Oasia Hotel Downtown
Envisaged as a ‘tropical tower’ in the concrete jungle, the Oasia Hotel Downtown incorporates lush greenery on its façade and terraces. The tower is like a giant tree - soft, layered, alive, breathing, shading – providing respite and relief to its occupants, neighbours and city.
Landscaping is part of the design palette. With more than 50 species of trees, shrubs and creepers, the tower creates a vertical ecosystem and reintroduces biodiversity into the city. In achieving an overall Green Plot Ratio of over 1,000% (i.e. the combined blue and green area is more than 10-times the site area), the tower compensates for the lack of greenery in the densely built-up CBD.
The façade, comprising of expanded aluminium mesh in tones of red, is designed as a backdrop to more than 20 species of creepers. The façade forms a living skin, passively shading, lowering surface temperature and ameliorating the urban heat island effect. Behind the façade, the creepers are planted in prefabricated fibre-glass planters on every storey for even coverage. Beyond the planters are aprons of steel catwalks with safety ladders and railings providing safe and practical access, without the need for external gondolas or “spiderman” maintenance. Incorporation of auto-irrigation systems minimises day-to-day maintenance.
The ground is duplicated 4 times up as Sky Terraces set between alternating L-stacks of offices and rooms. At each terrace, the planting bed is set down and the greenery stretches to the perimeter, with the façade terminating as safety barrier. To secure the trees against winds, they are tied to one another and individually to ground anchors with steel cables. The landscaping envelopes occupants with an intimacy more closely associated to the ground, creating unique skyrise green environments.
Overall, the tower is a giant mosaic of nature colours and textures, contributing to our City in a Garden.