKE 20 YEARS TO BECOME A GLOBAL DESIGNER. I THINK HE WAS RIGHT — NOW WE HAVE COVERED NEARLY ALL THE POSSIBLE AREAS.“

Mr Paolo Pininfarina on his father Sergio’s vision

L A N D M A R K D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

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30

THE SIENA

Flexible Style THE SIENA is Far East Organization’s fi fth and latest

residential project in the Far East SO/HO portfolio.

It comprises just 54 apartments with a starting price

of S$1.39 million for a 538 sq ft unit.

The three key dimensions that defi ne the Far

East SO/HO brand are strategic locale, connectivity

and fl exible space. And with its strategic location

in close proximity to various key educational, retail

and recreational hubs in Singapore as well as a

distinctive design concept, The Siena delivers on

all these requirements. It will therefore appeal to

contemporary homeowners who appreciate modern

and fl exible spaces created within an urban enclave.

Mr Khoo Peng Beng, co-founder of Arc Studio

Architecture + Urbanism and principal architect for

the project, says, “The Siena is designed such that

the units have unique confi gurations. The façade

composition is created for urbane young homeowners

who love to infuse their personality into their home.”

SPOTLIGHT

PRIME DISTRICTThe Siena is surrounded

by a wide variety of

eateries, top educational

institutions and other

lifestyle amenities.

The Siena brings the Far East SO/HO brand to the Bukit Timah area. TEXT // WANDA TAN

SHOWCASING ONE’S PERSONALITY The Siena takes inspiration from SoHo — a New York

City neighbourhood named after its location south of

Houston Street. Traditionally known as a ‘hip’ haven

for artists, SoHo has become synonymous with

eclectic soul and vibrancy — characteristics seen in

both the interior and exterior of The Siena.

Comprising a mix of one-, two- and three-

bedroom compact units, each apartment in this

fi ve-storey development is based on a hotel suite/

small offi ce design concept. The built-in fl exibility,

together with high ceilings, offer creative adaptation

and easy transformation of a single space that allows

multiple uses. Homeowners can reconfi gure the

space according to their live-work-play needs. For

example, sliding doors can be used to close up the

space to create a private working area in the day, and

then at night the same space can be opened up to

transform it into an expanded entertainment area.

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31

DEVELOPMENT The SienaDESCRIPTION A residential project where fl exible spaces and connectivity converge in one strategic address TENURE 99 yearsESTIMATED TOP

4th Quarter 2016SITE AREA 29,509 sq ft TOTAL UNITS 54UNIT TYPES 1-bedroom units (538–678 sq ft), 2-bedroom units (753–850 sq ft), 3-bedroom compact units (893–980 sq ft) ADDRESS

33 Tan Kim Cheng Road (off Farrer Road) ENQUIRIES

6534 8000

The balconies, placed at different positions in

each unit, lend themselves to fl exible use. Residents

can either extend their indoor space or dedicate an

outdoor space by adjusting the external balcony

shades as they prefer. Thus, The Siena’s dynamic

layout and façade enable homeowners to maximise

their unique living space, and also set it apart from

the fi xed exteriors of neighbouring buildings.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Located in prime residential District 10, The Siena is

the fi rst Far East SO/HO residence to be built in the

prestigious Bukit Timah precinct. It is surrounded

by quality educational, retail and recreational

amenities. Reputable international and local schools

such as Nanyang Primary School, Anglo-Chinese

School (Barker Road) and Chatsworth International

School are located nearby. Residents can choose from

a variety of fi ne-dining restaurants and shopping

centres in Holland Village, Dempsey Hill and Orchard

Road, which are all less than a 10-minute drive away.

Nature-loving homeowners will appreciate

being near the Singapore Botanic Gardens, which

is home to about 74 hectares of lush greenery and

just a stone’s throw away. Also, there are abundant

opportunities for outdoor activity such as nature

hikes, with the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and

MacRitchie Reservoir Park close by.

Careful thought has been put into the design

so that the development exists in harmony with the

natural environment. Earth tones are incorporated

throughout the development, refl ecting the meaning

of siena, which is Italian for ‘ochre’. The mature trees

have been incorporated into the landscape.

Residents of The Siena will also have numerous

transportation options to choose from, with major

expressways just a few minutes’ drive away. In

addition, the development is located close to the

Botanic Gardens MRT Station on the Circle Line;

and come 2015, the Bukit Timah area will be served

by the Downtown MRT Line, allowing residents

speedy access to the Central Business District and

Marina Bay.

L A N D M A R K D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

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32

A MIX OF STYLESThe façades of the

houses of Townerville

come in an assortment

of architectural styles.

For example, the three-

bedroom units have

louvred vents which

are a distinctive feature

of traditional Malay

kampung houses.

TOWNERVILLE

Reliving History

SPOTLIGHT

Townerville off ers a rare combination of old-world charm and modern convenience. TEXT // WANDA TAN

SINCE BEING GRANTED conservation status by

the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in 1990,

the terraced townhouses along Towner Road, McNair

Road and May Road — collectively called Townerville

— have become an ideal place to live for those

looking to immerse themselves in a bit of Singapore’s

history while at the same time enjoying an abundance

of living space.

Built in the 1920s when Singapore was still a

part of the British Empire, the 84 two-storey houses

of Townerville were once the residences of British

colonial offi cials. After the British left Singapore,

the houses were used as private residences.

Earmarking the area for conservation in 1990,

the Singapore Government embarked on a

S$12.4-million upgrading project to restore the

houses to their original splendour.

According to URA guidelines, all conserved

buildings must abide by the fundamental principle

of the ‘three Rs’: maximum retention, sensitive

restoration and careful repair. This means that any

upgrades or adaptations to such a building to make

it more suitable for modern-day needs must be done

as sensitively as possible.

Townerville exemplifi es this code, as many

touches refl ecting Singapore’s diverse architectural

history have been retained and restored.

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33

DEVELOPMENT Townerville DESCRIPTION Historical colonial townhouses from the 1920s that have been conserved and upgraded TENURE 99 years leasehold from 1990TOTAL UNITS 84UNIT TYPES 2-bedroom (2,127–2,532 sq ft), 3-bedroom (2,424–2,921 sq ft), 4-bedroom (2,918–3,524 sq ft) ADDRESS Towner Road, McNair Road, May RoadLEASING ENQUIRIES

6223 5223

MOVING WITH THE TIMES After the houses were upgraded, an open tender was

held for their sale. Far East Organization won the

tender and acquired all 84 homes for S$39 million.

Today, these partially- or fully-furnished

properties for lease now feature modern amenities

such as air conditioning and en-suite bathrooms

alongside original design details like arched porticoes

and high ceilings.

There are two-, three- and four-bedroom

units, with the façade of each type done in varying

styles. The look of the estate has remained virtually

unchanged since the 1920s. Each unit has a living

area, separate dining area and kitchen on the fi rst

fl oor, with bedrooms — some with balconies — on

the second fl oor.

In a nod to Singapore’s multi-racial heritage,

the houses incorporate a mix of different ethnic

infl uences. The two-bedroom units feature Chinese

architectural elements like uniquely shaped façade

beams and columns at the front entrance. The three-

bedroom units have Malay infl uences like pitched

roofs, rows of louvred vents and ornamental gable

tiles. The four-bedroom units refl ect European-style

architecture through the use of arched porticoes and

glass-panelled doors and windows.

Care has been taken to retain original structural

elements where possible. The timber staircase and

fl ooring on the second level still use the original

fl oorboards, which are periodically restored and

polished. The ceramic fl oor tiles on the fi rst level

have also been retained, although tenants can have

newer tiles or parquet fl ooring installed at a cost.

With individual fl oor areas of between 2,127 and

3,524 sq ft, the houses of Townerville offer residents

lots of space and ample room for creativity.

And besides having high ceilings, all units have

a big balcony or open terrace. Larger units also have

a spiral staircase connecting the upper fl oor to a

private rear courtyard below, which also makes for a

great alfresco entertainment space.

Though nearly 100 years old, Townerville

feels anything but dated. Modern comforts have

been added to the units, like air-conditioning, as

well as built-in ovens in the large kitchens. For a

contemporary feel, tenants can also opt to renovate

their homes according to their style.

And should they require, they can convert

the spare room adjacent to the kitchen into a

guest bedroom or move the washing machine and

dryer outside to the rear courtyard to free up even

more space.

MORE THAN A HISTORICAL LANDMARKAside from offering unique landmark homes,

Townerville has the advantage of location, being

just a short drive away from Orchard Road and

the Central Business District. The Boon Keng MRT

Station on the North East Line is a few minutes’ walk

away, and major roads like Balestier and Bendemeer

Roads are well-served by buses and taxis.

Food lovers have much to enjoy in the

neighbourhood, too — Balestier Road and

Whampoa Drive Market, home to many famous

food stalls and eateries, are within walking distance.

Townerville is also close to major supermarkets and

a short distance from shopping malls like, Square 2,

United Square and Mustafa Centre. Little India and

the Lavender area offer a multitude of late-night

dining options, while Bendemeer Secondary School,

Bendemeer Primary School and the Australian

International School are in the vicinity. The

Civil Service Club across the road also provides

opportunities for recreation and sports.

For tenants interested in working from home,

they can sign a lease agreement to set up a home

offi ce on the premises — provided that permission

is granted to the individual tenants by the URA,

and that they comply with conservation guidelines

so as not to detract from the development’s

historical value. Ph

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SPACIOUS HOMES NEAR THE CITYThe fl oor areas of the

houses range from

2,127 sq ft to 3,524 sq ft.

L A N D M A R K D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

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Located at the heart of the new epicentre of industrial growth in Tuas, The Westcom is primed to serve the needs of business owners and investors.TEXT // ELISABETH LEE

THE WESTCOM

Industrial Strength

ONCE A SLEEPY fi shing village, Tuas in

western Singapore has over the past few

decades developed into one of Singapore’s most

signifi cant industrial hubs, with the infl ux of

global brands and multinational companies

such as Shell, Novartis and Sinopec.

These developments join some 977

registered businesses in the area, anchored

by a 13-hectare Offshore Marine Centre and

Singapore’s fi rst integrated yard facility at Tuas

View Extension.

And with a slew of upcoming

developments on the way, Tuas is poised for the

next stage of its evolution. For example, Tuas

Biomedical Park recently welcomed Singapore’s

eighth biologics manufacturing plant

when biotech giant Amgen broke ground for

a S$200-million facility in June 2013.

Also in the pipeline is the new Tuas Port,

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35

which will replace the existing terminals

at Tanjong Pagar, Keppel and Pulau Brani

after their leases run out in 2027. When

completed, Tuas Port is expected to

handle up to 65 million 20-foot equivalent

units (TEU) a year — almost double the

current capacity.

Connectivity is also being upgraded,

with four new MRT stations coming up in

the area by 2016 as part of the Tuas West

Extension, which will save rail commuters

up to 35 minutes of travel time. Together

with a new road viaduct providing an

alternative to Pioneer Road, traffi c fl ow in

the area will be enhanced signifi cantly.

ENTER THE WESTCOMLocated along Tuas South Avenue 3, a

10-minute drive to the Tuas Second Link,

The Westcom is the latest project to service

this future growth area designated by

the Government for heavier Business 2

industries (including warehousing, utilities

and telecommunications businesses).

A six-storey development by Far East

Organization, The Westcom comprises

144 warehouse and factory units over a site

area of 200,477 sq ft.

The Westcom features column-free

unit layouts that will enable businesses to

easily partition and organise space. High

windows and entrances up to 8m wide

and 4.5m high mean each unit is spacious,

bright and well-ventilated.

There is also ramp-up vehicular access

to all units that cater to 40-foot containers

at Level 1 and 20-foot rigid frame lorries up

to Level 6.

The loading and unloading bays can

accommodate 40-foot containers as well.

Together, these features make for an easily-

adaptable property investment that will

suit any business need.

The Westcom offers owner-occupiers

and investors plenty of options. “With the

limited supply of new private industrial

developments in land-scarce Singapore,

these new developments will give owners

greater fl exibility,” said Mr Tan Boon Leong,

Executive Director, Colliers International.

“Coupled with the longer 42-year land

tenure, business owners will be able to reap

higher yields compared to the 30-year

leasehold tenure for all Government

Land Sales industrial sites imposed by the

authorities last year.”

STRONG DEMANDThe Westcom saw healthy sales with its

fi rst release fully taken up within a week of

launch in June 2013. To date, 126 units out

of a total 144 units have been sold.

The positive response refl ects a

healthy demand for business space in the

area, with 60 per cent of units bought for

investment. About 90 per cent of buyers

are Singaporeans. The Westcom’s strategic

locale and value proposition, coupled with

its modern infrastructure, accessibility and

business-attuned fl exibility, contributed to

the strong sales.

The growth of business investments

and projects in the manufacturing,

shipping and biomedical industries in

the Tuas area, among others, will

continue to sustain keen interest in the

development.

GROWTH AREAThe Westcom is the

latest project to service

Tuas, the next growth

area designated for

Business 2 industries.

DEVELOPMENT The WestcomDESCRIPTION A six-storey Business 2 (B2) ramp-up industrial development in the heart of Tuas that features a column-free layout for fl exibility TENURE Leasehold 60 years from Jul 9, 1996 ESTIMATED TOP

4th quarter 2016SITE AREA 200,477 sq ftTOTAL UNITS 144 (excluding canteen)UNIT TYPES 72 warehouse units (1,808-4,252 sq ft) and 72 factory units (2,099-4,252 sq ft)ADDRESS Tuas South Avenue 3ENQUIRIES 6221 9979

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The tallest building in the

Swedish capital Stockholm,

the 117m-tall Scandic

Victoria Tower is a bold

icon in a generally low-rise

metropolis. A winner in the

hotel and leisure category of

the 2012 World Architecture

Festival, its tessellated

coloured glass exterior

changes appearance

depending on the viewing

angle, the time of day and

the season. Though aimed

at business travellers, the

229-room hotel is light and

airy with light-coloured

timber fl oors that do not

conform to the sombre

business hotel template.

Glass Eyrie

IMPACT

Designed by Wingårdh Arkitektkontor, Scandic

Victoria Tower has 8,000 panes of glass supplied by

Skandinaviska Glassystem.

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L A N D M A R K D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

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Best Developer Southeast Asia and Singapore

SOUTH EAST ASIA PROPERTY AWARDS 2011

Eight FIABCI Prix d’Excellence Awards

WORLD RECORD HOLDER OF THE HIGHEST HONOUR IN INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE

Landmark is published by MediaCorp Pte Ltd (Registration No: 199201312E) for Far East Organization Centre Pte Ltd (Registration No: 197001007E). Copyright of the materials contained in this publication belongs

to MediaCorp Pte Ltd and Far East Organization. Nothing contained in it shall be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without prior

written consent of MediaCorp Pte Ltd and Far East Organization. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of MediaCorp Pte Ltd nor Far East Organization and no liabilities shall be attached

thereto. All rights reserved. Editorial enquiries should be directed to feoca@fareast.com.sg. While every reasonable care will be taken by the Editor, no responsibility is assumed for the return of unsolicited material.

All information correct at time of printing. MCI (P) 148/03/2013. Printed in Singapore by Times Printers, Singapore (Registration No: 197801823M).

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