Skift Take

A lovely addition to the already lavish experience of traveling through Changi Airport -- and a boon to the locals.

Changi Airport and its project partner CapitalMalls Asia, have broken ground on the 3.5 hectare site of the future Jewel Changi—a multi-use complex at the heart of the airport, in front of Terminal 1.

The glass and steel elliptical dome, scheduled for completion by the end of 2018, will have five stories above ground and five basement stories, with approximately 440,000 ft2 of floor area. A 72,000 ft2 indoor Eden, with thousands of trees, plants, ferns and shrubs, will also feature the world’s tallest indoor waterfall—the 131ft-high *Rain Vortex* a the heart of the Jewel—which transforms for a light and sound show at night.

“Apart from distinctive design, Jewel will break new ground with its unique mix of attractions, retail and airport facilities, integrated in a way like never before to create a slew of different experiences in a single visit,” said Mr Philip Yim, Chief Executive Officer of JCAD, the development and property manager of Jewel. “It will be a place where Singapore and the World meet. For international travelers, Jewel will be an exciting tourist destination. For Singaporeans, it will be a playground near home where they can share many happy moments with their loved ones. For our retail partners, the opportunity to reach out to the diverse mix of passengers at a major air hub presents exciting prospects.”

Designed by the Safdie Architects consortium, led by renowned architect Moshe Safdie, Benoy and local architects RSP, the Jewel will also enhance the journey with a multi-modal transport lounge for passengers connecting from their flights to cruises and coaches, and will include a 130 room YOTEL for passengers with long transit wait times.

To accommodate increased traffic, Changi Airport will expand its Terminal 1 through the redevelopment of the open-air car park, now part of the Jewel jobsite, and extend the footprint of the Terminal building by 70% into the Jewel, adding area for arrivals and baggage claim. Check-in counters will be converted to automated kiosks, to improve efficiency and also optimize the use of space.

“Today’s groundbreaking ceremony marks only the beginning of this exciting journey. Over the next few years, we will work hard with our designers and contractors to execute our vision and realize our aspirations for Jewel. We look forward to presenting, in four year’s time, an iconic, world-class destination that both Singaporeans and our passengers from all over the world will enjoy, bringing Changi Airport to its next level of growth.”

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Photo credit: Rendering of the new terminal at Singapore Changi. Changi Airport

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