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Designing display units for some of the most exclusive condominiums in Singapore including Swire Properties’ Eden at 2 Draycott Park and Shun Tak Holdings’ Park Nova located at Tomlinson Road — Robert Cheng is the design director at Brewin Design Office is now a part of the development in the CBD and is giving old offices a fresh lease on new life.

One of the buildings is the 61 Robinson. It was constructed in the past by First Capital Corp (now GuocoLand) as their headquarters, the 20-storey structure located at the 61 Robinson Road was called Robinson Centre, and it was completed in 2000.

In September of 2019 the building was acquired from ARA Real Estate Partners Asia II which is a value add fund of ARA Asset Management, for $340 million. ARA then began an asset enhancement of $25 million program that included a minor revamp of the lobby and public areas and the lobby. The asset enhancements were not completed however, ARA sold the property to Singapore-based private equity firm Rivulets Investments, for $422 million in September.

Brewin Design was commissioned to manage the design and redesign of the layout inside the 61 Robinson. The renovations began in December of this year and were scheduled to be completed by the end of 2H2021. But, Covid delayed the completion by around eight months until February this year.

‘Hospitality-inspired environment’
The design in the first Robinson Centre is reminiscent of the Art Deco period, notes Cheng. The new interiors “we have taken inspiration from contemporary elements of a period dating back to the 1920s in New York”, he declares. “Through making use of detail and materials, including a beige color palette of limestone, marble and bronze, we’ve created a warm, welcoming space.”

The post-modern style for the structure was inspired by GuocoLand’s style of development in the construction of large-scale projects Cheng says. The building’s exterior is completely covered in granite The interiors feature a mixture of limestone and onyx and dark marbling.
The ceiling that was originally built for the main lobby was raised to fifteen meters (equivalent to five floors) in the middle, and dropped down to 10m (three levels) to the sides. “Standing at the center of the lobby felt like sitting in the cathedral,”” Cheng explains. Cheng.

The original layout of the principal lobby inspired by the feng shui principle that included a 15m-long water fountain made of yellow onyx marble either side. The retail units at both sides of the lobby looked “disparate and uninspiring”, Cheng adds.

Interior and exterior changes as well as facades
ARA was appointed by ARA Forum Architects as the submission architect, and they were also commissioned to design and build the podium part of the facade. Forum Architects therefore demolished a set of glass panes that were tinted on the façade and replaced them with steel louvers in the shape of angle-shaped facets. They drew inspiration from the geometrical forms seen in the facade of the house.

The whole five-floor car park floor was converted into commercial space with a leaseable area that ranges from 8,000 to 10,000 square feet. The restructuring of the interior space as well as the demolition of parking floor slabs to allow for the construction of a commercial space that could be let on the fourth floor along with the remainder of the interiors and exteriors, was carried out through Brewin Design.

The lobby was given a massive remodel, which saw the previously opaque entryway transformed to completely transparent high-quality glass that measures 4m that runs across the entire 60m of the frontage, with both retail spaces that are on either side.

In order to expand the narrow entrance lobby, the inside flooring was integrated with the public passageway or five-foot path outside, by the flooring material and finishes in receding patterns. “Blending public circulation spaces together with the offices’ private space creates an openness feeling in a place that was previously closed off,” says Cheng.

“New and improved proportions”
Brewin Design redesigned the walls and ceilings in the lobby, creating “new and more proportionate spaces” according to Cheng. The ceiling’s height was reduced down to 10m over the entire 6,000 square feet space for the lobby. “The space did not just become more proportional, it also became more relatable, but it managed to preserve its grandeur and grandeur,” he adds.

The cladding used on the walls inside the lobby was also altered. The lower part of walls (4m) are now completely coated with white Iranian limestone, which is laid out as six horizontal bands of around 80mm thickness. The 10m-high part is an etched copper wall with a vaulted ceiling made of copper.
The lobby’s front is completely covered in glass, the sculpted perimeter wall is now wrapping around the interior of the lobby as well as the exterior wall of the five-foot wide. “The stone wall serves as an anchor to this lobby” claims Cheng. In order to further link the lobby with that five-foot walkway, the floor made of metal with a ripple on it on the entrance of the lobby was recreated as that of the five-foot-wide way to the outside.

Partitioned walls which formerly separated retail spaces from the lobby have been removed. “Instead of segregating these two areas our lobby was designed to allow an increased visual as well as physical link between future F&B or retail F&B operator and the lobby” claims Cheng. “Having Two F&B or retail units open onto the lobby could increase the amount of activity.”

‘Good bones’
ARA bought the building 61 Robinson because they believed it was a good investment because it had “good bones” Cheng says. Cheng. But, ARA wanted to transform the 61 Robinson into a better office building that would give a greater impression of its location and also to distinguish its location from the other structures located on Robinson Road in the CBD. As opposed to the typical Grade A office tower, this building is only 20 stories and floor plates ranging from between 8,000 and 10,000 square feet. Tenants who choose to lease the building include funds, family offices, and small-scale businesses with around 10 employees.

Brewin Design has refreshed the common areas on each floor, including common restrooms. Other renovations within the building include the electrical and mechanical systems, as well as mechanical ventilation and air conditioning systems in order to improve energy efficiency. These conform to the environment as well as BCA Green Mark ratings.
Working on the 61 Robinson, Brewin Design has been approached by “quite some homeowners” across Robinson Road to remodel their properties. Discussions are in progress as per Cheng.

Brewin Design has also been selected by ARA to design the main lobby of the Capital Square office building as well as the quadrangle that is that is in its front. The office building, which is 16 stories tall, was designed through Keppel Land and completed in 1998. ARA acquired the 50% part of the property by acquiring it from Alpha Investment Partners in September 2016.

Improvement of the public square
in February SMFL MIRAI Partners, an affiliate of Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing as well as Kenedix which is an affiliate of SMFL and an investment fund that is operated by ARA declared that they’d made an investment of $297 million into Capital Square.

In the square that is directly to the left of Capital Square is a 6m-tall rectangular water feature. Brewin Design will be enhancing the area and transform it into a 12m-long water feature that has a slight curvature.

“The area has always been scorching and barren,” relates Cheng. “We are planning to plant trees and greenery to decrease the amount of hard surface.” The current waterfall includes a small reflecting pool that Cheng plans to expand. “Hopefully the increased water surface will assist in cooling the area,” he adds.

The gazebo on the corner, that only covered the pedestrian walkway, is now going to be extended. Cheng plans to put in benches in the area. Cheng hopes that with more shade, greenery and seating the public will be more eager to visit the area. He hopes to finish the improvements to the square and main lobby by the end of December.

In conjunction with the CBD Incentive Scheme introduced in 2019 as part of the URA Master Plan, Cheng expects to see the CBD experiencing a dramatic change in the coming 5 to 8 years. The renovation of the 8 Shenton Way (former AXA Tower), Fuji Xerox Towers and Maxwell House into new mixed-use developments, in addition to the IOI Properties Group’s forthcoming hotel and residential development at Marina View, “will bring new vitality in the CBD” Cheng adds.