Jewel Changi Airport (also known asJewel) is a nature-themed entertainment and retail complex surrounded by and linked to one of the passenger terminals ofChangi Airport in Singapore. Its centrepiece is the world's tallestindoor waterfall, the Rain Vortex, which is surrounded by a terraced forest setting.[5]
Jewel includes gardens, attractions, a hotel, about 300 retail and dining outlets, as well as earlybaggage check-in aviation facilities. It covers a total gross floor area of 135,700 m2 (1,461,000 sq ft), spanning 10 storeys—five above-ground and five basement levels.[6] Its attractions include the Forest Valley, an indoor garden spanning five storeys, and the Canopy Park at the topmost level, featuring gardens and leisure facilities.[7]
Jewel receives about 300,000 visitors per day. In October 2019, six months after itssoft opening, it had welcomed 50 million visitors, exceeding its initial target for the whole year.[2] In 2024, it achieved a record footfall of more than 80 million, the highest since its opening.[8]
The complex and airport are located inChangi, at the eastern end of Singapore, approximately 20 km (12 mi) northeast from Singapore'sDowntown Core.[9]
Jewel was conceived to maintain Changi Airport's status as a major aviation hub in the Asia-Pacific.[10] It was first mentioned by then-Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong in hisNational Day Rally speech in 2013 as part of Changi Airport's long-term plans to double its capacity by the mid-2020s and "create more opportunities for Singapore and Singaporeans".[11][12]
Built over the former open-air car park in front of Changi Airport Terminal 1, Jewel expanded Terminal 1's arrival hall andbaggage reclaim areas by 70%, and its handling capacity was also expected to increase from 21 to 24 million passengers a year.[13][14] Jewel was officially opened on 18 October 2019 by Lee, six months after itssoft opening. During this time, it received 50 million visitors—about 300,000 per day—exceeding its initial target of 40–50 million visitors for the first year.[2]
The concept was developed by Jewel Changi Airport Trustee Pte Ltd, a joint venture between Changi Airport Group (CAG) andCapitaLand, through its wholly owned shopping mall business, CapitaLand Mall Asia.[15] The project cost S$1.7 billion[16] and did not involve any government funds or taxpayer money, despite both entities being either wholly or partially owned byTemasek Holdings, the state-owned investment company.[17]
Jewel was envisioned to combine a marketplace and an urban park. "The component of the traditional mall is combined with the experience of nature, culture, education, and recreation, aiming to provide an uplifting experience. By drawing both visitors and local residents alike, we aim to create a place where the people of Singapore interact with the people of the world", said Safdie.[23]
The glass panels of the dome are framed in steel that rests on a complex latticework.[24] At night, the glowing dome is visible from surrounding areas.[25]
The Forest Valley is one of Asia's largest indoor gardens, spanning five stories and approximately 22,000 square metres (240,000 sq ft), located in the heart of Jewel Changi Airport. It houses around 3,000 trees and 60,000 shrubs of 120 species that live in high-altitude tropical forests around the world.[26][27][28] It was conceived and designed by PWP Landscape Architecture.
The Rain Vortex is the world's largest and tallestindoor waterfall, standing at 40 metres (130 ft) high.[29] Recirculating rain water is pumped to the roof to freefall through a round hole at up to 37,850 liters (8,330 imp gal; 10,000 U.S. gal) per minute to a basement-level pool.[26] Anacrylic funnel at the bottom prevents splashing and insulates the sound of the cascade. The toroid-shaped roof has more than 9,000 pieces of glass spanning 200 by 150 meters (660 by 490 ft),[26] with a slopedoculus as the mouth of the waterfall acting as "a continuation of the building... completed in a liquid form".[30] At night, the circular walls of the waterfall become a 360-degree stage for a light-and-sound show.[31]
To prevent excess humidity in the Jewel, the waterfall's flow alternates between cascades and trickles that reduce air turbulence. The design process, by WET Design engineers, included testing a one-fifth-scale model and a full-size partial prototype.[32]
TheChangi Airport Skytrain connecting the terminals passes above ground near the waterfall, allowing passengers remainingairside to see the Vortex and Jewel itself.[33]
At the topmost level of Jewel, the 14,000-square-metre (150,000 sq ft) Canopy Park houses recreation and leisure attractions.[34] About half of the total landscaping is hosted at Canopy Park, including two gardens: Topiary Walk and Petal Garden.[35] The Topiary Walk features animal-shapedtopiaries at every corner, while the Petal Garden has seasonal floral displays. The park includes asuspension bridge called theMastercard Canopy Bridge,[36] located 23 metres (75 ft) above the ground and offering a panoramic view of the Rain Vortex. At 50 metres (160 ft) long, the bridge also has a glass-panel floor at the centre section that offers a view down to level 1 of Jewel.
The park also consists of two mazes, situated at the eastern end of the Jewel, called the Hedge Maze and Mirror Maze.[26][37] The Hedge Maze is Singapore's largest, with hedge walls standing at 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in) high. The maze features gates that can be pushed inward and thus change the path of the maze. It ends at an elevated watchtower that offers a bird's-eye view of the entire maze. The Mirror Maze is located under the dome, with plants branching across the top. It makes use of mirrors and various reflections.[31][38]
Bouncing and Walking Nets – The Bouncing Net is 250 metres (820 ft) long, suspended 8 metres above ground at its highest point.[31] A separate 50 metres (160 ft)-long Walking Net enables visitors to look down 25 metres (82 ft) to Jewel's level 1.[35]
Discovery Slides – the Discovery Slides feature four integrated slides: two tube slides and two sliding surfaces.[31] The entire structure sits at an incline, 3 metres (9.8 ft) high on one end, and close to 7 metres (23 ft) on the other,[39] and enables visitors to view the Forest Valley and the Rain Vortex.[40] The Discovery Slides were designed by Carve and built by Playpoint in Singapore.[31]
Foggy Bowls – the Foggy Bowls are four concave bowls with depths of between 30 centimetres (12 in) and 65 centimetres (26 in) for people to jump in while mist is released to create an illusion of playing among clouds.[31]
The Changi Experience Studio is a 3,000-square-metre (32,000 sq ft) space with interactive games and displays relating to the airport's history that allows visitors a behind-the-scenes look at how the facility is run.[31]
An "integrated multi-modal transport lounge" provides ticketing, boarding pass collection, and baggage transfer service in a single location. Early check-in facilities enable passengers to drop off luggage up to 24 hours ahead of regular check-in times.[41]
Jewel Changi Airport was accorded the 2016 International Architecture Award by theChicago Athenaeum, an international museum of architecture and design.[52]
In November 2019, the airport received the Special Jury Award at that year'sMapic Awards.[53]
In 2024, it was publicly voted "My Favourite Shopping Mall" by the Singapore Retailers Association at the SRA Retail Awards.[54]
Jewel Changi Airport also receivedTripadvisor's 2025 Travellers' Choice Award, based on reviews from millions of travellers, ranking the airport among the top 10% worldwide.[55]
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