A Christmas tree without branches or leaves? Millenia Walk mall has an answer for its wooden tower of stools

SINGAPORE — When it comes to the ubiquitous Christmas tree this festive season, you might think you have seen just about every shape, colour, size, ornament and try-too-hard interpretation out there.

Well, here is one more for the road.

At Millenia Walk mall — located next to Pan Pacific Singapore hotel near the Marina Bay area — the “tree” has no branches, let alone leaves.

Standing at 7m tall, it is made up of 800 wooden seating blocks stacked up in a pyramid-like shape.

The only indication that this wooden sculpture is a Christmas tree? A star-like lighted display placed at the top of the structure.

Some social media users who have posted or seen photos of the structure doubling as a Christmas tree are wondering if spectators feel any cheer looking at it.

In answer to “critics” and people raising eyebrows at it, the mall said that the Christmas tree-like wooden sculpture is a tribute to one of Singapore's oldest and last remaining sawmills, Tat Hin Timber.

It is also an effort to raise awareness about what happens to Singapore's fallen trees — most cut to clear land for future developments. 

Millenia Walk's website also states that the stools for the tree were produced "with the intention of creating items that were not confined to a single use as Christmas decor, and which could be enjoyed long after the holiday season".

Explaining the inspiration for the Christmas tree’s design, Ms Melanie Yeap, head of retail for the Pontiac Land Group, which operates Millenia Walk, told TODAY on Thursday (Dec 22) that “the mall and its community have grown increasingly aware of the concept of sustainability” and pondered on what a “nature-inspired Christmas could be”.

This led them to explore more and find out where Singapore’s trees went after they have been cut down. 

This later inspired them to “spark a conversation” with wood specialists Timber Actually and Tat Hin Timber.

“These conversations were eventually brought to life through our 'Christmas with Our Trees' campaign,” Ms Yeap said, referring to the name of an ongoing event.

The event will take visitors on a "trail" around the mall where they can, among other things, learn about wood treatment processes. Visitors will end the trail at the foot of the wooden structure, which the mall refers to as the Millenia Walk Seed Tree. 

The name, Ms Yeap said, came from the idea of how each seating block began its life as a humble seed before growing into a tree.

“We were also inspired by hopes that this tree installation, in its own special way, may ‘seed’ fresh perspectives and new mindsets about trees (in Singapore), our wood industry, woodcraft and the professional community.”

The stools that make up the structure were made by Timber Actually from cut trees in Singapore.

Trees here are often cut down to make way for future developments. Instead of wasting the wood from these trees, Timber Actually processes and upcycles them into furniture.

The tree sculpture’s stools were made of wood processed from the angsana and mahogany trees, which can be commonly found around Singapore.

So what will happen to the wooden structure when Chinese New Year rolls around late next month?

The mall said that it is giving away the stools to customers who have spent more than S$3,500 or who have won a lucky draw after completing the event's informative trail.  

As to the question of whether the tower of wooden stools can indeed be considered a Christmas tree, Ms Yeap said that over the past decade, the mall has been working with its long-term branding and creative partner, the design agency OuterEdit, “to push boundaries in Christmas tree designs”.

“This year is no different,” Ms Yeap said.