Bouygues wins €100m Singapore tower contract

expat network

Bouygues wins €100m Singapore tower contract

Bouygues Construction chosen to build a new residential complex in Singapore.

The property developer United Venture Development – a joint venture between UOL Venture Investments and Singland Homes – has signed a contract worth roughly €100 million with Dragages Singapore, the local subsidiary of Bouygues Construction, for the construction of two condominium complexes in the heart of the city.

Nicolas Borit, Bouygues Bâtiment International Deputy CEO in charge of Asia-Pacific, said: “We are very proud that our customer, United Venture Development, has shown confidence in us and given us the opportunity to support them in carrying out this project in Singapore. The experience in this market acquired by Dragages and the construction system chosen were decisive factors in winning this contract.”

The new project, which is designed by ADDP Architects, consists of two 140-metre, 40-storey tower blocks, which will provide 505 apartments with a total floor area of approximately 46,000 m². Located on Clementi Avenue, these homes will have excellent access both to the centre of the city and to the Jurong Lake student neighbourhood, well known for its shopping centres and leisure activities.

With the agreement of United Venture Development, Dragages Singapore has decided to use a modular construction system based on a reinforced concrete structure. This will enable the condominiums to meet the Singapore authorities’ stipulation that 65% of the superstructure of the towers must employ PPVC (Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction). All other structural elements, particularly the core of the towers, will be produced using traditional techniques. In all, around 1,900 modules will be installed, using large-capacity tower cranes.

In Singapore, Dragages has acquired considerable expertise in this innovative construction method, particularly through the construction of an extension to the Crowne Plaza hotel, which was the first commercial project to have adopted it in 2014. More recently, Dragages Singapore was awarded contract for the Woodlands Crescent Nursing Home. This process delivers key added value for Dragages, which is positioned as leader on this high-potential market.

Works are due to begin shortly. They will last three years, with handover scheduled for the end of the first half in 2019.

This new contract is an illustration of Bouygues Construction’s dynamic growth in the Asia-Pacific region, where the Group has a long history. It recently handed over MahaNakhon Tower, the tallest building in Thailand, and is currently carrying out a number of design-build projects in the region, including the fifth tower of the iconic City of Dreams luxury hotel in Macau and its first property project in India, the Eternia and Enigma condominiums in Mumbai.

Source: www.bouygues-construction.com

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.