Mandai Rainforest Resort, Singapore
The Design Journey
Singapore’s journey from a Garden City to a City in Nature finds bold expression in the Mandai Rainforest Resort. Conceived through a government-initiated competition, the winning design by WOW Architects proposed a regenerative resort that is sensitively inserted into Singapore’s nature reserve around the Mandai Wildlife Reserve.
The architecture not only blends into the jungle—but enhances it. By inverting the traditional zoo paradigm, rather than separating guests from nature and wildlife, the resort reimagines the relationship: humans become part of the jungle ecosystem learning to coexist harmoniously with native flora and fauna.
The 4.6-hectare site for the resort previously housed the Singapore Zoo’s back-of-house facilities. The building mass is carefully integrated into the site, enriched through the replanting of native tree species felled during construction. Inspired by the liana vine, the branching building form meanders through the forest, designed with no fixed façade, blending architecture and ecology into one living, breathing organism.
The resort’s 338 keys—including 24 elevated treehouses—are all envisioned for open-air living, maximizing natural ventilation and comfort through passive design. This is Singapore’s first super-low energy hotel, setting new benchmarks in tropical sustainability.
Nature as Inspiration for the Façade
The team embraced the proven durability of precast concrete technology, but reimagined it through a regenerative lens. Every tree that could not be conserved during construction was carefully salvaged and repurposed. The bark of these trees and lianas was collected, upcycled and artfully composed in the master moulds, developed in collaboration with WOW Architects, to capture the intricate grain and character of the forest.
These master moulds were then shipped to Herne and there, our specialist handcrafted textured formliners that translated the organic complexity of the originals into elastic moulds. A total of 178sqm of formliners were created at the factory.
These bespoke formliners were then used to cast the concrete façades, embedding within them a living memory of the forest. In this way, the architecture becomes a quiet tribute and legacy to the trees that once stood on site. According to Mr. Wong Chiu Man, “We worked with RECKLI to make customised moulds, to evoke the memory of the Mandai Forest and the trees that were upcycled for the making of the project.” The resulting surfaces invite touch, awakening a sensory connection that draws guests into the narrative of the rainforest.
Complementing this tactile experience, interpretive signage guides visitors through the resort, enriching each encounter with layers of ecological and cultural meaning. Every pathway becomes an educational journey, where architecture, landscape, and storytelling merge to embody a deep commitment to sustainability.
Winner of the SIA Design Award 2025
Adopting a deeply biophilic and regenerative approach, the resort was designed with native flora and fauna as inspiration, and the architecture and interior design showcase the biodiversity of Mandai for guests to appreciate and learn from.
Mandai Rainforest Resort is intentionally designed as an active participant in the ecological regeneration of the site: creating spaces that facilitate natural processes, protect wildlife corridors, promote and nurture the growth of native flora and fauna.
In addition, a dedicated working group of academics and professionals provided critical guidance across key areas such as landscape, education, sustainability, ecology, horticulture, and acoustics.
This project sets a new precedent for biophilic, regenerative design—an eco-resort that disappears into nature while cultivating awareness, stewardship, and deep connection with the living world.
In recognition of the efforts made by WOW Architects and their collaborators, Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree was recently recognized for its design by the Singapore Institute of Architects.
