Singapore Woos Star Architects
As reported by Reuters: "Singapore
is wooing top architects such as I.M. Pei and
Daniel Libeskind to design an iconic casino
building on a par with Sydney's Opera House
and Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum.
"The
city-state, better known for its shopping malls
and rigorous urban planning, now wants a breathtaking
skyline. It has invited gaming companies to
team up with leading architects, or 'starchitects,'
when they submit proposals for two casino resorts
that are expected to cost up to US$5 billion.
"Across
Asia, eye-catching designer buildings are as
much a statement of economic achievement as
about creating internationally recognizable
marketing symbols, from Kuala Lumpur's soaring
Petronas Towers to Beijing's National Stadium,
shaped like a bird's nest and planned for the
2008 Olympics.
"…I.M.
Pei, who designed Hong Kong's Bank of China
building, and Daniel Libeskind, designer of
the 'Freedom Tower' at New York's Ground Zero,
have teamed up with gaming companies that may
bid for a casino in Singapore's downtown waterfront,
the first of two such projects in the country.
"…A
distinctive landmark could eventually bring
tangible economic benefits by generating tourism,
said Leo Burnett's Tay…"
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