Orchard Turn in Singapore named ION Orchard

Following much speculation and name guessing, the brand new retail concept in the heart of Orchard Road in Singapore now has a name - ION Orchard.

ION Orchard is the retail component of the retail-cum-super-luxury-residential Orchard Turn development jointly owned and managed by Singapore's CapitaLand Limited and Hong Kong's Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited. It is targeted to open in the latter part of 2008.

Ms Soon Su Lin, Chief Executive Officer of Orchard Turn Developments Pte Ltd, said, "ION Orchard will be the magnet for Singaporeans, tourists and business visitors to Orchard Road. As its name suggests and reinforced by its tagline "Where It All Comes Together", ION Orchard will be a destination in itself, to which people will naturally gravitate, to experience the pulse of Orchard Road, one of the world's most famous shopping streets."

ION Orchard will bring together the world's best loved brands offering eight levels of intelligently designed shopping space - four levels above ground and four levels below.

Visitors will be treated to a unique shopping experience at some 400 retail, F&B and entertainment stores, which will include six of the top luxury Superbrands building their signature flagships in duplex units fronting Orchard Road, international brands and popular high street fashion and lifestyle stores carefully selected for their strong branding and innovative retailing concepts. In addition to the extensive stable of brands, an extensive food hall will offer visitors a myriad of food choices ranging from local favorites to international cuisine.

Some of the other distinctive design features of the mall include wide shop fronts, spacious arcades and generous ceiling heights, allowing tenants to present their brands in inventive and visually captivating styles. The luxury of ample interior space will allow for various configurations, including duplex concept stores.

ION Orchard is strategically located at the gateway of Orchard Road, Singapore's most premium shopping strip, and has a net lettable area of over 660,000 square feet.

Built directly above the Orchard Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station, it is easily accessible by train, bus and car. It is also connected to buildings in the vicinity via a well-linked underground pedestrian network.

Designed by leading architecture firm Benoy, who brought shoppers iconic malls such as the Bullring in Birmingham, UK, ION Orchard's signature futuristic architecture has already hauled two prestigious awards at MAPIC 2006 against stiff competition from submissions from around the world. These were for 'Best Retail Development over 20,000m²' and the 'Best Architectural Entry' at British real estate periodical Estates Gazette's EG Retail & Future Project Awards.

ION Orchard will boast a striking 117-metre frontage along Orchard Road. Media architecture will wrap around its entire façade to showcase the mall's retail brands, as well as serve as a fluid canvas for multimedia art and 'live' telecasts of events held within the complex, such as runway shows and themed events. It will also have the capability of screening 'live' global events.

ION Orchard will also feature the largest sheltered public square - ION2 - on Orchard Road. At 33,000 square feet, this outdoor space will be an ideal venue for large scale national events or gatherings of all sizes, and a natural meeting point. Some 200,000 pedestrians are within its immediate vicinity every day of the year.

A double-storey observation deck located on the 55th and 56th floors will offer a commanding panoramic view of the city from the highest point in the area. Named ION Sky, the observation deck will be an ideal venue for international runway shows, product launches, celebrity and themed parties.

More than just a mall, ION Orchard celebrates the arts and culture. ION Art, a 5,300 square foot space on level four, is dedicated to the exhibition of exclusive arts and cultural events. There are plans to work with local and international arts communities to showcase performance, visual, multi-disciplinary, sound and literary arts. There will also be fashion-inspired art shows and exhibitions by world renowned brands.

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