Standing at 290m above sea level, Wallich Residences is the tallest structure in Singapore. The Vertical City is home to 181 prestigious homes, a five-star business hotel, grade A office space at Guoco Tower, a dedicated retail and F&B space and a double story urban park.
Inspired by Nathaniel Wallich, a close friend of Sir Stamford Raffles, had a strong passion for botany. He led the creation of Singapore’s first ever Botanical and Experimental Garden at Fort Canning.
The 5 in 1 integrated landmark development is in Tanjong Pagar Centre. Built above the Tanjong Pagar MRT station, it is the only residential and office tower with a direct link to the MRT station in Singapore.
Tanjong Pagar district is known as an enclave for the thousands of Chinese and Indian dock workers who had migrated into Singapore from the mid-19th century. It’s heritage buildings and shophouses compliment the high-rise development around the area.
The high end residential development is design by world renowned Skidmore, Owings & Merill, the same visionaries who created some of the tallest mixed-use buildings in the world.
Cheng Hsing Yao, Group Managing Director of GuocoLand Singapore, the developer of Wallich Residences, says, “To understand the lifestyle of the buyer, Wallich Residences is on point with what the client wants. The architects deliver the best in value for the prospective buyers.”
Comprising 181 units, it ranges from 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedrooms to penthouses and a one and only exclusive super penthouse at the 64th floor. The 1-bedroom unit starts from 614 sq ft while the super penthouse is a whopping 21,108 sq ft. The units start from level 39, above the hotel and office tower with the penthouse and super penthouse occupying the top floors.
Among the highlights of the Wallich Residences include an Infinity Pool on the 39th floor which offers a stunning view of the city. Located 180m above sea level, there is also a Sky Garden, gym, viewing deck and a casual dining room for residences.
On the 52nd floor, it gets more exclusive as there is a personal theatre, a networking suite, a library and a gourmet dining room where residences can bring their own Chef to have an awesome fine dining experience.
There are exclusive elevators for the penthouse and super penthouse which goes all the way to connect to the MRT station. There are other elevators connecting the other floors to the MRT station, lobby and car park as well for the other residences. The elevators take just under a minute to get from the 62nd Apex floor all the way down to the MRT.
With 44 units sold including a penthouse, the Wallich Residence serves as an investment to property investors as well. There are strong foreign interests in the project especially from neighbouring Malaysian and China. 20% of the buyers are made up of Malaysians or Malaysian PRs in Singapore.
According to Hsing Yao, “Malaysian buyers see Singapore properties as a good investment opportunity. Everyone is interested in owning a property here. Although the RM is lower compared to the SGD, the currency fluctuations are not a determining factor as Singapore is a natural business hub in South East Asia due to its strategic location.”
Hsing Yao adds, “The best part of the building has been reserved for the residences. Each unit from the 39th floor onwards offers a different viewpoint of the surroundings in the Tanjong Pagar district.”
Meanwhile, the office and retail space both have 99% occupancy with ING being the anchor tenant. Dentsu Aegis Network occupies 3 floors while GuocoLand occupies one floor. The Virgin Active Gymnasium by the Virgin Group is also located at the office block.
For the business travellers to Tanjong Pagar, Sofitel Singapore City Centre, the five-star hotel under Accor Hotel’s luxury and upscale portfolio occupies the other side of the Wallich Residences. The business hotel offers great connectivity within the Tanjong Pagar Central Business District. With elegant function rooms, a restaurant serving authentic French and Chinese cuisine, a lounge and tea bar and an outdoor pool, Sofitel is a magnifique setting for work, play and relaxation in the district.
The 150, 000 sq ft urban park, which is also the first double storey urban park in Singapore, is GuocoLand’s gift to the people of Tanjong Pagar. Prior to the development, the land was just an empty space with a small park. To keep the locals happy, the urban park allows them to carry on their fitness routines. The park has various programs going on throughout the week from group workouts to Zumba classes to public events and showcases.
GuocoLand is a premier developer and investor of prime projects like the Tanjong Pagar Centre, Leedon Residence and Martin Modern in Singapore. Moving forward, the company will also be developing 238 000 sq ft of land in the east of Singapore worth SGD 1.6billion.
As Hsing Yao puts it, “Integrated mixed developments are the future and a good solution for high density cities.”
