The hotel Artyzen Singapore The hotel exterior, plant life spilling all over. Check-in It’s often overlooked that when Singapore was claimed by Sir Stamford Raffles for the British in 1819, it was already a lively trading hub. The Peranakans, the descendants of Chinese traders and local Malays, had been living in the Straits settlements of Malacca and Singapore since the 1500s.
With the opening of Artyzen Singapore in 2023, there’s now a chic hotel that celebrates Singapore’s original fusion culture. This 142-room hotel is built on a site formerly occupied by Villa Marie, a dilapidated mansion that belonged to the great-grandson of Mr Tan Tock Seng, a famous Peranakan leader and philanthropist of the early 1800s. The look From the outside, Artyzen’s modern tower appears to have sprouted upwards from the lush tropical frangipanis and heliconias below, pulling part of the garden upwards as it rose.
Each storey features double and triple-storey cut-outs where terraces of plants spill over the side. The biophilic design lowers temperatures and creates a calming aesthetic, but also conveniently nods to Villa Marie’s previous owner, a botanist. The design also drew on Villa Marie for the colonial-inspired soaring archways that feature in the lobby.
The living plants from outside are repeated inside, including orchids that are synonymous with Singapore. Art takes centre stage: as the lift doors open, a magnificent digitised painting depicting colourful Peranakan shophouses.
