High-Rise vs. Low-Rise Office Buildings:
Comparing Your Rental Options

High-rise office buildings are architecturally designed to have wider and deeper foundations, given their taller height. With broader foundations, high-rise office buildings are generally able to offer larger floor plates for rent. For example, Grade A office buildings like Shaw Tower have typical office floor plate sizes ranging between 18,000 and 20,000 sq ft.

Floor plate sizes for low-rise office buildings in Singapore are typically smaller, and landlords of such buildings typically are able to subdivide their floor plates into many smaller units, often ranging between 2,000 and 8,000 sq ft to match tenant profiles and requirements.

High-rise office buildings also commonly feature column-free floor plates and floor-to-floor knockout panels to improve mobility within floors and accommodate businesses with larger space requirements.

In 2019, a study published in the Building and Environment journal recorded that access to window views and daylight in the office led to improvements in cognitive performance and reduced eye-strain for workers[2].

Shaw Tower’s floor to ceiling glass façade and side core configuration is a good example – allowing for open-plan office designs with panoramic views of the city across its floors, while allowing natural daylight on top of design efficiencies on the floor plate. In addition, Shaw Tower also has sky terraces and landscaped rooftops that provide a relaxing outdoor space for occupants to unwind and recharge.

Office spaces in low rise buildings, depending on its locality may be susceptible to taller neighbouring buildings, hence potentially causing workplace environments to feel confined and claustrophobic.

High-rise buildings with Grade A office spaces are equipped with a range of amenities that enhance the tenant experience.

For example, Shaw Tower has a gym, bicycle parking and end-of-trip facilities, dedicated concierge services, touchless access controls, smart lighting systems, and HVAC optimisation for indoor air quality.

High-rise buildings have always commanded a premium over low-rise buildings, but the gap in office rental prices has been widening.

According to Q4 2024 data from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), median office rents for Category 1 (Grade A) offices, including high-rise buildings in the CBD, remained consistent at S$12.52 per square foot (psf) per month. In the same report, the median rental for Category 2 office spaces in Singapore, such as those in low-rise buildings, fell 3.2% quarter-onquarter to S$6.35 psf per month[3].

This expanding gap suggests that demand for office rentals in high-rise buildings is on the rise. With Singapore being one of the most competitive markets across the world, the need for businesses to position themselves prominently in their industry is more important than ever.

The global conversation around the environment has made sustainability a key part of every business strategy. A growing number of high-rise office buildings are now incorporating sustainability features such as energy-efficient HVAC and sources of renewable energy generation for a lower carbon footprint. Shaw Tower is the first Grade A office building in Singapore to achieve the BCA Green Mark Platinum (Super Low Energy) rating under the latest 2021 criteria, with at least 60% in energy savings compared to the baseline for commercial buildings. These energy savings lower operating expenses for tenants and support corporate sustainability goals. Shaw Tower’s design has also achieved WiredScore and SmartScore certification, indicating a high level of efficiency across operations, network and infrastructure, and technological innovation. Low-rise office buildings tend to lack sustainability features and have limited layout sizes that are not compatible with future expansion.