ENR 2025 Global Best Projects
Award of Merit, Specialty Construction: GeoBarrier System at Furama Riverfront Hotel

Slope stabilization in densely urbanized Singapore sparks international interest for scalable, environmentally friendly solution.
GeoBarrier System at Furama Riverfront Hotel
Singapore
Award of Merit, Specialty Construction
Submitted by Housing & Development Board, Singapore
Owner: Singapore Land Authority, Singapore
Lead Design Firm, Contractor & Civil Engineer: Hocklim Engineering Pte. Ltd.
Funding Partners: Housing & Development Board; Enterprise Singapore
This innovative project addresses slope stability challenges in Singapore’s urban landscape with a first-of-its-kind application that stabilizes a 22-meter-high slope with a history of failures. Use of a three-layer system integrating vegetation, fine-grained and coarse-grained layers effectively controls rainwater infiltration and stabilizes steep slopes in developed areas.
Unlike traditional concrete solutions that are carbon-intensive, the GeoBarrier system uses recycled materials and sustainable features, converting slopes into green assets.
The project showcases innovative engineering, collaboration across multiple government agencies, and adaptability to complex terrain, says the team. Addressing obstacles like a high groundwater table and the need for precise compaction, the team devised cost-effective solutions, including a ground lock system and a semi-automated production system that increases productivity.
Successfully completed in December 2024, the project establishes a new benchmark for slope stabilization, attracting international interest, providing a scalable, environmentally friendly solution for urban developments worldwide.
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