Simply Abu Dhabi XXVI

Downtown City Limits Soaring into the sky with a boldness reserved for the fearless, Marina Bay Sands is a shining beacon of extrovert design, a feat of engineering, and an emporium of Singapore’s finest luxury. by Julia Zaltzman G ravity-defying and awe-inspiring in equal measure, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore is a superlative integrated resort. Comprising a 2,561-room hotel, a 120,000sqm convention- exhibition centre, a 74,000sqm shopping mall, a museum, two large theatres, celebrity chef restaurants, two floating crystal pavilions, a skating rink and the world's largest atrium casino, it is a beautiful behemoth. Billed as the world's most expensive standalone casino property on its opening in 2010, Marina Bay Sands has become the landmark of the Downtown Core area (also referred to as Central Business District), standing proud in the financial heart of Singapore. Neighbouring the Singapore stock exchange, the seat of parliament and the supreme court of Singapore, the elegant monolithic structure is crowned by a striking 340m-long SkyPark with a capacity of 3,900 people and a 150-metre infinity swimming pool set on top of the world’s largest public cantilevered platform, which overhangs the north tower by a staggering 67m. Designed by AIA gold medal-winning architect Moshe Safdie, the 20- hectare resort, with its triple-tower centrepiece, is said to have initially been inspired by card decks, and it is one of the finest examples of extrovert design. 1 0 4 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I