Singapore’s first Deepwater Ocean Basin research facility officially opened on 26 July 2022 at the Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore (TCOMS)*. The centre plays an important role in strengthening research and development in the marine and offshore engineering industries, as the ocean basin can simulate the changing ocean environments caused by climate change.

CPG Consultants and CPG Signature provided Architectural and Landscape services, Civil & Structural Engineering as well as Environmental Sustainability Design consultancy services for the centre.

Designed with the concept of working and research in a nature reserve, the centre’s facade incorporates biophilic elements to create a green and pleasant work environment for researchers, with office views of lush greenery and landscaped outdoor spaces. This provides a sense of tranquillity for the staff while the greenery also ensures sustainability by reducing the centre’s carbon footprint.

The 60m by 48m ocean basin facility costs $107 million to build and has a variable depth of up to 12m. The centre pit of the basin facility, with a water depth of 50m, is currently one of the deepest in the world. Among its many capabilities, it also features a movable floor that can simulate operating environments in shallow, intermediate and deep waters, allowing technologies to be stress-tested by simulations of harsh weather conditions caused by climate change.

*TCOMS is a national research and development (R&D) centre set up by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) and the National University of Singapore (NUS), supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).