Singapore - VivoCity

VivoCity is one of the latest attractions in Singapore. Designed as a destination by itself, it even has it's own dedicated MRT line. It is now the largest shopping mall in Singapore with over 1 million square feet of retail space, bigger then the already huge Ngee Ann City at Orchard Road, and Suntec City.

When I first saw the design of VivoCity, I was really excited by the architecture. Designed by renowned Japanese architect Toyo Ito, it looked very different from a typical shopping mall which is usually just a dressed-up square box. This one has lots of open terraces facing the harbour, very organic curved forms, and the roof top is not just a roof but a public open space. 

Seeing the actual building, I was a bit disappointed. The real thing just did not have the same dream-like quality of the early renderings. For a Singapore building, the workmanship was also surprisingly below standard.

Still, VivoCity is worth a visit as it is very different from the usual shopping mall. What sets it apart is the roof top garden which covers the entire shopping mall, with lots of different play areas for kids as well as relaxing corners for everyone else. You also get views of the harbour and Sentosa Island from here.

VivoCity is next to the Singapore Cruise Centre, where Star Cruise liners make their stops.

Inside there's not much to set it apart from other shopping centres.

The roof top is where you want to be. It is a really nice public space, especially for the kids.