When an organization specializes in advising clients on conceptualizing and creating workspaces, its own corporate headquarters must serve as the ultimate proof of concept. A global real estate advisory leader decided to push the absolute boundaries of workplace design for its new flagship location in Singapore’s Marina Bay Financial Centre. The vision was highly experimental, requiring a technological ecosystem that could emotionally connect with users through sight, sound, and even smell, all while hitting rigorous Environmental, Social, and Governance targets.
To bring this highly ambitious vision to life, the firm partnered with ESCO, the GPA team operating in many regions of Southeast Asia. The integration scope was massive, carrying a budget of SGD 442,000 and covering the entire sixteenth floor. The team needed to build out 28 distinct collaboration spaces, including a Digital Immersion Room, an Emerald Studio Room, and highly adaptable town hall environments. The goal was to seamlessly weave enterprise-grade audiovisual infrastructure into the architectural design to empower neurodivergent inclusivity and optimize real estate data analytics.
The stakes for this flagship location were incredibly high, and the project was fraught with intense pressure from the very beginning. The most daunting obstacle was a relentlessly short timeline that gave the integration team less than two months to fully deploy the technology. This pressure was compounded by severe global supply chain shortages and geopolitical tariffs, which caused procurement times for critical LED tiles to spike to 17 weeks in some instances.
- A tight timeline: The team had less than two months to deploy the technology fully.
- Supply chain disruptions: Global shortages and tariffs extended procurement times for essential LED tiles to as long as 17 weeks.
- On-site delays: Delays in main contractor work and furniture deliveries reduced the time available for configuration.
- Last-minute changes: The client requested a complex background music and sound masking system less than a month before the go-live date.
Beyond the logistical nightmares, the physical environment presented extreme live-site challenges. Main contractor works and furniture deliveries were delayed, severely cutting into the available configuration time. The client also introduced a last-minute requirement for a complex background music and sound-masking system, with less than a month until the go-live date. The risk that the project would not meet the high standards expected by visiting corporate executives was a significant burden on all stakeholders.
To navigate the intense timeline and high stakes, the GPA Singapore team adopted a highly agile, solutions-focused approach. The integration team worked closely with the client to conceptualize how spaces would function from the ground up, ensuring that interior design and technological outcomes were perfectly aligned.
The resulting design moved entirely away from traditional, sterile corporate layouts. Instead, the team integrated adaptive technologies that engage the senses, ensuring that anyone entering the office feels a profound transition from the outside world into a focused, highly collaborative sanctuary.
Key Deliverables:
Here’s how we designed and delivered a multi-sensory, adaptive workspace that moved beyond traditional corporate layouts to create a focused, collaborative sanctuary:
Sensory Arrival Experience: A striking 8.5-meter Absen 1.5mm videowall runs across the ceiling and wall in portrait mode, powered by Novastar processors and synchronized with custom HVAC fragrances.
Biophilic Acoustic Environments: Deployment of 116 BlueSound Power over Ethernet speakers and Moodsonic sensors that generate adaptive, harmonic nature sounds to foster relaxation or deep focus, moving beyond basic pink noise.
The Emerald Suite: A ‘hidden bar’ speakeasy environment designed for relaxed client conversations and prosumer podcasting, utilizing Shure MV7+ microphones and flexible USB-C connectivity.
Data-Driven Town Halls: A modular space featuring a Samsung P1.5 All-in-One LED display, Crestron video distribution, and environmental sensors linked to the building management system to automatically optimize air circulation.
Neurodivergent Lighting Control: Helvar systems provide highly granular lighting profiles, allowing spaces to transition from bright presentation modes to warm, low-stimulation environments that support diverse user needs.
Project Execution:
The grit required to execute this deployment cannot be overstated. With the tight schedule forcing the client to occupy the office before final testing was complete, the team had to perform complex integrations in a live environment. Each configuration session required the team to work after hours and carefully restore the systems to a fully working state before business resumed the next morning.
When the late-stage sound masking requirement was introduced, the technicians executed a massive logistical sprint. Over a single weekend, the team managed the containment and installation of more than 100 Cat 6 cables and over 100 network speakers. This relentless dedication ensured that no compromise was made to the final user experience despite the extreme constraints.
The completed flagship office completely redefines expectations for corporate real estate capabilities. The sophisticated integration of hardware and analytics has yielded tangible sustainability benefits, with customized electrical circuits and optimized screen settings driving a 22 percent average reduction in power usage per room. The space is now a living laboratory that dynamically responds to its occupants, proving that a workplace can be both an operational powerhouse and a sanctuary for well-being.
Here are the key benefits of the new flagship office:
- Achieved a 22% average reduction in power usage per room through customized circuits and optimized screen settings
- Created a dynamic, responsive “living laboratory” that enhances both operational efficiency and employee well-being
- Won the prestigious Corporate Project category at the Inavate APAC Awards 2025
- Transformed the client’s expectations for modern office technology, delivering a flexible and future-proof environment
The remarkable success of this high-pressure deployment did not go unnoticed by the industry. The installation secured the coveted Corporate Project category win at the Inavate APAC Awards 2025. The client formally expressed that the project completely transformed their expectations of what modern office technology can deliver, providing a flexible, future-proof environment that actively shapes human behavior for the better. You can read more about the detailed technological breakdown of this award-winning space in this feature article in the industry press publication Inavate magazine.
The transformation in Singapore proves that overcoming extreme operational challenges is possible when global standards meet dedicated local expertise. In a city-state known for its perpetual evolution, this project rejected the status quo of standard conference rooms, mirroring the region’s own dynamic culture and business landscape. It illustrates the profound impact of combining sensory design with robust data analytics.
Spaces that dynamically adapt to the people inside them are no longer a futuristic concept; they are a vital asset for any enterprise looking to attract top talent and impress global clients in this ever-changing environment. If your organization is ready to move beyond traditional audiovisual setups and explore the true potential of experiential design, our global teams are ready to map out your next visionary project. Let’s talk today about how you can turn your own workspaces into an experience for your teams and guests.
