With its location on the edge of the Central Business District, it’s perhaps hardly surprising that Balestier is becoming an alternative destination for tourist looking for lodging. A series of affordable hotels can be found in this area such as Quality Hotel, Value Hotel and Ibis Hotel.

Arguably the most significant to open its doors is a new mixed-use development called Zhongshan Park. Sitting on a site spanning 17,650sqm, it houses two hotels – Days Hotel Singapore and Ramada Singapore – an office tower, and a 2-level mall.

Zhongshan Park development

The architects are DP Architects, while the hotel interiors have been designed by DPD+.

Zhongshan Park

The project adopts modern interpretations of Chinese architecture and garden landscape designs, in consideration of the surrounding Balestier context.

Zhongshan Park

As part of the overall master plan to integrate the adjacent Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall within the project, an area covering 4,624sqm has been dedicated as a public park, called “Zhongshan park”, in honour of Dr Sun Yat Sen (the founding father of the Republic of China).

The focus within the Park is drawn to highlighting two existing Banyan trees on site that have been slated for conservation. Courtyards are carefully planned around these trees, and to further soften the building edge, a continuous covered timber-decked walkway is designed along the periphery of the podium. This walkway eventually leads one to prominently framed views of the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall.

Ramada Singapore

The low-rise commercial building also sits harmoniously alongside the array of conserved shop houses characteristic of the Balestier area. The high-rise hotel and office towers, on the other hand, take on clean simple forms, and are cladded mainly in glass.

Ramada Singapore

Days Hotel Singapore

Inside, the 17-storey, 4-star Ramada Singapore hotel features warm, contemporary interiors, with subtle cultural references inspired by its locale, while the 14-storey, 3-star Days Hotel Singapore offers brighter interiors and playfully incorporates whimsical elements such as hovering birdcages in the all-day restaurant – a nod to the lush landscaped garden a stone’s throw away.

Days Hotel Singapore

Days Hotel Singapore

DP Architects
dpa.com.sg

DPD+
dpdplus.com