Singapore·One Raffles Place·280m View Over Singapore | 360° Gigapixel Panorama

Singapore in 47.8 gigapixels: a city seen from One Raffles Place

Singapore is the real-life story of a port that had nothing and became one of the world's most admired city-states.

Once dismissed as a small harbor with no resources and no hinterland, it grew into the wealthy, globally connected place we see today. With that respect in mind, I finally came to Singapore — a city I had long wanted to visit. I had also heard one thing about it before arriving: the rules are strict. While traveling here, you constantly remind yourself to behave — otherwise you might really end up on the wrong side of the cane.

Three days, and the first task was still a panorama

We had only three days in Singapore, and the first mission was still the same: create a gigapixel panorama that belonged to this city.

The location was already chosen: the NOVA rooftop bar at the top of One Raffles Place.

The problem was practical — NOVA does not normally open during the day, and we could only shoot in daylight. So we had to go and try our luck on site.

We rode the elevators up, passed through the bar, then through several more doors before reaching the outdoor terrace. It felt nothing like an ordinary public observation deck: quiet, upscale, and with Singapore's skyline opening beyond the railing.

A staff member happened to be cleaning when we arrived. In broken English we explained why we were there and showed her panoramas we had shot in other cities, hoping for a chance to work.

The person who helped us was a cheerful young woman from Malaysia. She smiled throughout, seemed to understand why we had traveled so far for one photograph, and after we bought two drinks, everything fell into place — she gave us this rare opportunity to shoot.

Often, you simply have to try boldly instead of ruling yourself out first.

Three sectors, one photograph of Singapore

Once permission was granted, the rest was straightforward.

We set up the rig and captured the city in three large sectors. The field work went smoothly.

The long work began only after we returned to Shanghai.

2,462 photographs went through selection, stitching, retouching and post-processing — roughly three weeks in total. Those ordinary frames were eventually rebuilt into a 47.8-gigapixel city panorama.

When you open it now, you can begin with Singapore's full urban outline and keep zooming until distant architectural details come into view.

Start with the Merlion: from river mouth to the bay

Lower in the frame, along Marina Bay, you can find the famous Merlion.

The lion-headed, fish-bodied statue is one of Singapore's most familiar symbols. The fish body recalls its early history as a fishing village, while the lion head connects to the name Singapura — the Lion City.

Marina Bay Sands: Singapore's most recognizable skyline icon

One of the most striking buildings ahead is Marina Bay Sands — today almost a city card in its own right.

Three towers support a giant ship-like sky park. From this angle, the scale contrast with the dense city around it is dramatic.

Keep zooming and you may even see visitors in the rooftop infinity pool. From afar they are only part of the skyline; up close, real activity inside the building begins to appear.

That is what makes a gigapixel panorama interesting: the distant city is not a backdrop, but a world you can keep approaching.

Gardens by the Bay

Behind Marina Bay Sands lie the famous Gardens by the Bay.

Plants, architecture and public space are woven together here. Zoom in to find the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest conservatories; Flower Dome holds a Guinness World Record as the world's largest glass greenhouse, while Cloud Forest contains a 35-meter indoor waterfall.

Ships waiting for the Strait of Malacca

Look farther out and countless vessels spread across the sea.

They make Singapore's prosperity feel concrete rather than abstract. The city sits at the junction of Singapore Port, the Strait of Malacca and a wider international shipping network. From about 280 meters, the trading world behind the skyline appears with unusual clarity.

Why is Singapore called a Garden City?

Zoom into the modern towers around the frame and you will notice many retain only their structural columns on middle floors, while plants, lawns and walkways fill the interior — creating miniature parks in the air. The design gives office workers nearby green space, while also helping ventilation, cooling, carbon reduction and safety separation at height.

A "durian," and another side of Singapore

On the other side of Marina Bay stands the Esplanade — Theatres on the Bay. Its most recognizable feature is the dense sunshade structure over two great domes, which locals affectionately compare to a durian. It is also Singapore's national performing arts center, hosting music, dance, theatre and international as well as local productions.

Airport panic: I almost lost the whole trip

After the shoot, everything seemed fine. The real scare came when we were leaving Singapore. At the airport I suddenly realized the camera was gone — left in the hotel lobby. That camera had been with me through the entire shoot, and the kit was worth nearly 40,000 yuan. For a moment there was only one thought: if this is lost, the whole Singapore trip was for nothing. We jumped into a taxi back to the hotel. The driver stayed calm and said only: don't worry, Singapore is safe — it is probably still there. He was right. The camera was exactly where we left it, and my heart finally settled back into place.

Then he drove me back to the airport at speed. When I asked whether speeding was okay, he remained just as calm: if stopped, explain the situation and it should be fine. Singapore's humane way of handling things deserves respect.