There are many specialised business parks all around Singapore, but none are as unique as One-North at Buona Vista. Named in reference to Singapore’s geographical location, one degree north of the equator, it’s the first business park to cater to different segments rather than a certain type of worker.
The One North cluster, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, is made up of 8 precincts that epitomise the work-live-play environment. It is home to a community of 50,000 people, including over 400 leading companies and global institutions, more than 800 startups, 16 public research institutes, and 5 corporate universities and institutes of higher learning.
We take a look at what each of the precincts offers.
Biopolis: A Hub For R&D In Biomedical Sciences
Biopolis, an amalgamation of the words ‘biomedical’ and ‘polis’ (a Greek term for a city of about 20,000 people), was the first major development to be completed in One-North.
It was envisioned as Singapore’s first hub for R&D in biomedical sciences, serving as an ecosystem for both public research institutes like the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and private research organisations like GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to test ideas and eventually be commercialised under one roof.
Built in 2001, Biopolis was designed to be more human-centric, catering to the needs of researchers by creating an efficient, collaborative, and enjoyable working environment. Today, after six phases of development, the precinct contains 13 buildings named Genome, Centros, Matrix, Nanos, Proteos, Chromos, Helios, Neuros, Immunos, Synapse, Amnios, Singapore Innovation Centre, and Nucleos, occupying a total floor space of 3.7 million sqft.
Among the many lab facilities that are available, it offers the best bio-containment facilities, stem cell banks, and wet and dry labs, which individual research labs can book to use the shared equipment instead of needing to buy this expensive equipment for occasional use, lowering the capital costs.
Rent for commercial spaces at Biopolis is available for the following three types:
- Lab Unit: $205 – $209,333 per month for spaces ranging between 3.52 and 3,596 sqm
- Lab Unit (Basement): $374 – $207, 360 per month for spaces ranging between 9 and 5,000 sqm
- Office Space: $474 – $155, 496 per month for spaces ranging between 8.14 and 2,671 sqm
Read Also: Guide To Jurong Innovation District – Singapore’s Advanced Manufacturing Hub
Fusionopolis: A Hub For Infocomm Technology, Media, Physical Sciences And Engineering Industries
Similar to how Biopolis was meant to be a focal point for the development of biomedical sciences, so was the intention behind Fusionopolis. It was conceptualised as a hub to encourage the fusion of ideas between workers in the information and communications technology (ICT), media, physical sciences, and engineering sectors.
The complex, which was built over five phases over the past 20 years, span more than 30 hectares, consisting of Fusionopolis One comprising of Connexis and Symbiosis, that are meant for the infocomm and media industries; Fusionopolis Two, which comprises of Innovis, Kinesis, and Synthesis that house dry and wet laboratories, clean-room facilities for use by research institutes; Solaris, a green building that targets tenants from the infocomm, media, science and engineering industries; Sandcrawler building that houses media giants like Lucasfilm Singapore, the Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) and ESPN Asia Pacific; and, Galaxis, a 17 storey building that provides ready-built space for business parks, retail, and work-office-home-office units.
Rent for commercial office spaces at Fusionopolis is available at the following two locations:
- Fusionopolis One: Monthly rent ranges between $3,494 and $23,667 for office spaces ranging between 89 and 342 sqm.
- Fusionopolis Two: Monthlyrent ranges between $7,636 and $27,850 for office spaces ranging between 110 and 2,871 sqm.
Mediapolis: A Co-Location For Local And Foreign Media Businesses
The development of Mediapolis, a 19-hectare site, was to foster collaboration between the digital media industry and the high-tech cluster to create high-value products and promote R&D activities between them.
Among the first tenants to set up their base is Infinite Studios, an integrated media entertainment and creative services company that occupies a 24,078 sqm building that bears its name. It supports media productions with its state-of-the-art infrastructure, which includes two of the largest soundstages in Singapore.
Another familiar tenant in the precinct is Singapore’s national broadcaster, Mediacorp. It occupies the Mediacorp Campus, an 80,000 sqm development that comprises a 1,600-seat theatre, the Broadcast Centre, which houses three large production studios, and Mediacorp’s corporate office.
The third development in the precinct is the 11-storey office building, ALICE @ Mediapolis. It offers a vibrant office space, shared media facilities, and an assortment of flexible work-live-play-learn spaces suitable for both startups and established companies in the media industry.
LaunchPad: The Silicon Valley Of Singapore
The LaunchPad was initially started in 2011 at block 71 of Ayer Rajah Industrial Estate as an avenue where startups could cultivate an entrepreneurial and collaborative culture like what was achieved in Silicon Valley in the US. It provides co-working spaces, conference rooms, meeting facilities and a community space called Plug-in@Blk 71 to serve the startup community.
Situated next to the One-North MRT station, the cluster is home to a diverse range of enterprises from different fields such as engineering, infocomm, media, biomedical, financial technology (fintech) and urban solutions.
It was eventually expanded to five other neighbouring blocks to provide more institutional support and plug-and-play space to grow the startup ecosystem. The precinct also features Timbre+, a 23,000 sqm 650-seat food hall that is operated out of repurposed shipping containers and caravans. It has become a popular gathering point for both networking and unwinding after work.
Rent for modular units at Launchpad is available at the following rates for eligible startups, incubators and commercial companies such as venture capitalists:
- Office spaces ranging between 21 and 341 sqm: Monthly rent ranges between $622 and $8,539.
Nepal Hill: A Global Leadership And Talent-Development Hub
The Nepal Hill, which consists of conserved black-and-white colonial bungalows, serves as a global leadership and talent-development hub. It houses the training centre for Unilever Four Acres Singapore and ESSEC Business School.
Wessex: A Place To Live And Play Near Work
The Wessex precinct consists of 58 colonial black-and-white semi-detached houses and 26 blocks of walk-up apartments that were converted into work lofts, home offices, and home studios to provide housing options to the scientific and creative talents working within Biopolis.
The precinct also contains Tanglin Trust School, which provides British-based education to the international community, and a dining option, Café Colbar at Wessex Village Square.
Vista: A Place That Caters To The Retail And Dining Needs
Connected to the Buona Vista MRT station, Star Vista is the main commercial and lifestyle zone at One-North. Opened in 2012 at a cost of $976 million, the mall boasts 62,000 sqm of retail space containing 110 food and retail outlets.
It also contains a performing arts theatre and a 5,000-seat auditorium that are used by the megachurch New Creation for its services or other concerts.
Together with the Rochester Mall, which also offers a mix of f&b outlets, enrichment, and lifestyle services, they form the VistaXchange cluster, which adds vibrancy beyond office hours.
Ayer Rajah: Business Park For Emerging Industries
The cluster forming Ayer Rajah Avenue and Ayer Rajah Crescent is earmarked as industrial and commercial spaces for emerging industries. It is a short drive from the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) and a 15-minute walk from One-North MRT station, providing convenience to businesses and their workers.
Though there are large tracts of undeveloped land, businesses engaging in general manufacturing activities or having generic industrial usage can rent a unit at the following flatted factories operated by JTC:
- 20 Ayer Rajah Crescent: Monthly rent ranges between $426 and $21,608 for flatted factory units ranging between 11 and 604 sqm.
- 28 Ayer Rajah Crescent: Monthly rent ranges between $4,853 and $26,116 for flatted factory units ranging between 209 and 952 sqm.
Subscribe To The DollarsAndSense Business Pass
Enjoy what you are reading and want more? Join The DollarsAndSense Business Pass and unlock access to valuable tools, exclusive networking opportunities, and tap into the wisdom of industry experts to fuel your business expansion!
