ION Orchard in the day

Pizzazz, kitsch, bling – all of these and more! ION Orchard has become the "centre of gravity" in the retail scene, with spectacular frontage and cutting edge designs and concepts. It brings together the world’s best loved brands for their flagship, concept and lifestyle stores within one mall, with over eight levels of intelligently designed shopping space – four levels above ground and four levels below – totalling 66,000 square metres of retail space at the prime site of Singapore’s commercial and shopping artery.

Visitors are treated to a unique shopping experience at over 300 retail, F&B and entertainment stores, which include six of the world’s top luxury brands building their signature flagships in duplex units fronting Orchard Road, international brands and popular high street fashion and lifestyle stores carefully selected for their strong branding and innovative retailing concepts. In addition to the extensive stable of brands, an extensive food hall offers a myriad of food choices ranging from local favourites to international cuisine.

ION Art, a dedicated programme, introduces new and multi-media art into the Integrated Mall experience and offers the best of Asian and Singapore modern and contemporary art and design from established and emerging artists & designers. This includes a 5,600 sq ft gallery space within the mall - the largest of its kind in Singapore, that houses international and local exhibitions and displays of art, design and new media.

Designed by leading architecture firm Benoy, ION Orchard’s signature futuristic architecture has won two prestigious awards at MAPIC 2006. The panel recognized that ION Orchard “demonstrates unique and progressive urban design” that will bring vitality to one of Southeast Asia’s most prominent sites. The Benoy team looked to nature for inspiration and re-imagined the orchards that made up the origins of the site, continuing the theme of growth in the design: from seed to stem to tree. The powerful organic presence communicated through a uniquely free form feel, amorphous cladding and tree-like columns provoke interaction between visitor and destination.

ION Orchard also won the Best Shopping Centre award at the MIPIM 2009 Awards.

For my synth of ION Orchard during the night, please go to http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=234f1463-6bd9-4fc2-af5b-437eb3067177

More info: http://www.ionorchard.com/