Marina Square was completed in 1986 as the first phase of the self-contained mega development of Marina Centre, built on the reclaimed land of Marina North. The three-storey shopping mall links three hotels – Marina Mandarin, Mandarin Oriental Singapore and Pan Pacific – and is topped by a landscaped roof.

The mall’s wide shopping corridors run north-south and east-west, and the centre of this cruciform shape opens onto a landscaped plaza overlooking Marina Bay. The entirety of the shopping concourse sits atop a car park, elevating the mall to provide direct views to the bay and uninterrupted pedestrian circulation that crosses above the vehicular streets.

The horizontality of the form is accentuated by linear elements along the façade that are lit at night by LEDs. These are arranged to produce a textured surface which unifies the whole of the addition. A collection of window walls of various shapes are interspersed among the façade to bring natural light to the commercial spaces within. Two double-height glazed volumes mark the new primary entrance points to Marina Square and help to visually anchor the horizontal structure.

Landscape design is a significant component of the Marina Square addition. At ground level, the perimeter of the building is designed to function as a streetscape in conjunction with the Esplanade, infused with greenery and informal seating that humanises the outdoor plaza like a public square. Above, landscaped terraces at the second-storey and third-storey rooftop activate the façade with additional outdoor spaces.