Built in 1933 and the late 1960s respectively, the single-storey Clifford Pier Building and the two-storey Customs House, formerly the Customs Harbour Branch building, once facilitated the arrival of leisure seekers and traders to and from Singapore. Today, the two unique and historical buildings have been expertly refurbished into stylish Food & Beverage establishments that deliver a rush of nostalgia to a sparkling new bayfront luxury hotel development.

Peering Into The Past

The majesty of the voluminous Clifford Pier has been preserved with respect and expert precision. Two of its star architectural treasures kick off a list of many that have been earnestly brought back to life – the signature concrete arched trusses in rib band form and its magnificent multi-hued, stained glass fanlight. Unique elements, such as the brackets supporting the roof with their original Shanghai plaster finish and the authentic antiquated artefacts, including the cast iron red lamps and commemorative plaques, have been faithfully salvaged.

To update the building for air-conditioning, glass panels were sensitively introduced behind the building façade, and service trays neatly suspended along the aisles so as not to camouflage the cherished textures of the past.

Accustomed To Change

The restoration of the Customs House provided the added challenge of connecting the building to the rest of the waterfront development. Its watch tower, centrally located at its waterfront facade, was cleaned up, restored and repainted to preserve its maritime heritage. Even its distinctive concrete “butterfly” facade at its two longitudinal elevations was carefully restored. New modern shopfronts were sensitively added to its first storey such that they blend harmoniously with the former utilitarian building. Of notable mention was the voluntary retention and restoration of the building’s definitive umbrella-like pavilion.

The building’s previous functional office layout was reconfigured and reinvented into hip dining establishments. The new third storey roof space was a creative solution to house the mechanical and electrical equipment without detracting from its architecture. Vertical green planter strips were introduced to soften the appearance of the building and act as a transition between the old and the new. A feature wall was created at the other end of the building to relieve the rather plain façade housing the new substation for the development.

Here To Stay

Nestled between the two historical buildings is the new six-storey The Fullerton Bay Hotel. Connected to the Clifford Pier Building by a covered link way, it was conceived with side facades of glass to reflect and suggest a subtle link between its two conserved neighbours at either side. Horizontal lines on its feature walls are an attempt to echo the rustic façade of the Clifford Pier Building.

Indeed, the old buildings together with the new six-storey glass building are an attractive lifestyle destination around Marina Bay.