Once a symbol of inner-city living in what was then Singapore’s new Downtown, The Sail @ Marina Bay has completed a three-year, $3 million upgrade.
When City Developments (CDL) first launched The Sail @ Marina Bay in October 2004, the project scored multiple firsts: it was the first residential development in Marina Bay, Singapore’s new Downtown area. Soaring 70 storeys, Tower 1 was then the tallest residential tower in the country (Tower 2 stands at 63 storeys). With 1,111 units, it remains the largest residential project in Marina Bay and the CBD.
Many of the current council members of The Sail’s management corporation strata title (MCST) have been on board for over a decade, overseeing upgrading works across the sprawling development. In addition to the two residential towers, a retail podium is located in the basement, which is connected underground to the Raffles Place MRT Station and the neighbouring buildings.
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“Like me, many of the council members spend more time on the MCST than we do on our own units, which are left to real estate agents to manage,” says a council member who only wants to be known as Mrs Chang. “Everyone has different interests and areas of expertise, and we all chip in.”
With 1,111 units, it remains the largest residential project in Marina Bay and the CBD (All pictures by Samuel Isaac Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)
In 2018, CBRE was appointed managing agent for The Sail. With the project marking its 10th year since completion (in late 2008), discussions soon began on upgrading its facilities and common areas.
“Approval was sought in 2019, but then the Covid pandemic hit,” recalls Augustine Cheah, chairman of the MCST council. “When we were finally ready, costs for materials, labour and construction had all gone up.”
The council initially held back on upgrading works, hoping that prices would stabilise. However, they didn’t. “We couldn’t wait any longer, so we commenced the works in 2022,” says Cheah.
A $3 million budget was set aside to refresh the condominium’s facilities and shared spaces, from the driveway and lobbies to sky terraces. The original design team did not work out, and six months later, the council appointed Cream as the design-and-build firm.
The lobby area of the facilities floor (Level 8 of Tower 2) has also been upgraded
The upgrading works were carried out in five phases from 2022 to 2025, with council members documenting the process in before-and-after booklets.
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According to William Goh, founder and director of Cream, the goal was to add value to underutilised spaces while using materials that would ensure low maintenance over the long term.
“We really stretched the dollar,” says Goh. “We didn’t spend unnecessarily. We kept whatever was in good working condition.”
Cream has become the go-to renovation company for inner-city skyscrapers, having been involved in the upgrading of Marina Bay Residences, and more recently, appointed to undertake upgrading works at the 221-unit Marina Bay Suites. Both residential towers are part of a mixed-use development that includes three Grade-A office towers at Marina Bay Financial Centre.
The former men’s spa on the eighth level of Tower 2 has been turned into a second gym
The first phase of upgrading works at The Sail focused on the facilities at Level 8 of Tower 2. The women’s spa was converted into a ladies’ restroom, with shower facilities and a steam room, while the men’s spa was turned into a second gym. The space nearby was turned into a men’s restroom, with a steam room and shower facilities.
The original gym next door to the new gym was also upgraded with new equipment.
The table tennis area was refreshed with a feature wall, new seating and a modern water cooler.
The exercise room, once underutilised, was transformed with warmer lighting, a contemporary feature wall with an integrated sound system, allowing people to connect their mobile phones to play their music playlists. “It’s now a very popular room,” says Goh. “Teenagers use it to film videos; others for yoga, dance or gymnastics.”
Even the lobby at the facilities level, once stark and clinical, has received a facelift — featuring terracotta wall tiles in warm tones, pendant lighting, and comfortable seating. “It’s become a cosy communal area where people meet or even work from,” Goh adds.
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The new workspace that has been carved out of the larger recreation room on the 34th floor of Tower 2
Outdoor facilities on Level 8 — including three pools, two tennis courts, and barbecue areas — are already well-used, but residents faced a shortage of function rooms. “Previously, there was only one main function room on the 44th level of Tower 1,” says Goh. “Getting a booking was like winning the lottery.”
To address this, the recreation room on Level 34 of Tower 2 was split into two: one side became a communal workspace, while the other was converted into a function room with sweeping views of Marina Bay. It has formal lounge seating, a bar counter, and is equipped with a sink and a refrigerator.
The workspace was necessary as many residents working from home needed a place to conduct business calls without distractions. “Now, both rooms are well-used,” says Frederick Soh, CBRE’s centre manager for The Sail.
The alfresco terrace outside the new function room was also transformed into a third function room, complete with seating, ceiling fans, a bar counter, a sink, and a refrigerator. “It’s a popular spot for alfresco dining, offering unblocked views of Marina Bay,” adds Soh.
To further activate the sky terrace on Level 34, a pool table was added (with invisible safety grilles), along with a yoga corner and seating areas. Previously, it was just a viewing gallery that was underutilised, adds Soh. “Since the upgrade, with the addition of the pool table, seats and yoga corner, the area has been utilised more.”
The alfresco terrace on the 34th floor has been turned into a third function room
The function room on the 44th level of Tower 1, together with the karaoke room next door, was also upgraded and soundproofed.
The foyer of level 44 was previously just an empty space with a long counter. “One day when I went there, I saw a man sprawled on the countertop, with his legs up and working on his laptop,” recalls council member Mrs Chang. “I thought if there’s demand for such spaces, then we’d better put in work stations. That triggered the renovation of the reading room into a workspace.”
After all, it was during the Covid-19 period, when working from home had become the norm. The reading room on Level 44 was therefore converted into a quiet workspace, with comfortable seating and tables conducive to focused work and study.
The ambience of the retail podium has also been enhanced with textured walls and timber strips. They are, in turn, complemented by the wave-like fins on the ceiling. Following the enhancements, the passageway of the retail podium also looks more spacious.
The ambience of the retail podium has also been enhanced with textured walls, timber strips and wave-like fins on the ceiling.
Once the internal upgrades were complete, attention turned to the public areas — the driveway, drop-off and tower lobbies.
The glass canopy, an original architectural feature by the late Peter Pran of New York-based global architecture firm NBBJ, was prone to cracks, even when something as small as a bolt drops, when an air-conditioning unit is being serviced, which happens once or twice a year.
Cream Studio added wave-like aluminium fins beneath it. “The waves, formed by a series of aluminium fins, are under the suspended glass roof,” says Goh. “They are not connected structurally, thus the glass roof can be maintained and replaced without affecting the new wave feature.”
Directional signs and “The Sail” monogrammed bollards were installed, while the water feature was enhanced with natural stones from China.
Inside, the main lobbies of both towers were refreshed with warm feature walls and elegant lounge seating.
The lobby and reception of both towers have been upgraded
“Sometimes, you just need to introduce a few trimmings and touches of luxury,” says Mrs Chang. “Suddenly, the whole space is transformed.”
Even though the $3 million budget has been fully utilised, the council isn’t quite done. More enhancements are planned, including upgrades and improvements to the foyer, workspace, and function room on Level 44 of Tower 1, as well as the lift lobbies of both towers and the security counter.
“After you refresh certain parts, other spaces start to look dated,” adds Mrs Chang. “We just want to fill in those gaps.”
The Sail’s MCST chairman uses annual general meeting (AGM) attendance as his barometer for residents’ sentiment. “Unhappy people attend AGMs,” says Cheah. “Happy people don’t. If the room is packed, there’s a problem. If it’s empty, that means everything’s good.”
Since the makeover, AGM attendance at The Sail has been low. “Usually, condo makeovers attract plenty of complaints,” says Cheah. “This time, we’ve hardly had any complaints. So we conclude that the makeover has been well-received.”
William Goh of Cream Studio (seated, extreme left) and Frederick Soh, centre manager (standing, second from right) together with The Sail MCST council members: Mr Chong (standing, second from left), Augustine Cheah (seated, centre) and Mrs Chang (seated, second from right)
Over the years, The Sail has evolved from a predominantly investor-owned development — with about 80% landlords and 20% owner-occupiers — to a split closer to 70:30, notes CBRE’s Soh. “The demographics today are mainly white-collar professionals, many expatriates and increasingly young couples and singles,” he adds.
Cheah believes the shift to younger owner-occupiers also reflects Singapore’s changing property landscape. “As suburban prices went berserk, some realised that on a psf basis, city condos were comparable — sometimes even cheaper than those in the suburbs,” he adds.
Another council member, who prefers to be known only as Mr Chong, agrees. “We’re seeing more young buyers entering the Core Central Region (CCR).”
Chong is also of the view that the upgrading works have also led to an uplift in rents at The Sail. The 883 sq ft, two-bedroom unit at Tower 1, which he owns, was recently leased for $6,300 per month. Located on the 37th floor, the unit is non-bay-facing and partially furnished. It was previously leased at $5,500 per month.
For Cheah, the success of the upgrading works hinges on collaboration. “We had a good designer, a cohesive council, and a managing agent who supervised the renovation works and kept everything on track,” he says. “All the different parts that mattered worked well together.”
The council’s efforts have given the residential skyscraper a renewed sense of life — and a second wind.
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