The Shaw House Project, Singapore (1989-93)
Lido cineplex lobby with video wall
Lido One, THX cinema with SDDS, DTS, SRD, DOLBY SR and
Dolby Digital Surround EX.
In the late 1980s the management undertook their biggest single project to date. Completed in 1993, the Shaw House project is a 22 storey complex located in the heart of the city. The building comprises 5 floors of shops and restaurants operated by Isetan, 12 floors of offices and the Lido Cineplex. The cineplex started out with only five screens but in order to keep up with the growing demands of the marketplace, it was transformed into an eight-plex by 1997.
Today, Lido is by far the most popular cinema on the island, accounting for the biggest share of the box office pie.
The largest hall, Lido One, has a capacity of over 900. It was the first hall in Singapore to bear certification as a THX hall as well as SDDS, DTS, SRD and Dolby SR.
To achieve maximum capacity, the Lido projection booth has the ability to "interlock" one print in more than one hall, enabling a popular film to be seen in several halls. Within the halls, ergonomic 'rocking' cinema chairs with flip-up arms and cup holders were also introduced.
Today, Lido One is the largest digital hall on the island.
Shaw House, 1962
Shaw House, 1993
Shaw House, interior
Outside of movies, Lido boasts a unique lobby containing a food court with fast food tenants such as MacDonalds, Starbucks, and the 1st Tri-con restaurant in South-East Asia, with Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.
It also houses a video wall and four plasma screens which entertain with the latest trailers and music videos.
In conjunction with the millenium celebrations, Shaw House was installed with the largest LED screen on Orchard Road.
This screen is unique in that it is similar to the one in Times Square, New York. This LED screen produces picture colour and clarity unmatched anywhere in South East Asia. The plasma and LED screens are managed by Shaw Media Services, an in-house media development and production hub.
The Jurong, Oriental and Lot 1 Cineplex, Singapore, 90s
Choa Chu Kang Lot 1 mall
Choa Chu Kang cineplex, Lot 1 lobby
In 1993, the Jurong East Entertainment Centre and Oriental Plaza were also completed. Jurong Centre has a shopping arcade, restaurants, an amusement arcade and a bowling alley while Oriental had a two-screen cineplex and a department store.
By 2000, Jurong was converted into a six-plex cinema.
In 1996, the Shaw Organisation entered into a joint venture with property developer CDL and another local cinema operator,
Eng Wah Organisation, to manage the 4 screen Lot 1 Cineplex at the Lot 1 Shoppers Mall in Choa Chu Kang. By late 1999, this joint venture was dissolved but Shaw continued to manage the cineplex on its own.
Shaw Cinemas, Singapore, 2000
By August 2000, a computerised ticketing system developed jointly with Singapore Technologies was launched.
This system linked all Shaw theatres into a single network for automated telephone credit card purchases.
For added convenience, ticket dispensing kiosks were placed in cinemas so that patrons who had bought tickets by phone can collect their tickets without the hassle of lining up.
Shaw House, 1962
Shaw House, 1993
Shaw House, interior
To take advantage of the growing e-commerce market, internet ticketing was launched in December 2000. This system is unique in that patrons can select preferred cinema seats over the internet in 'real time'.
Shaw Media Services, the department which manages the system, is constantly on the lookout to integrate new technology into the web based ticketing site in order to provide better and faster service to cinema patrons.
In 2007, Shaw launched its latest web portal with powerful new features including a special high speed 3 step booking process. To complete the cinema going experience, a concessions arm - Movie Bites - was set up to operate cinema concessions. The concession stands serve up a variety of movie favourites including popcorn, nachos, hot dogs, ice cream, coffee and soft drinks.
Shaw Cinemas, Singapore, 2001
On 13th December 2001, Shaw Bugis and Shaw Beach Road cineplexes re-opened for business under Shaw Singapore management from the United Artists chain which shut down operations in Singapore.
At the time, Shaw Bugis has 3 halls while Shaw Beach Road has 4 halls including one with the largest capacity in Singapore.
Today, Shaw Beach Road cineplex is the official site of the Singapore International Film Festival.
With the acquisition of Shaw Bugis and Beach Road cineplexes, the Organisation manages 39 cinema screens islandwide.
Shaw Beach Road cineplex
Shaw Bugis cineplex