Many people know Marina One, simply, as the newest building in Marina Bay. However, when one walks into the development, the sight of the buildings’ Avant Garde façade coupled with a sprawling rainforest and silent waterfall in the middle of the four towers, are astonishing and surprising in equal parts. After all, this is in the very heart of Singapore’s financial district, where buildings look shiny, sleek and powerful, much like the companies within.
From its sustainability-driven design to its diverse community, Marina One has always been an agent of change. It is home to game-changers and industry leaders that have transformed the way we live. These brilliant minds and passionate hearts within the Marina One community can contribute so much in establishing a mindset to help and support those in need.
As the developer of Marina One, we at M+S believe that we should catalyse our community to champion sustainability and social responsibility. To do this, we constantly curate activities, talks and events that involve non-profit organisations, charities and social enterprises. We also provide spaces in Marina One for social enterprises to run their businesses.
This festive season, Marina One organised its inaugural Giving Marketplace at Marina One in support of the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre’s (NVPC) Giving Week 2019. From 2 to 6 December, market booths by non-profit organisations (NPOs) and social enterprises (SEs) were set up at Marina One’s Green Heart to sell beautiful and creative items, many of which are handmade by the beneficiaries themselves, all in time for Christmas. Proceeds help support these beneficiaries.
The Giving Marketplace at Marina One is an initiative that allowed our community to learn more about these NPOs and SEs and their beneficiaries. It provided a platform for people from all walks of life to engage with and support each other. Many were inspired and moved by the beneficiaries who overcome adversity and disability on a daily basis to live meaningful and self-sustaining lives.
Other initiatives we have undertaken over the past two years since Marina One was completed include:
– Partnering with The Singapore Centre for Social Enterprise (raiSE) to host their Social Enterprise Week and Festival for Good throughout Marina One.
– Conducting a donation drive for Singapore Fashion Runway (SFR) who empower people with disabilities or from disadvantaged backgrounds through fashion. Our Marina One community donated more than 1,000kg of pre-loved clothes to be transformed by students of Temasek Polytechnic and modelled down a runway in Marina One by beneficiaries, many of whom have special needs.
– Organising an edition of an Amazing Race with the Muscular Dystrophy Association Singapore (MDAS) where Marina One tenants formed teams with MDAS beneficiaries as they raced through pit stops in Marina One.
– Participating with other stakeholders in Marina Bay in a “Grant-A-Wish” programme in partnership with ChariTrees 2019 where beneficiaries could ask for wishes during the festive season and have them granted by the Marina One community.
In 2020, as we continue and grow our environmental and social initiatives, we hope that everyone in the Marina One community, whether in a personal or professional capacity, will continue to join us in nurturing a more caring, giving and compassionate society.
