Goodbye famous 5?

Architects lament five iconic buildings that are succumbing to en bloc fever and may soon go under the wrecking ball

Thirty years or so ago, they were residential buildings that helped pioneer the start of modern architecture here. And they stood tall and proud during Singapore’s formative years.

Mention their names, and they are bound to evoke a flood of memories for many Singaporeans: Pearl Bank Apartments in Outram Road, Golden Mile Complex in Beach Road, Futura in Leonie Hill Road, Beverly Mai in Tomlinson Road and The Habitat in Ardmore Park.

Beverly Mai and Futura were Singapore’s first condominiums, Pearl Bank has its unusual horse-shoe shape, The Habitat is a distinctive child of the 1980s and rundown Golden Mile Complex was the first here to mix homes and businesses.

Yet, the physical presence of these iconic five is set to be just a memory, too. The en bloc frenzy has them in its sights.

While for owners this is a windfall, history buffs and architects told LifeStyle the razing of the iconic residences will be a loss for Singapore’s architectural heritage.

The famous five are also written about in a book called Singapore 1:1 City, published two years ago by the Urban Redevelopment Authority and featuring a selection of significant architecture over the last 40 years.

It may seem strange to think old condos are part of the Republic’s heritage, just like grand colonial buildings, monuments and conserved shophouses.

Yet Mr Tai Lee Siang, president of the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA), says these residential projects have left a strong impression on the collective memory of Singapore.

‘They also have a unique architecture form and were designed by local architects,’ he says. Beverly Mai was designed by Singapore architect Timothy Seow in 1974 and was the first to introduce the condo principle of high-rise living and shared facilities to Singaporeans.

Dr Goh Chong Chia, managing director of TSP Architects & Planners, who worked with Mr Seow on the project, says Beverly Mai marked a change in housing type. ‘It was a pioneer of luxury housing,’ notes Dr Goh, an SIA past president.

Futura, also designed by Mr Seow in 1976, certainly lived up to its name. Mr Tai points out that its unique form lies in the space-pod look of the living spaces.

‘Clearly inspired by the space age explorations, the design is bold and futuristic in outlook,’ he says.

He adds that although its location at Leonie Hill created less impact in the public memory due to its status as a high-end private development off Orchard Road, ‘there is no denying that the building is a quiet tour de force in Singapore architecture landscape’.

Architect Mink Tan of Mink Tan Architects agrees that these five buildings should be kept because of their historical significance to local architecture.

He is passionate about retaining Golden Mile Complex, which, of the five, is the only one whose en bloc sale is uncertain.

‘The complex marks our first mixed-use development,’ he says, and he hopes that instead of tearing it down, it can be refurbished to its original condition.

Dr Kevin Tan, president of the Singapore Heritage Society, says the five are ‘all important and aesthetically and architecturally important buildings. Their demise or impending demise is to be much lamented’.

The SIA, meanwhile, is working to identify modern buildings that are less than 30 years old that may be worthy of recognition and future conservation – even though it is too late for the five featured here.

‘To realise the development of potential of these buildings that may be demolished due to en bloc sale, SIA would like to make suggestions to the relevant authority on how to integrate the new potential with the old landmarks,’ says Mr Tai.

However, home-owners at these landmark buildings have a different take. Ms Wong Chin Chin, a Pearl Bank Apartments resident for 11 years, says most owners in her block have agreed to sell at prices of about $1,300 psf, but adds it is more than just the money. Factors pushing them to sell include high maintenance fees, leaky pipes and lifts that break down.

‘No doubt the building is unique and historical, but living and dealing with the inconvenience is a chore,’ she says.

Welcome to my horse shoe
PEARL BANK APARTMENTS 1 Pearl’s Hill

The deal: LifeStyle understands from residents and industry experts that more than the mandatory 80 per cent of residents have agreed to sell. The apartments, near Outram Park MRT, could fetch more than $500 million.

History: The building was designed by local architect Tan Cheng Siong of Archurban Architects Planners, and completed in 1976.

Why it’s so special: The 280-unit, 38-storey Pearl Bank Apartments has a distinctive horse-shoe shape for a reason. The block’s horse-shoe opening faces west, shading the building from the afternoon sun.

Being located on a hill, it was the tallest residential building in Singapore at the time. And it had the highest density of apartments for a private residential development.

There are eight penthouses and 272 split-level units that are either two-, three- or four-bedroom apartments, with eight units to a floor.

Much thought went into the layout. Living rooms and bedrooms are at the front, giving great city views. Utilities and service areas are situated at the rear, overlooking a courtyard.

‘Slum’ becomes landmark
GOLDEN MILE COMPLEX 5001 Beach Road

The deal: The en bloc is not yet a done deal. Some owners at the strata-titled mixed development are lobbying for one. But there are many units and it may be difficult to get the mandatory minimum of 80 per cent of individual owners to agree.

History: The 16-storey building, with 411 shops, 226 offices and 68 residential units, was designed by Gan Eng Oon, William Lim and Tay Kheng Soon of then Design Partnership – now known as DP Architects – and was completed in 1973.

Why it’s so special: It pioneered the idea of a mixed-use development. And its unique sloping form is unforgettable.

Today the complex is a hot spot for Thai clubs and eateries, as well as travellers going to Malaysia by bus.

It was even mentioned in Parliament once, when it was described as a national disgrace and a vertical slum because residents had put up zinc sheets and patched boards over their balconies to create an extra room.

The complex may look run down, but it is appreciated by architecture gurus.

Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas said at a press conference when he visited Singapore in 2005: ‘These buildings (Golden Mile Complex and People’s Park Complex) were not intended to be landmarks, but became landmarks.’

Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki said it is a prime example of an urban building where people can live, work, shop and play – all in a single development.

Professor William Lim, a veteran architect here, says the demolition of the complex ‘will be a definite loss for Singapore’.

Living in a space-pod
FUTURA 14 Leonie Hill Road

The deal: The condo, with 69 units and three penthouses, was sold en bloc last year for $287.3 million to City Sunshine Holdings, a subsidiary of City Developments. However, the deal is still in the works as minority owners have gone to court, claiming that the sale was not made in good faith.

History: It was completed in 1976.

Why it’s so special: Futura was the second condominium to be built in Singapore. Its main architect is Mr Timothy Seow, who also designed Singapore’s first condo, Beverly Mai, two years earlier. This, too, has gone en bloc.

The Futura was the first residential project to incorporate lifts that open directly into the apartments, giving residents much privacy. It was a novelty to most Singaporeans living in flats with a shared lift opening onto a shared corridor.

The 25-storey block has a distinctive curved facade, a move away from the usual linear configurations.

Its name reflects its architecture, considered advanced at the time: three radial wings linked by a central service core. As a result, the living rooms are in an elliptical shape, resembling space-pods, while the rooms are geometric shaped.

Airy bungalow
BEVERLY MAI 31 Tomlinson Road

The deal: The 28-storey tower was sold en bloc in April last year for $238 million to Hotel Properties Ltd (HPL).

History: It was built in 1974.

Why it’s so special: It helped kick off Singaporeans’ famous obsession with attaining the 5Cs: car, credit card, cash, country club and, of course, condos.

Yes, this is Singapore’s first condo.

It was built by architect Timothy Seow, who also designed several other old favourites in LifeStyle’s feature.

Mr Seow, founder of Timothy Seow & Partners, now known as CPG Consultants, pioneered the ‘bungalow-in-the-air’ concept with Beverly Mai. The 48 maisonettes, two deluxe apartments and two-storey luxury penthouses are all linked by a central service core, giving residents privacy.

As the first condo, it had other firsts – the first to incorporate shared facilities such as a swimming pool, to have maisonettes and to have apartment units with no party walls.

It also has big balconies, inspiring residents to build gardens in the sky.

Prefab boxes
THE HABITAT 1 & 2 2 & 3 Ardmore Park

The deal: Property developer Wheelock Properties bought Habitat 1 for $180 million last year, and Habitat 2 for $103.88 million in 2005. The site of Habitat 2 and its neighbouring Ardmore View, which was also sold en bloc, is making way for Ardmore II condo. Habitat 1, which is still standing, will become Ardmore III condo.

History: The condo was completed in 1984, and was designed by local firm

RDC Architects in association with internationally renowned American firm Moshe Safdie & Associates.

Why it’s so special: The two blocks can be considered a local version of Montreal’s Habitat ‘67, a housing project done by Moshe Safdie for the 1967 World Exposition. The Canadian project, today a heritage landmark, pioneered the design and implementation of three-dimensional prefabricated housing. Each unit, resembling a box, was constructed elsewhere and connected together on site. There are 158 units.

Singapore’s version is similar but on a smaller scale – there are just 61 units in both blocks.

It makes use of the same concept as in Montreal – vertically stacked precast boxes with hanging roof terraces, giving the condo a three-dimensional facade.

Both towers have single-storey units and maisonettes that overlook a garden with a pool and squash courts.

Source : Sunday Times – 5 Aug 2007

East Coast conservation bungalow sold for $13.95m

A Well-Heeled Singapore buyer has outbid four others to lay claim to a large conservation bungalow on Mountbatten Road in the East Coast area.

The buyer, known only as Mr Koh, paid $13.95 million for the 20,222 sq ft plot at an auction held by Knight Frank yesterday. About 89 bids were received for the property, classified as a rare ‘early bungalow’ built in the 1860s, said Knight Frank’s auctions director, Ms Mary Sai.

Bids opened at $9.5 million, with the winning offer coming in at almost 40 per cent over the indicative price of $10 million, she added.

While transactions for conservation bungalows are too infrequent to be easily comparable, the last similar deal was done in 2004, she said.

SC Global then paid $11.05 million for Chansville, a Mountbatten Road bungalow with grounds of 55,000 sq ft. It has since restored the house, built four new ones and sold all five.

The bungalow sold yesterday was put under the hammer by a High Court order. But more properties going on auction these days are sold by their owners, according to two separate reports by property firms.

Knight Frank research showed that the number of properties auctioned by owners climbed 38.9 per cent in the first half of this year, compared with the preceding six months. Those properties that were sold this year had a total value of $207.8 million, up from $115 million for those sold in the second half of last year.

Another major auctioneer, Colliers International, said 421 properties have been put up by their owners since January, up from about 350 properties in the preceding half-year.

It added that the auction market is being boosted by properties with the potential for a collective sale. On the days when such properties are put up for sale, ‘the number of attendees jumps from the usual 100 to as many as 200′, observed Ms Grace Ng, the deputy managing director and auctioneer at Colliers.

Bids are competitive for these properties as well, she added. A shop unit in Golden Wall Centre recently sold for $1.07 million, while a shop unit in The Adelphi also fetched $460,000.

For the auction market, $263.02 million worth of properties have been sold since January, up from $210.29 million in the six months before that, said Colliers.

Owners’ sales made up more than half of this number, with 52 deals worth $177.42 million.

Source : Straits Times – 30 Jun 2007

Heritage conservation can make good economic sense

HERITAGE conservation through ‘adaptive reuse’ of a historic building is a well-established architectural and development strategy. This involves upgrading services and facilities to fulfil current needs, structural consolidation to ensure building stability, as well as cleaning, repairs and restoration to original finishes. Attention is paid even to floor materials, interior decoration and furniture, to ensure the integrity of the building’s heritage value.

In many cases, varying degrees of new architectural additions are introduced in the process, giving rise to a synthesis of old and new.

As a strategy that aims to meet competing needs – conservation, the market, and architectural aesthetics and function – an adaptive reuse proposal can be assessed in terms of its architectural merit, integrity of heritage value and commercial viability.

Architectural merit

ADAPTIVE reuse projects with new additions in contemporary materials such as glass and steel are architecturally successful when the juxtaposition is sensitive and well-considered – significantly, it communicates a meaningful dialogue between the historic ‘old’ and the ‘new’.

A good example is the Central Fire Station at Hill Street.

Regrettably, the juxtaposition of ‘old and new’ in the 23 Amber Road proposal is incongruous. Not only is there a mismatch between scale and design, but also it is exacerbated by the proximity and immediacy of the disparity. Rather than engaging in dialogue, the two conflicting architecture styles appear grafted together in a Frankensteinian fashion. Instead of complementing each other, old and new are seriously compromised in a forced marriage of agendas as yet reconciled.

Heritage integrity

ONE of a small and diminishing number of stately historic family houses, 23 Amber Road exemplifies the sea-fronting residential architecture that evolved with the development of the Katong area in the early 20th century.

The charmingly laid-back yet cosmopolitan character of the eastern coastal enclave gave rise to a distinct ambience and a rich cultural heritage that is still palpable today.

In response to its coastal context, architect R.A.J. Bidwell, of the eminent local European firm Swan and Maclaren, designed the house with generous sea-facing verandas, extended along curved ‘butterfly’ wings to maximise both views and sea breeze circulation, creating an inimitable crescent-shape structure unlike any other along the seashore.

The house has two dissimilar fronts – one facing the main road, the other embracing the seafront in symmetrical crescent curves.

Although the shoreline has receded from the house with successive reclamation, the building remains key to the history of Katong, which is at risk of losing its characteristic appeal to an increasing number of indifferent new constructions.

In the proposal put up by the developer which bought the land, only the part facing the main road is to be retained. The signature crescent wings will be demolished, to be replaced by the new condominium.

Even though a portion of the building will be ’saved’, by disregarding the critical historic significance of the building, the proposal debases the integrity of the heritage value of the house, and that of the Katong historic enclave.

Commercial viability

THE current proposal for 23 Amber Road is clearly tilted towards commercial concerns: It seeks to ‘conserve’ plans for the new condominium before making any accommodation for heritage purposes.

The initiative of Goodland Development is commendable, and the efforts of the URA to negotiate between various government departments for waivers and concessions are well appreciated. Still, it is apparent that these concessions are meant only to save, literally, the leftover remains of the house after ensuring the economic sanctity of the condominium development.

Even then, it is questionable if the effort will be worth it, for the unsatisfactory architectural solution has the effect of undermining the very act of heritage conservation it set out to achieve. The disembodied remains of the house would end up consuming valuable space without a corresponding payback in terms of heritage value and prestige to the new development.

Rather than a win-win solution, we could end up over-compromising all round in a lose-lose situation.

Rethinking priorities

THERE are many ways to approach adaptive reuse projects, but the common principle centres on the integrity of the historic building, which should form the basis of the design, regulatory, or commercial decision.

The best adaptive reuse projects are those that manage to strike a sensible and sensitive balance between the three factors of integrity of heritage value, commercial profitability and architectural merit, through considered commercial programming and innovative design, facilitated by sophisticated conservation policies and regulatory flexibility.

Most importantly, these are premised upon the care and priority placed on history and built heritage by all parties. As such, heritage conservation projects speak volumes about the importance that a society places on history, how it relates to its past, and where its values lie.

Not unlike the Cathay Building, 23 Amber Road suffers the unfortunate fate of belated conservation, after development plans have been set in motion. Given the limitations in such cases, we hope that solutions outside the proverbial box can be explored, especially by the URA, including floor area ratio substitution or even property swop.

Even if compromise is unavoidable, we hope it will be a meaningful and dignified one.

Rethinking architectural heritage

MUCH as original manuscripts and paintings are one-off and irreplaceable evidence of history, architecture constitutes an important material heritage. Most of the time, it is impossible to even reconstruct due to the loss of traditional craftsmanship and building materials that are no longer in production, such as the Malayan rubber tiles in the old Supreme Court.

The significance and communicative power that a tactile and spatial experience of a properly restored heritage structure provides cannot be substituted, whether by virtual simulation, paper documentation, commemorative plaques, or by saving totemic building parts.

To break out of the confusion that often confronts the pro-development state of conservation, it is necessary to challenge the notion that heritage conservation means stagnation and an obstacle to progress.

In many post-industrial economies, including the United States, Britain, Scandinavia and the European Union, heritage conservation has become a highly developed and progressive industry. It has spawned its own research and development fields, as well as exportable high- end technology and specialised services, playing an increasing role in the economy beyond tourism.

Heritage conservation projects are more labour-intensive compared to new constructions of similar finance.When heritage rehabilitation occupies a larger share of the construction industry, it generates proportionately more skilled and specialised employment.

Singapore is well past the phase of massive urban development that was necessary to address its housing shortage. There is no better time than now to actively address the shortfall in the state of heritage conservation. We should aim to move beyond totemic efforts that belie an uncompromising stance towards profit-making, at the expense of a healthy appreciation of our history.

The writers are with the Singapore Heritage Society.

Tan Kar Lin, For The Straits Times and Ho Weng Hin and Dinesh Naidu

Source : Straits Times – 28 Jun 2007

For sale: Mountbatten conservation bungalow

A CONSERVATION bungalow at 781 Mountbatten Road is going under the hammer on June 29 with an indicative price of $10 million.

The freehold property has a land area of 20,222 square feet and the single-level bungalow with an outbuilding has a total floor area of 3,444 sq ft.

The main building has five bedrooms, while the outbuilding has two bedrooms.

‘The existing bungalow has to be restored but there’s sufficient vacant land for the new owner to build additional residential buildings,’ said Knight Frank auctioneer Mary Sai, who is handling the sale of the property that has been offered by the administrator of the estate of Teo Koh Seng, also known as Teo Keng Seng.

Ms Sai drew a parallel between 781 Mountbatten Road and Simon Cheong’s ‘5 Legends of Mountbatten’ development.

Mr Cheong bought the 55,000 sq ft sprawling grounds on which Chansville – the former home of the late champion swimming trainer Chan Ah Kow – was located, at 745 Mountbatten Road, for $11.05 million in 2004.

He restored Chansville and built four more new bungalows on vacant space on the property.

All five bungalows have been sold. Chansville, with a 22,979 sq ft land area, fetched $13 million or $566 psf. The other four bungalows fetched between $5.1 million and $6.3 million, or $619 to $965 psf.

Chansville was sold this year while most of the other four houses were sold last year. All five bungalows are two-storeys high, have roof terraces and come with pools in lush landscaping.

The project was designed by award-winning architect Mok Wei Wei of W Architect.

781 Mountbatten Road is classified as an ‘Early Bungalow’ characterised by a simple facade and a building constructed on brick piers.

The property, like Chansville, is one of just 15 bungalows along Mountbatten Road gazetted for conservation by the Urban Redevelopment Authority in 1993.

Knight Frank could not confirm just how old 781 Mountbatten Road is but an index of lands register shows that the earliest entry for the property, at the time with an address of 785 Grove Road, was in 1927.

Names of parties registered include Charles James Lacey, Robert Dunman, Meyer-Hyeem Sassoon, and Richard Lake.

Sometime in the 1950s, ownership of the bungalow passed into the hands of Mr Teo. The property is currently being sold by the administrator of his estate. Knight Frank’s June 29 auction at Carlton Hotel begins at 2.30 pm.

Source : Business Times – 21 Jun 2007

Butterfly House escapes wrecker’s ball

A PETITION by a group of heritage enthusiasts to save the distinctive “Butterfly House” at 23 Amber Road from being demolished has met with some measure of success.

Instead of razing the 95-year-old crescent-shaped two-storey bungalow, its developer, Goodland Group, has agreed to conserve the entrance porch and stair hall and integrate them into the facade of the new 18-storey condo.

This came after a petition was launched in January this year by the 40-strong Historic Architecture Rescue Plan (Harp) — which counts Katong residents among its members — against the demolition.

The bungalow, the only residential property in Singapore with curved wings, was the work of Regent Alfred John Bidwell, the same architect who designed the Raffles Hotel, Goodwood Park and Hotel Victoria Memorial Hall.

So, Harp wrote to the Government and started a website, which garnered even the acknowledgment of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). Calling the petition “well-organised”, the URA stepped in, taking four to five months to negotiate with various parties to save the house.

“We had to work very hard with the developer to keep part of the bungalow as it is a very tight site,” Mrs Teh Lai Yip, URA’s deputy director of Conservation and Development Services, said at a media briefing yesterday.

The bungalow takes up most of the 1,095-square-metre site, making it impossible to keep the building in its entirety, unlike other developments (see box), she added.

Various concessions and waivers were granted to include part of the original bungalow. To incorporate both the old and the new, URA allowed a “set-back” — or the space between the building itself and the land boundary — of 4.5m, instead of the 7.2m required for a building of that height.

NParks also reduced the 2m greenery buffer allowance to 1.5m.

“The Land Transport Authority had to be convinced to allow the original porch, which goes right to the road, to be untouched. Usually, new developments are set back from the road,” said Mrs Teh.

Additionally, some state land behind the property may also be freed up if more space is needed for the driveway into the car park.

“We believe that the redesign will give the developer’s marketing an edge, as it integrates history and unique features that cannot be replicated,” said Mrs Teh.

Construction will start soon, with the condo slated to be completed within three years.

For Harp, which has been trying to save the bungalow for the last six months, the outcome is bittersweet.

Although it is glad that the complete destruction of the bungalow was prevented, one member, Mr Terrence Hong, is “quite upset” that only the porch will be retained and not the signature curved wings.

“I’m not denying that it is a win-win solution, but we’d rather that they kept the circular wings,” he said. He said that Harp will be making further recommendations to the URA in a bid to save more of the site, such as reusing the floor tiles and grilles.

The outcry also raises the question of why a signature building like 23 Amber Road could have fallen short of protective legislation, said Mr Hong. “In the future, we would like to see more legislation to protect heritage buildings, and for developers to consider joint ventures when they redevelop heritage buildings.”

Plans for 23 Amber Road are currently on display at the URA Centre and are open for public feedback until July 7. 
 
Source : Today – 19 Jun 2007

Heritage property lovers save part of 95-year-old bungalow

A GROUP of heritage property lovers has saved part of a 95-year-old historical bungalow from the wrecking ball.

Instead, the entrance porch and stair hall of the unique, crescent-shaped building at 23 Amber Road will front a new high-rise building.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), the governing body on land-use in Singapore, told The Straits Times yesterday that given the competing needs for development and conservation on tiny Singapore, this was a ‘win-win solution’.

The Neo-Renaissance-style two-storey structure is the only house here designed by Regent Alfred John Bidwell, architect of the Victoria Memorial Hall, Goodwood Park Hotel and Raffles Hotel.

The bungalow was seen as unique because it was the only semi-circular colonial residence in existence here, said the group who fought to preserve it.

The site was bought by developer AG Capital last year for $8.9 million, and it had been free to tear the building down, as the house had not been included in URA’s list of more than 6,000 heritage buildings selected for conservation.

That is when the Historic Architecture Rescue Plan (Harp) group stepped in. The group of 40 people from diverse professions rallied to save the building through online petitions and e-mail requests to the Government.

On its part, the URA sounded out the developers about reviewing their redevelopment plans.

‘The developers were open to exploring alternatives instead of a complete redevelopment,’ said the URA.

The authority and developers worked closely with the architect and various agencies to overcome the site constraints.

It was a bittersweet victory for Harp.

One member, media officer Terrence Hong, 26, said he was happy that a partial solution could be found, but was disappointed that the structure’s crescent-shaped verandah would be demolished.

Mr Kevin Tan, 45, president of the Singapore Heritage Society, said: ‘So much of our heritage is being destroyed, and all the things we are familiar or grew up with are gone.Thumbs up to the URA for responding to the public.’

Source : Straits Times – 15 Jun 2007

Place older buildings’ heritage along with commercial value

EN bloc sales of old residential developments may take a new twist if the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) has its way.

Highlighting developments like Futura and Beverly Mai, which were sold through collective sales last year, SIA president Tai Lee Siang said: ‘We need to urgently debate whether these buildings form the architectural heritage of our city.’

Acknowledging that there were ‘inherent difficulties’, tied to the commercial value of the land, Mr Tai nevertheless said that there could be buildings that were less than 30 years old that had the same value as national monuments or conserved shop houses.

Highlighting another development that could potentially be put on the block – the Golden Mile Complex – Mr Tai explained that its design, ‘pioneered mixed development thinking’ and ‘pointed to the future of urban renewal that was relevant at that time’.

He said: ‘Given that buildings that fit such criteria of review are few and far between, it is worthy to consider national level solutions to prevent such buildings from being demolished.’

The SIA president did point out, however, that it is not currently in discussions with the relevant authorities on this matter.

Mr Tai was speaking at the press conference held for the SIA 46th annual dinner celebration last night, which saw the professional association confer its highest honour on a non-architect – the Honorary Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Architects – on Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Goh said: ‘Given increasing demand on land use, we must find new and innovative ways to maximise our limited space.’

He also said: ‘The government will be bold and creative in working with partners in the private sector like architects, building owners and developers.’

He said: ‘Overall, I would say that we are on the right track to become a truly global city, yet one which is distinct from others because it is a tropical city where the East truly blends with the West in harmony.’

The occasion of the SIA annual dinner was also an opportunity for Mr Tai, who is serving his first term as president, to present the institute’s manifesto for 2007.

Mr Tai said that the manifesto was not about making policy changes but ‘changing mindsets’.

Mr Tai said that architects need to take a more active role in designing the city. He said: ‘For too long, economics and rules have been blamed for stifling creativity . . . Our designs must now seek new solutions, new materials and new ways of design to ensure that our city is not one of boredom but one bustling with energy of creativity.’

Source : Business Times – 5 May 2007

Call to preserve 1912 ‘crescent’ house

A GROUP of heritage property lovers are trying to save a bungalow designed by the architect of Raffles Hotel that could be facing demolition after it was bought recently by a developer.

The neo-Renaissance style bungalow on Amber Road was designed by Regent Alfred John Bidwell in 1912.

The two-storey property, which stood on the seafront before land reclamation began, has an unusual crescent shape to let in as much fresh air as possible. It is currently surrounded by many private housing projects.

A new developer, AG Capital, bought the bungalow last year. The company told The Straits Times ‘no corporate decision has been adopted’ on future plans for the site.

The company is free to tear it down though, as the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has no plans to add it to its list of more than 6,000 buildings that have to be retained because of their historical heritage value.

The URA told The Straits Times it adopted a ‘pragmatic’ approach to conservation. It said: ‘It is done on a highly selective basis to retain the unique character and identity of an area.

‘We have adopted a ‘win-win’ approach to strike a balance in allowing owners to realise the economic potential of their properties and ensuring the identity and character of our historic past are retained.’

However, a group of about 20 people, who call themselves the Historic Architecture Rescue Plan, feel this bungalow deserves preservation. On Christmas Eve, the group distributed fliers about the bungalow to residents in the Mountbatten area.

One member, Mr Terrence Hong, 26, unemployed, suggested the building be dismantled and relocated rather than demolished.

Destroying buildings like this would ‘contribute to the sense of impermanence and unrootedness in Singapore’, he said.

Another member, 72-year-old retired administrator Helen Khoo, said: ‘Modern buildings are okay in themselves. But when we have too many, we start everything on a clean slate and rub off all the happy memories.’

The group is trying to get the authorities to conserve at least 12 other buildings.

They include private buildings like the National Aerated Water Company building in Serangoon Road, the Shaw Brothers film studio in Jalan Ampas, off Balestier Road, as well as state properties like a two-storey manor in Gilstead Road that used to be home to Leslie Charteris, author of the mystery books that inspired the television series, The Saint.

The conservation group tries to raise awareness of heritage properties by giving their owners or tenants information on their historical value. They recently approached Gracefields Kindergarten, which rents the house in Gilstead Road.

The imposing 1920s building, which used to house the Spastic Children’s Association, was painted a cheery mint green when the kindergarten took up the tenancy in August.

Its principal, Ms Joyce Teo, 50, said that since then, at least eight people have walked in to express admiration for the building.

‘I stand in awe. Every day that I stand here, I am grateful for this place,’ she said. ‘It’s so majestic.’

Source : Straits Times – 7 Jan 2007

Is S’pore’s first condo worth preserving ?

WHEN the Beverly Mai condo in Tomlinson Road was put up for collective sale recently, only a few architects and history buffs realised that Singapore was at risk of losing a small part of its heritage.

The 32-year-old building about to be razed to the ground is in fact Singapore’s first condominium.

And if its demise is any indication, there is concern now that the island’s obsession with such sales could wipe out a whole era of the country’s iconic buildings.

Said Singapore Heritage Society president Kevin Tan: ‘At this rate, you will end up with either very old buildings or very new buildings.’

At the heart of the problem is the enormous disparity between the price of land and the price of construction.

Said architect William Lim: ‘Because land prices are so much higher, the building has no value. It is irrelevant whether it has any architectural merit; the intrinsic value is in the land.’

Add to that the attractiveness of selling en bloc for residents and you have what he calls the ‘aggressive destruction of Singapore’s memories’.

He points to the likes of the old National Library and Marco Polo Hotel as signs that the country’s architectural heritage is under a very real threat.

Dr Tan agreed: ‘What will happen is you will see buildings from the 1930s, 1940s up till maybe the 1960s, and then you have a big gap.’

For now, the Beverly Mai and another condo – Futura in Leonie Hill Road – are in most imminent danger.

The former has already been sold to Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), while the latter has been put up for collective sale.

With a plot ratio of 2.8 on the 7,230 sq m Beverly Mai site, HPL, which did not respond to multiple calls from The Sunday Times, can effectively double the number of units there to 106.

And though the layman may see nothing worth saving in the likes of old condominiums, architects say they have genuine historical worth.

When completed in 1974, Beverly Mai was Singapore’s first condominium, the first to incorporate shared facilities like swimming pools, the first to build maisonettes and the first to build apartment units with no party walls.

The Futura – completed two years later – had a distinctive curved facade and was the first to incorporate lifts that open directly into the apartments.

Both condos were recently featured in the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) exhibition on Singaporean architecture called Singapore 1:1 City.

Architect Lim Huck Chin, 42, felt so strongly about the impending destruction that he wrote to The Straits Times Forum page expounding Beverly Mai’s merits. He said: ‘Beverly Mai set a standard at that time. It saddens me that people don’t see beyond the million-dollar transactions.’

No one feels the likely loss of these buildings more than Mr Timothy Seow, who designed them both.

‘It’s heartbreaking,’ he told The Sunday Times. ‘If the building had been a failure, it’s a different thing. It’s a real shame.’

While acknowledging the merits of the building, a URA spokesman said: ‘Architectural merit is but one criterion when evaluating whether buildings are to be conserved. We need to balance that with economics, changing lifestyles and expectations, needs of the building owners and other factors.’

He pointed out that the authority has gazetted some 6,500 buildings for conservation, including dozens of shophouses in Chinatown and Little India, and the Jurong Town Hall building.

Architects accept that they face an uphill battle in trying to save the likes of Beverly Mai. To declare any residential building a conservation site would effectively lower its price on the market.

Said architect Mok Wei Wei: ‘The two or three best examples of any era need to be conserved but it would be unfair if the owners of the property bear the brunt of the cost.’

He suggested that policies should be reviewed to see if there is any way to balance the needs of conservation with economic imperatives.

Complex as the issue is, architects agree that something needs to be done, sooner rather than later. ‘We’ve got to start somewhere,’ said 30-year-old architect Lee Cheng Wee. ‘What better time than now and with Beverly Mai.’

‘We’ve got to start somewhere. What better time than now and with Beverly Mai.’ – ARCHITECT LEE CHENG WEE, 30, on conserving landmark buildings

Source : Sunday Times – 24 Sep 2006

Past Presence. Perfect Sense

IT IS touted as one of the new breed of ‘glamour’ condominiums, snapped up by well-heeled investors for its prime location despite being leasehold property rather than freehold. Yet amid its metal and glass towers, Draycott 8 also has some old-world glamour that adds an additional ‘wow’ factor.

As you approach the condo via Draycott Park, just minutes off Orchard Road, a two-storey, black-and-white bungalow stands out in striking contrast to the condo’s three modern apartment blocks.

The grand house sits atop a hill with a 50m-long swimming pool in front of it.

Built in the 1920s, the colonial bungalow was once occupied by British air marshals. Today, it is enjoying a new lease of life as the clubhouse for the 99-year leasehold condo.

Its last tenant was French-language school Alliance Francaise De Singapour, which occupied the bungalow from 1978 to 1995 before moving to its current premises in Sarkies Road.

Developer Wing Tai Holdings bought the land in 1997 and spent $5 million on just restoring the bungalow to its former glory.

As it was not gazetted for conservation by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) when Wing Tai bought it, the property developer was free to tear it down and build another new block on the site. Instead, it chose conservation over demolition.

Wing Tai deputy chairman Edmund Cheng says the decision to restore the bungalow is a win-win formula where residents jointly ‘inherit’ the clubhouse for their enjoyment and, in return, the luxurious clubhouse enhances the value of their apartments.

‘Old buildings also depict a sweet chapter of the past, which differentiate them from other developments,’ he says.

With prices of the condo’s two- and four-bedroom apartments at the high-end of the market at $1,700 to $2,200 per square foot, home owners are getting a clubhouse that more than matches their upmarket expectations, say property observers.

The restored, 17,000sq ft clubhouse is said to be the biggest in a condo here.

The 136-unit Draycott 8 – about 70 of which have been sold already, with the rest to be officially launched next month – is the latest condo to boast an old conservation building within its residential midst.

There are at least half a dozen residential developments that have combined the old with the new this way.

Once URA has gazetted a building for conservation, property developers must restore its facade. But they have free rein over the buildings’ interiors.

Such is the case of CapitaLand Residential Singapore’s Citylights condominium in Jellicoe Road. When completed in two years’ time, it will have four modern towers and a row of 16 pre-war Art Deco shophouses that are being restored and converted into 10 townhouses.

Ms Patricia Chia, CEO of CapitaLand Residential Singapore, says: ‘The townhouses and the modern blocks create a dialogue between the past and the future, adding to the rich and diverse nature of the living environment.’

Another property firm making history with its use of history is ACT Holdings. It has developed two projects that have a mix of old conservation buildings and new condo blocks.

Managing director James Toh says: ‘I find it a waste to tear down old buildings. It’s more meaningful if old buildings can be adapted for today’s residents.’

His first conservation project was Gambier Court in Kim Yam Road. Restoration was done on three Art Deco terrace houses that were built in the 1940s. The URA had earmarked them for conservation in 1991.

He spent $1 million restoring them and another $6.5 million building a 10-storey block behind them.

But Mr Toh’s loving restoration brought him some nail-biting moments. When Gambier Court was launched in 1998, sales were slow as there was a property slump. The first sale was a penthouse unit – and not one of the terrace houses.

‘I wondered if I made a wrong decision restoring the houses,’ he recalls.

But he knew he was ‘on the right track’ when Gambier Court won a URA Architectural Heritage Award in 2000.

The annual award honours well-restored monuments and conservation buildings.

Currently, the three terrace houses are leased to expatriates.

One, British chemical engineer David Hoeler, has been living at Gambier Court for the past five years. He says he wanted a house as ‘high-rise living is for birds, not people’.

He was attracted to the terrace house’s airwell – a feature commonly found in period houses. ‘It is a unique feature and I don’t get this back home in Britain,’ he adds.

Mr Toh’s other conservation building within a condo is The Ventana in Pasir Panjang. It was a particularly poignant project as the condo’s clubhouse was his childhood home.

His family decided to turn the 40,000sq ft site into a condo when other developments started popping up around it.

‘It was no longer an exclusive area, so we made a painful decision to give it up.’

By conserving part of the bungalow, he still manages to preserve precious family memories.

Along Cairnhill Road is another colonial bungalow with a 20-storey building behind it that is currently under construction. No completion date has been set.

The two-storey white bungalow belonged to the late OCBC chairman Tan Chin Tuan, and is currently being restored. It is likely to remain as a bungalow for residential use, says a spokesman for Architects 61, which is handling the project.

When completed, the project, called the Tan Chin Tuan Mansion, will have 17 apartments. Some of them will be occupied by the Tan family and the rest put up for lease.

When fully restored, the bungalow will once again be a Cairnhill landmark.

The president of the Singapore Heritage Society, Dr Kevin Tan, applauds developers for conserving heritage buildings and integrating them into new developments. But he cautions that sensitivity must be used when developing projects which have a mix of old and new.

‘The new development must be sensitive to the old architecture,’ he says. For example, building a new condo block in 19th-century style would be silly, he explains. The two should complement each other.

He cites Gambier Court, Spring Grove in Grange Road and Sandalwood in Joo Chiat as good examples.

Over at Draycott 8, meanwhile, its grande dame of a clubhouse is experiencing new halcyon days.

A concierge team is on hand to help residents plan parties at a special private dining room within the restored bungalow. Residents can either bring in their own caterers or get the concierge to arrange this.

The old building also boasts a massage room for residents and a small onsen or Japanese bath.

It even houses a wine cellar for each unit in the condo. These are accessible only by biometric identification, so there are no worries about neighbours drinking up your vintage wines.

History revisited, relived, revived

Conservation houses in condominiums are turned either into clubhouses or residential units. Here’s a look at some of them

Light@Cairnhill

THE recently launched Light@Cairnhill by Wing Tai Holdings boasts a 20-storey glass building with three restored 21/2-storey terrace houses. The houses were formerly used as a clubhouse for guests of the old Cairnhill Hotel, and were sold together with the hotel. About $2.5 million was spent on restoring and updating the houses. Each is over 3,000sq ft and two have been sold to foreigners. The last, now done up as a showflat, is priced at $5.65

Gambier Court, Kim Yan Road

THIS project has a 10-storey apartment block with three Art Deco-style terrace houses in front. Property developer ACT Holdings bought the 21/2-storey terraces, which were previously residential homes, in a tender in 1996. While their facade was maintained, their interior was altered, including removing back portions of the houses to make way for the 18-unit apartment block. A cross motif on the house balconies is repeated on the apartment balconies for continuity. The project, launched in 1998, won a URA Architectural Heritage Award in 2000.

The Sea View, Amber Road

DEVELOPED by Wheelock Properties, The Sea View – which will get its Temporary Occupation Permit in 2009 – stands on the site of the former Sea View Hotel which, during its heyday in the 1970s, was known as ‘Singapore’s newest multi-storey luxury hotel’. The new Sea View will have six blocks, each 23 storeys high. A historic beach-house on the site will be restored as the condo’s clubhouse.

Spring Grove, Grange Road

THIS 325-unit condominium project boasts a distinctive clubhouse that is a restored Victorian-style bungalow. City Developments won a URA Architectural Heritage award in 1998 for the clubhouse, which is believed to have been built in 1888. Past occupiers include a Jewish millionaire, a Japanese general and nine American ambassadors. Its restoration cost $1.8 million and changes included removing bullet-proof windows and reinstating wooden louvres. In 1998, Spring Grove also won a Prix D’Excellence award, handed out by the Paris-based International Real Estate Federation.

Sandalwood, Tembeling Road

WINNER of the URA Architectural Heritage Award last year, this project is a mix of 12 two-storey period terrace houses, four two-storey Art Deco units and a new five-storey apartment block. Developed by Breezeway Development, which bought the houses from their previous owners, the interiors of the conservation houses have been stripped back for a modern look. Shophouses have dark interiors, but by moving the kitchen from the back of the house to the middle, big windows could be built at the back to let in more light.

The Ventana, Pasir Panjang Hill

PERCHED on top of Pasir Panjang Hill, The Ventana is a 39-unit condominium which features a two-storey restored bungalow as its clubhouse. The condo project, by ACT Holdings, was completed in 2003. The bungalow was once the childhood home of ACT’s managing director James Toh. Each of The Ventana’s units has views of Kent Ridge Park or a sea view of Singapore’s southern islands.

Citylights, Jellicoe Road

TEN heritage townhouses – ranging from 3,000 to 3,500sq ft and converted from 16 shophouses – are part of this project. While prices for these are not yet available, buyers can still sample the development’s other offering: 600 apartments in four blocks. Priced at an average of $635psf (per square foot), they can choose from one- to four-bedroom units. The 99-year leasehold project, by developer CapitaLand Residential Singapore, is expected to obtain its Temporary Occupation Permit by 2008.

Source : Straits Times – 19 Aug 2006