RUNNING up the centre of the posh, 36-storey Newton Suites is a wall covered in Trumpet vine, which, at 100m, is the tallest in Singapore.

The Newton Road condominium, where units fetch over $1 million, is also bursting with communal gardens and naturally-lit common areas.

'We wanted to create a tropical feel with this sheath of sunshade, instead of a glassy one, to respond to the environment,' said Mr Donovan Soon, a senior associate at architecture firm Woha, which designed the building.

Yesterday, that commitment paid off when the company was handed a new award designed to recognise the best 'gardens in the sky'.

Created by the National Parks Board and the Singapore Institute of Architects, the Greenery Awards are meant to encourage builders to incorporate more plant-life into their designs.

The push is a relatively new one, as designers and officials look to add a touch of nature to Singapore's monoliths of steel and glass.

Read Shonana Kesava's full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.