The Reef at King’s Dock: Award-winning homes along historic southern waterfront
The Reef at King’s Dock is a 429-unit waterfront residential development at HarbourFront Avenue (Picture: Mapletree Investments and Keppel)
Ask Buddy
The Reef at King’s Dock, the 429-unit waterfront condo at Harbourfront Avenue, is steeped in rich history. The development takes its name from its location at King’s Dock, a site that has contributed significantly to Singapore’s position as a maritime hub. When it opened in 1913, the dry dock, located in Keppel Harbour, was declared the second-largest dock in the world.
A pontoon spanning 180m floats on King’s Dock, alongside the residential blocks (All pictures by Mapletree Investments and Keppel)
The dock took over four and a half years to build, using 203,000 tonnes of concrete. Once completed, it could accommodate massive ships that would anchor at the dock before state-of-the-art steam engine pumps drained the water, allowing for repairs and maintenance.
King’s Dock was the third to be built at Keppel Harbour, following Docks No. 1 and 2, which were constructed in the mid-1800s. By the 1950s, Singapore had become one of the region’s busiest ports and a fourth dock, the Queen’s Dock, was commissioned. The docks remained active shipyards until the late 20th century, when operations moved to Tuas.
Since the early 2000s, Keppel Harbour has undergone significant redevelopment, transforming from a bustling harbour to an upscale waterfront enclave now known as HarbourFront, with luxury condos, marinas, and retail offerings. Today, the former dock sites have evolved into seafront condos such as the 969-unit Caribbean at Keppel Bay, completed in 2004, the 1,129-unit Reflections at Keppel Bay, completed in 2011, and the 366-unit Corals at Keppel Bay, completed in 2016.
The Reef at King’s Dock was the fourth condo to launch in the area. Occupying a 284,266 sq ft, 99-year leasehold site, the development by Mapletree Investments and Keppel was completed in July of last year. It also impressed judges at this year’s EdgeProp Singapore Excellence Awards (EPEA), who awarded the development three titles for Landscape Excellence, Innovation Excellence and Top Development.
Moses Lee (centre), senior vice president, investment & asset management of Mapletree Investments and Louis Lim (right), CEO, real estate of Keppel, receiving the Landscape Excellence award for The Reef at King's Dock from Ng Sze Oun, director of Compound Collaborative (Picture: Samuel Isaac Chua/The Edge Singapore)
Visionary design
The completion of The Reef at King’s Dock brings to life a visionary design by European firm KCAP Architects & Planners. Known for its large-scale projects that harmoniously fuse architecture, urban planning and landscape design, KCAP, in collaboration with Singapore’s DCA Architects, was tasked with shaping a development that honoured the site’s history while also adopting a forward-thinking approach to waterfront living.
The result is an intriguing design that stands out. The development runs parallel to King’s Dock, which now serves as a separator between the condo and Corals at Keppel Bay next door. Built on an “urban village” concept, the residences are spread across 10 blocks of varying heights and widths. The tallest block, at 10 storeys, is situated at the northern end of the site, closer to Mount Faber, while the remaining blocks are arranged in a stepped profile leading towards Keppel Bay, thus maximising views for the residences.
The arrival plaza fronting HarbourFront Avenue (Picture: Mapletree Investments and Keppel)
The blocks vary in shape, orientation, colour and facade details. The variety ensures unique traits for different blocks: for instance, some have triangular balconies that create a zig-zag pattern on the exterior, while others have open courtyards tucked in the centre.
The development was also designed to be eco-conscious. The residential units are oriented to optimise natural ventilation, aided by balconies that have aluminium mesh sunscreens to keep the heat out while still allowing in light and wind. Landscaping was added to the building roofs, along with rainwater harvesting systems.
The developers also opted for energy-efficient air conditioning, lighting and lift systems, along with water-efficient fittings and appliances. In recognition of its sustainability performance, The Reef at King’s Dock was given the Green Mark GoldPLUS rating by the Building and Construction Authority.
Units at The Reef at King’s Dock comprise one- to three-bedroom units ranging from 431 sq ft to 1,572 sq ft. When the development launched for sale in January 2021, the developers released 300 units, of which 280 were snapped up in a single day. The development was fully taken up last year, with caveats lodged showing that the last unit sold was a 1,076 sq ft, three-bedroom-plus study apartment that fetched $2.98 million ($2,768 psf) on Sept 9, 2024.
Some blocks feature triangular balconies that create a zig-zag pattern on the exterior (Picture: Mapletree Investments and Keppel)
First floating deck in a residential property
The residential blocks at The Reef at King’s Dock sit by the old dock wall, which offers a poignant visual reminder of the site’s rich past. Here, residents have access to what is arguably the development’s most unique feature: a 180m-long pontoon that is moored to the wall. Featuring three interconnected sections, it houses the condo’s swimming pools, including a 50m lap pool.
The floating deck — the first of its kind for residential properties in Singapore — is an engineering feat. Built with a custom concrete mix, it features semi-permanent water ballast bags within internal buoyancy chambers that counterbalance the pools above and keep the deck level. The main structure was prefabricated off-site before being carefully towed by boat to the development.
The main structure for the floating deck was manufactured off-site and towed to King’s Dock (Picture: Mapletree Investments and Keppel)
Besides housing facilities, the deck has the added function of preserving King’s Dock’s marine ecosystem. Working with marine ecology specialist DHI Water & Environment, the developers designed the deck with special patterns on the submerged portion that encourage the settlement of marine flora and fauna. Additionally, corals which were harvested from King’s Dock and grown in a coral nursery nearby were transplanted back to the deck, where they can be viewed from the marine viewing hammock installed at one end.
In addition to the deck, The Reef at King’s Dock offers a range of facilities, including function rooms, a gym and studio, a tennis court, a playground and several gardens and pavilions. The tallest residential block also features sky terraces and a roof garden.
The playground area and tennis court (Picture: Mapletree Investments and Keppel)
Where land meets sea
Given the diverse urban village nature of The Reef at King’s Dock, landscaping was an important component that helped ensure overall cohesiveness. Grant Associates, the appointed landscape architect for the project, utilised extensive planting to create a lush, immersive environment.
Pathways in the development are flanked by greenery (Picture: Mapletree Investments and Keppel)
The spaces around the residential blocks were filled with a variety of greenery tailored for particular spaces. For example, plants accustomed to low lighting levels were selected for the interior courtyards, while residences located off main pathways are shielded by taller plants that help enhance privacy. Plants used for the landscaping focused on native and coastal species, reflecting the site’s maritime heritage.
At the floating deck, small trees and shrubs, set within raised planters, add a welcoming touch to the poolside lounge areas. In addition, the old dock wall was transformed into a biodiverse landscape feature, featuring plants adaptable to the marine environment set in planters on the wall.
Select blocks feature an interior open courtyard (Picture: Mapletree Investments and Keppel)
Ng Sze Oun, director of greenscape studio Compound Collaborative and a judge for this year’s EPEA, praised the development’s landscaping for how it thoughtfully spotlights the legacy of King’s Dock. “You can see that it really took into consideration every single detail of the site, from its location facing the sea, the ebb and flow of the tides, to the corals in the water,” he says. “By doing this, it helped the development convey the story of the site and the area.”
Check out the latest listings for The Reef At King's Dock properties
Ask Buddy
Follow Us
Property updates, 24/7.
Subscribe to Newsletter
Market insights, delivered weekly.
Top Articles
Search