inside the new R19 billion complex at Singapore's Changi Airport - the Jewel

Singapore's Changi Airport has already snagged the title of world's best airport for 7 years running, and its newest expansion is only tightening its grip on the title.

In April 2019, Changi opened up Jewel, a lifestyle hub for the airport. The massive doughnut-shaped building sits between the control tower and Terminal 1. It took more than 4 years and R19 billion to build the glass-and-steel dome that makes up Jewel. Part luxury mall and part indoor rainforest, here's a look inside the complex making layovers more fun.

Built on what was once a parking lot, Jewel now covers 136,000 square metres. It stands 10 stories tall with five stories below ground and five above.

280 shops and restaurants circle the perimeter of the glass dome. There's a multiscreen IMAX theater, a full-sized supermarket, and a hotel. In the middle of it all is the Rain Vortex. A cascading funnel of water drops 7 stories through the core of the building. At over 40 metres high, it's the tallest indoor waterfall in the world. All the water is harvested from rain and recirculated through the waterfall 24-7. At night, it keeps running and acts as a canvas for a 360-degree light show projected on it.

Surrounding the Rain Vortex is a four-story indoor forest. Singapore is known as a City in a Garden, and the airport wanted to capture that theme at Jewel with the Shiseido Forest Valley. More than 900 trees and 60,000 shrubs from around the world make up the tiered gardens, and, of course, there are walking trails. They're open 24-7, and they run through the gardens past waterfalls. The airport suggests allowing a half hour for each trail, but maybe allow more time based on these crowds.
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Видео inside the new R19 billion complex at Singapore's Changi Airport - the Jewel канала Business Insider South Africa