The Gardens Shops distils the narrative of the Singapore Botanic Gardens into the holistic design of a spatial retail programme. The challenge was to enhance and complement the visitor experience, making their time at the attraction more meaningful and memorable.

OXD noted that the retail experience had to engage local and international customers alike. The research process included site studies, in-depth interviews with visitors ranging from the tourist to the retiree, online surveys, historical research, case studies and analysis of the day/night user experience. In all, over 50 garden users were engaged, and six user profiles were identified upon which the design strategy was assembled.

The Gardens Shops are built on three spatial concepts: “The Conservatory”, “The Habitat” and “The Bibliotheque”. A visit to the shops should be a memorable touchpoint in the visitors’ experience of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The Gardens Shops includes an integrated store and product experience, allowing one to bring a piece of the Singapore story home with them.