More than two years out from its opening CapitaLand’s new Funan Mall is already 25 per cent leased.
Major Funan Mall anchor tenants have been revealed, spanning grocery and technology.
Opening a showsuite of the development, CapitaLand Mall Trust Management CEO Wilson Tan said the early commitment by retailers wanting a share of the net lettable area of 324,000 sqft, made the mall one of the company’s best-received developments to date.
“What is even more exciting is that each of our partners has committed to push the boundaries in its respective territory and experiment something new at Funan. The early commitment of a strong slate of partners from diverse fields, many of whom CapitaLand is working with for the first time, marks a very encouraging start for Funan’s mandate to inspire retail innovation and create a unique lifestyle proposition that energises retail with a surprising mix of play, craft, technology and fitness,” he said.
The redeveloped mall will be anchored by Newstead Technologies, which will open multiple concept stores spread across 15,000 sq ft. Other former tenants of the Funan IT mall which closed last year to make way for the redevelopment include AddOn Systems, which will operate Singapore’s Lenovo flagship and service centre and TK Foto, which will open a dedicated test zone for drone videography and photography.
Grocer FairPrice will open a supermarket of the future concept branded FairPrice Finest.
Carrie K., an award-winning homegrown artisan jewellery label that has achieved international acclaim and Keepers, a collective of Singapore designers – both founded by local designer Carolyn Kan – will open a flagship store at Funan. Kopitiam will run a high-tech food court.
Besides retail, W!ld Rice, Singapore’s professional theatre company, will build a 380-seat theatre with an innovative thrust stage design. Golden Village will operate a multi-dimensional cinema; Climb Central, will manage a 50-lane climbing facility.
Showsuite showcases integrated development
The showsuite which opened this week aims to bring to life what CapitaLand describes as “a brand new live-work-play paradigm with cutting-edge immersive virtual reality simulation technology”.
“It is the first retail showsuite in Singapore open to the public with lifestyle programs to engage and grow Funan’s community of fans, whom are affectionately referred to as the GEN F Tribe, more than two years ahead of its target completion in the fourth quarter of 2019,” the company said in a statement.
The focal point of the experiential showsuite is an immersive virtual reality simulation (IVRS) studio, which features a five-wall projection system (spanning the ceiling, floor, as well as the walls on the viewer’s left, right and front).
“The fully immersive environment enables viewers, who don special goggles, to navigate and explore Funan in a full-scale, computer-generated world. They enjoy a high-resolution and stereoscopic three-dimensional viewing experience far more superior than the realism offered by conventional two-dimensional images and videos displayed on desktop monitors and projectors,” said CapitaLand.
Located at the junction of High and Hill Streets, the two-storey showsuite incorporates design elements reflective of Funan’s design centerpiece “Tree of Life”, a wood-and-steel structure extending from Basement 2 to Level 4 that houses a variety of open platforms and studios that promote new forms of retail, experimentation and social learning. Designed by Singapore-based architecture firm Lekker Architects, the showsuite features open studios and meeting spaces.
