SINGAPORE – Singapore’s largest purpose-built conference, meetings and exhibition venue, Singex, says its new convention wing, targeted for completion by early 2012, will feature 23 new meeting rooms and spacious pre-function areas that will add 8,000sqm of space to the venue.
The Max Atria at Singapore Expo will add more meetings inventory to the island state, following on from the opening last June of the S$8bn ($US6.2bn) Marina Bay Sands complex, which features a 2,561-room hotel and a 120,000sqm convention and exhibition centre.
Max Atria is designed to bring nature ‘inside’ and meetings ‘outside’ and will incorporate many green elements, its management claims. The new wing will be built in line with Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority Green Mark1 Platinum standard, a benchmarking scheme which incorporates internationally recognised best practices in environmental design and building performance.
Singex Chief Executive Officer, Aloysius Arlando, said: “Singex is refreshing the way the regional MICE venue business has been operating by introducing a novel meeting concept. Max Atria will present a natural environment that invigorates minds and sparks new ideas. Business event organisers can look forward to an oasis-like experience, without the distractions associated with the bright lights and bustling sounds of the city”.
Arlando said the new convention wing would boost Singex’s ability to bid for multi-dimensional business events and tradeshows which require adjoining areas for complementary activities.
“Organisers are changing the way they plan business events,” he noted. “The ‘confex’model (i.e. holding one or several conferences within an exhibition itself) is becoming commonplace, while global conferences are rightsizing into cosier, decentralised zonal events to effectively reach out to a diverse marketplace”.
The International Furniture Fair Singapore/ASEAN Furniture Show has been anchored at Singex for the past 11 editions and chairman of organising company IFFS Pte, Andrew Ng, said Max Atria would add “a refreshing dimension” to EXPO.
The building of Max Atria is one of several developments in the Changi Business Park precinct, including new business hotels, serviced residences, as well as office, lifestyle and retail spaces.
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