PROJECT STORY
The challenge
Mall customers today crave for an immersive social experience, not just a place to shop. In response, CapitaLand planned to redevelop its Funan DigitaLife Mall but doing so led to several coordination and cost challenges.
Redevelopment of Funan
Creating a socially conscious and creative environment in Singapore’s city center
The solution
Arcadis strategized contract procurement methods, enforced strict variation control processes and carried out cost benchmarking of similar projects to meet the project’s unique requirements.
The impact
After its on-time and within-budget redevelopment, Funan is ready to serve Singaporeans who are in search of new retail, leisure and business experiences under one roof and enhanced by digital technology.
889,000 sq.ft
gross floor area
190
retail brands
The challenge
Gone are the days when people go to malls just to shop. Today, customers are looking for a holistic social experience that will enable them to live, work and thrive all in one place. Since 1985, Funan DigitaLife Mall in Singapore has been a one-stop destination for electronics and IT customers. Having seen the change in consumer behaviors, CapitaLand, the owner of Funan DigitaLife Mall, decided to redevelop the site into a mixed-use development which caters to the modern lifestyle of Singaporeans. However, transforming the more than 30-year-old mall was filled with many complexities from phasing requirements to cost management.
The solution
The redevelopment plan comprised a number of unique features such as a 200m cycling lane, a multisensory cinema and high-tech self-ordering kiosks, to name a few. The experience offered by these innovative features were envisioned to be enhanced with the help of digital technology.
The client, CapitaLand, thus commissioned Arcadis to provide cost management services to ensure that the project will achieve its goals while also remaining within the allotted budget. But how do you deliver effective cost estimates given the current status of the building, the project goals and all other project constraints? For starters, our team collaborated with various consultants to understand the technical requirements then conducted cost benchmarking of similar projects. We also enforced strict variation control processes and strategized to develop a contract procurement method that will match the project’s unique cost requirements. A combination of building information modeling and virtual design construction technologies were also implemented to achieve increased productivity, cost efficiencies and helped translate complex structures into approachable 3D visuals for stakeholders. Through close collaboration and effective communication with client and consultants, all contract packages were awarded within budget.
The impact
Funan is now home to 190 brands and provides a social retail experience that meets the needs of today’s tech-savvy shoppers. It also offers many firsts, including the first urban farm in a mall and the first commercial establishment in Singapore that allows cycling through its building. Beyond its new retail concepts and tantalizing features, Funan is a place for a new generation of Singaporeans who are eager to discover new ideas while enjoying a hassle-free leisure moment with their families and friends.
For us at Arcadis, we are extremely proud to be part of such an exciting journey and being hailed as Quantity Surveying Team of the Year at RICS 2020 Southeast Asia for our work is icing on the cake.
