Paragon: Why Orchard Road’s malls are always undergoing renovation

There’s a reason why the malls along this shopping belt, such as Paragon, have never-ending facelifts!

Do you know where to find Singapore’s biggest model of the God of Wealth? This may sound like a pointless question, and you’ll probably say it’s the one at the Sembawang God of Wealth Temple…but you’re wrong! Or at least, not exactly right. The God of Wealth statue at the temple in Sembawang is the biggest statue, but the biggest model is none other than Paragon shopping mall. Don’t believe us? If you can speak Hokkien, you realize that “Paragon” sounds similar to “Tua Pek Gong”, which is one of the traditional Chinese gods of wealth.

We know what you’re thinking: it’s quite a stretch to say Paragon is a “God of Wealth” just by the sound of its name, there’s more to it. According to traditional feng shui theory, Orchard Road takes the formation of “Seven Falling Stars“, resembling the Big Dipper constellation. The effects of this feng shui formation depend on its latitude and, for regions south of China, the “Seven Falling Stars” is extremely favorable for commercial growth. Singapore is clearly located south of China, and bustling Orchard Road is also in Singapore’s southern region.

One unique feature of this feng shui formation is that it requires frequent upkeep and change in order to maintain its powers. As one of the seven “stars” in this formation (the “Tiger Star”), Paragon has undergone several renovations since it opened. The 14-storey Paragon Medical centre that was added in 1999 deftly added in some feng shui adjustments to turn it into a model of the God of Wealth!

Most people would pale at the mention of tigers. Paragon just happens to sit on a plot of “Tiger Land”, which invariably has some negative effect on business. Hence, the building’s owners followed the advice of a famous feng shui master and renovated its exterior to take the shape of a “God of Wealth riding a tiger to welcome guests”, in order to suppress the aggressiveness of the “tiger”. While passing by Ngee Ann City, slow down for a moment and look at Paragon – you might be able to discern that “God of Wealth riding a tiger” (including the 14-story medical centre). It’s even more obvious when you look at Paragon from a height! However, it’s difficult to find an angle where you can get a complete view of Paragon.

As for the “tiger” that the “God of Wealth” is riding on – Paragon shopping mall – it was modified to look like a smiling face to welcome shoppers. At the same time, statues of children playing with water were added at Paragon’s main entrance to create a fun and relaxing ambience. If you can still remember, the area above the main entrance also resembled the Chinese character for “prince” in order to preserve the tiger’s image as king of beasts.

After this feng shui adjustment, business boomed at Paragon. However, further renovations removed the “smiling face” of Paragon’s façade and turned it into the current shape of a bared mouth with fangs; no wonder business seems to be slowing. The coming luck cycle (years 2024-2043) is also less than ideal, but this can be remedied by changing the direction of the main entrance. Including a mass-consumer shopping area in the mall would help to increase traffic (and consequently, revenue).

Last but not least, every “tiger land” comes with a “tiger pearl”. If you’ve read our articles about Fort Canning Hill’s “Tiger on the Mountain”, you’ll know that Kwa Geok Choo Law Library of SMU (currently under construction) is orb-shaped in design, perfectly resembling the legendary “tiger pearl”. In that case, where is Paragon’s “tiger pearl”? Head down there one of these days and search for it!

Interested in learning more about our commercial projects or engaging us for analysing the fengshui of your commercial space? Find out more here and let your commercial space set you up for success and prosperity today!