The Sandcrawler building in One-North
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… or really just at One-North, stands The Sandcrawler building. This 8-storeyed Star Wars-themed building opened in 2014 in Fusionopolis, a hub for workers in the Infocomm technology, media, physical sciences, and engineering industries.
This legendary building has housed media giants like Lucasfilm Singapore, the Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) and ESPN Asia Pacific. Still, it’s probably one of the few secret things you didn’t know existed in Singapore.
Why was The Sandscrawler building built?
Image adapted from: Star Wars via Wikipedia and Aedas via Wikimedia Commons
The Sandcrawler building was built by Lucasfilm, an American film and television production company that created the famed Star Wars franchise. Its opening in 2014 also marked the studio’s regional office in Southeast Asia.
It housed Industry Light & Magic, one of the largest visual effects studios in Singapore which created shows like Star Wars Rebels and Jurassic World Dominion. However, the facility has since closed.
Image credit: @bphlee via Instagram
You may be wondering, “why is it called The Sandcrawler?”
The building is named after a vehicle in the Star Wars franchise that traversed the desert planet of Tatooine. Instead of rusty plates and tank wheels, The Sandcrawler building in Singapore has glass windows and extensive green zones – all dreamt up by architecture firm Aedas.
Image credit: @peter.88_96 via Instagram
Walking around the building, you’ll find film-themed decor such as Stormtrooper figurines and a Master Yoda statue fountain in the centre of the “forested” corridor.
Image credit: Aedas
Going to the dark side, the building’s 5th and 6th floors hosted a 100-seater cinema for authentic cut-viewings and screenings, themed after the franchise’s villain Darth Vader. The external view of the hall was curved and glossy black, resembling his helmet, while the interiors were a menacing neon red.
Ceasing operations in 2024
Image credit: @khoochel via Instagram
Unfortunately in 2021, Lucasfilm decided to sell the Sandcrawler building to Blackstone Real Estate. The studio continued on for a few more years until operations in Singapore ended completely in 2024. These moves were said to be in response to global economic factors that didn’t make running their regional office feasible.
There was a lot of hue and cry over its closing, as the studio enabled several aspiring Singaporean creators to work on large-scale Hollywood blockbusters, as well as being a safe space for Star Wars fans.
What is The Sandcrawler building used for today?
Today, the building has been renamed to Eclipse, while still retaining its architecture. It’s a multi-office space for various companies. One of the companies that made its home here is the “Big Mouse” himself, The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd.
However, Disney’s regional headquarters have made sure to pay tribute to The Sandcrawler’s history by putting up a Baby Yoda statue in the fountain area, as well as a placard for Lucasfilm.
Image credit: @lebleu via Instagram
Some other notable companies that also use the space are GovTech, Data.gov.sg, and even a Turkish restaurant called Arkadas.
How to get to the Sandcrawler building
For those taking public transport, The Sandcrawler building is a 4-minute walk from one-north MRT station via Exit B. Alternatively, the closest bus stop is located at Galaxis, Fusionopolis Way.
The public areas of the building are open to all. However, do note that since this is an office space, there may be areas of the building – like the Sky Garden – that are restricted to employees. Therefore, we advise going down only if you have a contact to show you around, or for any public event they may hold.
In memory of The Sandcrawler
Image credit: Chan Leng via Google Maps
Though the force may have left us with Lucasfilm’s departure, it’s still very cool to look back on the fact of this seemingly regular building’s history and the hand that Singaporean creators had in beloved films of recent years.
Architecture lovers might also want to check out the Gotham-esque Parkview Square in Bugis or our list of unique buildings in Singapore. If you want to combine Star Wars-ymemories with a clubbing vibe, head on over to ARK-11 in Orchard or Chao K Party Karaoke in Bugis for astro-rooms.
Cover image adapted from: Aedas via Wikimedia Commons and Aedas