Singapore's Supertrees

Daily Mail: In the Singapore heat, the idea of enjoying the shade of a tree is quite appealing, particularly if that tree is colossal enough to shelter a small army. Which is why the stylish city, which has a name for doing things on a grand scale, is creating the ultimate green space, but with a difference.

Man-made trees, stretching 50 metres (164 feet) high and made from concrete and wire rods are currently under construction in the Marina South district, but don't worry, some natural flora will be joining them soon.

The towering creations, which already weigh hundreds of tonnes and are due to weigh even more when canopies are added to their 'branches', are set to mark a new attraction.

A vast green space is to be created in the area, which currently looks more like a building site, as part of an ambitious project to make Singapore the 'botanical capital of the world'.

Once completed, the installation will house a cluster of green conservatories and inside the Supertrees plants from around the world will be displayed. The park will also become home to the Singapore Garden Festival. Hanging gardens and rainwater catches will be added to the trees and a 22-metre high walkway will be made between two of the canopies allowing guests to take in a view of the scenery.

The Gardens at Marina South is one of three waterfront garden projects under the massive Gardens by the Bay initiative, with the other two in Marina East and Marina Center. The aim is to compliment the already-popular city destination with a chance to enjoy the outdoors too.

Leaders want to create a continuous ring of greenery, with the three gardens wrapping around the Marina Bay area, which is already home to the iconic Marina Bay Sand hotel, with its suspended rooftop swimming pool.

Each Supertree will have added to it a canopy weighing around 20 to 85 tonnes which will be hoisted into place over three to four hours by a hydraulic-jack system. Steel frames are then added onto the sides to represent the dark bark of natural woodland.

Environmental experts have even been drafted in to add solar panels to seven of the trees. The energy will then be used to light the areas below.

Universal Singapore Launches Grand Opening

The Independent: A mixture of stars from both the East and West's entertainment worlds are gathering in Singapore this weekend for the official launch of Asia's first Universal Studios theme park.

The Grand Opening of Universal Studios Singapore - to be held over May 27 and 28 - will see Chinese martial arts superstar Jet Li joined by acclaimed Hong Kong actress Maggie Cheung, China's Vicki Zhao Wei, and American singer Paula Abdul for celebrations that will take in a parade, a traditional red carpet walk for the stars and a gala party.

And while Arnold Schwarzenegger was a late withdrawal for the festivities planned - with more pressing matters to deal with on the home front - Universal Studios Singapore is hoping that by revealing such attractions as the Madagascar Ride and the BSG Roller Coaster they'll be able to grab the lion's share of tourists now flocking to the Lion City.

"What excites us is that these superstars bring magic, movies and entertainment to life. And this epitomizes what Universal Studios Singapore is all about," Michael Silver, president of global business development, Universal Parks & Resorts, said in a statement.

Singapore has under the past five years invested heavily in building two massive tourist attractions - Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa, which houses the Universal Studios theme park among other attractions. Both properties also include casinos which last year generated a staggering US$5.1 billion (3.5 billion euros) combined.

Singapore has launched a concentrated effort to lure both Asian and international tourists away from cities such as Hong Kong (which has its own theme parks in Disneyland and Ocean Park) and Macau, which has invested heavily in casinos. The move has been paying off too with Singapore last year welcoming a record 12 million visitors, a year-on-year rise of around 25 percent.

For those wanting to keep up with this weekend's action in Singapore, Universal Studios has set up a Facebook site (www.facebook.com/ResortsWorldatSentosa) which will feature regular updates.