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Postcard from Singapore

“8 @ TradeHub 21” is one of many similar ramp-up industrial buildings in Singapore Photo: Ben Aveling
“8 @ TradeHub 21” is one of many similar ramp-up industrial buildings in Singapore Photo: Ben Aveling

The spiral at the left is a ramp for vehicles. There’s a similar ramp at the far end of the building. You can drive down the middle of the building on any of its 11 floors. Each floor is divided into multiple units, almost all of which you can drive up to.

They call them ramp-up-warehouses. There are also ramp-up-factories. Some have ramps big enough for semi-trailers.

Some multi-level factories don’t have ramps, but instead they use hoists and lifts to move loads between floors.

What all of these buildings have in common is that they allow more industrial and commercial activity to happen using less land. The other benefit is that customers and suppliers are closer together, which saves time and money moving goods between them.

I don’t know why ramp-up industrial buildings aren’t more common in Sydney. I guess one day they will be.

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