Facade of the Crowne Plaza Changi hotel... What were they thinking?

[singaporu_kooku]

With regards to design and architecture of Crowne Plaza Changi Airport or to any buidling for that matter, Singaporeans should just step out of the box and not be such a staid society. Which buidling in Singapore can we identify to be globally iconic???? We basically are no where on the map with regards to building design, what comes close is our airport so obviously Singaporeans are proud of it. I think all this has manifested through years of rigidity, staidness and compliance of the government and people of Singapore. Till we are able to step out of our boundaries, new culture and embrace change at a much faster pace....We will never be a London, Paris, New York, Tokyo, Milan, Barcelona, Melborune or Los Angeles, something which our government has alway falls short of achieving but loves to make the people of Sinagpore or themselves believe that we are up there with the big boys. No wonder the government of Singapore has to allow so many expats into Singapore cos the locals refuse to educated themselves and be more cultured and embrace change. Something to side track on...but coming back to the design of the hotel, I personally think WOHA is doing Singapore a huge favour in making our airport stand out even more with a soon to be award-winning ingenious design.

A lot of the posters here who do not like the facade are not even Singaporeans but from the very countries/places you just mentioned. I know of a few Singaporeans who actually like the design and are proud of it

[kapitan]

A lot of the posters here who do not like the facade are not even Singaporeans but from the very countries/places you just mentioned. I know of a few Singaporeans who actually like the design and are proud of it

Singaporeans love quirky designs.... the Durains... or the proper name, Esplanade is one of them.......

I once took a picture of the Esplanade from a boat on the river.... at an angle at which the Stamford Westin was in between, right in the middle of the two durains....... well, they don't call this Sin City for nothing....

To give you an idea of what I mean.. here are the pictures, after spending some time searching through my harddisks.....

[scooby5]

You beat me to mentioning the Esplanade, i quite like that.

[KeithMEL]

I actually passed by the CP whilst heading to the airport yesterday and thought it looked alright, a whole lot nicer in real life than in the pics.

[MAN Flyer]

Something to side track on...but coming back to the design of the hotel, I personally think WOHA is doing Singapore a huge favour in making our airport stand out even more with a soon to be award-winning ingenious design.

OK, don't overdo it. We don't generally allow advertising on here.

[sqforever]

With regards to design and architecture of Crowne Plaza Changi Airport or to any buidling for that matter, Singaporeans should just step out of the box and not be such a staid society. Which buidling in Singapore can we identify to be globally iconic???? We basically are no where on the map with regards to building design, what comes close is our airport so obviously Singaporeans are proud of it. I think all this has manifested through years of rigidity, staidness and compliance of the government and people of Singapore. Till we are able to step out of our boundaries, new culture and embrace change at a much faster pace....We will never be a London, Paris, New York, Tokyo, Milan, Barcelona, Melborune or Los Angeles, something which our government has alway falls short of achieving but loves to make the people of Sinagpore or themselves believe that we are up there with the big boys. No wonder the government of Singapore has to allow so many expats into Singapore cos the locals refuse to educated themselves and be more cultured and embrace change. Something to side track on...but coming back to the design of the hotel, I personally think WOHA is doing Singapore a huge favour in making our airport stand out even more with a soon to be award-winning ingenious design.

I think Singapore will achieve that kind of recognition one day. And sure global icons are good for the tourism industry and such, but when Singapore was built up the govt focused on creating proper infrastructure and housing for the people before focusing on flashy icons. I mean, the economy is booming (MasterCard ranked SG 4th in a recent study on the world's top centres of commerce) and we are opening up more and more. I mean, take the casinos for example. We have also ranked as the world's most globalised nation, so when it comes to being cultured I think many of us are up their with the top (I'm basing this off my comparisons of Singapore to other cities, particularly some American ones ). I should stop beating on about this, just remember, we are Uniquely Singapore

I've seen the Crowne Plaza several times in person already. I'm not sure what to think of it. It depends on the angle that you're viewing it from really. But its interesting.....thats all I can say.

[Nick C]

Actually, the more I stare at it... the more I like the design. Something to break the monotony of glass and cladding terminal structures. Not really a fan of the interior, it makes a traveller feel more tired after arriving. Btw, xyz (think it's jet airways) airline is using it as a crew hotel. Saw them gathering in the lobby yesterday.

[Intrepid Traveller]

Are you a Singaporean expat, IT? Your observations about Singapore seem far too rich to be those of a casual visitor from Botswana.

Anyway, I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that personally, I'm glad the facilities at the CP Changi far exceed the initial impressions given by the exterior. Handy for Priority Club stays too.

ahahah....I have lived in Singapore before for a short period of time and worked in an engineering firm there, now based in Botswana.

[UMD]

Well, I have seen it so many times as well. What I can say is that it is always an eyesore viewing it on the air side. But, on the land side, I really like how it looks with that white floral cladding all around.

[scooby5]

I think Singapore will achieve that kind of recognition one day. And sure global icons are good for the tourism industry and such, but when Singapore was built up the govt focused on helping the people before focusing on flashy icons. I mean, the economy is booming (MasterCard ranked SG 4th in a recent study on the world's top centres of commerce) and we are opening up more and more. I mean, take the casinos for example. We have also ranked as the world's most globalised nation, so when it comes to being cultured I think many of us are up their with the top (I'm basing this off my comparisons of Singapore to other cities, particularly some American ones ). I should stop beating on about this, just remember, we are Uniquely Singapore

Don't believe everything you read in the Straits.

[sqforever]

Don't believe everything you read in the Straits.

I don't, but that goes for all media really. Are you implying that the rankings are invalid or that they don't mean much in the real world (of course statistics usually don't, but they do show something about Singapore's new direction.....)? Are you Singaporean or an expat?

[scooby5]

I don't, but that goes for all media really. Are you implying that the rankings are invalid or that they don't mean much in the real world (of course statistics usually don't, but they do show something about Singapore's new direction.....)? Are you Singaporean or an expat?

Just saying rankings don't really matter...... for one set on number that say one thing it's easy to get numbers to show the other side. I'm a Gemini so inherantly see both sides of an argument/case

Having said that i only see the "ugly" side of the discussion about the Crowne Plaza. I don't see any virtue in it at all except it is so far out of the centre of SG than only those going to/from the airport will every see it

[jjpb3]

I don't, but that goes for all media really. Are you implying that the rankings are invalid or that they don't mean much in the real world (of course statistics usually don't, but they do show something about Singapore's new direction.....)? Are you Singaporean or an expat?

I think scooby5 may have been cautioning you about being so enthusiastic about drawing trend lines. Your swipe at 'some American cities' and your casual link from 'centre of commerce' to center of culture seem to indicate a really naive appraisal of how cities develop, particularly in large geographies.

Oops, I went OT. Back to regularly scheduled programming ... Crowne Plaza Changi, can't wait to try it.

[SQ LPP]

Crowne Plaza Changi, can't wait to try it.
__________________
If I want my dreams to come true, I mustn't oversleep.

You mustn't oversleep, so you can try Crowne Plaza Changi. It doesn't make sense, does it?

[fimo]

Finally saw the facade today when arriving by taxi at T2, I quite like it!