2. The d'leedon is a milestone project, the very first condo development in Singapore to be
designed by the internationally-acclaimed London-based architect Zaha Hadid. Zaha Hadid
is the winner of various global architectural contests, and has gained many awards along
with honors, like the highly esteemed Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004.
Her effort is revolutionary and influential; pushing the limits of layout, exploring spatial
concepts in breathtaking ways, challenging the norms. There is nothing boring nor
commonplace with regards to her work. The d'Leedon, having its smooth outlines and
sensuous curves, can never be wrongly recognized for any of the various other innumerable
condos that dot the urban scenery of Singapore.
It is perhaps fitting then, that the d'leedon condo uses up a gem of a location: within the
prime District 10 enclave, close to the Singapore Botanic Gardens and Orchard Road
downtown. Rising majestically above the encircling high-end luxury bungalows as well as
low-rise condos, d'Leedon's seven 36-storey towers provide an unobstructed outlook to
Singapore's skyline as well as views of expanses of green north at Macritchie Reservoir,
3. north-west at the Bukit Timah nature reserve, as well as east to the Singapore Botanic
Gardens.
In an unconventional and also innovative move, the 150-metre high towers seem to rise
from sunken gardens within the panorama. The floor level is conceptualized like a green
coating, evoking the lush vegetation that's so much part of the local climate. This landscape
is structured into a group of terraced plateaus which maximise the spot for public facilities
as well as greenery, and create interesting scenery and areas.
D'Leedon's towers are positioned and oriented to optimize the site, as well as views out to
the surrounding and city skylines. According to Zaha Hadid, d'Leedon presents "an
opportunity to continue exploring the architectural language of fluidity".
The silhouettes of the towers taper inwards at the lower floors, kinking in at the base to
lessen the footprint and to generate unique as well as highly exclusive gardens. Every tower
is divided into petals, that correspond to the number of apartments per floor, with its three-
dimensional forms giving definition to the facades and also allowing for cross-ventilation.
Simply by varying the particular sizes of the units and also 'petals' on every floor, the towers
seem to grow organically in curving silhouettes and flowing lines.
4. These towers culminate at the top which has a stepped outline that transitions the building
with the sky.
This USD$1.7 billion project is being developed by a consortium led by CapitaLand; the
other partners of the consortium are Hotel Properties Limited, Wachovia Development
Corporation, as well as Morgan Stanley Real Estate Special Situations Fund III, L.P. The
D'Leedon condo is currently the largest residential project in Singapore's history.
