Marina Sands – Analyzing the Architectural Wonder of Singapore

Social infrastructure, technological developments, rich history and world-class tourist destinations… Singapore has gained worldwide recognition for these amazing qualities. But, what could massively elevate the glory of Singapore in the coming decade is nothing other than the architectural wonder called Marina Bay Sands! At a cost of $8 billion, Marina Bay is the world’s most expensive standalone casino property.

A brief history of Marina Sands:

Before we begin, here is something for the history enthusiasts:

Along with ‘Resorts World Sentosa’, a Universal Studios Theme Park, Marina Bay was the other proposal that won the bid for Singapore’s first integrated resorts. Both were designed to meet Singapore’s tourism and economic objectives for the next decade. After overcoming several hurdles such as high construction costs and financial crisis, the Marina Bay Sands was opened on February 17, 2011, amidst grand celebrations.

The Engineering Delight

So, what is exciting at Marina Bay? The real question is, what is not!

This mixed-use integrated resort draws together exciting facilities such as a magnificent hotel, convention centre, SkyPark, shopping and dining centres, casino, museums and a theatre. The very design of the resort is not as a building structure but as a miniature representation of the Singapore City – rooted in its culture, concurrent lifestyle and climate.

Hotels and SkyPark – Further Insight

Guess how huge is the Marina Bay Sands Hotel? Spanning across 55 floors, the hotel hosts 2561 rooms and is one of the 40 largest hotels in the world. The Hotels have three towers and they are joined on top by an absolute architectural wonder called SkyPark, which is longer than the very Eiffel! This three-acre space is nourished by the presence of gardens, swimming pools and jogging paths. The infinity swimming pool holds up to 1423314.83 litres, which means, if you were to drink a gallon a day starting today, you can empty the pool by 3018!

The 213 feet wide cantilever following the third hotel tower is credited as one of world’s largest public setup of such kind. To bring this magnificent cantilever alive, the architects and designers had to design a post-tension box girder that was as deep as 33 feet. Rome was not built in a day and the same applies to all the greatest achievements in the world. Ask the engineers and designers of SkyPark for they have seen it all! Lifting the SkyPark was a huge challenge and it really tested their creative wisdom. And boy, didn’t they show us what innovation really means!

A Unique Engineering Feat

The towers on which the SkyPark rests have a peculiar and striking form that brings out its unique identity. Every tower is shaped by two curved and splayed legs that incline into each other as they ascend, eventually joining to become one at the upper level. In the lower level, towers are enclosed to provide a view of hotel lobby and atrium, while at the upper levels, space is designed as an “urban window”, that provides views through the resort. Major steel trusses act as a link between individual portions of building’s legs, to present a framework to carry sheer through the towers and to hold the structure together in order to outstanding lateral forces.

Dining, Shopping and More!

Foodies & shoppers… Marina Sands has got you covered too. With over 300 retail stores and Food and Beverage outlets spread across 1,000,000 square feet, rest assured you will take plenty home from Marina Sands!

Stretching across 120,000 square-metre, Marina Bay’s convention-exhibition centre can host up to 45,000 people at a time. For gamers and gamblers, the world’s largest atrium casino with 600 table games, 2500 slot machines and 35 private gaming rooms is too good an offer to refuse!

How about some entertainment? The two grand halls of Marina; Sands and Grand Theatre, with a seating capacity of 1,680 and 2,155 respectively, have staged plenty of renowned shows such as Lion King and A.R Rahman’s Jai Ho. Very next to the theatres is also a skating rink.

Right from the days of Sejarah Melayu who gave this city its name, the world has always looked at Singapore with awe. Known for its serenity, the Garden City is a perfect modern-day example of how to maintain your heritage all the while moving ahead in technology! So, when are you catching your flight to Southeast Asia?