Following much speculation and name guessing, the brand new retail concept in the heart of Orchard Road now has a name. It is ION Orchard. From today, Orchard Turn retail mall will be referred to as ION Orchard, the premier location in Orchard Road, and promises to be a world class destination that ensures many firsts in Singapore's retail scene.
The new name, ION Orchard, alludes to the magnetic pull it will have on Singaporeans, tourists and international retailers who will be drawn to the destination for its award-winning architecture, cutting edge technology, multi-sensory experience and most importantly, the multitude of innovative retail concepts and comprehensive retail offerings.
ION Orchard is the retail component of the retail-cum-super-luxury-residential Orchard Turn development jointly owned and managed by Singapore's CapitaLand Limited and Hong Kong's Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited. It is targeted to open in the latter part of 2008.
Ms Soon Su Lin, Chief Executive Officer of Orchard Turn Developments Pte Ltd, said: "ION Orchard will be the magnet for Singaporeans, tourists and business visitors to Orchard Road. As its name suggests and reinforced by its tagline "Where It All Comes Together", ION Orchard will be a destination in itself, to which people will naturally gravitate, to experience the pulse of Orchard Road, one of the world's most famous shopping streets.
"The name ION Orchard resonates a high level of energy, dynamism and magnetism, characteristics of an ion, an electrically charged particle. ION Orchard is a unique yet catchy name with easy recall and will appeal to a wide audience. With its unrivalled location, a collection of flagships of the world's best loved brands and key design features that will provide shoppers with a multi-sensory retail experience, ION Orchard will strengthen Singapore's status as a key destination on the global retail scene."
ION Orchard - the Name
An ion is an electrically charged particle, a natural magnet, dynamic, full of energy and attraction, and has the potential to be just about anything. The name, ION Orchard, projects the personality of the retail mall, evoking a dynamic, energetic and multi-sensory experience, in line with its vision to become the 'centre of gravity' in the city's premier shopping district. The 'I' in ION also puts the emphasis on the individual and the personalised experience that this retail destination will offer.
Redefining Shopping and Lifestyle
Bearing the hallmarks of a natural magnet, ION Orchard will bring together the world's best loved brands for their flagship and concept stores. It will house the most number of brands within one development, offering eight levels of intelligently designed shopping space - four levels above ground and four levels below.
Visitors will be treated to a unique shopping experience at some 400 retail, F&B and entertainment stores, which will include six of the top luxury Superbrands building their signature flagships in duplex units fronting Orchard Road, international brands and popular high street fashion and lifestyle stores carefully selected for their strong branding and innovative retailing concepts. In addition to the extensive stable of brands, an extensive food hall will offer visitors a myriad of food choices ranging from local favorites to international cuisine.
Some of the other distinctive design features of the mall include wide shop fronts, spacious arcades and generous ceiling heights, allowing tenants to present their brands in inventive and visually captivating styles. The luxury of ample interior space will allow for various configurations, including duplex concept stores.
A Magnetic Presence in the Heart of Orchard Road
ION Orchard is strategically located at the gateway of Orchard Road, Singapore's most premium shopping strip, and has a net lettable area of over 660,000 square feet.
Built directly above the Orchard Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station, it is easily accessible by train, bus and car. It is also connected to buildings in the vicinity via a well-linked underground pedestrian network.
Designed by leading architecture firm Benoy, who brought shoppers iconic malls such as the Bullring in Birmingham, UK, ION Orchard's signature futuristic architecture has already hauled two prestigious awards at MAPIC 2006 against stiff competition from submissions from around the world. These were for 'Best Retail Development over 20,000m2' and the 'Best Architectural Entry' at British real estate periodical Estates Gazette's EG Retail & Future Project Awards.
ION Orchard will boast a striking 117-metre frontage along Orchard Road. Media architecture will wrap around its entire façade to showcase the mall’s retail brands, as well as serve as a fluid canvas for multimedia art and ‘live’ telecasts of events held within the complex, such as runway shows and themed events. It will also have the capability of screening ‘live’ global events. This unique feature will enhance ION Orchard's magnetic presence.
ION Orchard will also feature the largest sheltered public square - ION2 - on Orchard Road. At 33,000 square feet, this outdoor space will be an ideal venue for large scale national events or gatherings of all sizes, and a natural meeting point. Some 200,000 pedestrians are within its immediate vicinity every day of the year.
A truly unique retail experience for Singaporeans and visitors
A double-storey observation deck located on the 55th and 56th floors will offer a commanding panoramic view of the city from the highest point in the area. Named ION Sky, the observation deck will be an ideal venue for international runway shows, product launches, celebrity and themed parties.
A Celebration of the Arts and Culture
More than just a mall, ION Orchard celebrates the arts and culture. ION Art, a 5,300 square foot space on level four, is dedicated to the exhibition of exclusive arts and cultural events. There are plans to work with local and international arts communities to showcase performance, visual, multi-disciplinary, sound and literary arts. There will also be fashion-inspired art shows and exhibitions by world renowned brands.
The management is currently in discussion with a number of organisations including the National Arts Council, DesignSingapore Council and Singapore Tourism Board on collaborative efforts to bring arts and cultural events to shoppers through the mall.
As developers of the last prime site in Orchard Road, the joint partners want to make this a truly unique retail experience for Singaporeans and international visitors. ION Orchard will be world class in every feature and facet and home to the most ground-breaking retail concepts of the world's best loved brands.
About the Orchard Turn development
The Orchard Turn development is a prime retail-cum-super-luxury-residential landmark project located at the gateway of Orchard Road in Singapore. Jointly owned and managed by CapitaLand Limited and Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited, the iconic development is strategically situated above the Orchard Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station and will enjoy underground connectivity to nearby buildings. When completed, the Orchard Turn development will boast over 1 million square feet of retail space (ionorchard.com) and super luxury homes (www.theorchard.com.sg).
With a 56-storey residential tower measuring 218 metres, the development will be the tallest building along Singapore's premier shopping street, offering spectacular panoramic views. Along with its excellent frontage and high visibility along Orchard Road, the shopping mall is poised to become the shopping district's "centre of gravity". The architect of the Orchard Turn development is RSP Architect Planners and Engineers, while Benoy Ltd is the form architect and retail planning consultant. Other major consultants involved include Squire Mech Pte Ltd and Davis Langdon & Seah Singapore Pte Ltd.
About CapitaLand Group (www.capitaland.com)
CapitaLand is one of the largest listed real estate companies in Asia. Headquartered in Singapore, the multinational company's core businesses in real estate, hospitality and real estate financial services are focused in gateway cities in Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East.
The company's real estate and hospitality portfolio spans more than 90 cities in over 20 countries. CapitaLand also leverages on its significant real estate asset base, financial skills and market knowledge to develop real estate financial products and services in Singapore and the region.
The listed subsidiaries and associates of CapitaLand include The Ascott Group, Australand, CapitaMall Trust, CapitaCommercial Trust, Ascott Residence Trust, CapitaRetail China Trust and Quill Capita Trust.
About Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited (www.shkp.com)
Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited (SHKP) is one of Hong Kong's largest property companies, and its core business is in developing all types of projects both for sale and investment. The company has created some of the most memorable icons on the Hong Kong skyline, including International Finance Centre – currently the tallest building in the territory – and it is now developing International Commerce Centre, which will take over as Hong Kong's tallest when it is finished in a few year's time.
The company has built a strong brand name over the decades, along with a reputation for premium quality and comprehensive customer care across the residential, office and retail markets. SHKP developments are known for first-class architecture and the highest standards of construction, materials, facilities and service. The company's property development business is supplemented by complementary activities in sectors such as insurance, estate management, hotels and car parks.
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