SINGAPORE: The three bidders for the Singapore Sports Hub have revealed their designs for a fully-integrated sports centre to be built on the current National Stadium site.

The three bidders Alpine Mayreder, Singapore Gold and the Singapore Sports Hub Group took turns to present their proposals which will include the development of recreational and leisure hubs.

The proposal by Alpine is for a stadium that's wrapped with a translucent fabric which provides a canvas for lighting effects along with an urban beach and a Viewing Tower.

The fabric called PTFE, which has been used widely around the world is said to be self-cleaning as well as durable under any condition, was inspired by gift wrapping, as the design is meant as a present to Singapore.

As for the Singapore Sports Hub Group, it's proposing a dome-shaped design that uses lightweight material and features air conditioning and even a white water rafting facility.

Mr Ludwig Reichhold, Managing Director of Dragages Singapore Pte Ltd, the design and build contractor, said their biggest selling point is their program which promises to be a thriving and sustainable integrated sports, entertainment and healthy lifestyle hub.

“You can design a very nice stadium but if it is not suitable for what you want to do, it won’t be useful. We have many cities where stadiums are built for the Olympic games or other such events but it is empty after that. So we want to avoid this and we think we have achieved that by working as a team involving the designers, sporting people and the retailers to make one integrated facility,” said Mr Reichhold.

The stadium which will blend with the surrounding Indoor Stadium, promises to be energy-saving yet cool for spectators as the cooling systems will be supplied from under the seats of spectators with fan assisted breezes.

By having a system that cools individual seats,the entire space or volume isn't being cooled, just the zone immediately around where the person is sitting. By doing this,a tenth of the energy that's typically used in an arena is consumed.

The SingaporeGold Consortium which had shown its design in March this year for a stadium shaped like a horse-shoe featuring a retractable field and roof, has now incorporated a water sports centre.

"The inclusion of the new water sports centre enhances our design and allows for a greater range of sporting events and programmes never before possible in Singapore, creating year-round buzz and ensuring Sports Hub becomes a vibrant destination in its own right" said Mark Adams, senior vice-president of IMG in Singapore, which is a key member of the SingaporeGold consortium.

There are also plans for the recreation centre to provide more than just sports but community attractions as well that will offer something for everyone.

A 41 square metre space has been set aside for a combination of sports mega stores, themed retail and dining outlets, night markets and even a themed sports bar.

Commercial partners have also been lined up to operate facilities that could include a world-first virtual sporting reality centre, an extreme sports zone, and a Sports Museum.

With the inclusion of the water sports centre, the Sports Hub which has ambitions to attract mega sporting events to Singapore, like the 2018 Asiad,
promises to attract a range of world-class sporting and entertainment events to one location.

The 35 hectare facility at Kallang is due to be completed in 2011, and will be the world's first large-scale integrated land and sea sports facility.

The hub will transform the Kallang site's limited water frontage into a 2.6 kilometre waterfront promenade lined with retail, food and beverage outlets, outdoor plazas, and landscaped gardens.

The decision on the winning proposal will be made in late January next year.- CNA/yb/vm