A glimpse of EDEN, Swire Properties’ first ultra-luxury condo in Singapore

Hong Kong-listed Swire Properties announced on April 17 that its maiden residential project in Singapore, named EDEN, will be completing in 4Q2019.

The project is located at 2 Draycott Park in District 10, one of the most prestigious neighbourhoods in Singapore. EDEN is a redevelopment of the former Hampton Court, which Swire Properties had purchased en bloc for $155 million at the end of December 2012. The price translated to a land rate of $2,526 psf per plot ratio (psf ppr), which was a record that had remained unbroken until June last year.

Multi-award winning British designer Thomas Heatherwick is the designer of EDEN. Heatherwick is famous for projects such as The Hive or Learning Hub at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University; the Vessel art installation at New York’s Hudson Yards; and the Olympic cauldron at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

EDEN marks Heatherwick’s first residential project in Asia. “We wanted to create something distinct for Singapore, in contrast to a skyline filled with angular steel and glass towers,” says Heatherwick. “Our design recreates the verdant garden access once ubiquitous in the city’s homes, extending the landscape of Singapore from ground level through the building via hanging gardens.”

An exclusive development, EDEN contains only 20 apartments. Each apartment will have four en suite bedrooms and occupy an entire floor spanning more than 3,000 sq ft. With the “hanging gardens” as the centrepiece of the development, residents will enjoy a “private garden in the sky”, unobstructed 270-degree views and complete privacy. “This is truly a home in a garden, where residents can enjoy an unparalleled lifestyle,” adds Heatherwick.

Its greenery and sustainable design have earned EDEN the highest accolade - a Green Mark Platinum rating from Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA).

This is not the first collaboration between Heatherwick and Swire Properties. About a decade ago, Heatherwick had “contemporised” Swire Properties’ Pacific Place mall in Hong Kong, says Adrian To, director of residential at Swire Properties.

Besides Pacific Place, other commercial and mixed-use developments in Swire Properties’ 13.2 million sq ft portfolio include Taikoo Place and Cityplaza in Hong Kong, as well as Taikoo Hui Sanlitun and INDIGO in Beijing, Taikoo Hui in Guangzhou and HKRI Taikoo Hui in Shanghai, according to DBS Group Research in a report on March 15. The Hong Kong company also developed the landmark Brickell City Centre, a US$1.05 billion ($1.42 billion), 4.9 million sq ft, mixed-use development in Miami, Florida.

Swire Properties is also known as a developer of ultra-luxury apartments in Hong Kong. In November 2015, the most expensive apartment sold in Asia was the 12th and last unit at Swire Properties’ exclusive Opus Hong Kong in Mid-Levels. It fetched HK$509.6 million or HK$93,608 psf.

“We are excited to make our Singapore debut with a phenomenal residential project in the heart of the city,” comments Swire Properties’ To.