78 Shenton Way is strategically located on a prime site on the very edge of the Central Business District, bounded by Shenton Way, Keppel Road and Anson Road. There is immediate access via the East Coast Parkway to Changi, and via Keppel Road to Jurong. Shenton Way, the established financial district of Singapore and Maxwell MRT station, are on the doorstep.

The importance of this new and rapidly developing financial/business area is emphasized by the presence of MAS Building, Treasury Building and IBM Towers. In few other locations could ease of access to out-of-city routes, and relative freedom from city centre traffic, be combined with such close proximity to banking and commerce. 

78 Shenton Way was designed from the drawing board up to provide an optimum level of operating efficiency. It begins with the external granite finished concrete precast cladding and double-glazed windows that result in a low OTTV, and enhanced sound insulation. In the words of the M&E Consultants, “the basis of the building envelope design promotes efficient   energy   conservation,   reliability   and   ease   of   maintenance.”

Taking into account external  and internal  factors, including  good  natural  ventilation  in public areas, there is a saving of about 15% in operating costs as well as a corresponding scaling down of building services, plant and equipment capital costs,  compared to an equivalent conventional design. To ensure high energy saving, all services are maintained at ideal levels by a sophisticated computer-based monitoring system. A small but important point about maintenance – the windows rotate horizontally through 180 degrees, thus eliminating the need for gondolas for external cleaning.

Architecturally, the building concept is based upon square grids. They are apparent in the massing of the blocks that form the overall development, in the ‘steps’ that form  roof gardens on the upper floors, in the windows – even in the office floors where planning on a grid basis results in complete flexibility of movement and ease of subdivision.

Typical floors in the tower block are of reinforced concrete frame and prestressed flat slab construction. There is ample under-floor trunking with cables for power, telephone, telefax, facsimile, computers and other special services, to provide maximum convenience – and to keep fitting out and relocation costs low.