Singapore’s Westgate shopping centre to launch massive themed playground
The Westgate shopping centre is set to open Singapore's largest thematic outdoor playground in a shopping mall in the coming weeks the 1000 metre2 fantasy themed Westgate Wonderland.
Located in the suburb of Jurong East, the customised playground at Level 4 of the Westgate mall will immerse children in a larger-than-life garden surrounded by oversized replicas of flora and fauna, including gigantic insects, musical flowers, a 10 metre-tall tree house and an enormous watering can that sprays water.
The playground will include dry and wet areas and different play zones catering to children of varying age groups with interactive elements including a large watering can with an active spray nozzle; musical flowers with flower bud steel drums; blue bells that respond to touch with musical sounds and lights; and large flowers with spinning canopies that create a kaleidoscope of light patterns on the ground.
The free attraction will also feature a supervised play area for children aged four to 12 located one floor above Westgate Wonderland on Level 5 and a Kids Club with programmed activities and an indoor clubhouse, thus creating a lively, fun and safe environment for children.
Daily activities at the playground will include obstacle races and treasure hunts linked to themed educational activities at the weekends, including marine life conservation workshops run by theme park S.E.A. Aquarium, arts and craft workshops by enrichment school Genius R Us, story-telling sessions by National Library Board volunteers and screenings of popular children's films.
Westgate Wonderland and Kids Club are among a host of family-friendly features at Westgate, which is being promoted as a family and lifestyle orientated mall.
The mall is managed by CapitaMalls Asia, which is also behind the popular playgrounds at Singapore's IMM Building, Sembawang Shopping Centre and Junction 8.
In developing the playgrounds at Westgate, CapitaMalls Asia has engaged the services of Adirondack Studios, an established US theme park designer whose previous work includes attractions at Universal Studios and Disneyland, such as The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios Florida and the Revenge of The Mummy roller-coaster ride at Universal Studios Singapore on Sentosa.
CT-Art, a Singapore-based playground specialist, partnered Adirondack Studios on developing the two playgrounds.
Westgate General Manager Wee Su Lin explained "at the onset of conceptualisation, we envisioned Westgate as a mall that goes 'beyond shopping' a gathering place for the community and a place where families come to enjoy themselves and spend the day.
"We thus anchor the mall's family and lifestyle mall positioning with a dedicated family zone on Level 4, where the centrepiece will be Westgate Wonderland.
"Apart from its large area and customised play exhibits that weave a storyline, the playground stands out with its unique night-time play experience accentuated by special lighting and sound effects.
"Such a playground concept is believed to be a first in Singapore, and possibly the whole of South east Asia.
"With the playground's larger-than-life imaginary landscape, we hope to create an inspired play space for our young shoppers and make their visit to Westgate more enjoyable and memorable.
"By opening Westgate Wonderland to the public for free, we hope to make world-class play facilities more accessible to our shoppers. This is also part of our commitment to make Westgate the premier mall in the west of Singapore."
Westgate is an integrated retail and office development located in the heart of the Jurong Lake District (comprising Jurong Gateway and Lakeside), which will transform into a unique lakeside destination for business and leisure under the Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority's masterplan.
For more information go to www.capitamallsasia.com/en/corporate/malls/singapore/westgate
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