Office worker Raynaldo Pagsinohin shared that he enjoys visiting the mall during lunch, often by himself. The 58-year-old, who has been working at Buona Vista for 16 years, used to head to One-north or Clementi for lunch.
Now, he’s at One Holland Village around twice a week, largely drawn to the area by its open concept, green architecture and many seats available for people-watching.
The relaxing ambiance is “friendly to my eyes”, he said, highlighting its similarity to another of his favourite spots, HillV2 at Hillview. The mixed-use development in Bukit Batok is also part of Far East Organization’s slate of malls, and adopts a similar design.
Meanwhile, 51-year-old Ruby Huang frequents One Holland Village once a week, because most of the restaurants are pet-friendly. Even if they don’t allow pets inside, there is plenty of outdoor seating, the owner of a corgi said.
She’s not alone. The mall can feel “a bit overwhelming” with even more pet-owners and their pets on weekends, she added, but noted that the crowd is a good sign.
“It’s thriving to the point that Holland Road Shopping Centre now says pets are welcome too, not just in the (CS Fresh) supermarket, although you must still put them into a stroller (when you’re inside the building). That change only happened after One Holland Village opened, I believe.”
WHAT MAKES A PLACE
When it comes to placemaking, the key lies less in applying novel concepts and more in understanding how the community will use the space.
According to the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) 2021 report, How To Make A Great Place, “the small details matter”.
For example, the way seating is arranged can influence the way people enjoy use and enjoy the space. The design of spaces should create opportunities for “chance encounters and social interactions”, the report said.
