Located at Tan Quee Lan Street within the Bugis-Beach Road district, Midtown Modern is a mixed-use development that’s a model for urban city living and a haven for residents with its abundant facilities. Jois Phoo, General Manager of Product Development and Project Management for GuocoLand (Singapore) tells us more about this cutting-edge project.

Could you share what the vision was for Midtown Modern?

The conceptualisation for Midtown Modern started even as we were preparing to bid for the land. We had a strong vision to create an oasis in the city—a sanctuary resort that sits on a large, uninterrupted garden, as large as our site can offer. We also wanted to introduce a new interpretation of luxury living, including the luxury of large outdoor spaces.

The project features many family-friendly and attractive facilities like a roof-top kitchen, hot spring, jacuzzi, entertainment pavilions, a pet corner, tennis court and gym. Which facilities do you think would be most appealing to residents?

The entire collection of facilities should be considered as a whole. When deciding which facilities should be incorporated, we looked at lifestyles and experiences that would complement what the home has to offer. Additionally, we ensured there would be something for everyone in the family.

Residents can stroll through untamed gardens, play a game of tennis with friends, watch a football game over a BBQ, or entertain guests by cooking up a storm with specialised kitchen appliances at our four rooftop pavilions. Various corners offer different experiences while enhancing liveability and wellness.

Could you share the approach to designing the residential interiors?

We believe that the design for all the apartments should start from the perspective of the residents. From the most compact 1 bedroom units to the largest 4-bedroom units, each configuration was designed with efficient space planning in mind, and our brand DNA can be experienced throughout the apartments. We’ve provided a large and flexible canvas for the residents’ imagination and use, all while ensuring the best views for every corner through detailed planning.

Can you tell us about some of the apartments’ standout features?

All our units have a large and spacious rectilinear living and dining space which immediately opens up to reveal spectacular views of the city. This layout lets residents get creative with their use of space to suit their individual needs. We’ve minimised the corridor length within each unit while maximising useable spaces.

For example, compared to conventional layouts, our dining area can accommodate more people—you’d be able to comfortably fit a six-seater dining table in the two-bedroom unit’s dining area, and some three-bedroom units can host meals for eight. These examples may seem trivial, but they illustrate how we were able to maximise space and increase the liveability of our properties.

How do the interiors address current and future needs?

Prior to Covid-19, when we started conceptualising ideas for Midtown Modern, we wanted to keep the spaces within the compact apartments absolutely flexible, and with the pandemic, this approach has proved to be essential indeed. We’ve since gained a better appreciation for having private spaces, which is crucial when one considers the dynamics of having family members together at home all the time. Our multi-use and flexible spaces within each unit is well-suited for the now- common scenarios of working from home and home-based learning, all while maintaining a family-friendly environment.

There are over 10 lush thematic gardens and landscape areas on the property, could you share why it was important to incorporate these eco features and how they were designed?

One very important consideration we had while conceptualising Midtown Modern was to build a community and create an environment that promotes livability and wellness. Hence we made special efforts to incorporate elements of the natural world into modern environments, creating a biophilic design. We intentionally curated gardens that are not manicured but present a wilder type of beauty. Together, they deliver a unique lifestyle of living in a forest while being in the midst of the city.

How were the apartments designed to be more homely and serene in the city?

While Midtown Modern offers a unique city lifestyle, we sought to create a tranquil resort villa feel. The units present a calm and quiet form of luxury with materials that are earthy and tactile such as limestone, wood and granite. Our balconies are also unique as we broke away from using conventional glass railings and instead created half-walls to surround the area. This offers sightline privacy while letting residents enjoy the view while they sit at the balcony enjoying their cup of coffee in the morning.

Midtown Modern was designed to address evolving trends and even lead trends. What do you think makes the development most unique and attractive?

Our “City of the Future” concept is what makes Midtown Modern unique and attractive. We created a product to demonstrate how cities of the future can be liveable and sustainable, while at the same time remain deeply engaged with the community and surroundings.

The large expanse of greenery creates a very unique oasis in the city, a true sanctuary that one retreats to at the end of a busy day, enjoying the magnificent scenery of the surrounding Central Business District including Marina Bay, Raffles Place, Orchard Road and Kallang Basin.

For more information and to book a show flat viewing appointment, visit guocomidtown.com/midtownmodern.

This post was brought to you by Guocoland and adapted from the August 2021 issue of SquareRooms.