Singapore is a massive metropolis of a city with plenty of buildings that form an impressive skyline. There are many iconic skyscrapers with unique architecture and many more are being built right now.
Out of all these buildings there is one that sticks out as my favorite. The Parkview Square building lies about two blocks from where I live and since the area has fewer tall buildings, this one stands out like an imposing overlord of the domain.
It struck me as unique because of its very un-Singaporean design. It sports an art deco style, complete with gargoyles and statues, that makes it look like it would be more at home in old New York or Gotham City. I have actually heard some people refer to it as the ‘Batman building’ when it looms overhead at night with an eerie glow. I was really curious about its origins and asked a old cab driver about it (I learn a lot from these guys).
Apparently, the building is not as old as it looks. A Taiwanese tycoon had it built in 2002 and it is mostly used for office space. However, the ridiculously rich foreigner is very picky about who rents out space and would rather see a space remain empty than rent to an ‘unsuitable’ tenant.
As if the building wasn’t weird enough, the bar in the lobby, dubbed Heaven, has a three-storey high wine chiller and when people order a bottle, their server will put on goofy angel wings, strap himself to a harness, and ‘fly’ up to the higher parts of the shelf to grab the bottle.
So that’s Parkview Square: the skyscraper I walk by every day that reminds me that the city I reside in is just as crazy and full of surprises as the ‘Batman Building’ itself.
hahaha this is my boyfriend’s favourite building in singapore. i never thought of it as the batman building though.
By: nuraini on July 28, 2009
at 11:09 am