One Raffles Place
Encyclopedia
One Raffles Place, formerly Overseas Union Bank Centre (Chinese: 华联银行大厦), is one of the three tallest skyscraper
s in the city of Singapore
, sharing the title with the UOB Plaza One and Republic Plaza. At 280 m (918.6 ft), it was the tallest building in the world outside North America
at the time of its completion in 1986, surpassing South Korea
's 63 Building
completed 1 year earlier, until it was succeeded by the Bank of China Tower. 280 m (918.6 ft) is the maximum height permitted by the National Aviation Authority. The building sits at the city centre of Raffles Place
.
, well known for climbing skyscrapers, attempted a climb on this building in 2000. After reaching the 21st floor, Robert was persuaded by the police to give up and climbed back into the building through a window on the 23rd floor.
.
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
s in the city of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, sharing the title with the UOB Plaza One and Republic Plaza. At 280 m (918.6 ft), it was the tallest building in the world outside North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
at the time of its completion in 1986, surpassing South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
's 63 Building
63 Building
The 63 Building , officially the 63 City, is a skyscraper on Yeouido island, overlooking the Han River in Seoul, South Korea. At 249 meters high, it surpassed Sunshine 60 in Tokyo and became the tallest building outside North America when completed in 1985, but a few months later the title went to...
completed 1 year earlier, until it was succeeded by the Bank of China Tower. 280 m (918.6 ft) is the maximum height permitted by the National Aviation Authority. The building sits at the city centre of Raffles Place
Raffles Place
Raffles Place is a geographical location in Singapore, south of the mouth of the Singapore River. Located in the Downtown Core and the Central Area, it features some of the tallest buildings and landmarks of the country.-History:...
.
Architecture
- The building consists of two triangular structures with a small space between them.
- The steel frame allows for column-free office space.
- The floor system is of reinforced concreteReinforced concreteReinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
slab composite with a ribbed steel deck. - A car park, retail areas, and a link to the MRTMass Rapid Transit (Singapore)The Mass Rapid Transit or MRT is a rapid transit system that forms the backbone of the railway system in Singapore, spanning the entire city-state. The initial section of the MRT, between Yio Chu Kang Station and Toa Payoh Station, opened in 1987 establishing itself as the second-oldest metro...
system can be found above and below ground. - The tower is clad by chemically treated aluminiumAluminiumAluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
alloy which changes colour along with the light it reflects. - Square and circular designs perforate the building's façadeFacadeA facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
, etched by a grid pattern of rectangles and window units. - The dramatic entrance is presented by an eight-storey high cutaway, coupled with skylights and other lighting effects to create an airy feel.
Events
Frenchman Alain RobertAlain Robert
Alain Robert , is a French rock and urban climber, from Digoin, Saône-et-Loire, Bourgogne, France...
, well known for climbing skyscrapers, attempted a climb on this building in 2000. After reaching the 21st floor, Robert was persuaded by the police to give up and climbed back into the building through a window on the 23rd floor.
New Tower
A new commercial tower was constructed next to the existing tower. Ground bearing ceremony was on 26 September 2008. The new tower was open in 2011 with 38 floors. Upon completion of the new tower the complex was officially renamed One Raffles PlaceOne Raffles Place
One Raffles Place, formerly Overseas Union Bank Centre , is one of the three tallest skyscrapers in the city of Singapore, sharing the title with the UOB Plaza One and Republic Plaza...
.