Tour the PARKROYAL Hotel Singapore’s Surreal Sky Gardens and Greenery-Wrapped Towers (PHOTOS)

Travelers visiting an urban setting like Singapore don't typically expect to see tropical gardens growing right outside of their hotel windows - especially when their rooms are elevated ten stories above ground level. So you can imagine that guests of the city's <a href="http://www.parkroyalhotels.com/en/hotels/singapore/pickering_street/parkroyal/index.html">PARKROYAL on Pickering Hotel</a> find the surreal <a href="http://inhabitat.com/park-royal-tower-wohas-stunning-vertical-urban-park-opens-in-singapore/">sky gardens</a> that wrap around its glassy towers to be a truly singular experience. Conceptualized by Singapore-based <a href="http://apex.woha.net/apex/log.html">WOHA Architects</a>, the fantastical form has captivated the attention of the architecture world as well as the the green building industry with its energy and water-conscious design. Inhabitat recently had a chance to check out this unique hotel's green features as part of the <a href="http://www.sgbw.com.sg/">2013 International Green Building Conference </a>hosted by Singapore's <a href="http://www.bca.gov.sg/">Building and Construction Authority (BCA)</a>. Click through our <a>photo gallery</a> to take your own tour of the venue's amazing sky gardens, outdoor hallways, stunning daylit suites, Orchid Club and poolside "bird cages".

Giant bird cage cabanas give the pool area a serene but surreal feeling.

The building was awarded <a href="http://www.bca.gov.sg/greenmark/green_mark_buildings.html">Green Mark Platinum</a> status in 2012 by the Singapore Building and Construction Authority (BCA) for its energy and water saving design, which includes motion-activated lighting, naturally-ventilated hallways, recycling in guest rooms as well as throughout the hotel, energy-efficient chiller system, demand-based ventilation systems, use of LED and fluorescent lighting, daylight maximization, photovoltaic cells on the roof, high performance glass to cut solar gain and use of <a href="http://www.cobiax.com/en/">Cobiax technology </a>(which uses "void formers" made of recycled plastic to reduce concrete usage), just to name a few of the eco-conscious considerations.

It's obvious that <a href="http://inhabitat.com/park-royal-tower-wohas-stunning-vertical-urban-park-opens-in-singapore/">PARKROYAL on Pickering</a> is a feast for the eyes with its vegetation-wrapped glass reinforced concrete layers, but it's not just a pretty facade.

A view of the front of the structure.

"All of the surface rainwater runoff is channeled down to the greywater harvesting tank to water all of the gardens, and they are watered by gravity-driven irrigation," Bernard Lee, an architect that was part of <a href="http://apex.woha.net/apex/log.html">WOHA</a>'s <a href="http://inhabitat.com/park-royal-tower-wohas-stunning-vertical-urban-park-opens-in-singapore/">PARKROYAL</a> project team, told us.

"We also have <a href="http://inhabitat.com/index.php?s=solar+power">photovoltaic cells</a> on the roof to provide energy for this process."

"For this building it was WOHA's direction to go with green replacement - how do we not just conserve the greenery in the urban setting but also multiply it? Therefore we looked into using <a href="http://inhabitat.com/index.php?s=vertical+garden">vertical greenery</a> to replace all of the greenery that was lost," he said.

The result was a total foliage cover that constitutes more than 200% of the structure's total land area.

Just stepping into the hotel's lobby is a treat for the eyes. The design is understated, Asian in feeling and uses many natural materials.

The custom-designed carpet features a topographical pattern that echoes the exterior's organic form.

Some of the cages jut out over the main form of the hotel, allowing the occupants to feel like they're floating above the city.

Most of the hallways are naturally-ventilated.

The lobby bar echoes the layered look of the exterior.

Skylights bring light, air and water down to lower levels.

The room's large windows bring in plenty of natural light.

The Orchid Club is a place for guests to relax, read a newspaper or grab a bite.

As well as panoramic city views!

Many of the brooms have been designed with feng shui principles in mind. And note the foliage outside of the window - despite the room being on one of the upper floors!

And who could say no to a zen bathroom like this?

Despite the bare furnishings, the rooms still have an elegant and luxurious feel.

The room decor is minimalist and most unnecessary objects have been eliminated.

A swirling staircase leads from the lobby to the second floor.

But be careful - some of the rooms (particularly the bathrooms) are for exhibitionist-types only due to the large in-shower windows.

Guests can opt to stay in suites with sweeping views of the Singapore skyline.

The building's foliage also works to absorb heat and keep the west-facing walls cool (a must for a tropical climate like Singapore's), but you might be wondering how much extra energy goes into watering and maintaining all of those plants. The answer? None.

Mr. Lee explained that <a href="http://inhabitat.com/index.php?s=%22woha%22">WOHA</a>'s vision was to mirror the neighboring Hong Lim park in their design.

It's obvious that PARKROYAL on Pickering is a feast for the eyes with its vegetation-wrapped glass reinforced concrete layers, but it's not just a pretty facade. The building was awarded Green Mark Platinum status in 2012 by the Singapore Building and Construction Authority (BCA) for its energy and water saving design, which includes motion-activated lighting, naturally-ventilated hallways, recycling in guest rooms as well as throughout the hotel, energy-efficient chiller system, demand-based ventilation systems, use of LED and fluorescent lighting, daylight maximization, photovoltaic cells on the roof, high performance glass to cut solar gain and use of Cobiax technology(which uses "void formers" made of recycled plastic to reduce concrete usage), just to name a few of the eco-conscious considerations. The building's foliage also works to absorb heat and keep the west-facing walls cool (a must for a tropical climate like Singapore's), but you might be wondering how much extra energy goes into watering and maintaining all of those plants....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/tour-the-parkroyal-hotel-singapores-amazing-sky-gardens-and-greenery-wrapped-towers-photos/'>READ ARTICLE</a>