18 Cross
Giving new life to an existing building at the edge of Singapore’s Chinatown and CBD
18 Cross is a 15-storey mixed-use building situated in Singapore's dynamic city centre. Built in the early 2000s, the development was outworn while it straddled the boundary between the city's modern and sparkling facades and the rustic and storied lanes that form Chinatown. Cundall's brief was to transform the property from an outdated commercial building into a modern mixed-use building which realises the commercial and sustainability aspirations of the client and responds to the cultural and aesthetic sensibilities of the surrounding community.
The upgrade works to the asset cover all floors from basement, retail podium and office tower. With raised ceiling heights, upgraded lifts, and improved lift lobbies and facilities, the office tower has been transformed into a Grade A office space. The newly introduced double-height drop-off area with the renovated office main lobby enhance the arrival experience. Moreover, the addition of end-of-trip facilities on the car park floor, along with direct lift connections to the MRT concourse and road levels, supports a healthy, commuter-friendly workplace. The new configuration of retail layouts and the atrium has also enhanced retail experience.
The building façade has undergone a complete refresh with creative exterior lighting design and an aesthetically pleasing 10-storey external staircase integrated into the south façade, turning a functional requirement into an architectural highlight of the building. The full-height green walls, green roof, and planters introduce more greenery to the property, contributing to passive cooling. A rainwater harvesting system has also been implemented for plants irrigation.
Other improvements to the space included the advanced design of the air-conditioning system to improve energy efficiency, the redesign of lighting fixtures to minimise glare, and the implementation of an on-site renewable energy system with PV installation. Additionally, CO2 sensors were installed to achieve air quality standards that exceed twice the Singapore building code requirement on fresh air rate. Acoustic design measures were implemented to control exterior noise intrusions, and the high-speed Wi-Fi 6E technology was also installed to increase IT network accessibility.
A key criterion for the client was for the building to embody best-in-class sustainability standards, which included achieving both WELL V2 Core and Shell and Green Mark 2021 Platinum ratings.
From the partial demolition of the underutilised car park floor to create a double-height entrance, to the integration of a 10-storey external escape staircase with the new building façade, our design has unlocked additional GFA for new features and amenities.
