Construction starts on Changi Jewel Airport in Singapore

This week saw construction get underway for ‘Project Jewel’ at Singapore’s Changi Airport. The project will see the construction of a brand new complex, complete with entertainment facilities, shops and hotels, as well as a much-needed expansion of the existing terminal. The idea is, according to airport management, for the Jewel to become a destination for the lifestyle-conscious and help promote Singapore and Changi as an attractive transfer point. Changi Airport’s Project Jewel will be located in front of terminal 1, in place of what was previously a parking garage. In the midst of the complex one will find 22,000 square metres of plants and foliage surrounding the ‘Forest Valley’, five floors with thousands of trees and plants. There will also be four smaller gardens, known as the 'Gateway Gardens', one in each quadrant of the complex, each with a different theme. The centre piece of the Jewel will be the 40-meter high ‘Rain Vortex’, expected to be the world's highest indoor waterfall. Those seeking enjoyment can head to the 'Canopy Park', where there will be entertainment facilities and attractions for young and old, as well as a food court with cafés and restaurants and views of the Forest Valley. There will also be a large number of shops, stocking both international and local brands. The hotel in the Jewel will be run by YOTEL, who currently operate hotels in London Heathrow and Amsterdam Schiphol and specialise in cabin-style accommodation. The hotel will have a total of 130 rooms. Changi’s Jewel is also a practical part of the terminal’s development and will allow the capacity of the terminal to increase to 24 million passengers per year. The ground floor of the Jewel will become part of the arrivals hall of terminal 1, meaning the the arrival area of the terminal will increase by 70 percent. Changi Jewel is expected to open in 2018.

Singapore Changi Jewel