City Square Mall in Singapore has completed a comprehensive $50 million renovation that transforms the country's first eco-mall into a showcase of innovative sustainable design. The upgraded mall features an array of creative upcycling elements, including wall panels made from repurposed bubble wrap, flooring indicators crafted from milk bottles, and decorative features built from bamboo chopsticks.

The mall, which first opened in 2009 near Farrer Park MRT station off Kitchener Road, was already built with sustainability at its core. Its original design maximized natural sunlight penetration through the roof, and during construction, the mall implemented water recycling systems that reportedly saved the equivalent of eight Olympic-size pools worth of water by treating and reusing silt water.

The recent renovation, led by local architecture and design firm Ta.Le, added energy-efficient lighting systems, improved ventilation, and smarter building controls to further reduce energy consumption. Ms. Tay Yanling, co-founder of Ta.Le, explained that the design team wanted to move beyond treating green features as novel concepts and instead create a holistic environment where sustainability and community engagement are embedded in the daily visitor experience.

The design process took over 12 months to complete, followed by an 18-month phased renovation that was finished in 2025. Ta.Le was brought onto the revamp project in March 2022, bringing their expertise in sustainable design and adaptive reuse to transform the mall's aesthetic while maintaining its environmental credentials.

One of the most striking examples of the mall's commitment to reducing waste is the repurposing of 1.4 kilometers of timber grab bars from the original City Square Mall. Instead of discarding these materials, the design team transformed them into new benches and wall cladding throughout the renovated space. "This was one way that we were able to preserve the mall's unique history and eco-friendly legacy, while simultaneously minimizing construction waste," Ms. Tay noted.

The renovation features six distinctive design elements that demonstrate creative upcycling techniques. The basement lobby walls and ceiling panels incorporate 680,000 repurposed bamboo chopsticks, creating unique textural surfaces. High-performance textile panels made from over 1,000 kilograms of recycled PET bottles line the atrium and lift lobbies from levels one through three, providing both aesthetic appeal and functional benefits.

Visitors will notice floor indicators at the lift lobbies crafted from upcycled Meiji milk bottles, while wall panels throughout the lobbies feature textiles that were previously bubble wrap. The renovation also includes cloud-like suspended ceiling features at the lift lobbies on levels two and three, constructed from wood fiber waste panels that serve both decorative and practical purposes by concealing large fire shutters.

Ms. Tay emphasized that the use of familiar, everyday items in the design serves a dual purpose. "Together, the many little details turn a walk through the mall into an exciting journey of discovery," she explained. "By using these familiar, everyday items, we hope to inspire people to think more about the impact of their choices. Simultaneously, this approach proves that eco-conscious design can be beautiful, inspiring and deeply engaging, enhancing the spaces we use every day."

The renovation represents a broader trend in sustainable architecture, where adaptive reuse and creative upcycling are becoming central elements of modern design philosophy. City Square Mall's transformation demonstrates how existing structures can be reimagined to meet contemporary environmental standards while creating visually compelling spaces that educate and inspire visitors about sustainability practices.