Geneo: New lifestyle hub in Singapore with cathedral-style architecture, F&B options, green spaces and more
It's impressive how Singapore still manages to squeeze new shopping malls within its limited land space – Punggol Coast Mall and Icon Link@ClubStreet are two that just opened this year. Meanwhile, the shiny new complex that is Geneo has just been unveiled over at the west side of Singapore, offering those working and studying at Kent Ridge a new haunt instead of the usual campus spaces or hospital retail wing.
Don't brush Geneo off as just another shopping mall, though, because it's so much more. Think of it as a much larger Westie cousin of Punggol Digital District. This mammoth of a mixed-development complex – a mega lifestyle hub, if you will – comprises a total of five sleek buildings that are home to offices (including Shopee's), wet labs, coworking spaces, serviced apartment residence Citadines Science Park which is also open for short staycation bookings, and of course, food and retail options.
Some confirmed standout food and beverage brands at Geneo include Olive & Peach, a new-to-market café specialising in coffee and focaccia sandwiches; Great Nanyang Heritage Café with old-school favourites; a Hawkerlab food court; Western-Thai fusion restaurant Citrus Kitchen; healthy DIY bowl kiosk Grains & Co.; Taiwanese eatery Xi Men Jie; Ha-Jun Korean; and Swensen's Unlimited with its buffets. Of course, you'll also come across the usual chain outlets like Subway, Fun Toast, Pasta Express, Luckin Coffee, and Putien.
Connecting all five buildings is a high-ceilinged event plaza with tall wooden arches that resemble that of Europe's grand cathedrals, and a 300-seater amphitheatre for performances and other activations. This area is conveniently linked straight to Kent Ridge MRT station along the yellow Circle Line.
Craving a pocket of calm amidst all the spreadsheets and lab work? Pop out for a breather at The Seed, a little green haven within Geneo that's as much of a recreational garden hangout as it is a biological conservation site. Pick a chair and recline under the shade of trees as you admire the flowers and ginger plants all around.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
5 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
I ditched the UK to live on a cheap island with my kids – I was sick of splashing cash on nursery fees and bills
Scroll down for tips to make moving house easier EXPAT ESCAPE I ditched the UK to live on a cheap island with my kids – I was sick of splashing cash on nursery fees and bills Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MUM has shared how she ditched the UK for sunny Thailand with her kids and husband. Lauren took to social media and shared why she left England and has no regrets in uprooting her family to South East Asia. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Lauren left the UK and swapped it for sunny Thailand Credit: 3 Now they spend their days island hopping and relaxing by the beach Credit: The mum-of-two revealed that she and her family decided the cost of living and their busy schedule was too much. Instead of putting up with it, they sold their house and bought a one-way ticket to Thailand for a new life. She said: "We didn't leave because we hated the UK. "We left because life started to feel like one long checklist we didn't remember choosing. Wake up. Rush. Work. Nursery. School. Bills. Repeat. "We wanted more presence, more connection, more sunsets and slow mornings. "So we sold almost everything, booked a one-way ticket, and figured it out as we went. "It's not perfect, but it's ours, and we've never felt more free." Lauren often shared her new life in Thailand on social media and recently shared one of their favourite breakfasts while they stayed in Koh Samui. She headed to one of her favourite food vendors and ordered fried chicken and sticky rice before getting some Thai milk tea. The mum even said that she thought the iced tea was better than English Breakfast tea. 3 The stunning island is perfect for families Credit: Alamy Gobsmacked shoppers watch on as hungry elephant raids Thai store and leaves with trunk full of snacks The mum added: "Hands down they are better than an English breakfast tea. They're sweet, they're icy. They do give you that little tea fix." She said the next step to the perfect breakfast was to locate the nearest beach. "The beach closest to our house here is Chong Mon. And if you are coming to Koh Samui, even just on holiday, I really recommend this area," Lauren said. "It's kind of like a mix between touristy but not too touristy. Moving house hacks 1. Declutter Before You Pack Sort through your belongings and get rid of anything you no longer need. Donate, sell, or recycle items to lighten your load. 2. Create an Inventory Make a list of all your items. This helps keep track of everything and ensures nothing gets lost in the move. 3. Use Quality Packing Materials Invest in sturdy boxes, bubble wrap, and packing tape. This will protect your belongings during the move. 4. Label Everything Clearly label each box with its contents and the room it belongs to. This makes unpacking much easier and more organized. 5. Pack a 'First Day' Box Include essentials like toiletries, a change of clothes, snacks, and important documents. This will keep you from rummaging through boxes on your first day. 6. Take Photos of Electronics Setup Before unplugging your electronics, take photos of the wiring setup. This will make it easier to reconnect everything at your new place. 7. Use Suitcases for Heavy Items Pack books and other heavy items in rolling suitcases. This makes them easier to transport and reduces the risk of injury. 8. Colour-Code Your Boxes Use different coloured stickers or markers for each room. This will help movers quickly identify where each box should go in your new home. "The beach here is so good for kids because the water is really shallow." Finally, she and her family sat down on the beach to enjoy their breakfast with a stunning view. The clip went viral on her TikTok account @lifealongsidelauren with 120k views. People were quick to take to the comments in awe of Lauren's new life. One person wrote: "Living the dream, I would swap my builders' tea in England for yours any day of the week." Another commented: 'I have been following for a while just wanted to say that because of you and your TikTok my future with my kids will look the same!" "I haven't seen your posts for ages, glad you're still enjoying your new life," penned a third. Meanwhile a fourth said: "Brekkie on the "Love watching your adventures! We are coming to to Thailand in August and can't wait,' claimed a fifth. Someone else added: 'Such an inspiration."
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
NATO allies agree huge spending boost as US demands they are 'ready' for Russia
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth demanded GDP members of NATO be 'combat-ready' or risk losing US support amid escalating security concerns over Russia's aggression NATO allies will increase defence spending to five per cent of GDP, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said. The American also demanded that members of the organisation be 'combat-ready' or risk losing US support amid escalating security concerns over Russia 's aggression. Speaking ahead of a NATO defence ministers meeting in Brussels yesterday, Hegseth emphasised that the alliance must move beyond symbolic gestures. He said: 'The commitment is there. Five per cent on defence spending. When you consider the threats that we face, the urgency in the world, it's critical. We don't need more flags. We need more fighting formations. We don't need more conferences. We need more capabilities. Hard power.' The call for a sharp increase from the current NATO guideline of two per cent has gained support across Europe and Canada, but places pressure on countries like the UK. The government currently spends around two per cent of GDP on defence but faces growing demands to raise that figure to at least three per cent, or even 3.5 per cent, to maintain good relations with Washington. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has promised to raise spending to three per cent when economic conditions allow, though no timeline has been set. Dutch Prime Minister and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte echoed Hegseth's urgency. 'The expectation is that on the European side of NATO and the Canadian side of NATO, if we think that we can keep ourselves safe sticking with the two per cent, forget it,' he said. 'Yes, the next three to five years, but then we are in great difficulty. And the US rightly expects us to spend much more to defend ourselves with their help, but also to equalise, which is only fair with what the US is spending on defence.' Rutte also highlighted the financial challenge. He added: 'All these investments have to be financed.' NATO ministers were set to approve 'capability targets' - detailed goals for each of the 32 member nations to purchase priority weapons and equipment, including air defence systems, long-range missiles, artillery, drones, and strategic enablers like air-to-air refuelling and heavy transport. Each nation's plan remains classified. The targets stem from a 2023 NATO blueprint aimed at countering threats from Russia or other major adversaries. NATO plans to maintain up to 300,000 troops ready to deploy to the alliance's eastern flank within 30 days, though experts doubt the allies can yet muster such forces effectively. The member countries are assigned defensive roles across three zones: the Arctic and North Atlantic, central Europe north of the Alps, and southern Europe. The timeline to meet these capability targets is within five to ten years - a timeframe NATO believes necessary given Russia's ongoing military build-up, which could accelerate if Western sanctions ease or a peace deal ends the war in Ukraine. 'We are going to gather here again and say 'okay, we failed a bit,' and then maybe we start learning Russian?' Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė warned, highlighting fears of a premature Russian strike on NATO territory. Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson stressed the importance of the current moment: 'We also know that after an armistice or a peace agreement, of course, Russia is going to allocate more forces closer to our vicinity. Therefore, it's extremely important that the alliance use these couple of years now when Russia is still limited by its force posture in and around Ukraine.' The Netherlands, for example, is planning to increase defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP. Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans said the country expects to purchase more tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and long-range missile systems such as the US-made Patriot missiles capable of targeting aircraft, cruise missiles, and short-range ballistic missiles. The UK currently spends 2.3 per cent of GDP on defence and has committed to raising this to 2.5 per cent by 2027. The government has set an ambition to then increase it to three per cent by 2034. The Office for Budget Responsibility has estimated that reaching three per cent of GDP by 2030 would cost the UK government an additional £17.3 billion. In the 2024/25 financial year, the UK spent £56.9 billion on defence, increasing to £59.8 billion in 2025/26 According to 2024 figures, Poland was the top military spender as a share of its economy for the second year running. It's forecast to spend 4.1 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) - the total value of goods and services produced. Estonia was in second place at 3.4 per cent with the US in third place at 3.4 per cent, which is about the same level as it has been spending for the last decade. The UK came ninth on the list with 2.3 per cent. The average for NATO members in Europe and Canada is estimated at 2.0 per cent. If the UK were to pay five per cent of its GDP to NATO, taxpayers would be hit with a £128 billion bill.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
'Epstein's ghost comes back to haunt Trump as Musk trolls President'
Like thunder follows lightning, Elon Musk's spectacular public fall-out tonight with Donald Trump was as predictable as night follows day. The bromance was never built to last. A billionaire with delusions of being America's saviour, and a career reality-TV president with a steel spine for betrayal - the only surprise is that it took this long to implode. Tonight, the dam burst. 'Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files,' Musk declared on X, the platform he owns. 'That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!' Let that sink in. The world's richest man, once known as Trump's 'First Buddy', just accused the sitting US president of being named in classified government files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender whose name is synonymous with global elite scandal. No cryptic memes. No dog whistles. Just a nuclear accusation, live on the platform Musk controls. And it didn't come out of nowhere. This bomb was wrapped in a detonator: Trump's £960 billion trillion spending 'big, beautiful' spending bill, which gutted electric vehicle tax credits and wiped nearly £29.5 billion off Tesla's value in a single day. Musk's flagship company has now hit the skids. The man who once boasted of 'saving Western civilisation' by putting Trump back on Twitter now finds himself politically exiled and financially wounded by the very man he helped re-elect. Of course, this was never just about policy. This is about ego, power, and two men who can't stand being second to anyone. Musk had reason to believe he was a kingmaker. Last year, he poured hundreds of millions of dollars into Trump's campaign and used his platform to tilt the digital scales back in the then former president's favour. He was repaid, in his mind, with promises and access to the corridors of government. Those doors have now been slammed shut. In a sense, the Epstein claim is Musk's final scorched-earth strategy. And in Trump, he's found the perfect foil: a man whose documented past with the late Wall Street financier is impossible to ignore. Let's not forget, Trump wasn't just an acquaintance of Prince Andrew's pal Epstein - they were tight. 'Terrific guy,' Trump once said of him in New York Magazine in 2002. 'He likes beautiful women… many of them on the younger side.' The pair partied together in Palm Beach. Epstein was a frequent guest at Mar-a-Lago. Photos, videos, flight logs - the connections are not just alleged, they're archived. Trump now claims he 'banned' Epstein from his clubs in the early 2000s and insists they weren't close. But the record says otherwise - and Musk knows it. Trump's Attorney General, Pam Bondi, promised the full Epstein file release earlier this year, only to deliver a limp 200-page 'Phase One' binder of already-public flight logs and contact lists. It was handed out only to Trump's sycophant supporters, with other media ignored. The public has, since quite rightly, asked: Where's the rest? Now Musk has claimed the answer to the question is: Trump is the reason they've never been released. Is it true? We don't know. But the accusation itself has shattered whatever illusion remained that Musk and Trump were allies. It's hard to walk back a claim like that. And it puts Trump's carefully curated distance from Epstein under the spotlight like never before. Before Musk's tweet, Trump, for his part, tried to brush off their growing fallout. 'I think he's suffering from a little Trump Derangement Syndrome,' he said earlier today, standing next to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. It was a shrug - a familiar play. Discredit the critic. Change the subject. But it clearly rattled Musk. He didn't just troll the president. He accused him of being named in files concerning a global sex trafficking cover-up - on the record, on his own platform, in front of hundreds of billions. It's a breathtaking rupture in American politics - one that may fracture the Republican party and pit Silicon Valley against Washington in open warfare. But more than anything, it was inevitable. The Musk-Trump partnership was never a marriage. It was a transaction. And now the cheque's bounced. The real question is what comes next. Because this fight - with its billion-dollar body count and Epstein-shaped shadows - is far from over.
