Palais Renaissance $16m facelift adds sparkle

July 23, 2008
Palais Renaissance $16m facelift adds sparkle
By EMILYN YAP

ADDING more sparkle to the Orchard Road shopping belt - literally -
Palais Renaissance is undergoing a $16 million facelift and will soon
showcase the world's first double-skin glass facade with musical
dancing lights.

The front facade will be ready by November. The dancing lights are
the brainchild of award-winning architectural lighting designer
Hiroyasu Shoji, whose work includes the iconic Mikimoto Ginza
Headquarters in Tokyo.

For his debut project in Singapore, Mr Shoji will programme the three-
dimensional colour-changing LED lights according to his 'Music of
Light' concept where the lights will dance across the glass to the
rhythm of music.

Palais Renaissance was last upgraded in 1995, said a spokesperson
from the mall's owner, City Developments Limited. The latest
makeover 'will help to keep Palais competitive and attractive
compared to the new malls and old malls which are undergoing or have
undergone revamp', she said.

There will be other changes under the upgrading exercise, which is
Palais Renaissance's most major to date.

Renovation has widened the back entrance and given it a stylish,
modern appearance. The interiors, including the glass dome,
balustrades and toilets, will also be spruced up in phases and work
will complete in late 2009.

Palais Renaissance has welcomed three new brands - Croco Mondalli by
Kwanpen, Giuseppe Zanotti and PS Cafe - and the makeover will create
more retail space for the mall, which had 44,786 square feet of net
lettable area before upgrading.

Work has added some 3,778 sq ft so far and PS Cafe is leasing the
space. Another 700 sq ft will be created in the last quarter of 2009
to form a new shop fronting Orchard Road. All shops will remain open
throughout the renovation period.

Together with the revamp, Palais Renaissance will refresh its logo
for a modern clean look, with emphasis given to the word 'Palais'.

'We are confident that Palais will lead the way in revitalising
Orchard Road, and its new look will excite and attract shoppers to
the mall,' said a Club21 spokesman for DKNY, an existing brand in the
mall.