Executive Design
Issue 30 - May 07



When The Executive Centre expanded its SE Asia portfolio, the project aimed to combine a prestigious location in Singapore with top class interior design.

When expanding the range of serviced offi ce choices available to clients in Singapore, The Executive Centre were mindful of fi nding a new home that matched their image. According to Stephen Chatham, Group Services Manager, the decision to place themselves in the new One Raffl es Quay building was not too challenging, as“it is the most sought after building in Singapore, period” he says, adding that the reasons for this are “the location and building quality– the fact that it’s in the core legal and fi nancial district.” So, while keeping two fl oors in their previous location, Prudential Tower, an entire fl oor was taken in One Raffl es Quay, with a fl oor space of approximately 17,000 sqf.

Chatham says that the decision was infl uenced by the physical aspects of the space, which “has easy access to other parts of the city and allows us to have a lot of offi ce space, most with windows looking onto amazing views.” Another benefi t of choosing a newly built tower is that EC can meet that the most sophisticated
IT infrastructure requirements of its clients. With competitors such as Regus also active on the Singapore market, this is an important competitive advantage and
the building’s position as “a landmark building with these facilities allows us to market our product easier”, says Chatham. He also points out that the building’s modernity and advanced technological capabilities match the contemporary image they wish to project.

Paul Salnikow, CEO, The Executive Centre, led the project team, taking on Jones Lang LaSalle to form the project from the agent’s side. He decided he wanted
“a New York kind of feel which would appeal to the banking and fi nancial institutions as well as the other varied professional sectors that we attract”. As such, the selection of the designer and project manager was crucial. Chatham highlights that ”a considerable amount of effort is put into choosing the right consultants.”

Criteria for selecting the project manager included “A proven track record of project management, an ability to create accurate budgets, excellent trouble shooting skills and dynamic team work skills”. Chatham explains that “Our consultants learn with each project and that allows us to make enhancements with every new project.” In order to match the status of the location, it was also important to establish a strong creative baseline and find a designer who could match this with flair and vision. Fiona Hardie, MD, Fiona Hardie ID has partnered with The Executive Centre on previous projects and was an obvious choice.

Unifying design features
Hardie strived to create a design which not only incorporated the standards and finishes specified for all Executive Centre’s, but also elements associated with
Singapore. She believes that there is a combination of reasons for the success any office design. One factor for success is to include design touches from the external environment as architectural features within the interior space. Hardie notes that she loves the trees and tropical feel of Singapore. She says “I wanted to bring this detail into the office and to think of way of having the leaves as some form of graphic without compromising the corporate nature of the office. The leaves were incorporated several ways within the design of the tenancy.”

The first place where leaves can be seen is the marble wall corridors at either end of the space, where a leaf pattern has been sandblasted into in to the surface. This feature is complemented by the floral arrangements in the tall vases on the marble shelf protruding from the wall. A custom designed graphic giving the impression of falling leaves is placed onto glass partitions, while a black leaf on a cream background is used in the break-out area to unify the design.

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