Orchard Road, named after the nutmeg & fruit plantations which once lined the 2 kilometer long street, is one of the world’s most renowned shopping streets. Lined on both sides by massive shopping malls and a vibrant pedestrian promenade, Orchard Road is one of Singapore’s most popular tourist destinations. Here’s a bit more on the architecture of Singapore’s shopping street.
ION Orchard
Located in a prime location above Orchard MRT station and connected underground on all sides, ION Orchard features 8 floors of shopping and a 50 storey condominium on top. At the very top is a spectacular paid public observatory with panoramic views down Orchard Road and towards the city from 218m above ground.
Design Orchard
Shopped til you’re about to drop? Take a break at Design Orchard. The building houses a design shop featuring the work of local designers so you can pick up some souvenirs, but make sure to check out the publicly accessible rooftop. It was designed to feel like a hilltop park with great views of Orchard Road, lush landscaping, and lots of interesting corners to explore. A hip cafe has just opened on the rooftop too!
Wisma Atria
This mall is mainly known for it’s underground passage between Ion Orchard and Ngee Ann City. This mall keeps changing over time, and has had at least 3 different facelifts over its lifetime.
268 Orchard Road
One of the newest malls along Orchard Road, this sleek glass box opened recently and doesn’t seem to be well tenanted. But the mall does feature a 24/7 robotic safety deposit service.
Ngee Ann City
Home to iconic department store Takashimaya, this is one of the most beloved and recognisable malls on Orchard Road. The building is located on a site which was previously a graveyard, and it’s rumoured to be designed to be shaped like a traditional Chinese tombstone to dispel bad luck.
Emerald Hill
Orchard Road is crammed with fancy modern malls, but for something a bit more charming and authentic, check out Emerald Hill. The street lined with traditional shophouses is just near Orchard Gateway and Somerset MRT Station, and it’s worth checking out the well-kept conservation buildings (there’s also a few good bars!).
Orchard Towers
One of the most infamous malls on Orchard Road is Orchard Towers, which dates back to the ‘70’s and is known colloquially as the ‘four floors of whores’ because… well it is.
Orchard Gateway
Orchard Gateway is the first mall on Orchard Road to be connected above and below the actual road. Check out the bridge at level 3, which is a transparent glass tube with great views of the streetscape!
Orchard Central
Orchard Central is a HUGE mall, but the coolest part is the free public rooftop garden with great panoramic views of the city. Just take the mega escalators on the outside of the building to the rooftop and soak up the free views!
