Far East Organization (远东机构), Frasers Centrepoint Limited (星狮地产有限公司) and Sekisui House, Ltd. will soon be launching eCO, an innovative and ecologically-designed residential development situated along Bedok South Avenue 3, 400 metres from the Tanah Merah MRT Station. With a strong registration-of-interest, the 748-unit integrated development is the first private residential development project at the Bedok South area to be launched in the past 30 years.
In Harmony with Nature
Based on the theme “In harmony with nature”, eCO seeks to integrate native flora and fauna from the surrounding landscape with the five residential lifestyles offered within a gated community – SOHO, Suite, Loft, Condominium and Townhouse. Nestled within the mature estate of Bedok next to the low rise landed homes of Limau gardens, the development is well connected to major arterial roads and expressways such as the ECP and PIE, as well as the Tanah Merah Interchange Station.
An Ecological Lifestyle
“Ecology is about the intricate and self-sustaining relationships between organisms and their environments, and this concept is the inspiration for our latest development eCO. Our vision for eCO is to create an intelligent and sustainable development that contributes to the fabric of the community and its environment,” said Mr Chia Boon Kuah, Chief Operating Officer of Property Sales and Executive Director, Far East Organization.
“It will be quality real estate that brings value to buyers, not only in monetary terms but also in the way it promotes community interaction and nurtures the environment. Employing best practices in design and the natural sciences, eCO has been carefully planned to work with the site’s natural terrain and surroundings. By preserving the mature rain trees and adding even more greenery to the site, eCO will play a vital part in the local ecology by supporting native flora and fauna, while at the same time draw on nature for the enjoyment of its inhabitants.”
Artist’s Impression of eCO
SOHO Concept with a Japanese Twist: The Icoi House
Leveraging on Sekisui House Ltd’s expertise on space planning, eCO introduces a new SOHO concept with The Icoi House – a Japanese concept of “A Place of Relaxation” showcasing interior design developed by Sekisui House Ltd to maximise the use of space for live, work and play while incorporating spatial ergonomics.
The Icoi House aims to bring forth an oasis of relaxation and recreation at home, featuring Zen designs that seamlessly merge functional work spaces, private living area and innovative storage solutions. A detailed study of spatial flow and usability has provided insights and design ideas for a well thought through spatial arrangement in the SOHO units at eCO.
“The idea of The Icoi House is to create a personal haven for relaxation after a busy day at work while not forgoing the usability of the space by maximising storage areas with good space planning,” said Mr Kenta Konishi, Managing Director, Sekisui House Singapore Pte Ltd. “To ensure a user-friendly space, we conducted a study that evaluates the movement and flow of a resident in a SOHO unit, starting from the moment he steps into his apartment to the next few touch points in the apartment while taking into consideration his needs and the function of each touch point.
For instance, immediately after he walks into his apartment, he is likely to put down his keys, bag, and laptop, so we will ensure that need is met by designating a space for a cabinet for that purpose. We have also proposed a space called STAGE right next to the entrance where he takes off his shoes and jackets and change into a relaxing outfit. Therefore, a lot of thought will be put into allocating space for specific functions while combining tasteful Zen inspired natural interior design with a Japanese touch.”
The Green Corridor. A Diversity of ‘Urban Ecosystems’
To bring a vision of ecological lifestyle to life, the consortium engaged a team of multidisciplinary experts led by DP Architects, and including ICN Landscape International and world-renowned ecological architect Dr Ken Yeang.
The heart of the eCO lies in its one-of-its-kind Green Corridor – a 100-metre long nature trail of boardwalk through a lush woodland garden landscape of conservation trees currently lining the eastern border of the development, complete with a scenic bio-stream coursing through at the end of the trail. As part of the effort in creating this unique nature trail, extensive ecology studies have been done to research on the native flora and fauna of the surroundings by Dr Yeang and his team of ecologists, while working closely with the landscaping architects to generate an optimal ecological environment for the native flora and fauna to flourish. Residents will enjoy a changing variety of different flora and fauna as they walk through the Green Corridor.
Not only will this elevated walkway provide residents a leisurely stroll to get in touch with nature, it will also help preserve and protect the existing trees on site, as well as enable wildlife to move between the larger wooded areas and the green areas around the development.
In Harmony with Nature
Special attention was paid to the impact of building layout, materials and finishes on air flow, outdoor and indoor temperatures, building features, and mechanical and engineering provisions to ensure high standards of economy and efficiency. Complementing this approach is eCO’s landscape design which promotes a beautiful, balanced and diverse array of ‘urban ecosystems’ for residents, visitors and wildlife.
Central to its principles of passive greening, eCO’s landscape design will encourage native biodiversity, harvest rainwater, aid in cooling of the site, reduce heat gain of buildings and filter dust particles from the air through innovative features that include:
- A Rain Garden located at the southern tail of the development, has been designed to collect, filter and store rain water runoff to be reused in water features and irrigation of the landscape. At full capacity, the garden would be able to collect enough water to irrigate the gardens and landscaping plants in eCO for three days.
- A dedicated Community Plot. Like-minded eCO residents will be able to grow and plant their own vegetables, fruits, herbs in a dedicated community plot, adding to the vibrant and richly planted facades, gardens and roof spaces of the development.
- A balcony for every unit to extend one’s living area into the lush greenery and landscaping enveloping the development.
Mature Estate Adds to Appeal
Bedok, with a population of 295,000, has the highest concentration of Singapore residents among the five planning regions, according to the Department of Statistics in its 2011 report on population trends. By 2015, Bedok Town Centre will be revitalised into a vibrant hub with the new town plaza, heritage park, hawker centre, and multi-storey car park. Sports enthusiasts can also look forward to the integrated Community and Sports Complex located within the town centre. When completed, the town centre will also have a fully air-conditioned Bedok Bus Interchange with a direct link to the Bedok MRT Station.
“Situated in close proximity to the Bedok Town Centre, eCO will appeal not only to home buyers attracted by the comprehensive infrastructure, but also to long-time residents of the area. The variety of lifestyle options offered at eCO is a unique proposition that allows residents to “grow” within the development across a lifetime. For instance, couples can upscale to a larger apartment, or downsize to smaller homes as their family nucleus changes, with no need to uproot from the locale. The Suites and SOHOs at eCO will also appeal to singles and young couples who wish to have their own private space while remaining close to their families in living in the area,” said Mr Chia.
eCO is estimated to T.O.P in 2017. The eCO sales gallery and show flat is open for viewing at Bedok South Avenue 3.
Inspiring better lives
Far East Organization is the largest private property developer in Singapore, with a growing reputation for building innovative and functional spaces and providing high quality experiences and value for its customers. Since its establishment in 1960, Far East Organization has been contributing to the transformation of Singapore’s urban landscape with more than 700 developments in the residential, hospitality, retail, commercial, and industrial sectors, including 42,500 or one in six private homes in Singapore.
Frasers Centrepoint Limited (FCL), the wholly-owned property arm of Singapore-listed consumer group Fraser and Neave, Limited, is one of Singapore’s top property companies, with total assets close to S$9.7 billion. To date, the company has a combined global land bank in excess of 30 million sq ft.
Sekisui House Limited, founded in 1960, is Japan’s leading housing construction company with sales in 2011 totaling 1,530 billion yen (SGD 24.80 billion) and collective assets of totaling 1,446 billion yen (SGD 24 billion). The company celebrated the completion in Japan of its two millionth home in year 2010.
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