News Releases

3 October 2008

Seven restoration projects win the URA Architectural Heritage Award

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has awarded the annual Architectural Heritage Award (AHA) to seven restoration projects.

They are:

Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan presented the award at the 2008 Architectural Heritage Award Ceremony held at The Sea View Clubhouse this morning.

About the AHA

Introduced in 1995, the URA Architectural Heritage Award is given out yearly to promote quality restoration of monuments and buildings with preservation and conservation status in Singapore.

The award recognises owners, professionals and contractors who have gone the extra mile to thoughtfully and sensitively restore heritage buildings to their former glory.

Awards are given out under two categories:

Category A

This category is mainly for National Monuments and fully conserved buildings in Historic Districts and Good Class Bungalow Areas. Buildings fully conserved according to the restoration principles in other areas are also considered under this category.

They are assessed on how far they adhere to quality restoration principles such as maximum retention, sensitive restoration and careful repair.

Category B

This category is for integrated old and new conservation buildings in the Residential Historic Districts and Secondary Settlement areas.

They are assessed on how well the old elements have been restored and how new elements were innovatively integrated with the old by drawing inspiration from the original architectural design.

With the seven winners this year, a total of 84 restoration projects had received the URA Architectural Heritage Award since 1995.

About the 2008 Winners

The following provides an overview of the seven winning projects. Detailed write-ups are available in Annex A.

Category A

- Sri Temasek, Istana

Built in 1869, Sri Temasek is a stately 19th Century country house with an architectural legacy as diverse as Singapore’s heritage. Now lovingly restored, its Malay influence timber fascia roof and a mysterious Chinese moon-gate are just two among the many architectural gems that were brought back to life with restoration efforts.

- No.12 Ann Siang Road (The Screening Room)

Previously the historical 2-star Damenlou Hotel within the Telok Ayer area, this Art Deco marvel has been reborn as an eclectic film and foodie haven, complete with a screening theatre and a rekindled rooftop under the stars.

- No.43 Amber Road (The Sea View Clubhouse)

Now anchoring a towering collection of six modern condominium blocks, it is hard to imagine that this 2-storey clubhouse was once an all-but-forgotten bungalow.

Category B

- No.14 Cable Road

Once a mess hall used by staff of European trading company, McAlister & Co, this classic mock Tudor-style Black and White has reinvented itself as a contemporary family home, complete with a masterfully designed new annex.

No.42 Cairnhill Road (Tan Chin Tuan Mansion)

Built in the early 1930s, the 2-storey Tan Chin Tuan Mansion stands tall as an outstanding conservation effort and modern day engineering marvel. Sitting in the middle of a small triangular piece of prime real estate, it now faces the future as a beautifully restored mansion with a startling new 20-storey residential tower cantilevered over it.

No.120 Cairnhill Road

First restored in 1995, this double-storey transitional shophouse, circa 1930s, was updated with a new three-storey rear extension and a marvellous tropical rooftop pool terrace.

No.82 Jellicoe Road (Citylights)

Once a row of 16 motor workshops, the reconfigured 10 units of double and triple storey pre-war shophouses have been transformed into high-end townhouses anchoring a modern high-rise residential development.

2008 AHA Exhibition

An exhibition showcasing the seven winners of the 2008 URA Architectural Heritage Awards will be held at The URA Centre as follows. Admission is free.

Speech by Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development, at the 2008 URA Architectural Heritage Award Presentation Ceremony at the Sea View Clubhouse, Friday, 3 Oct 2008, 10.00am