216. ART DECO GOOD LOOKS

When Parkview Square was unveiled in 2002 it looked intimidating, almost 'dark' - it reminded me very much of the hangout of Batman and Catwoman and Gotham City where their exploits took place. All this was fictitious of course from the fertile imagination of the creator of these 2 comic strip characters.

The original setting of Batman was during the years that the art deco era was at its height in America and Europe.

Parkview Square is privately owned by a wealthy family originally from Taiwan. It's a close reproduction of the Chanin Building in New York City (1929). It's a unique structure and is strictly an office building with neither residences nor shops, housing several foreign embassies and multinational companies.

It's not just imposing it's foreboding as well, perhaps because of its colour or because it's so closed up, not your usual glass and chrome structure where one can see through. Whenever I walk past I stop to look from the outside, as it seems to be full of sculptures but have not ventured in until very recently. I had thought then it was a serviced apartment block...

That it's elevated, accessible by steps, no ramps to be seen, perhaps hidden away, makes it more mysterious - perhaps it's a fengshui recommendation.

Imposing by day, foreboding by night...there are no high rises around obstructing it, which is quite unusual in SG

In the courtyard is this golden crane facing NW with a poem in Chinese expressing a desire to fly home safely

 

There are several of these figures, chiefly renowned Thinkers and Artists. They might be people the family's late patriarch knew personally or admired. I get the sense that he's a WOG (Westernised Oriental Gentleman). Urbane, well-dressed in expensive tailored suits, a silver and wood cane, a gentleman's hat - lol! At the same time, he would be well-versed in the Chinese classics...

These sculptures are by Salvador Dali. It didn't say they are reproductions. He must have been friends with the Patriarch who must have liked his work for there are several pieces of his work outside and inside the building...that's a lot of moolah...

I enter the building and am greeted by this spectacular bar which occupies the foyer - the award-winning Atlas Bar

This gin tower is 3 storeys high...to get to the prized bottles, this winged angel is hoisted up. She's now grounded, wings clipped, no longer taking off...

The angel is also a bartender but she might have a grander title at Atlas. Bartender is so hoi polloi

I make the most of it by testing the leather couch...can't be seen snapping continuously, Security will approach to stop the clicking, so most pics I had to download...

This place is opulent, very art deco, classy -  Atlas is for those who want to be seen in the right place, arriving in their Bentleys and Rolls Royces, it's a dressed up kind of place with service that's gracious, quietly elegant...their clients in the offices above would entertain their guests here and they'll be impressed by the location. No riff-raff who can't behave after a few gins/martinis/champagne...no Tiger beers here...

More art. Every inch of Atlas which is the building's foyer, is covered by art work that's detailed, meticulous.

There's a museum on the 3rd floor currently closed but will reopen sometime and I will visit...besides the permanent private collections of the building's owners, there will be the usual solo exhibitions and all the rest of it...

This piece is whimsy, more tongue-in-cheek...