30-511: United Overseas Bank Plaza ( UOB Plaza ) is a commercial complex that consists of twin tower late-modernist skyscrapers in Singapore . At completion, UOB Plaza One was one of the three tallest in the country, sharing the title with the OUB Centre and Republic Plaza ; it is now the second tallest since the completion of Tanjong Pagar Centre (Guoco Tower) in 2016. UOB Plaza Two
60-574: A 22-storey building. Subsequently, in June 1970, The Straits Times reported that the plans for the new headquarters comprised a 30-storey, 430 ft (130 m) tall building, to be completed by 1973 at an estimated cost of S$ 20 million. Construction on the building was underway by January 1972, The incomplete building sustained minor damage from a fire in February 1974, and was completed by July 1974. The UOB Building, as initially built, occupied
90-497: A 280 metres (920 ft), 63-storey tower that was to be connected to the UOB Building by a six-floor podium, while the UOB Building was to be renovated to fit in with the tower and podium. Expected to cost about S$ 400 million, the project was to be completely funded by the bank from its revenue and reserves. In addition, the bank stated that they did not plan to sell any office space in the new building, since they saw it as
120-430: A L-shaped, 25,000 square metres (270,000 sq ft) site bounded by Chulia Street, Bonham Street, and Boat Quay . It comprised a five-storey podium and a 25-storey tower. The tower had an octagonal cross-section, and consisted of two tubes , with an exterior tube composed of eight columns and mullions surrounding a reinforced concrete core. Its exterior comprised bare concrete and reflective glass windows, which
150-568: A long-term investment. Work on UOB Plaza commenced in July 1988, and construction of the building's foundations and basements, which had been contracted out for S$ 31 million to a 50-50 joint venture between Japanese contractor Nishimatsu and Lum Chang Holdings, started in November 1988. The tender for the building's superstructure was called in July 1989, while the S$ 36 ;million tender for
180-408: A single complex. The charts below lists most twin and other multi-column structures with similar characteristics. Buildings and structures shorter than 90 m (300 ft) are not included. The following list includes only twin buildings that are continuously habitable. (660 ft) (630 ft) One half of the building is clad with red bricks, the other with white bricks. Headquarters of
210-486: Is a shorter and older building that was completed in 1973 and later renovated in 1995 with a similar facade as UOB Plaza One. Both buildings are connected by a 45 m (148 ft) podium supported by four columns . The podium houses the banking hall of the United Overseas Bank 's (UOB) main branch. The building was opened by then Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew on 6 August 1995 which was 60 years after
240-517: Is responsible for policies on home ownership, public rental housing for low income families and the rejuvenation of older estates, amongst others. The Infrastructure Division works with the Building and Construction Authority to shape the built environment for Singapore via building safety, construction quality, sustainability of buildings and construction, and the usability of the built environment. The Infrastructure Division also develops policies on
270-471: The City Council and Rural Board (Architectural and Buildings Surveyors Section), and Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Fisheries, Veterinary Services and Rural Development). MND's key responsibilities include the planning, management and redevelopment of land resources and the development of public housing . The promotion of the construction, real estate and agrotechnology industries, as well as
300-533: The Dutch Ministry of Justice (Justitie) and Ministry of the Interior (Binnenlandse Zaken). The following list shows the tallest completed twin buildings located in each continent : Ministry of National Development (Singapore) The Ministry of National Development ( MND ; Malay : Kementerian Pembangunan Negara ; Chinese : 国家发展部 ; Tamil : தேசிய வளர்ச்சி அமைச்சு ) is a ministry of
330-518: The Government of Singapore responsible for the formulation and implementation of policies related to the land-use planning and infrastructure development in Singapore . The ministry was established after the 1959 legislative assembly elections . It was originally composed of departments previously under the Ministry of Local Government, Land and Housing, Ministry of Communications and Works,
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#1732772313631360-529: The Shell Group . In UOB's 1981 annual report, then-UOB chairman Wee Cho Yaw disclosed plans for the construction of a new headquarters building. Expected to be built on a 8,420 m (90,600 sq ft) plot beside the UOB Building, it was to consist of a podium and a 60-floor tower block, and was named UOB Plaza. Nevertheless, in September 1983, UOB halted the project, which the bank attributed to
390-574: The steel frame in place by September 1991, and the building was completed in November 1992. Details on the UOB Building's renovation were revealed to the media by UOB in December 1991. Comprising six more floors and a new exterior, UOB estimated it to cost S$ 82 million Carried out by a joint venture between George Wimpey and Woh Hup, the renovation commenced in April 1993, concluding in May 1995. After
420-852: The Eco-City Project Office, the Centre for Liveable Cities and the Internal Audit Unit. On 1 October 2014, the Municipal Services Office was set up under the Ministry of National Development, with the aim to improve the Government's overall coordination and delivery of municipal services. The Strategic Planning Division works with the Urban Redevelopment Authority to help Singapore meet its land use needs with respect to
450-542: The Lum Chang-Nishimatsu joint venture, which UOB subsequently denied. The superstructure tender was then awarded to the Lum Chang-Nishimatsu joint venture for about S$ 280 million in February 1990. In February 1990, The Business Times reported that UOB was expected to pay S$ 90 million to the Singapore government, comprising a S$ 30 million development charge and S$ 60 million to purchase
480-552: The building bares some resemblance to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building , which was completed in Shinjuku , Tokyo two years earlier in 1990 and which was also designed by Kenzo Tange himself. UOB Plaza Two or UOB Pla2a is a 162 m (531 ft), 38-storey building . It was first completed in 1973 before it was remodeled in 1995. The extension and renovation of the building, which
510-536: The building was to commence in the middle of the year. According to UOB, the decision to restart was made as they expected to pay a lower development charge, due to lower property prices and a reduction of the levy from 70% to 50% of the increase in land value, and better responses from tenants after the opening of the Mass Rapid Transit system in the Central Area . The revised development comprised
540-525: The construction industry, sustainable development, accessibility, and building safety and quality. The Infrastructure Division also partners the National Parks Board to integrate Singapore's urban infrastructure and garden environments. Together, they develop policies on enhancing greenery infrastructure, encouraging community participation in greening, and developing the horticultural industry. They also take care of veterinary issues too after
570-746: The disbandment of Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority The Eco-City Project Office spearheads the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City , which seeks to address the challenges of sustainable development in a holistic and balanced manner. The Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) was set up in 2008 by the MND and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources . It is a research think tank that focuses on sustainable urban development. It seeks to understand Singapore's transformation in
600-690: The economy and living environment. It also comes up with policies relating to land use sales / planning, development control and the private property market. The Housing Division works with the Housing Development Board to plan and develop public housing towns that provide Singaporeans with affordable homes. The division's aims include community cohesion (by providing community spaces for interaction) and policies that support social objectives, such as racial harmony (Ethnic Integration Policy) and stronger family ties (CPF Housing Grant for those who live near their parents). The Housing Division
630-546: The founding of UOB. There are two buildings that make up the Plaza, which are divided into the high-rise "Plaza 1 (UOB Plaza One)" and the low-rise "Plaza (UOB Plaza Two)". UOB Plaza One is 280 metres (920 ft) high with 66 storeys above ground. It is located at Raffles Place , Singapore's Central Business District (CBD), along the Singapore River . Completed in 1992, it is a box-shaped post-modernism building which
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#1732772313631660-552: The last five decades, and to create and share knowledge and urban solutions for "current and future challenges relevant to Singapore and other cities". The ministry oversees five statutory boards and three professional committees. These are: The Ministry is headed by the Minister for National Development , who is appointed as part of the Cabinet of Singapore . The incumbent minister is MP for West Coast GRC Desmond Lee from
690-577: The management and improvement of industry standards in the real estate agent industry also come under the purview of the ministry. The MND is also tasked with the development and management of green spaces , recreational infrastructure and the conservation of nature areas. It is also the ministry in charge of food safety , animal and plant health. The MND is made up of nine divisions: Strategic Planning Division, Housing Division, Infrastructure Division, Research & Strategy Management Division, Corporate Development Division, Corporate Communications Division,
720-570: The poor performance of the Singapore property market at that time, and to the S$ 118 ;million development charge it had to pay to the Ministry of National Development to construct the building. UOB then commissioned Kenzo Tange and Archiplan Team, a local architectural firm, to submit revised plans for the building. The UOB Plaza project was restarted in 1988, with the Business Times reporting in February 1988 that construction of
750-406: The renovation, the UOB Building was renamed UOB Plaza Two. The building was officially opened by then-Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew on 6 August 1995, UOB's 60th anniversary. List of twin buildings and structures The term twin towers in architecture refers to two tall structures with nearly identical characteristics and similar height, usually constructed close to each other and part of
780-478: The section of Market Street that ran through the UOB Plaza site, and that UOB had made an appeal regarding the development charge. UOB settled the matter with the government by May 1990, agreeing to pay a S$ 29 million development charge and S$ 58 million for a 999-year lease for the section of Market Street to be occupied by the building. Construction of the building's superstructure began in July 1990, with
810-414: The supply of structural steel was awarded to NKK Corporation in the next month. Seen as the top construction contract of 1989 by the construction industry, according to The Straits Times , the superstructure tender attracted bids from several joint ventures between Singaporean and Japanese construction firms. In January 1990, The Business Times reported that the superstructure contract had been awarded to
840-502: Was completed in 1993, saw the addition of 8 new floors. The building was on the site of the former Bonham Building , which housed the former United Chinese Bank (now the United Overseas Bank ). That structure was named UOB Building upon completion, before adopting its current name in 1965. In its 1968 annual report, the United Overseas Bank's (UOB) chairman announced plans to redevelop the bank's current headquarters into
870-512: Was designed by Kenzo Tange , a renowned Japanese architect, and was constructed by Nishimatsu Construction and Lum Chang JV. Built as the head office of the United Overseas Bank, one of Singapore's leading banks, the building was also one of the country's tallest skyscrapers along with the adjoining OUB Center and Republic Plaza until it was succeeded by the Tanjong Pagar Centre . The materials, colors, shapes and overall image of
900-406: Was intended by the building's architect, Architects Team 3, to give it a "monolithic look". The podium's ground floor was occupied by a 1,030.82 square metres (11,095.7 sq ft) banking hall, while a three-floor underground carpark with a capacity of 183 vehicles was located beneath the podium. Upon opening, UOB occupied the lower 14 floors of the building, while several floors were occupied by
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