Perhaps no place in the world has a collection of events spaces as unique and sustainable as Singapore, which has a well-earned reputation as one of the world’s best places for tradeshow success.
Possibly the world’s most sustainable event space is Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay, which was built on reclaimed land near Marina Bay and officially opened in June 2012. Only one of three planned gardens has been completed, but the 100-hectare, mostly outdoor garden is home to some of the most distinctive events spaces in the world and a dazzling variety of floral and fauna from around the globe. Free Wi-Fi is available in event spaces.
Featuring 18 “Supertrees” standing about 160 feet tall that collect solar energy by day, give off light by night and are covered in a skin made of tropical plants, Gardens by the Bay was built with environmental sustainability in mind.
“We built the gardens first, otherwise we would only have had small spaces left for it,” said Darren Oh, assistant director of business, Gardens by the Bay. “This is the best waterfront, and we want to keep it for the people. We see ourselves as being close to what Central Park is supposed to be.”
Among its many events spaces is The Meadow, which is approximately 70,000 square
feet of outdoor space capable of holding up to 30,000 people for outdoor events, concerts and other entertainment. The popular Supertree Grove is capable of holding up to 1,200 guests among 12 Supertrees with an Indochine restaurant and rooftop bar situated atop one tree.
The Silver Leaf event area is another outdoor venue tucked beneath the silver-hued leaves of several Supertrees and overlooking Dragonfly Lake. The event space occupies about 5,000 square feet and can accommodate up to 1,500 people.
Another event space is the acclaimed Cooled Conservatories at Gardens by the Bay, which last year earned “World Building of the Year” honors from the World Architecture Festival. Located in the world’s largest column-free green house, the Cooled Conservatories contain a wide range of plant life
in a greenhouse designed to mimic Earth’s various climates and situated among two unique structures.
The Flower Dome is home to a constantly changing array of flowers and other floral and fauna as well as Jubilee Hall, an indoor event space occupying about 3,800 square feet and capable of holding up to 1,000 guests. And the nearby Cloud Dome contains the world’s tallest indoor waterfall and is designed to mimic a mountainous rain forest. An impressive array of video displays and educational stations help teach visitors about the Earth’s climate and how mankind impacts it.
Gardens by the Bay and its impressive array of sustainable public and events spaces is within short
walking distance of the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Center, which is connected by a foot bridge spanning a small canal. The events venues are popular among sustainable exhibitors and those looking to host unique satellite events running concurrently with larger events at the nearby convention center.
“It’s really about the experience beyond the event itself,” said Oh. “You don’t just go for the event. You go to see the garden.”
The Marina Bay Sands, the largest hotel in Singapore boasting 2,500 hotel rooms and a convention center, opened for business in 2011. The Marina Bay Sands has a 99 percent occupancy rate while the Sands Expo and Convention Center has six large exhibition halls with column-free space and one of the largest ballrooms in all of Asia. The complex is crowned by an impressive sky deck on the 57th level, which has a popular infinity pool, restaurants, lounges and an observation deck.
Another unique event space situated near the Marina Bay Sands is the Singapore Flyer, which is located along the Marina Bay waterfront. A ride on the Singapore Flyer can make for an intimate business meeting space, and the facility itself has several event spaces available, including the Bay View Room capable of holding up to 100; the Megu Event Hall, which holds up to 300 and can be divided into two separate event spaces; and the Greek Theatre, which has room for up to 360 guests as well as semi-circular stage and available outdoor seating for corporate events and entertainment.
One of Singapore’s most visible landmarks, the Singapore Flyer is the world’s largest observation
wheel and takes passengers more than 500 feet high while contained in luxurious pods, each capable of holding up to 28 people in air-conditioned comfort. The ride takes about 30 minutes to complete and offers views of neighboring Malaysia and Indonesia as well as Singapore.
Also located near the Singapore Flyer is the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre, which in May is scheduled to complete a $150 million renovation in what was named “Asia’s Leading Meetings and Conference Centre” last year by the World Travel Awards and was named the best events venue in Singapore by the Singapore Tourism Board in 2011. The convention center already ranks among the best in Asia.
Having just completed a reworking of its facilities, the SingaporeEXPO is located near the Changi International Airport and has 10 large convention and exhibition halls offering more than 1.3
million square feet of exhibition space as well as the new, environmentally sustainable MAX Atria conventions and exhibition complex. The MAX Atria is Singapore’s first convention center to earn the BCA Green Mark Platinum award for environmental sustainability.
Resorts World on Singapore’s Sentosa Island is yet another exceptional event space capable of housing tradeshows as well as business conferences. The space is about a 20-minute drive from downtown Singapore and has more than 180,000 square feet of exhibition space available as well as one of the largest ballrooms in Asia. And when tradeshow and conference attendees are done with business for the day, there are a slew of nearby events and attractions to keep them entertained, including the Universal Studies Singapore theme park and Marine Life Park, which is home to 800 species of marine life at the world’s largest oceanarium and contains nearly 16 million gallons of water.
Regardless where a tradeshow might be held in Singapore, its collection of unique and sustainable events spaces ranks among the best anywhere.
