The LARGEST shopping mall in Singapore has just opened! Named VivoCity, it has 1.5 million square feet of gross floor space and has a capacity for 300 shops. Although only 60% of the shops are now open (official opening is in December), Fresh Brainz was there yesterday to take a quick peek at this behemoth.Whazzah!
New-fangled shopping malls tend to have water features. I'm not much into Feng Shui, but I've noticed that the water features have become more computer-controlled and elaborate over the years. For example, this wall of water jets changes height frequently. Another one inside the mall can produced wave-like patterns.
Perhaps Qi is enhanced by microchips?
Nowadays, architects try to make their designs as organic as possible. To conceal the box-like nature of this shopping mall, they put huge curvy structures on the outside. I understand their importance from a design point of view, but I can also imagine these as a maintenance nightmare in time.
The inside of the mall is also full of curves. I'm not talking about all the hot babes strolling inside. OK maybe I am. But the floor layout is also quite curvy. The centrepiece of the mall is this green triple-helix sculpture lined with blue light.
Oh look! It's a collagen triple-helix! Ooooooooh!
That's just my inner science geek speaking.
Oh did you notice that "VivoCity" has the same meaning as "Biopolis"? Huh? Huh?
Shut up brain! *pokes brainz with an Q-tip*
Mmrrppffff....better.
As for the shops, so far the line-up looks nearly the same as any other major mall, which is rather boring. However there is one important exception.
Gloria Jean's Coffees is back! They have the second best hot chocolate in the world. Tim Horton's has the best, but they are not available here, so I'll go for the second best quite happily.
Also, though many of the eateries are familiar franchises, they are positioned to offer customers a great sea view that other shopping centres cannot provide.
On top of that, VivoCity has a huge roof garden (pun fully intended) complete with an amphitheatre, trees, sculptures and water features. Here, check out the panorama I took:
There is so much space! Ah... you can just lie on the boardwalk, watch the boats in the harbour and enjoy the sea breeze.
This is the best shopping mall ever.
2 Comments:
Maybe Vivocity isn't that great after all. I think what makes it interesting is just th status of being th biggest shopping mall in Sg, and th roof garden.
Yes, the roof garden did it for me. :D
But you're right that it has some flaws. Design flaws. I spot a few bottlenecks where the passageway is too narrow. When the crowds come in, people have to squeeze through.
Though I think your point about the food court(under construction near the roof garden)is a bit unfair since VivoCity isn't officially open yet.
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